Indulge in foodie luxury this Christmas
This festive season we’re showcasing some of our favourite independent brands. All producers of products we love and regularly enjoy here at Charlie & Ivy’s HQ. Each selected to help you discover some luxury and indulgence this Christmas.
Each has a different story but they are all united in their dedication to creating the very best products and flavours for you to enjoy at home. So, read on and perhaps discover something new...
Burren Balsamics
Burren Balsamics is a small-batch artisan producer of Infused Balsamic and White Balsamic Vinegars, based in Armagh, Northern Ireland.
Their journey began in 2014 when founder Susie made just a few bottles of Blueberry Balsamic Vinegar for a local charity fair. A few years later, respected and Master Chef of Great Britain, Robert McDonald joined the team, bringing with him decades of experience within the restaurant industry.
Together, they’ve worked to develop a range of exceptional products for food enthusiasts. Their range includes over 80 different products, from Infused Balsamic Vinegars to no waste chutneys, and they never stop innovating. Their team works hard to ensure their high-quality products are sustainably and ethically made, using locally sourced ingredients wherever possible. They’re proud to have 43 Great Taste stars, as well as receiving several awards from The Irish Food Awards.
burrenbalsamics.com
Whitby Gin
Whitby Distillery is an award-winning premium producer of British Spirits, made in Whitby, North Yorkshire using botanicals from the land and sea.
They roam the rugged coastline and dip below the ocean’s surface to find their enchanting ingredients including sugar kelp from the wild North Sea and North York Moors heather. Their products are distilled and bottled by hand in their Yorkshire-made vessel. Whitby Distillery donate 1% of their revenue to the planet to support organisations tackling the planet’s most pressing environmental issues.
Whitby Distillery, take pride in authentic craftsmanship, ensuring that every drop of the gin and rum they produce reflects the unique spirit of Whitby. Their distillation process is an art form, a dedication to both tradition and innovation.
whitbydistillery.com
Shepherds Purse
Tucked into the picturesque Yorkshire landscape, between the North Yorkshire Moors and the Yorkshire Dales is the award-winning cheesemaker, Shepherds Purse Cheese. Founded by Judy Bell in 1989, Judy discovered her passion and talent for cheese making, she set out on a mission to create quality dairy alternatives for cow’s milk allergy sufferers. Now headed up by Judy's daughters, the range of cheeses has certainly grown and are now available across the UK and around the globe.
Having started by making cheese only from sheep milk, they extended their range to include cow's milk and even water buffalo milk cheeses. Today, they are best known for their blue cheeses Yorkshire Blue and Harrogate Blue, and for their sheep milk Mediterranean salad-style cheese, Mrs Bell's Salad Cheese, as well as their sheep milk blue Mrs Bell's Blue.
shepherdspurse.co.uk
Mr Stanley’s
Handcrafted in Harrogate, Mr Stanley’s can be traced back to 1843 where a small family-owned factory produced the best quality fudge, toffee and brittle. Today they still make each and every batch by hand, using the best quality ingredients.
Each mix, each tray, each batch and every morsel is dedicated to achieving that all important ‘mmmm’ factor. At Mr Stanley’s they take traditional recipes, lovingly handed down through the generations, and give them exciting new twists to create mouth-watering new moments.
The process for making Mr. Stanley's Fudge has not changed in 150 years. Today Mr. Stanley’s has expanded and diversified and offers over 50 products, each celebrating British traditional confectionery.
