Festive Essentials issue 2 November/December 2016

FEST i VE ISSUE 2 - NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016

Frosty and fabulous

Your perfect winter day out

Christmas crackers

Posh parties and go-to gatherings happening near you

Feast festive Inspiring food worth celebrating

Welcome

The Essentials

ISSUE 2 • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016

04 Days out

28

Wrap up and get out

12 Go crackers Posh parties and sparkling events

16 Chill out Feel-good tips to keep you cheery

18 Gorgeous gifts Inspiring ideas for cool gift-giving

28 Deck the halls Make your home glow for winter

30 Festive feasting Decadent recipes to rustle up

Have yourself a merry little Christmas It’s officially the most wonderful time of the year - so spend it wisely! In this edition, we guide you through what’s hot for Christmas 2016, from presents and parties, to fun food and feel-good tips to help stop those festive feelings from fizzling out. Check out our Christmassy events calendar for fancy events happening near you, our recipe pages for plenty of tasty inspiration and our range of gorgeous gift guides to help you power through your shopping. Have fun, whatever you get up to, and enjoy the break. Season’s greetings from us!

Jessica Laing, editor Contributors Jennifer Tatters • Jemma Ferguson

Photography Amanda Clarke (Have Yourself a Stress-free Little Christmas feature)

If you wish to advertise with us please contact our sales team: Lisa Anderson: lisa@remembermedia.co.uk / 07734 560565 or Debi Coldwell: debi@remembermedia.co.uk / 07910 918366

Remember Media Ltd, e-volve Business Centre, Cygnet Way, Rainton Bridge South Business Park, DH4 5QY remembermedia.co.uk All contents copyright ©2016 RememberMedia Ltd. All rights reserved. While every effort is made to ensure accuracy, no responsibility can be accepted for inaccuracies, howsoever caused. No liability can be accepted for illustrations, photographs, artwork or advertising materials while in transmission or with the publisher or their agents. All information is correct at time of going to print, October 2016. Festive Essentials is published annually by Remember Media Ltd.

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Your perfect winter day out

Places to stroll, shop and be merry this festive season…

NORTHUMBERLAND PRIZE DRAW Stargazing for two at Battlesteads Hotel & Restaurant

GRAB YOUR BOOTS Situated in the depths of Northumberland’s National Park, Harwood Forest is a little-known gem that offers miles of tranquil woodland paths, as well as several popular waymarked trails to explore. Enjoy a leisurely stroll through its peaceful, conifer-filled floor, where you’re unlikely to meet a soul, or venture up to the nearby Simonside Hills for picnic areas and panoramic views of the Cheviots and Northumbrian coastline. Whatever you get up to, the forest’s rugged wilderness is bound to blow away the cobwebs, while the crisp, pine-scented air is guaranteed to get you in the Christmas spirit.

A dedicated Dark Sky Discovery Site located on the edge of Northumberland National Park, Battlesteads’ observatory enjoys some of the clearest night skies in the UK where the Milky Way can be seen with the naked eye and there’s even a chance of seeing the Northern Lights.

The prize includes an overnight stay for two people at the award-winning Battlesteads Hotel with a night of stargazing at Battlesteads’ on-site observatory. The winners will enjoy a taste of Northumberland’s finest local produce and Battlesteads’ own home-grown vegetables with a three-course dinner for two also included in the prize, worth up to £200.

To enter visit www.luxe-magazine.co.uk/win or email your name and a contact phone number to prizedraw@remembermedia.co.uk stating in the subject line the name of the prize draw you wish to enter.

Prize draw closes 1 January, 2017.

DO THIS FILL YOUR BASKETS Worked up an appetite after all that walking? Pop to The Alnwick Garden’s Christmas Market (it’s there from 19 November - 22 December) and stock up on all your festive bits and bobs. There are always sweet treats to be had, crafty stocking fillers to snap up and beautiful handmade decorations to lust over.

www.alnwickgarden.com

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Kielder’s annual Winter Wonderland extravaganza returns for 2016, promising adults and kids of all ages a jam-packed day of Christmas activities, celebrations and surprises. Highlights include walking through the enchanted forest to Santa’s secret woodland home, a visit to see his elves and live reindeer, and the chance to enjoy a spot of ice skating and snow tubing. Outdoor catering and a festive food marquee will also be on offer, so don’t forget to bring your appetite.

www.kielderwinterwonderland.com

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TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY Available on request

Festive Essentials

Join us this Christmas...

