Tag: food and drink

Largest M &S Foodhall in Scotland opens at Straiton

Marks & Spencer yesterday opened its largest M&S Food store in Scotland, in Straiton. The store’s 100-strong team welcomed customers, helping them get everything they need whilst enjoying the new M&S offer.

Located in Straiton Retail Park, the new 15,000 square foot store is home to a large greengrocer-style fresh market, offering an outstanding range of M&S Select Farms produce, lots of which is locally grown in Scotland, including Inverness-grown Rainbow and Baby Carrots, and Arbroath-grown sweet Strawberries. The store also offers a pick your own eggs station where customers can self-select any number of eggs, tailoring their box to their preference according to egg size, type and yolk colour.

The store will be led by Store Manager, Thomas Tierney, alongside his team of 100 colleagues. Now open, the M&S team will be working hard to offer the community the very best service, drawing on M&S’s 135 years of serving the British public.

To help celebrate the opening and relaunch of Sparks, M&S’s customer loyalty scheme, the team will be treating seven customers over seven days to their shopping, totally for free. One recipient will be chosen at random each day, and whatever is in your trolley will be complimentary!

M&S’s previous location in Straiton will close the day before, in line with the new opening, with colleagues moving across to the new store. The relocation to a larger site will provide customers with a bigger and better Food offer to enjoy.

Store Manager, Thomas Tierney, said yesterday: “We’re delighted to open our new store in Straiton today. The last few weeks have been spent putting the finishing touches in store and making sure all our measures are in place to support customers, so they can shop with confidence.

“It’s brilliant to now be open in time for the festive season – chatting with customers today it’s fantastic to see them get excited about our new Christmas products, as well as shop for all the essentials. Our new store also offers Click & Collect, which means customers can shop for the full Clothing & Home collections via M&S.com.

“I’d like to say a big thank you to the team, who have been amazing getting the store ready. We’re all so excited show the community all that Scotland’s largest Food store has to offer.”

Local customer, Lisa Whigham from Loanhead, was one of the first customers through the doors. She said: “I’ve been an avid shopper at M&S for years and I now feel spoilt for choice with all that my local M&S has to offer.

“The pick your own eggs station is particularly exciting – I love that I can now choose my perfect yolk for poached eggs, and know which ones are best for frying!”

M&S Straiton offers thousands of M&S’s quality and great value food products, from daily essentials and fresh produce, to dinner favourites and ready-to-go family meals.

The new Food store also has everything customers will need for a truly delicious Christmas meal, along with all the trimmings. Shoppers will be able to pick up M&S’s sweet and savoury showstoppers, from the Our Best Ever Mince Pies to the Scottish Salmon Pastrami.

M&S Straiton offers the full range of M&S Clothing & Home products via its Click & Collect service. Customers can opt for next day pick up if they order online by 10pm the night before on M&S.com and the store will also offer hassle free returns. With over a thousand free car parking spaces, the store is ideal for convenient Clothing & Home collection.

The store is located at Foodhall Unit 2B, Straiton Retail Park, Loanhead, Scotland EH20 9PW, and is open Monday – Friday, 8am – 9pm, Saturday 8am – 8pm and Sunday 9am – 7pm.

M&S Straiton will offer extended shopping hours which will gradually increase up until Christmas and from the 21st – 23rd December, the Food store will be open until midnight.

Old Curiosity Distillery brings the festive spirit with colour-changing Christmas Gin

Scottish craft distillery, Old Curiosity, has launched a new limited-edition Christmas Gin ahead of the festive period, perfectly capturing the essence of the season by blending classic aromatic spices, and naturally coloured with botanicals to create a fitting rosy red colour. 

The Secret Garden Christmas Gin (50cl, 39% ABV) is distilled with botanicals grown in the distillery’s Secret Herb Garden on the outskirts of Edinburgh. Cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom are distilled to create a distinctly festive flavour, while hollyhock petals give the liquid a natural festive red colouring.  

