Now, more than ever before, it’s time to treat ourselves or those we love, both near and far, with affordable lockdown treats to help lift our spirits during lockdown three.
All available online and delivered direct to your door, we’ve pulled together our list of ‘lockdown essentials’ from some of the country’s finest food and drink producers.
LOCKDOWN ESSENTIALS – Luscombe Drinks
Having produced beautiful drinks in South Devon since 1975, Luscombe Drinks certainly know what they’re doing. Famed for their organic Hot Ginger Beer, a Cool Ginger Beer is also available, it’s sure to add some heat to those cold lockdown winter evenings. Crafted using fresh Peruvian root ginger and Devon spring water, this authentic ginger beer packs a punch with its distinctive yet not overpowering heat. Also available in the multi award-winning Luscombe Drinks range is organic fruit juices, crushes, bubblies, sparkling waters, tonic waters and mixers. Luscombe Damascene Rose Bubbly is the perfect non-alcoholic alternative to Champagne this Valentine’s Day. Both the Damascene Rose Bubbly and Hot Ginger Beer, as well as the other drinks in the portfolio, are available to buy online at luscombe.co.uk, 12x270ml for £20.28.
LOCKDOWN ESSENTIALS – Chunk of Devon
Rustic handmade hearty pies and pasties made from locally-sourced ingredients with no additives and only a click away, what could be better than that? Double winners of ‘Britain’s Best Cornish Pasty’, Chunk of Devon has a range of tasty selection boxes available from chunkofdevon.co.uk. Prices start from £26.90 with free postage and packaging. For a Valentine’s gift with a difference, look no further than Chunk of Devon’s limited edition heart-shaped pasty for two. Made with love by the ‘hunks at Chunk’, the huge Valentine’s pasty will be accompanied by four smaller pasties and will be available for pre-order from chunkofdevon.co.uk, priced £25 (including free postage and packaging). It is available from 22nd January until 8th February for nationwide delivery on 12th February.
LOCKDOWN ESSENTIALS – Trewithen Dairy
Dreaming of past summers spent in sunny Cornwall or perhaps you’re yearning after a delicious cream tea. Why not bring a taste of Cornwall to your home with Trewithen Dairy’s Cream by Courier. Carefully made to a traditional Cornish recipe, their Cornish Clotted Cream is produced using only milk from local herds which is then gently pasteurised in small batches and cooked over a low heat. The result, a flavourful cream like nothing you’ll ever have tasted before. Cream by Courier is £24.00 (908g) with free delivery, available from trewithendairy.co.uk. Trewithen Dairy’s cornish milk, cream, butter and yoghurt are also available nationwide in select stores.
– Salcombe Brewery
Who said lockdown birthdays have to be boring? Why not send a gift full of Salcombe cheer to someone you love, or treat yourself to a doorstep delivery? Options include a Three Bottle Craft Beer Set (£6.60 for 3 x 330ml bottles) of Salcombe Pale Ale (ABV 4.6%), Sun Drop (ABV 4.6%) a gluten-free and vegan ale and Island Street Porter (5.9%) or a Four Bottle Presentation Set of Beer (£9 for 4x500ml bottles) including firm favourites Devon Amber (ABV 3.8%), Shingle Bay (ABV 4.2%), Seahorse (ABV 4.4%), and Lifesaver (ABV 4.8%). For the beer connoisseur choose an award-winning, hand-bottled Limited Edition Barrel Aged Porter (£19.99 for 750ml bottle). All gifts are available for nationwide delivery from salcombebrewery.com.
LOCKDOWN ESSENTIALS – Sandford Orchards
While we can’t get out to the pub let the pub come to you with Sandford Orchards’ ‘Pub in a Box’, available from sandfordorchards.co.uk (£20.99). Full of everything you need for your very own ‘lock in’, it’s perfect for any virtual quiz or party! ‘Pub in a Box’ contains three 500ml Sandford Orchards ciders, all made using the finest Devon cider apples, including cloudy sparkling Devon Mist (4.5% ALC), Shaky Bridge (5.6% ALC), Fanny’s Bramble (4% ALC) and a can of Devon Red (4.5% ALC). A pouch of Mr Filbert’s nuts and two packets of Burts Chips are tasty accompaniments included, plus there’s a Sandford Orchards pint glass, bottle opener and beer mats.
LOCKDOWN ESSENTIALS – Matthews Cotswold Flour
This lockdown bake with the best. Whether learning to bake bread for the first time or an experienced bread maker, Matthews Cotswold Flour’s bake-at-home boxes provide everything you need for different types of baking. Launched in response to the first lockdown, the bake-at-home boxes include the Ultimate Bread Makers Box (£23.00), Mixed Favourite Box (£10.95) and Mixed Organic Box (£12.30), available from fwpmatthews.co.uk. With a milling legacy spanning eight generations, Matthews Cotswold Flour is one of the UK’s oldest family-run flour mills.
LOCKDOWN ESSENTIALS – Sharpham Cheese
Experience a taste of Devon with the Essential Devon Cheese Board, a collaboration between Devon’s finest cheese-makers. Featuring five artisan cheeses, each made with milk from cows and goats that have grazed Devon’s luscious pastures, the board includes Devon classics; Sharpham Brie, Quickes Mature Cheddar and Ticklemore Devon Blue, plus a ‘Grader’s Choice’ from both Sharpham Cheese and Quickes. You’ll receive five pieces (circa 300g each) individually wrapped along with tasting notes for each. Available from sharphamcheese.co.uk, £20.
LOCKDOWN ESSENTIALS – Sharpham Wine
Classic English wines are produced at Sharpham vineyard as a result of a happy marriage of soil, climate and grape variety known as terroir. There are few places in the world as beautiful as the Sharpham Estate to visit and, in the meantime, you can have the renowned Sharpham Dart Valley Reserve and other wines from the portfolio delivered to your door. Sharpham Dart Valley Reserve is ripe and fruit driven and has a rich profile. Stone fruits such as white peach dominate the nose. The palate is rounded with sweet apricot and a subtle spice on the finish. Available from sharpham.com, RRP £14.10.
LOCKDOWN ESSENTIALS – Blue Goose
Whether working from home, home schooling or both, enjoy your cuppa as a special luxury indulgence to help beat lockdown fatigue. What better way than with Devon-based Blue Goose. Their range of compostable coffee pods and whole bean and ground coffees (all available in compostable pouches) are available from bluegoose.coffee. Ethically sourced and sustainably grown in the world’s most respected coffee growing regions, varieties in the compostable, plastic-free capsule range (Original Line Nespresso® compatible) include Ethiopian, Lungo, Organic Peruvian and Organic Swiss Water Decaf.
LOCKDOWN ESSENTIALS – Lindt
Looking to try something different this lockdown? Lindt has launched the ultimate chocolate tasting experience with Lindt EXCELLENCE Virtual Tasting events. New to the UK, this exciting and indulgent experience is available from lindt.co.uk with a tasting box delivered to your door (RRP £20). Each box includes a selection of six 100g Lindt EXCELLENCE bars to indulge and stimulate the five senses, a tasting card and details on how to register for one of the online events. Fun and engaging, each hour-long interactive chocolate session is hosted by a Lindt Chocolate expert.