It’s our favourite season of the year!  With all the party planning and buying of gifts for our loved ones, we too look forward to bringing the best to the kitchen table when family and friends gather for a feast.  If you too are looking for ideas, we have two excellent recommendations.  

Da Paolo Gastronomia presents a true Italian Christmas feast with an exquisite selection of Italian festive favourites. Tuck into a sumptuous line-up of new and signature offerings such as succulent roasts, moreish sides, and delightful log cakes.

Da Paolo 1
A centrepiece for the table is the Stuffed & Deboned Roast Turkey.  I’m looking to order this for my family’s Christmas gathering!  Da Paolo’s version features a deboned ranch-raised turkey filled with its own meat and stuffing comprising chestnuts, shiitake mushrooms and veggies enveloping traditional Italian pork sausage.  It is served with roasted potatoes, carrots and homemade truffle gravy – this gravy will ensure that the turkey is not too dry. 
Da Paolo 5
My favourite side has to be the brussels sprouts, turnip & cranberry salad.  This salad is available all year round at their salad bar but the cranberries just reminds you of Christmas, doesn’t it?  It is a refreshing salad that cuts through the heavier flavours of the meats. 
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Alternatively, for something more Italian, the Ravioli al Parmigiano is a good choice for those who love their cheeses.  Ravioli is filled with Parmigiano and balsamic vinegar, served with pomodoro sauce.
Da Paolo 3
Don’t miss out on their desserts!  A new addition this year is the White Forest Log Cake – featuring a vanilla yule log, homemade rum-spiked morello cherry compote and white chocolate yoghurt chantilly.  Although it is a tad sweet, it is very yummy and will keep you coming back for more.  What better time than this season to indulge a little?
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Other quintessentially Christmas bakes include the Gingerbread Chocolate Tart and the Homemade Stollen.
Da Paolo 2
As you can see, the homemade stollen is packed with tons of dried fruit and toasted nuts in Da Paolo’s festive spice blend and traditional Kirschwasser, enrobing a marzipan core. 
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The most classic dessert has got to be the Panettone Classico.  We chose to have ours with their signature Pistachio gelato – mmm. 
Da Paolo has also curated luxurious hampers as thoughtful gift options for the season so do pop by their beautiful stores to shop and get inspiration for your upcoming Christmas parties! 
The Marmalade Pantry 1
The Marmalade Pantry also has its line-up of festive gourmet.  Orders made before 30 November 2023 with Mastercard are also entitled to a 15% off (ala carte, with promo code “FESTIVE15”).  Some notable dishes we tried and recommend include this Quinoa Salad with Prawns – a wonderful side to go with whatever mains and meats you intend to serve.
The Marmalade Pantry 2
Otherwise, the signature Marmalade Mac & Cheese is also an obvious choice.
The Marmalade Pantry 3
Another festive side would be the roasted pumpkin topped with toasted almond flakes, a dish that is healthy and delicious.
The Marmalade Pantry 4
Onto the mains / carvery that brims with flavour – my favourite is the Lemon & Dill Salmon.  Norwegian salmon is cured overnight with lemon zest and dill, then slow baked to perfection resulting in moist flaky meat with a squeeze of roasted lemon. 
The Marmalade Pantry 5
An option that I got for a Christmas gathering last year (albeit a different rendition) is the Baked Maple Gammon Ham.  Marinated and sous vide in a reduction of maple syrup, honey, apple juice, yuzu juice, brown sugar and Dijon mustard, the ham is roasted and basted to achieve a glorious glaze – with a sweet and savoury interplay.  The portion is generous too, as you can expect a 2kg ham for less than $100. 
The Marmalade Pantry 6
You can also choose the turkey for this season – marinated in a flavoursome blend of Bourbon, maple syrup, apple juice, mustard and black pepper, the turkey is sous vide before roasted to ensure that the turkey is not too dry.  
Look out for the festive bundles for extra discounts! 
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