The Secret Garden Christmas Gin comes in three sizes to suit a range of gift ideas. Starting from a perfect stocking filler size of 5cl (£5.95), 20cl (14.95) to 50cl (£35.95), ideal for a gin lover’s present. The range also includes a festive gift set of a 20cl bottle of Christmas Gin paired with the distillery’s renowned Wild Gin (20cl, 40% ABV), priced at £29.95.  

To create the perfect festive serve 

  • Fill a Tall glass with ice 
  • Add 50ml Christmas Gin 
  • Top up with low sugar tonic 
  • Garnish with Orange  

Once the tonic is poured into the glass, the bright red Christmas Gin turns to a striking fluorescent pink.  

Hamish Martin, Director at the Old Curiosity Distillery, commented: “We really wanted to explore a new range of festive flavours using traditional seasonal ingredients to make our Christmas Gin. We drew influence from medieval Christmas feasts by distilling the gin with cinnamon and aromatic cardamom, while the ginger gives the spirit an extra kick for warmth!  

“We’ve proud to say that our Christmas Gin contains no preservatives, sugars, colourings or flavourings, only truly natural ingredients from our very own Secret Herb Garden in Midlothian. We hope gin lovers enjoy our festive tipple this Christmas.” 

The botanicals used in the Christmas Gin carefully grown at The Secret Herb Garden on the outskirts of Edinburgh. The Secret Garden is an award-winning herb nursery with over 600 naturally grown and tended varieties of herbs and flowers which are picked, dried and distilled by hand to deliver the pure essence of nature. 

It is most renowned for the highly acclaimed and multi award-winning collection of premium, 100% natural, Secret Garden Gins which are stocked by some of the UK’s most prestigious retailers and now exported to 11 countries around the globe. The distillery also produces ranges of teas, soaps and hand sanitisers. 

The Secret Garden Christmas Gin is available now online at theoldcuriosity.co.uk. 

To find out more about the Old Curiosity distillery and The Secret Garden Gins please visit www.theoldcuriosity.co.uk. 

ALDI’S FESTIVE DRINKS RANGE RAISES THE BAR!

Aldi has revealed its 2020 Christmas drinks line up featuring a number of Scotland’s most loved distillers and brewers, and includes award-winning whiskies, craft gins, limited edition cocktails and festive-themed brews.  

Whether you are looking to top up your own drinks cabinet ahead of the festive season, or that special gift for friends and family, you’re sure to find what you’re looking for at your local Aldi.  

The Glen Marnoch Single Malt Whisky range starts at just £16.49 (70cl; 40%ABV) with customers able to select from the Highland, Islay or Speyside Single Malts. Alternatively, for a special treat that won’t blow the budget, why not try the recently crowned Scotch Whisky ‘Master’ award-winning Glen Marnoch 12 Year Old Speyside Single Malt (£20.99, 70cl, 40%ABV). 

With Scotland now almost as famous for making great gin as great whisky, it’s no surprise to see Aldi’s gin collection featuring some of Scotland’s most talented distillers.  

Eidyn Gin is developed exclusively for Aldi by The Old Curiosity Distillery in Edinburgh, and launched earlier this year. Priced at just £19.99 (70cl; 40% ABV) this premium London Dry style gin is already turning heads, picking up a silver at the Scottish Gin Awards this November. 

The Eden Mill Botanical Project Miniature Gift Set (4x5cl; £9.99) is the perfect stocking filler for gin lovers this Christmas. The set includes a range of flavours from the Eden Mill Botanical Project including Chilli & Ginger, Plum & Pink Grapefruit, Passionfruit & Coconut along with its Scottish Dry Gin. Each of these miniatures are also available in full size 70cl bottles priced at £15.99. 

Also from Eden Mill, the Botanical Project Mulled Gin (£15.99, 70cl) makes the perfect winter warmer with an initial hit of mulled fruit followed by a gentle spiced finish. 