Festive Afternoon Tea From £22 pp

Christmas Day Lunch From £95 per person

Festive Afternoon Tea From only £22 per person

Gift Vouchers Give the gift of luxury and relaxation

New Years Eve Dinner: From £125 per person

To book or enquire please call: 0191 516 1400 or email: events@seaham-hall.com or visit: www.seaham-hall.com 05 Seaham Hall , Lord byron’s Walk, Seaham, County Durham, SR7 7AG

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Your perfect winter day out

Places to stroll, shop and be merry this festive season…

TYNE & WEAR PRIZE DRAW Win £150 worth of jewellery from House of Kiki

GRAB YOUR BOOTS Jesmond Dene is an ideal place to escape the hustle and bustle of Newcastle’s vibrant city centre. Stroll along the wooded valley - which is a haven for wildlife (look out for kingfishers and red squirrels) and stretches over three kilometres - at your leisure, or take advantage of its many guided paths and enjoy a mini adventure of your own. The Dene’s nature and history trails are fun choices for families, but if slopes and steps are more your thing, there are a handful of slighter harder, mile-long routes available that leave no area of the park uncovered. Christmas playlist at the ready…

House of Kiki offers jewellery brands such as Nialaya, Curbbz, Bellezza, Chamilia and Mancini, all using 925 silver, semi-precious metals and stones, as well as our very own unique brand, MyKiki. We pride ourselves on bringing you jewellery you’ll adore for seasons to come, along with fashion, gifts and vintage pieces.

Nialaya, is one of the hottest jewellery brands around today – with a stellar celebrity following such as Beyoncé, Jamie Foxx, Kylie & Kendal Jenner, Cristiano Ronaldo and more. Shop the brand now on MyKiki.co website.

To enter visit www.luxe-magazine.co.uk/win or email your name and a contact phone number to prizedraw@remembermedia.co.uk stating in the subject line the name of the prize draw you wish to enter.

Prize draw closes 1 January, 2017.

DO THIS

FILL YOUR BASKETS

TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY Available on request

Vallum Farm’s annual Christmas Market kicks off on 19 November. It’s a place to tuck into hearty street food, infused with festive flavour, sip on homemade mulled wine and visit Santa’s grotto if you have the little ones with you. Pop in on 17 December to see Vallum transform into Santa’s pad, where the little ones can enjoy a festive tea party with Saint Nick himself.

www.vallumfarm.co.uk

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Embrace the cold and head along to Skating@Life’s outdoor ice rink at Newcastle’s Times Square from 12 November - 26 February. Complete with Christmas tunes and twinkling lights, it’s a great way to keep kids entertained - though adults are welcome!

There’s the Newcastle Christmas Market, too, from 18 November - 11 December, which will host over 50 foodie and crafty traders housed in beautiful wooden chalets. It’s open daily until 7pm and 5pm on Sundays.

Over in Gateshead, the ever popular Enchanted Parks event returns to Saltwell Park from 6-11 December. The ‘outdoor arts experience’ promises a thrilling mix of Christmassy visual arts, performance, installation and interactive works for the whole family.

www.enchantedparks.com Search Newcastle Christmas Market on Facebook

Festive Essentials the

Hotel & Spa, York

Enjoy A 5-Star Festive Season At The Grand Hotel & Spa However you choose to celebrate - from Festive Afternoon Teas to Grand Party Nights - make your celebrations Grand celebrations.

Welcome In 2017 In Style Raise a glass to 2016 and begin 2017 in luxury as The Grand hosts the most exquisite New Year’s celebrations.

Advanced booking is recommended for all festive celebrations at The Grand.

