Unique treats to gift and taste this Christmas season
From Bacon Jam to a Jaffna styled Christmas these palatable presents are guaranteed to make the holidays even sweeter. Read on for our roundup of delectable goodies that will delight friends and family alike
“Edible Christmas Gifts by Kitch&”
Offerings by Kitch&
Brainchild of Aarthi Dharmadasa the brand “Kitch&” has been in the market for five years to date. “Kitch&” – (a wordplay on the word Kitchen) is facing its busiest time of the year.
With their annual pop up sale Aarthi says “People want to give gifts of food,” adding “Nobody wants something that is off the shelf anymore and instead want more personal gifts.”
The products on offer include – “Chicken Liver Pate”, “Stout Mustard”, “Walnut Pesto”, “Caramelized Onion Relish”, “Pork Pudding”, “Passion Fruit Curd”, and her famous “Bacon Jam” are just a few on their menu this season.
“Bacon Jam was something I had with a cheese platter served like a condiment,” Aarthi recalls from her travels abroad. “It’s kind of like a relish and is slightly sweet with a jam-like consistency”. Every year Aarthi does 160 bottles of her famed jam adding that customers have become so frenzied for it they seem to have formed their own “Bacon Jam cult” of sorts she laughs.
Kitch& will be hosting their Christmas sale on December 17 from 10 am to 5 pm at No 8 Layards road, Colombo 05. All individuals items will be available for purchase but Aarthi will also be selling hampers priced from Rs. 5000 and Rs. Rs. 10000. Although there will be standard size and itemed hampers, Aarthi is open to customized request by December 10.
Exclusive to the hampers Aarthi is also selling a “Ginger beer loaf” which can be used as sweet or savoury item and is “perfect for stuffing,”she shares.
At the sale individual items will be priced from Rs. 500 to 1500 per item and will include “Artisan foods, bespoke menus and kitchenware,” Aarthi says.
Big Bird Holiday Delights
Offerings by Big Bird Holiday delights.
Jovanka Jayaweera the face behind “Big Bird’s Delights” is gearing up to sell a fresh batch of Christmas cheer. “I wanted to do things that are different and what people couldn’t get in a store,” she shares. Having started catering and selling her products in 2015, Jovanka’s products, from eggnog (Rs. 1400) to her Italian herb roasted chicken (Rs. 2800) are available all year around.
Big Bird Holiday Delights are now a host to a variety of “savoury nibbles”, “Sweet necessities” and “Liquid Delight”. From lemon curd (Rs. 650), to Irish cream biscuit puddings (Rs. 2650), hot chocolates (Rs.3000) and coffee Liqueur (Rs. 1300).Jovanka has also started catering for Christmas dinner parties, now doing Big Bird as a full time profession. For orders she requires 2 to 3 days notice.Options for delivery and pickup are both available.
The Christmas season for Jovanka is a time for spending with family and friends which is heightened by the essence of a hearty meal. “A meal means a lot to me because it brings people together”.
Big Bird is Jovanka’s way of serving to her hungry customer’s authentic, environmentally friendly packed homemade food as she laughs “It’s from my kitchen to theirs.”
For more information check out their Facebook page -facebook.com/Big-Bird-Holiday-Delights
Chesma’s cookies
Chesma’s Polish Cookies
Having launched “Chesma’s Cookies” in October, Nirosha De Silva is one of the latest ventures into the local cookie scene. Made from of a secret family recipe this subtle buttery, nutty, cashew shaped cookie of Polish origin is the perfect offering for Santa to snack on with his milk.
With a variety of 10 cookie flavours from Vanilla, Almond, Coffee, Strawberry, Choco Chip, Nutella, Rosemary, Red Velvet, Peanut butter and Green Tea, Chesma’s is releasing a square tin which can hold 7 assortments of cookies priced at Rs. 2000 this Christmas.
Also to dive into the holiday festivities Nirosha will introduce a glazed cherry flavour to their range to bring out the festive red and the green colours of the season.
Every Saturday Nirosha hosts her Chesma Cookies stall at the Good Market where she introduces natural flavours like Plain, Rosemary, Peanut Butter, Coffee (ground roasted), Lavender (One of her latest additions), green tea and strawberry. For more information check out – www.facebook.com/chesmascookies/
Better Butter by Fuzzie
“Everyone is always doing cakes and desserts” says Fazana Ibrahim “I wanted to be different.” As a child Fazana was curious in experimenting with a variety of butters. Her brainchild the Better Butter by Fuzzie features a selection of unique butter innovations.