Bringing the bubbles to the party, the Eden Mill Botanical Project cocktail range includes Blackcurrant & Rhubarb Gin with Ginger, Blueberry & Vanilla Gin with American Cream Soda and Baked Apple & Salted Caramel Gin with Cola all priced at £1.19 per can (250ml, 5% ABV). 

And Scotland’s brewers have certainly not been left out in the cold, with a range of seasonal brews to get beer lovers into the Christmas spirit, including Cairngorm Brewery’s Santa’s Sledgehammer (£1.69, 500ml, 5.6%ABV) and Orkney Brewery’s Clootie Dumpling (£1.69, 500ml, 4.3%ABV). The range also includes Edinburgh-based brewer Innis & Gunn (10 x 440ml, £10.12) and Clan Ales Barrel Aged Ales (4 x 330ml, £10.99) 

Graham Nicolson, Group Buying Director, Aldi Scotland said: “Scotland’s prodigious talent for brewing and distilling is recognised around the world, and with the range of exceptional Scottish beers and spirits on offer at Aldi this Christmas its clear to see why.

“We are proud to support our extremely talented and inventive Scottish brewers and distillers who have outdone themselves again with this fantastic line up of Scottish drinks perfect for the festive season.” 

The full festive drinks range is now on sale at all 95 Aldi stores across Scotland. 

Morrisons slashes A THIRD off champagne and has cheapest 1L Bailey’s in supermarkets ALL WEEK

This Black Friday week, Morrisons has slashed the price of a 1L bottle of Baileys in-stores to just £9.99, the cheapest price in a UK supermarket.

The spirit will set you back £20 at Sainsbury’s, but Morrisons customers can now pick up a bottle in-store for less than half that price. They will have to act quickly though; the deal is only available in Morrisons stores until the end of the week.

This week, Morrisons is also offering A THIRD OFF all bottles of champagne in stores and online including bottles of Veuve Clicquot Vintage Champagne and Bollinger Rose Champagne which usually retail for £50 each, saving customers £17. 

Included in the third off deal is the Adrien Chopin Brut Champagne, which is exclusively stocked in Morrisons and has been crowned ‘Best Champagne for Christmas’ by independent consumer group Which?. The award-winning fizz will cost just £12 a bottle until Sunday. 

Morrisons customers will also be able to save big on brands such as Bollinger, Moët, Taittinger and Lanson.

Morrisons is also offering half-price Rump Steaks from the Market Street Butcher counter. Normally £15 per kilo, the premium cut will be available for just £7.50 per kilo – that’s £1.71 for an 8oz steak.

2.3kg crates of sweet clementine’s will also be on offer for just £2.50. Normally retailing at £2.06 per kilo that’s a saving of over 47 percent.

To help customers avoid crowds, the offers are available now in-store until Sunday 29th November. Morrisons third off champagne offer will also be available online. 

Edinburgh Aldi store among first in Scotland to launch partnership with Deliveroo

Shoppers in Edinburgh can now have their favourite Aldi products delivered to their door in as little as 20 minutes as part of a new partnership with Deliveroo.

The Cameron Toll Aldi store is amongst the first in Scotland to trial the new service, which will offer local residents a selection of almost 400 Aldi products at their fingertips via the Deliveroo app. This will include a range of essential items, such as bread, milk and fresh produce, which will be picked and packed by Aldi colleagues for delivery by Deliveroo’s network of riders.

The new on-demand service has been introduced to offer customers greater flexibility and access to affordable Aldi groceries. 

The trial was initially launched at eight stores in England in May, and is now being extended to almost 130 stores across the UK, including in Glasgow, Aberdeen, and Perth.

Richard Thornton, Communications Director at Aldi UK, said: “The new trial with Deliveroo will provide more customers in Edinburgh with access to great quality food at Aldi’s unbeatable prices.

