OPINION: Spoilt for choice with gifts galore
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Did I see you at the Inverness Farmers’ Market on Saturday?
I did a dawn swoop and picked up more than I could comfortably carry… Rooster tatties, dirty carrots, parsnips and beetroot, glorious cauliflower, and broccoli heads, plus more cheese than I have fridge space for.
Ah, the cheese. Every year I do it; I buy my Christmas cheese early, then I have to buy it again. But is there anything more pleasurable than watching a Christmas movie and eating Stilton out of a jar with a teaspoon? Exactly.
The parsnips and neeps from the farmers’ market are destined for the freezer in one of my favourite Christmas veg dishes ever.
Peel and chunk equal quantities of neeps and parsnips and boil in salted water till tender. Drain, then mash with soured cream, fresh thyme leaves and lashings of horseradish sauce.
Tip into an oven-proof dish, then make the crumb topping – sauté a finely diced onion, garlic and more thyme leaves in lots of butter, then add fresh breadcrumbs.
Cover the mash with the topping, then cool, wrap and freeze to bake later. I can’t remember a Christmas Day that we’ve not had this. It’s easy, and awesome.
Market duly swooped, I headed along Inglis Street to Harris Tweed, Isle of Harris to make two traditional festive gift purchases – hip flasks.
It has become a bit of a standing joke that hip flasks are what the Marr girls’ current boyfriends get from us for their first Christmas.
I won’t reveal how many are in circulation, but let’s just say, there’s not yet a tradition of what we buy these lads for their second Christmases…
It’s 11am, but today I’m not tempted by coffee. The film-themed Rendezvous Café serve a scented, and delicious Gold Drink, and it must be tasted to be believed. Almond, oat or soya-milk is infused with ginger, turmeric and honey to leave you glowing on the inside and ready for more shopping – hooray!
Don’t you just love it when the decorations go up? The lights around the city seem brighter and more colourful this year.
In 2020 we’ve really needed the comfort of light and warmth, and nothing creates that atmosphere better than scented candles. Their scents can be relaxing, energising or marvellously sensuous.
We’re spoilt for choice for candles in Inverness. After much agonising, I’ve decided that this Christmas my go-to scent (who have I become??) will be Winter Warmer from the Isle of Skye Candle Co. The reed diffuser and candle combine to make the house smell deliciously of cloves, cinnamon, and orange – all the scents of the Christmas cake I am still intending to bake (yikes!).
I can also send their lovely gifts to the friends and family I won’t see this Christmas, and that’s the sort of online shopping I love. Shereen tells me they even hand-write your gift messages.
Catching the candle light will (if I’m lucky!) be one of the Castle Gallery’s hand-made glass ornaments by Sarah Myatt. The robin is my favourite, and if my family haven’t worked that out by now (this isn’t the first hint I’ve dropped!) then I need to be much less subtle.
But less of what I covet – I’m supposed to be shopping for others!
Men need clothes, fact. Cafferys is spilling out the door with smart but comfortable stuff for the lads in your life – Keith has a great eye and will help you choose if you get stuck. It will smarten them up this festive season (you don’t want them letting your Insta photos down!) and they’ll look a whole lot better on Zoom calls into the new year too!
Jumpers for all the family? Look no further than M&S. IMHO they have won the war of this year’s Fair Isle and Argyle-style knits for both men and women, especially if watching Schitt’s Creek during lockdown has you yearning to dress exclusively in monochrome.
Known for stand-out occasion wear and fabulous accessories, Rouge Boutique opposite the castle also stocks stunning underwear, and Tania and the team are offering fittings by appointment.
Good bras are for life, not just for Christmas… the difference is remarkable, and well worth investing in. You won’t look back.
Catch me next week when I’ll be moving my work desk from home to one of our city centre cafés.
Christmas cheer? You bet!
#shoplocalInverness