Call 01904 380 038 or visit www.thegrandyork.co.uk Gift vouchers available to buy online | Station Rise,York, North Yorkshire,YO1 6GD

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Your perfect winter day out

Places to stroll, shop and be merry this festive season…

COUNTY DURHAM

GRAB YOUR BOOTS Take a neat walk around Durham city from the marketplace, around the riverbanks, through the winding streets (which look oh-so-pretty this time of year) and up to the twinkling Cathedral and Castle. You can do it in less than three hours - great on a winter’s afternoon. Wrap up warm and rediscover one of our region’s most enchanting cities.

DO THIS Durham’s annual Christmas festival is a good one - a three-day extravaganza of festive fun from 2-4 December. Among the groups of carol singers and live reindeer, look out for the craft and gift marquee on Palace Green, which hosts over 180 traders offering a variety of Christmas gifts, and the local food producers’ market inside the grounds of the Cathedral for Christmassy nibbles to take home.

Families should book tickets to the flurry of Enchanted Christmas events happening at Hardwick Hall from 3-23 December. Make special fairy dust to make Santa’s reindeer fly, travel to the North Pole, make gingerbread and learn how to be the perfect elf.

www.durhamchristmasfestival.com www.enchanted-christmas.com

FILL YOUR BASKETS The Bowes Museum’s Christmas Market is a fabulous affair; think artisan nibbles, must-have gifts and yummy local produce. Santa and his elves will be ho ho ho-ing in this workshop, waiting to greet and treat younger visitors while you mooch the stalls. From 17-18 December.

www.thebowesmuseum.org.uk

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Your perfect winter day out

Places to stroll, shop and be merry this festive season…

NORTH YORKSHIRE GRAB YOUR BOOTS Where Teesside meets North Yorkshire, Roseberry Topping and Captain Cook’s Monument is a classic seven-mile circular walk through dappled woodlands and pretty heather moorland. Starting at Great Ayton, take a family friendly ramble through to Captain Cook’s monument, then to Cleveland Way before making it to Roseberry Topping, to take in the panoramic views.

DO THIS Castle Howard comes alive at Christmas; a time when its grand interiors are festooned with glittering baubles, twinkling lights and flickering candles, combined with foliage, fruits, trees and twigs for a truly sensory experience. This year, you’ll see grand gingerbread constructions and a selection of gorgeous garlands and wreaths, handcrafted with greenery, winter berries and branches from the estate, plus you’ll have the chance to relax with a spot of festive afternoon tea by the crackling fire in the Grecian Hall.

FILL YOUR BASKETS Spend an afternoon at Lord Stones Country Park. Not only will the fresh air make your lungs happy, the cafe and farm shop are perfect stop-offs for the finest local produce North Yorkshire has to offer. Pick up great quality meats and cheeses, Christmassy preserves and sweet treats. It reminds us of the little shop Cameron Diaz visits in The Holiday - you know the one.

www.castlehoward.co.uk

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www.lordstones.com

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Festive Essentials

Christmas crackers Go-to gatherings and quirky Christmassy happenings near you…

CHRISTMAS CANAPÉS AND COCKTAILS

OLD HOLLYWOOD CHRISTMAS BALL

Wynyard Hall, Tees Valley 10 November, 6pm-9pm £30 per person www.wynyardhall.co.uk

Middleton Lodge, Richmond 2 December £80 per person www.middletonlodge.co.uk

Tis’ the season to attend posh parties, make show-off food and sip on delicious drinks, but if it’s your turn to host and you’re stuck for festive ideas, then get yourselves along to Wynyard Hall to learn a few tips and tricks from the experts. Held at The Glasshouse - a fab new addition to Wynyard’s Gardens - this neat little workshop will show you how to create crowd-pleasing nibbles and muddle together show-stopping tipples, courtesy of an expert cocktail maker. Tickets include two cocktails and five canapés per person.

Step back in time and celebrate the most wonderful time of the year the right way just like the folks did back in Hollywood’s golden era.