Always on the lookout to “try something unique,” Fazana has introduced flavours like Garlic, Mexican chilli, Mojito (non alcoholic), Carrot, Cinnamon orange and bees honey since her launch of the Better Butter in October.
For this Christmas season Fazana is selling glass jars of brandy butter and raisin butter which she shares works well with scones. She also caters to vegan flavoured butter based on customer demands.
“I will be gifting a limited number of my Christmas butters and other flavors to the rehabilitation centre for communication impaired for their annual fundraiser pola” she shares. For more information look up -facebook.com/betterbutterbyfuzzie/
Miss Molly (Negombo)
New kids on the Negombo block ‘Miss Molly’ is an indigenous doughnut shop based in Negombo which opened to give residents a funky, colourful, hip place to hang out. This Christmas – ‘Miss Molly’ will be introducing minced pies, cupcakes and Christmas cookies along with beverages like Peppermint hot chocolate, cherry frappe, cherry milkshakes, a Christmas ‘special’ milkshake and Christmas sundae. This new festive menu will also include many doughnut varieties from the chocolate swirl, cinnamon, coconut snowball, Let’s Jam, Molly Love, Lemon Supreme etc.
For more information check out their Facebook page – facebook.com/missmollySL/
My Sister’s Kitchen
Turning up the heat with My Sister’s Kitchen
The mistress of spice, Thushara Innasithamby from “My Sister’s Kitchen” (MSK) will be turning up the heat this Christmas with her homemade Jaffna style of cooking.
This year the MSK’s menu is divided into four. “Let’s have a Northern Christmas” is dedication to how the people in her hometown celebrate the season. Thushara paints a mouthwatering picture with her “mutton red curry” and “de shelled Prawns deep fried in gingerly oil with onions and green chillies” etc.
“Slightly Posh” is a segment devoted to the classic Western styled Christmas feast from “Creamy potato salads” “One whole chicken roasted with stuffing and vegetables” “Pork tempered in black pepper and soy sauce” etc.
Her famous “Crabs in Jaffna Curry” is available in “Sit together and enjoy a Seafood Feast” the third section of MSK’s Christmas menu. This comes along with the dishes like “Cuttlefish kulambu white hodi” and “sura varai omelet fried in gingerely oil” to name a few.
“A taste of all,” is Thushara’s take on giving customers the best of both worlds by fusing her Western and Eastern menu. “Prawn masala”, “Mix of all seafood in a stir fry” and “tomato rice” are some of the items this section offers.
Her menu is very ‘carnivorous friendly’ with Thushara sharing “Mutton plays a big role in Jaffna and that’s why it’s included a lot in the menu.” Offering “delivery to your doorstep” and catering services Thushara is bringing back authentic Jaffna style cooking to Christmas to celebrate the season.
For more information log onto mysisterskitchen.lk
Isle of Gelato (Galle Fort)
If the heat of Christmas is overbearing take a stroll down Pedlar Street (Galle Fort) and have a taste of the ‘Isle of Gelato’ – Sri Lanka’s latest gelataria.
Owned by husband and wife duo Suranjan Perera and Shalini Fernando, the Isle of Gelato opened doors this month at their parlour down Galle Fort to save us all from the tropical heat with a sampling of a cool dessert this season.
They make their Gelato and sorbets from scratch. Their compact array of “all natural ingredients” based artisanal gelatos include locally sourced ingredients and fresh fruits with only some items like Kiwis, Sicilian pistachios and hazelnuts from piedmont etc. being imported. “Our whole philosophy is to use what Sri Lanka has to offer whilst using the Italian method of making Gelato,” Shalini shares.
One of their crowd favourites the “Buffalo Lemon curd” made with fresh Buffalo curd is said to be light and refreshing with Suranjan laughing “I’ve been having it for breakfast all these days.” The gelataria also operates with vegan options like mango, papaya and passion fruit sorbets.
This Christmas be sure to check out their “Love cake” flavor, a milk based gelato infused with various spices including nutmeg. Isle of gelato will be joining the store “Caramel Pumpkin” in January down Ward place for “a store within a store” the couple saysadding that a gelataria in the “Colombo City centre” is to open in March or April.
For more information check out their Facebook page on www.facebook.com/isleofgelato/