Top Tips for Christmas Hampers from Castle Howard's Farm Shop

Local products and exquisite taste: two indispensable factors for putting together some of the most exclusive personalised hampers in North Yorkshire, according to Castle Howard’s hamper queen, Angela Reeves, who will be picking and packing gift baskets right up until Christmas Eve!

The Christmas hampers are one of the most popular gift selections from Castle Howard’s farm shop, with hundreds of different products to choose from – from speciality flavoured gin and vodka to locally-baked cakes, jams and chutneys and, for those purchasing closer to Christmas, fresh cheeses from local creameries. 

“Our hampers are popular with all kinds of people – some like to take their time browsing around the shop to find unusual items, such as beetroot ketchup or a fruit and nut torta* for the festive cheeseboard, whilst others give us an idea of whether they want sweet, savoury or a mixture and a budget, then we assemble a basket of goodies for them,” explains Angela.  “We’re open every day until Christmas Eve, now, so we’ve got a number of people placing orders for hampers alongside their Christmas turkey and joint orders, and they’ll come and collect them just before Christmas – the perfect last-minute gift!”

Indeed, staff at the farm shop – located in the courtyard at Castle Howard’s main entrance – are gearing themselves up for the busiest time of year, with the specially-extended shop packed with seasonal products, from chocolate coated ginger to Castle Howard-branded Champagne.

Angela’s top picks for a Castle Howard locally-produced hamper include:

• Taste of Yorkshire Savoury Cheese Nibbles and Oaten Biscuits £5.99 (Pocklington)
• Sloemotion Handmade Sloe Gin 35cl £18.99 (Barton-le-Willows)
• Roost Coffee & Roastery Espresso blend £5.75 (Malton)
• Ampleforth Abbey Pear Brandy £13.99 (Ampleforth)
• Station Bakery Best Fruit Loaf £4.95 (Slingsby)
• Castle Howard Redcurrant Jelly £3.99 (Elvington)
• Bracken Hill Preserves Rhubarb & Ginger Jam £3.99 (Elvington)
• Bothams of Whitby Yorkshire Brack £2.99 (Whitby & Pickering)
• Wensleydale Creamery Real Creamy Wensleydale 500g £8.99 (Hawes)
• Helmsley brewing company, Howardian Gold ale £3.95 (Helmsley)

Hampers start from £19.99, with a range of baskets available from £3.99 to £15.95.  Giftwrapping of hampers is £2.50.

Castle Howard’s Farm Shop is open daily from 10.00am to 5.00pm until 23 December (until 8.00pm on 18 December for the twilight opening) and on Christmas Eve until 3.00pm.  The shop is closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, but reopens from 10.00am to 4.00pm between Christmas and New Year.

For more information, please visit www.castlehoward.co.uk/farm-shop

ENDS

* A torta is a Spanish accompaniment to cheese, made from dried, pressed figs, dates, plums, almonds and walnuts.  The semi-circular torta is sliced thinly and served with hard cheese, from Manchego to Cheddar.