Mingle over champagne and canapés at the Library Bar, indulge in a three-course dinner by candlelight and later venture downstairs to the cellar and casino for classic cocktails, big band entertainment and late night snacks until 2am. Dress code is strictly glamour, so dig out your tuxes, posh frocks and diamonds.

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CHAMPAGNE AMONG THE STARS The Vermont Hotel, Newcastle 1-21 December £94 per person www.vermont-hotel.com The Vermont Hotel does all things fancy very well indeed - and its Christmas events are no exception. This glitzy, black-tie do will take place up in the hotel’s exclusive Sky Lounge, where you’ll be treated to a festive four-course dinner paired with world-class Veuve Clicquot Champagne. Panoramic views of the city provide the perfect backdrop for schmoozing under the stars.

BOXING DAY DIP Seaham Hall, County Durham £75 per person www.seaham-hall.co.uk There are some people who breathe a sigh of relief when the festivities come to an end, and there are others that mourn the loss.

If, like us, you find yourself in the second camp, then why not treat yourself to a spa day to pull you out of your post-Christmas slump. A Boxing Day dip at Seaham Hall includes full use of the spa facilities, a 35-minute Signature Massage and a two-course lunch in the Ozone restaurant, with a glass of fizz on the side. Visit from 10am-2pm or 1pm-5pm.

FESTIVE GIN MASTERCLASS Auckland Castle, County Durham 9 December £55 per person www.aucklandcastle.org Join Jon Chadwick of Durham Gin for a masterclass in festive, gin-based cocktails, perfect for Christmas parties and get-togethers. It promises to be a fun, interactive session (as all gin-filled activities should be) during which you’ll muddle together four of your own Christmassy creations and be treated to hot and cold canapé-style grub as you go.

IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle 2-28 December From £9.75 per person www.tynesidecinema.co.uk It’s the festive tear-jerker that gets everybody reaching for the tissues this time of year and it’s back by popular demand at Tyneside Cinema this December.

A story of hope, family and the power of perspective, it tells the tale of frustrated business man, George Bailey, whose life seems hopeless until a loveable angel, Clarence, arrives on earth to show him just how much life is worth living. Whether you’re yet to see it, or have watched it a hundred times, the age-old heart-warmer never loses its magic, so grab a loved one or two (and a box of Kleenex) and prepare to feel all fuzzy inside when you leave. Oh, and remember you can upgrade your ticket to include mince pies and mulled wine if you fancy a little extra sparkle.

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Essential Edit

One to wow them with this Christmas.

Expressions is a new, exclusive pure aged pot still rum produced by Northumberland’s Old Man Rum Co. This is no ordinary rum, and with only 250 bottles produced and retailing at £1,800 a bottle, this is definitely a sip for the purists and collectors.

Available via www.oldmanrum.com

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GOOD HONEST

CHRISTMAS SPIRITS

FROM ALL GOOD INDEPENDENT RETAILERS, MAJESTIC WINES, AND ONLINE AT

WWW.DURHAMDISTILLERY.CO.UK

Campbells of Leyburn Your family run Fine Food and Wine Emporium

s t r a t s s a m t s i r Your Ch in our

NEWLY REFURBISHED STORE

Campbell’s packed out with great Festive products!

Our upstairs wine department has probably the finest selection of wines and spirits in the region together with a vast range of Champagnes, Sparkling Wines, Prosecco, Ports and Sherries!

If it’s meat products you’re after, our in house butchers have a great selection of locally bred meats and game and of course a selection of free range and herb fed bronze turkeys.

We also have a fabulous selection of olives and our fruit and veg area is packed with the freshest produce, delivered on a daily basis.

Discover Christmas at Campbell’s, take a look inside, you may be surprised!

4 Commercial Square, Leyburn, North Yorkshire DL8 5BP Tel: 01969 622169 Email: richard@campbellsofleyburn.co.uk www.campbellsofleyburn.co.uk

Campbells of Leyburn - All you need for a great Christmas and New Year plus a lot more!