“This is an exciting venture for Aldi which provides a new way to serve our customers during these challenging times.”  

Heart Research UK: Health Tips

The do’s and don’ts of snacking

Healthy Snacking at home

With more people staying at home during the working day, due to COVID-19, the temptation to reach into the snack cupboard and graze on less healthy food, such as crisps, biscuits, chocolate, sweets and cake, may be high. Regularly snacking on foods that are high in energy (calories), fat, sugar and salt can increase your risk of developing heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Here’s some simple tips for making healthier snacking choices at home:

Read the labels

When buying packaged snack foods, check the nutrition label on the pack and aim to choose foods that have:

  • 6g or more of fibre per 100g
  • 5g or less of total sugars per 100g
  • 3g or less of fat per 100g
  • 1.5g or less of saturated fat (saturates) per 100g
  • 0.35g or less of salt per 100g

As the weather gets cooler, you could start your day with a comforting bowl of warm porridge. Rather than adding sugar, honey, jam or syrup to your porridge, you could try adding fruit, such as berries, chopped apple or sliced banana and a sprinkling of chopped nuts, seeds or cinnamon.

The Do’s of Snacking

  • Remove the temptation to snack on foods that are high in fat, sugar and salt by keeping them out of your home. Empty your cupboards of chocolate, crisps, biscuits, cakes and sugary drinks and replace them with healthier options
  • Include a variety of different snack foods in your diet. Choose a range of healthy foods to snack on, such as portions of fruit, raw vegetable sticks, low-fat dips and spreads, wholemeal toast, unsalted nuts, low-fat yoghurts, 30g portions of reduced fat cheese and wholegrain crackers or oatcakes
  • Choose snacks that contain at least one of your 5 a day. Fill your fruit bowl with your favourite fruits and keep plenty of veg in the fridge
  • Choose a portion of fresh fruit to snack on, such as an apple, banana, orange or a handful of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries or grapes
  • Choose vegetable sticks, such as carrot, celery, peppers, cucumber or sugar snap peas with low-fat dips, such as hummous
  • Limit fruit juices to no more than 150ml a day as they can be high in sugar
  • Choose snacks that are high in fibre. Wholegrain foods, such as wholemeal toast and crackers, as well as fruit and vegetables, are high in fibre, which is good for keeping your heart healthy. Choose packaged snack foods that contain at least 6g of fibre per 100g
  • Make your own popcorn at home, without adding salt or sugary toppings. This can be a healthier snack for all the family and a fun one to involve the kids with.

The Don’ts of Snacking

  • Avoid grazing

When you are distracted with work or the TV, or when you are feeling bored, it can be tempting to graze in the absence of hunger. If you regularly graze, try setting specific times when you will allow yourself to eat a healthy snack. For example, you could set an alarm for 10:00am and 3:00pm to enjoy a healthy snack in between your meals.

  • Try to avoid overdoing it

Less healthy snacks, such as crisps, chocolate bars, sweets, biscuits, and cakes.
Avoid cheap supermarket offers on less healthy food options, as they can tempt you into buying (and eating) more than you need.

  • Occasional treats

For an occasional treat, choose foods that are individually wrapped, such as a small chocolate bar or a small packet of crisps, rather than larger sharing packs.

  • Limit less healthy snacks

Try no more than two or three portions each week. Portion (serving) size is often given at the back of packaging and this information can help you to limit the amount you are eating.

Christmas corker: £18 Morrisons champagne tops Which?taste tests

A coveted Which? Best Buy has been awarded to a great value own-label champagne from Morrisons, proving that you can get your hands on a top-class festive fizz for under £20.

In a blind tasting of supermarket own-label (or exclusive), and top-selling big-name non-vintage champagnes priced up to £36, the Which? panel of experts awarded the highest score of 82 per cent to Morrison’s Adrien Chopin Brut Champagne.

