One of the things I love about buying food gifts for Christmas gifts, is the ease with which I can match certain gifts to particular people. Chocolate lovers, wine lovers, sweet lovers, and in the case of this ‘local Christmas shopping post’, Chilli lovers.
The Chilli gifts I will be giving this year will come from Galloway Chillies, a great wee independent company based in Newton Stewart in South West Scotland. Owner, Sheena Horner, started the company in December 2012 and since then has gone on to develop eight varieties of chilli jam, with one variety, ‘Chilli Lemon Citrus‘ being awarded a gold star by the Guild of Fine Food at this years Great Taste Awards.
Bright, fiery and festive gifts
The festive favourite in the range has been the Chocolate Chilli Mincemeat, a subtle mix of chocolate and fiery chilli giving a really warmth to the mincemeat. There’s also a nice Winter warmer in the range, Chilli Burns, described as a hot toddy in a jar.
Other flavours include, Sheena’s Chilli Original, Chilli Lime and Ginger, & Chilli orange and Citrus. With each variety available in a different range of heat, mild, hot and extra hot, it makes the jams a very versatile gift for chilli lovers.
Gift for chilli lovers
There’s also an excellent range of ready made festive gift baskets and packs available and these also include chilli chocolate and beautiful slate platters. Or why not fill a hamper or gift box with selection of jams and other food items, or a single jar will make an excellent stocking filler.
Using only British chillies in the various jams, Sheena tries where possible to include some of the forty varieties she grows herself. Her aim in the next few years is to be using her own chillies for all her products.
In the run up to Christmas, Galloway Chillies will be attending the following farmers markets and festivals, where the full range of products will be on sale. On line ordering and a full list of stockists can be found at www.gallowaychillies.co.uk
7th December – St George’s Church Christmas market, Dumfries
7th December – DrumlanriggChristmas Fair
7th December – Kirroughtree Visitor Centre
8th December – House for anArt Lover, Glasgow
8th December – Creetown Christmas Craft and Produce Market
8th December – Kirroughtree Visitor Centre
14th December – Monreith Christmas Fair
14th December – Partick Farmers Market, Mansfield Park, Glasgow
14th December – Sulwath brewery
22nd December – Dumfries Farmers Market
23rd December Partick Farmers Market, Mansfield Park, Glasgow.