Festive Essentials

Have yourself a stress-free little Christmas... means, ‘don’t say yes when you mean no and then regret it later’. We can be all over each other throughout the festive season, wanting to squeeze in catch ups ‘before the year is over’ and saying yes to every invitation going for fear of missing out.

Over recent years I’ve learned to exercise more discretion, so if I don’t want to go, I say no and if I’m ready to leave I leave, despite the complaints I may get. This is about valuing your own needs as much as everyone else’s. Ask yourself, how can you be kind to yourself in this season of goodwill?

Calming Christmas stocking fillers

TAKE THE TIME TO GROUND IN NATURE

North East-born life coach, Laura Beckingham, shares her top tips to remaining calm and at peace over the festive period…

KNOW YOUR BOUNDARIES Insight into our own needs is the key to having those needs met. The festive season can appear suddenly out of nowhere and hijack us, without our full consent, so before this happens, take some time to consider the following: what kind of festive season do you want to have? How do you want to feel during this time? If you could choose to spend these weeks in any way possible, what would that be? Opening up some awareness of this will help you get closer to making it happen.

AND EXERCISE THEM! One of my favourite teachers, Brene Brown, says ‘choose discomfort over resentment’, which really

This time of year can be saturated with unfamiliar, less natural things – flashing lights, central heating on full blast and Christmas music everywhere you go. This can overwhelm our bodies and nervous system and impact on our emotional state, hence why we often experience a ‘hangover’ in the New Year. Nature always heals us, but especially so at this time of year when it provides an important counterbalance to the frenzy around us. Try connecting with it as often as possible in simple ways - get outside, walk the dog with your other half, play with the kids, have breakfast in the fresh air, play in the snow, watch the birds, pick some winter flowers.

REMEMBER TO VALUE THE SIMPLE THINGS Combine champagne, cocktails and canapés at glitzy parties with a few gentle evenings at home.

Take a lazy bath, wear cotton and cashmere socks, eat cheese on toast and drink tea in front of the fire. Think of these mini ‘pauses’ as deep breaths and a chance to celebrate with yourself.

Kick stress where it hurts with Neom’s signature Real Luxury bath & shower oil and their Nourish, Breath & Calm Balm.

Two relaxing minis.

Tom Ford Private Blend Candle in Oud Wood £165 Burn this beauty to make any pampering session that bit more luxurious. The creamy, woody scent makes us think of crackling fires and log cabins.

PROTECT YOUR SPACE At this time of year, you’re likely to have people in your home, or you’ll be in theirs - and this mix of energy can be heavy. Protecting your space is critical to ensuring you maintain healthy energy levels, so burn some white sage, nice incense or a beautiful candle in the space you’re in to ‘clear’ the energy. You can do this before bed, when you wake up or whenever the space feels congested. Take a bath, even if you don’t really need one – thirty minutes behind a locked door works wonders for the soul! Also, remember to keep your bedroom sacred, so you have a safe space to retreat to at the end of the day.

Follow Laura on Twitter @space_with_in or search ‘spacewithindevelopment’ on Facebook

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Neom Limited Edition All I Want For Christmas Is A Moment Of Calm £15

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Molton Brown Fabled Juniper Berries & Lapp Pine Single Wick Candle £39 Festive candles - they’re the best. This one from Molton Brown smells like freshlytrimmed Christmas trees, with a hint of cranberry-like sweetness.

Celebrate the

Festive Season at The Cleveland Tontine

Cooking from the heart this Christmas

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FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT WWW.MANTRA-THAI.CO.UK

BattlesteadS HOTEL & RESTAURANT

Star-spangled Christmas gifts from Battlesteads

Looking for something different to give your family and friends this Christmas?

Why not treat them to a night of stargazing they’ll never forget.

Discover the beautiful skies of Northumberland’s National Park from Battlesteads Hotel and Restaurant’s on-site observatory.

Whether you’re a keen astronomer or a complete beginner, Battlesteads offers a range of courses suitable for all levels of stargazer throughout the year.

Starting at just £20 per person, the courses are an ideal Christmas gift for anyone

interested in discovering the beautiful skies of Northumberland National Park from an official Dark Sky Discovery Site, where on a clear night the Milky Way can be seen with the naked eye.