Retailing at only £18, this Which? Best Buy was described as “golden champagne with stewed apple aromas, rich flavours and a hint of sweetness” winning the adoration of experts to become this year’s top-scorer.

Narrowly missing out on the top spot but awarded a Which? Best Buy in its own right was Waitrose’s Brut Champagne which fizzed into second place with a score of 79 percent. The Which? expert panel commended its “ripe red apples and apple blossom” character that makes it an ideal party fizz.

In joint third place but not quite achieving Which? Best Buy status was Moet & Chandon’s Imperial Brut Champagne, earning a score of 78 percent. It was described as a pleasure to drink due to its “candied notes, mellow aromas, crisp acidity, and a cashew-nut finish”. However, one expert called it a “little bland”, which might disappoint at £36.

Also rated a solid 78 per cent score was Sainsbury’s Landric Champagne Brut at £25. It only narrowly missed out on Best Buy status, pleasing experts with its “lemon acidity and toasty, nutty aftertaste”. However, its lone critic felt it was short of fruit with a slightly bitter finish.

At the bottom of the table and summed up as “wishy washy” by one panelist was Aldi’s Philizot et Fils Organic Champagne, which only managed a 67 per cent rating.

Harry Rose, Editor of Which? Magazine, said: “Your Christmas might be a bit more low key this year, but there is no reason to scrimp on the bubbly and we’re delighted that you can enjoy this season’s best fizz for only £18.

“Whether you opt for outstanding champagne at a great price or fancy paying a little more for a premium brand, our expert picks will make sure that whatever you’re doing this year, it won’t lack any sparkle.”

Also tested:

Lidl Comte de Senneval Champagne Brut (74% £12.50); Aldi Veuve Monsigny Champagne Brut (74% £13); Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Blanc de Noirs Champagne (74% £21); M&S Louis Vertay Brut Champagne (74% £17); M&S Delacourt Brut Champagne (74% £20); Tesco Finest Premier Cru Brut Champagne (73% £20); Asda Extra Special Louis Bernard Premier Cru (73% £21); Veuve Cliquot Brut Yellow Label Champagne (73% £35); LANSON LE BLACK LABEL BRUT (72% £33); Waitrose Blanc de Noirs Brut Champagne (71% £24); Co-op Les Pionniers Champagne (71% £19); Asda Henri Cachet Champagne Brut (68% £13.50); Morrisons The Best Premier Cru Champagne (68% £21); Aldi Philizot et Fils Organic Champagne (67% £27)

The Which?  panel of experts:

We consulted five of the country’s top wine experts to score this year’s offerings in our blind taste test: Charles Metcalfe – Speaker, author, and co-chair of the International Wine Challenge; Kathryn McWhirter – Wine expert and co-author (with Charles) of The Wine and Food Lover’s Guide to Portugal; Oz Clarke – Wine writer, television presenter and broadcaster; Sam Caporn – Master of Wine, freelance consultant and winner of the Madame Bollinger Medal for Excellence in Tasting; Peter McCombie – Master of Wine, restaurant wine consultant, speaker, writer and critic.

Prices correct as of October 2020.

Italian Food Celebration Pushes Covid Off The Menu

Lovers of Italian food and culture, who have been starved of their favourite restaurants or travel because of the pandemic restrictions, are getting a chance to sample and learn about the delights of Italy – without having to leave their homes.

Two celebration events to showcase the food of Sicily – including a rare opportunity for a select group of people to take part in a live cook-a-long with one of Italy’s top chefs – have been planned as Scotland’s contribution to the World Week of Italian Cuisine.

World Week of Italian Cuisine (November 23-29), now in its fifth year, is an initiative started by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation to promote the country’s high-quality cuisine around the world.

It aims to boost food and wine tourism, particularly to regions little-known outside Italy, following the spirit of Pellegrino Artusi who 130 years ago published “La scienza in cucina e l’arte di mangiar bene” [Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well] which gathered and united the regional culinary traditions of the Bel Paese.