If you want to make a night of it, book a stay at Battlesteads Hotel from £120 per room and enjoy an early evening dinner in the Battlesteads Restaurant, famed for its seasonal menu of warming winter dishes using local produce and home-grown fruits and vegetables, before the stargazing begins.

Battlesteads Hotel & Restaurant Wark on Tyne, nr Hexham, Northumberland, NE48 3LS Tel: +44 (0)1434 230 209 Email: info@battlesteads.com Twitter: @Battlesteads www.battlesteads.com

Festive Essentials

Spoil her

Gorgeous gifts to bring a smile to her face on Christmas morning…

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Festive Essentials

This page, clockwise from top left Coach Delancey Gold Ladies’ Watch £195, Ernest Jones, www.ernestjones.co.uk Passport Cover and Luggage Tag Gift Set £110, Michael Kors, www.michaelkors.com Taylor Jumpsuit £79, Monsoon, uk.monsoon.co.uk Luxury Gift Box £57, Beaumont & Brown www.beaumontbrown.com Limited Edition Architectonic Eyeshadow Palette £46, Chanel, www.chanel.com Orange Bitters Cologne £90, Jo Malone London, www.jomalone.co.uk Sabrina Chic Saba 4 ladies’ handbag £120.00, Charles Clinkard, www.charlesclinkard.co.uk

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Festive Essentials

This page, clockwise from top left Countdown to Gorgeous Advent Calendar £75, bareMinerals, www.bareminerals.co.uk Grosvenor Satchel £229, Radley London, www.radley.co.uk Love Bug Gold Flats £65, Office, www.office.co.uk Wild Rose Beauty Balm £12.50, Neal’s Yard Remedies, www.nealsyardremedies.com Soft Cocoon Coat £298, Jigsaw, www.jigsaw-online.com

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Festive Essentials

This page, clockwise from top left Merry & Beautiful Gift Set £60, Murad, House of Fraser at intu Metrocentre Cashmere Slippers £65, The White Company, www.thewhitecompany.com Allure Body Shimmer Oil £35, SHOW Beauty, House of Fraser at intu Metrocentre Annie Leather Gloves £49, Phase Eight, www.phase-eight.com Cashmere Onesie £279, The White Company, www.thewhitecompany.com The White Wreath £20, Hotel Chocolat, www.hotelchocolat.com

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Spoil him

Festive Essentials

Presents that’ll hit the spot this Christmas…

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Festive Essentials

This page, clockwise from top left Ombre Leather 16 Private Blend Eau de Parfum £148, Tom Ford, www.tomford.com Stainless Steel Pocket Watch £229, Rotary, www.rotarywatches.com The Seaweed Co Bath, Soap and Cream from £12.50, Fenwick Newcastle Harvard Fairisle Shawl Cardigan £119, Barbour, www.barbour.com Pure Silk Wilde Tie £140, Always Wear Red, www.alwayswearred.com

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Festive Essentials

Above Signature Robe £60, Beaumont & Brown, www.beaumontbrown.com Below Make Your Own Bacon Kit £22, Not On The High Street, www.notonthehighstreet.com

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Festive Essentials

This spread, clockwise from third left Weekend Suede Bag £750, Aspinal of London, House of Fraser at intu Metrocentre Cheery festive hankies £14.95, Annabel James, www.annabeljames.co.uk Q Marshall Touchscreen Brown Leather Smartwatch £279, Fossil, intu Metrocentre Wild Spirits Assortment £35, Poetic License, www.poeticlicensedistillery.co.uk Radford Cheese Knives £95, The White Company, www.thewhitecompany.com Christian Dior Eau Savage £50, Fenwick Newcastle Ruark R2 Radio £399, www.petertyson.co.uk Runaway Loafers £95, Dune London, www.dunelondon.com Wine Advent Calendar £69.95, First4Hampers, www.First4Hampers.com Pembrey Black & Gun Watch £155, O.W.L Watches, www.owlwatches.com UGG® Classic Gloves in Chestnut £130, Amara, www.amara.co.uk

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Festive Essentials

Spoil them Super stocking fillers to keep teens sweet and little ones beaming…

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Festive Essentials

This page, clockwise from top left Disney’s Frozen Musical Jewellery Box £15, Marks & Spencer, intu Metrocentre Fur Coat £40, Ted Baker, www.tedbaker.com Bang & Olufsen Beoplay a2 portable Bluetooth speaker £299, www.petertyson.co.uk iPhone 7 from £719, Apple, www.apple.com Grey Polka Dot Shift Dress £38, Little Dickens and Jones, House of Fraser at intu Metrocentre Tumbler £18, Kate Spade, Fenwick Newcastle Smart Radio £220, Roberts Revival, www.robertsradio.co.uk Limited Edition Model Car £2,960, Amara, www.amara.com Hello Gorgeous Mini Pouch £15, Fenwick Newcastle Animal Print Shirt £39, Billybandit, House of Fraser at intu Metrocentre

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Festive Essentials

Deck the halls

Festive gifts and trinkets to make your home sparkle…

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Festive Essentials

This page, clockwise from above Winter Timber Wolf Faux Fur Throw £594, Houseology, www.houseology.com Etched Bowls, Rebecca Lawley silverware £95, Laing Art Gallery Shop, Newcastle Luxury Towel Bale in Mole £51, Beaumont & Brown, www.beaumontbrown.com

Opposite page, clockwise from top left Pastel Green Kettle £99.95, www.smeguk.com Electric Copper Coffee Set £55, Barista & Co, www.lakeland.co.uk Ten Small Antique Style Silver Led Bauble Lights £18.95, www.dotcomgiftshop.com Artisan Stand Mixer in Golden Nectar £439, KitchenAid, www.kitchenaid.co.uk Orange Bitters Deluxe Candle £120, Jo Malone London, www.jomalone.co.uk Eucalyptus and Winterberry Wreath £50, The White Company, www.thewhitecompany.com Meet Me Under The Mistletoe Cushion £25, House of Fraser, www.houseoffraser.co.uk Star Glass Decoration £7, Marks & Spencer, www.marksandspencer.com

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Festive Essentials

Feast festive

Cheeky culinary duo, Terry Edwards and George Craig, lift the lid on some easy and oh-so-tasty festive grub to knock up in your Christmas kitchen…

WHISKEY MINCE PIES Makes 10-12

Ingredients

Method

For the filling:

Start by soaking the sultanas in bourbon for at least one hour, then stir into the mincemeat and set aside for about 30 minutes.

50g sultanas 100ml bourbon whiskey, plus extra for drizzling 280g jar of mincemeat

For the shortcrust pastry: 130g plain flour 1 pinch of table salt 55g chilled butter 35ml cold water Icing sugar to decorate

To make the pastry, place the flour and salt in a bowl and rub in the butter with your fingers until you have a crumb-like texture. Stir in the cold water and bring together to make a firm dough. Knead for a few minutes, then wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas Mark 4 and lightly grease as 12-hole muffin tin or silicone tart tray. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of 2-3mm. Cut out 12 pastry circles, about 10cm in diameter (if you don’t have a cutter use a coffee cup!) Line the tin or tray with the pastry rounds.

Place a generous teaspoon of the filling into each tart and bake for 15-20 minutes. Allow to cool completely before removing from the tray.

Drizzle a little whiskey on top of each pie and dust with icing sugar to serve.

TERRY CREATED THESE BOOZY MINCE PIES - AND THEY ALWAYS GO DOWN A TREAT! PAIR THEM WITH A BIG PAN OF MULLED CIDER... © Terry Edwards and George Craig Recipes taken from Feeding Friends

by Terry and George, published by Hodder and Stoughton (£20.00) Photographs © Georgie Clarke

FESTIVE ESSENTIALS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 16

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Festive Essentials

PRIZE DRAW Enjoy a preChristmas break of family festive frivolities!