To mark the week, the Italian Consulate General, Italian Institute of Culture in Edinburgh and the Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry for the UK – in collaboration with Alma and Ambasciatori del Gusto – have organised events themed around how the Mediterranean diet can boost the body’s immune system.

The opening event of the week (A Sicilian Dinner) will see an invited audience of food writers and bloggers take part in a Sicilian-food themed live cookery webinar from Italy with leading chef Carlo Maria Ricci, an ambassador with the acclaimed Italian ALMA cook school in Parma (La Scuola Internazionale di Cucina Italiana) – with the menu actually being delivered to their homes to allow them to sample the exact dishes.

Giovanna Eusebi and chef Sebastian Wereski from Eusebi Deli restaurant in Glasgow and Sabrina Damiani, who runs Edinburgh-based Damiani Sicilian Fine Dining, have been recruited to make the Chef Ricci’s dishes before arranging for them to delivered to each of the writer’s home. They will be present on the webinar to answer any questions.

This event will also be screened live over the internet to allow as wide an audience as possible to watch the demonstration and pick up tips.

The closing event (Cooking in Sicily) – in partnership with Ambasciatori del Gusto (the Italian Association of Ambassadors of Taste – whose members focus on enhancing Italian food and wine heritage) will involve 30 people winning the chance to cook a specially designed menu in their own kitchens through a cookery demonstration beamed live from Sicily with leading chef Bonetta dell’Oglio (above).

The lucky home cooks will also have the chance to ask questions to Palermo-born Chef dell’Oglio who has won widespread praise for her innovative cooking which celebrates her Sicilian heritage and her passion for showcasing organic agriculture and the benefits of healthy eating. There will also be a wine pairing presentation from Mariella Caputo from Ambasciatori del Gusto.

The participants will be judged on their dishes with the winner scooping a luxury Italian food hampers from sponsors Pastificio dei Campi and Berlucchi Wines. Details of how to enter the competition will be made available on social media channels of Italian Institute of Culture in Edinburgh and Italian Chamber of Commerce in Scotland.

The event will also be screened live over the internet to allow other Italian cooking enthusiasts to watch and make the menu.

Fabio Monaco, Consul General of Italy to Scotland and Northern Ireland, said: “While the Covid-19 restrictions have upset our usual planning for the World Week of Italian Cuisine, we wanted to ensure that people still had the chance to enjoy and celebrate the amazing food of Italy.

“We think we have brought some clever thinking to overcome the challenges to bring a taste and education of Italy once more – without anyone having to leave their homes.

“While travel to Italy remains complicated for now, we hope these events will continue to inspire people to learn more of our culture and those of our wide range of different territories – and better still to plan a visit when we can do so easily.”

For more details on all the events: 

https://iicedimburgo.esteri.it/iic_edimburgo/en/gli_eventi

www.italchamind.org.uk/archive/events

Food and Drink recovery plan published

The food and drink sector is getting £5 million to help its recovery from coronavirus (COVID-19) and prepare for Brexit.

A new joint industry and government plan containing more than 50 actions has been developed to assist in stimulating demand for produce in key markets and supporting businesses to capitalise on consumer demand.  

The plan aims to mitigate and reverse the damage caused by both the pandemic and the lack of clarity regarding Brexit and aid the industry’s progression to be greener and more resilient.

It also builds on the work of the Scotland Food & Drink Partnership in delivering Ambition 2030, the shared vision for the future of Scotland’s food and drink sector. The industry is expected to contribute £3 million of private sector funding to support delivery of the plan through to 2023.

The food and drink sector has been one of the areas hardest hit by COVID-19, with industry forecasts predicting up to £3 billion in revenue lost this year alone, and the lack of clarity regarding a Brexit deal will amplify those challenges.

Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing said: “The food and drink industry is one of the true success stories of Scotland’s economy, with exports worth a record £6.7 billion in 2019. Across the country, particularly in many of our rural areas, the sector creates highly paid, highly skilled jobs and contributes directly to the public purse in taxes.

“Food and drink businesses have shown remarkable resilience and innovation in responding to the pandemic, from finding new routes to market themselves or in the actions they have taken to support their workforce and keep food on our tables. However, in addition to the many challenges presented by COVID-19, we now need to prepare for the disruption and uncertainty the end of the Brexit transition period will bring in just six weeks’ time.

“This funding commitment will enable Scotland Food & Drink and industry partners to come together to work on fairer, greener and sustainable solutions to the challenges that lie ahead. Scotland is home to much of the world’s greatest produce and we must do all we can to protect and promote it.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yp-S7E0-bXs

Scotland Food & Drink CEO James Withers said: “2020 has been a year like no other. The trauma wreaked by COVID-19 has affected all of us and following that earthquake comes the next great disrupter: Brexit. But despite this volatile and uncertain world, Scotland’s food and drink sector remains resilient and full of talented and dedicated people that will help drive the recovery.

“The plan announced today brings together industry and the Scottish Government in an agreed strategy of tangible action to stimulate demand in domestic and international markets.  It also supports businesses to take advantage of opportunities, recover from COVID-19 and, as far as is possible, navigate Brexit.  

“This is a time for action and we’re delighted to have the backing of the Scottish Government and the industry for the work that will start now.”

Recovering from Coronavirus and fuelling Brexit preparation 

Scotland Food & Drink Partnership Ambition 2030

Twice as nice: Christmas comes early with two Which? Best Buy supermarket mince pies

Which? has announced that not one, but two mince pies have landed its coveted Which? Best Buy in festive food blind consumer taste tests, with both Asda and Iceland coming top.

Asda Extra Special Mince Pies (£1.75 for six/29p per pie) certainly lived up to their name this year and were awarded a 73 per cent rating, scoring well for overall flavour, texture and appearance. Which?’s panel noted the “crisp” and “buttery” pastry and the intricate design, with one panelist saying it would “lure them in”.

Iceland’s Luxury All Butter Mince Pies (£1.89 for six/31p per pie) were rated just as highly for their taste, aroma and texture, and also coming in with a rating of 73 per cent. One panelist told Which? these pies “tasted like a more expensive product”.

Tesco Finest All Butter Mince Pies (£1.75 for six/29p per pie) missed out on a Best Buy with a 72 per cent rating, as while these pies delivered and the pastry was described as “melt in the mouth” by one taster, a few panellists were not keen on the firmer filling.

M&S Collection mince pies (£2.50 for six/41p per pie) were some of the pricier pies included in the taste tests, but these had some of the best pastry on test, as well as scoring well for flavour. It received a not-too-shabby rating of 71 per cent.

When it came to the bottom of the table, Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Mince Pies (£2 for six/33p per pie) came out the worst in the taste tests with a rating of only 58 per cent. Some panelists told Which? these were “claggy” and tasted “stale” and “overcooked”.

Morrisons The Best Mince Pies (£2 for six/33p per pie) were also somewhat of a disappointment, managing a score of just 64 per cent, with more than half the panel describing these as “too dark”.

Harry Rose, Editor of Which? Magazine, said: “Nothing tastes more festive than a delicious warm and crumbly mince pie straight from the oven, and while this year Christmas might be a little different, we want to make sure that at least your mince pies don’t disappoint.”

Also tested:

M&S Collection Mince Pies71%£2.50 for 6
ALDI Specially selected Mince Pies68%£1.49 for 6
LIDL Deluxe All Butter Mince Pies68%£1.49 for 6
WAITROSE NO. 1 All Butter Mince Pies68% £2.50 for 6
Co-op Irresistible All-butter Mince Pies66%£2 for 6
Spar Luxury All Butter Mince Pies66%£2 for 6