We are thrilled to offer one lucky family an overnight stay at Matfen Hall. Not only can you relax in the festive surroundings but in the afternoon you can join in the fun and games with children’s entertainer Tony Junior. Children write their gift list to Santa and enjoy festive crafts, milk & a gingerbread man. Present your list to the big man when he arrives in the Cloisters. If you’ve been good you may receive a gift! Adults will be served tea, coffee and a mince pie. After that stay over in one of their beautiful family rooms and enjoy a hearty Northumberland breakfast the next morning.

To enter visit www.luxe-magazine.co.uk/win or email your name and a contact phone number to prizedraw@remembermedia.co.uk stating in the subject line the name of the prize draw you wish to enter.

Prize draw closes 1 January, 2017.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY Available on request

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FESTIVE ESSENTIALS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 16

Festive Essentials

MULLED CIDER WITH CALVADOS Serves loads!

Ingredients

Method

For the cider:

Stud the apples with cloves and place in a large pan.

3 red apples 12 cloves 3 lt cider 6 cinnamon sticks 500ml Calvados The zest of two oranges, plus a few slices to decorate

Add all the remaining ingredients and place over a low-medium heat. Simmer very gently for 30 minutes - do not boil!

Serve the mulled cider in glasses with some fresh orange slices.

THIS RECIPE COULDN’T BE SIMPLER. IT’S A GREAT DRINK TO GREET PEOPLE WITH AS THEY COME IN FROM THE COLD - A REAL WINTER WARMER! FESTIVE ESSENTIALS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 16

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Festive Essentials

WE USE LEFTOVER CHRISTMAS PUDDING FOR A GREAT, FRUITY PANCAKE MIX. WE’VE ADDED SOME BOOZY CUSTARD TO MAKE THIS A REAL TREAT DESSERT...

BOXING DAY PANCAKES WITH WARM BRANDY CUSTARD Makes 10-12

Ingredients

Method

For the pancakes:

Preheat the oven to its lowest setting to keep your pancakes warm. Pop the flour, baking powder, eggs and milk into a food processor or blender and blitz until smooth. Set aside to rest for 20 minutes to let the baking powder to do its thing.

230g plain flour 1 tbsp baking powder 2 large eggs 300ml full-fat milk 200g Christmas pudding, finely crumbled Butter, for frying

For the brandy custard: 100ml full-fat milk 200ml double cream 4 egg yolks 1 tbsp caster sugar 50ml brandy

Melt a knob of butter in a heavy-based frying pan over a medium heat until gently bubbling. Meanwhile add the crumbled Christmas pudding to the pancake batter and mix well.

Add a ladle of the batter to the pan and swirl to coat the surface. Cook for a few minutes until the top starts to set and you can see bubbles appearing. Turn carefully and cook the other side for another minute. Keep warm in the oven while you cook the rest and prepare the custard.

Gently heat the milk and cream in a small pan over a low-medium heat. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a separate bowl until thick. Slowly pour the warm milk and cream into the egg mix, whisking all the time. Return to the pan and gently cook until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, whisking continuously. Add the brandy and set aside until ready to serve.

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FESTIVE ESSENTIALS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 16

Essential Edit

Trim the tree with season’s most desired decoration.

Hanging about never looked - or smelled - so good.

Pine & Eucalyptus Scented Ceramic Christmas Ornament, £32, Jo Malone London

FESTIVE ESSENTIALS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 16

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Festive Essentials

FRI 18 NOV - SUN 11 DEC GREY STREET

OPENS FRI 18 NOV Mon - Sat: 9am - 7pm Sun: 10am - 5pm

www.marketplaceeurope.co.uk 35

FESTIVE ESSENTIALS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 16

Festive Essentials

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A There's a wintery mist in the air and it’s time to wrap up warm, so what better place to feel cosy and pampered than the Spa at Ramside.

Tel: 0191 375 3088 | www.ramsidespa.co.uk | enquiries@ramsidespa.co.uk The Spa at Ramside Hall Hotel Carrville Durham DH1 1TD FESTIVE ESSENTIALS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 16

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