The Big Christmas Press Show 2023

Autumn is always the best time of the year with Christmas gifts rolling out.

Earlier in the blazing hot summer, I had the pleasure of trying Christmas foods for the supermarkets.

Now, it is time for Christmas gift ideas.

I am glad, the trend in the 1990s is making a come back this year as I managed to get my hands on Nandos colour changing clothing.

At the show, it was good to see Mr Frosty which I have always wanted after seeing the commercials!!
There was so much to see and play.

I was greeted with the NERF booth at the entrance while there was my favourite bath and body brand Baylis and Harding.

Baylis and Harding:

As a tea lover, some of my favourite tea brands were there like Whittard and Bird and Blend.

There were so much indulgent drinks for Christmas, Whittard have this hazelnut free hot chocolate while Bird and Blend have the hazelnut free tea which is really decadent.

Bird and Blend Christmas range:

Our hunger was rewarded with the best grazing cheese platters by Berry and Brie, both vegan and the regular tasted amazing.

Treatbox offers personalized build your own gift boxes with a great range from inspirational quotes, stationery, lifestyle products, jewellery, edible treats, beauty products and exclusive products designed by Treatbox.

On the toys side, I loved the Sesame Street booth and these aquabeads nails which only need water.

There were also new splat heads by Kap Toys!

For group games, Big potato games offer many games that involve everyone.

Nicky Clark was there with their new hair dryer AirStyle PRO! that has four amazing style attachments to style your hair.

Claims to dry your hair quicker in half the time.

M&S Cafe Our Best Ever Chicken Tikka curry

M&S have more new options at their cafe so I thought I'd have the best ever chicken tikka which is same as the ready meal you can buy at the store just to compare it to M&S cafe in Hong Kong.
For about the same price you get the best ever version in UK, while you get the standard version abroad.
In UK you get chutney with a bhaji and abroad you get a naan and chutney.
Also abroad, the table flyer says if you've enjoyed the food, why not buy it to enjoy at home.
Menu Pic: @squarecrumpets
Pic 4, 5 were taken in 2014, M&S cafe Hong Kong.

Best Ever Chicken tikka curry at M&S cafe, Uk

M&S cafe in 2014, Hong Kong

M&S chicken tikka in 2014, Hong Kong

M&S Cafe Colin the Caterpillar Slushee and Percy Pig

Launched this summer but I was late in the game trying it until today.
Made from 100% frozen cloudy apple juice, it was liquid gold.
M&S are so smart to use cloudy apple juice because it is naturally sweet which is needed in slushy drinks because sugars act as an antifreeze.
It was only £3 and counts as one of your five a day with no artificial sweeteners.

I was literally sold after trying Colin the Caterpillar apple slush that I seized the opportunity on free slush day to try the Percy Pig slush which is made with grape, raspberry, and apple juice.

As expected, I really enjoyed it because it was natural fruit sugars and most importantly it was tasty.

@marksandspencerscafe

Eat more peri peri replaces Brisket at Surrey Street

 Eat more

Unit A, 12-19 Surrey Street

Croydon

CR0 1RG

Subway Limited Edition Cherry Bakewell cookie

I love cherry bakewell so I had to try this.
Strangely, there are pieces of milk chocolate in it as well as almond and cherry pieces.
The taste of the glacier cherries were sweet and prominent but the almond taste was rather light even though there were pieces of almond in it.
Overall, it is nice to see something different.
@subway_ukireland
#ssgsubway #cherrybakewell

Comforting cakes with custard and bacon egg roll at Doorstep bakery

I have always wanted to visit Doorstep Bakery but it is off the radar and they close at 3pm.
Visited this place twice and both occasions it was really memorable.

The first time, I went on a train strike day and got some delicious cakes but I didn't realize it was cash as I was 20p short so I ended up getting the sprinkles and chocolate cake or I would have got more cakes.

Although, someone did offer to pay the 20p I managed to find some loose change YAY!

The sprinkles cake was soft and delicious without being too sweet.

The second visit, I made sure I had enough cash, the bakery was quite busy and this guy had just finished ordering, somehow he asked me what I came in for and I said cakes and then he showed me his which had custard so I had to get it because I didn't know you could get custard on the first visit.

It was hard deciding between the chocolate and the sprinkles but in the end I decided to get the chocolate because I got a photo of his sprinkles cake with custard.

It was a lovely surprise, the guy paid for my cake.

Revisited again for a simple comforting egg bacon roll that is freshly made to order in front of you.

It was just egg,  bacon and butter without any sauces but it was so delicious because you can smell and taste that delicious fragrant egg while you get the saltiness from the bacon. 

Also had a avocado prawn egg as well as a liver sausage and onion roll.

Doorstep Bakery.

Brockley Station.

Doorstep bakery:

23 Brockley Cross, London SE4 2AB

Matcha slice cake from Biockas

Visited Biockas on a train strike day because only the over ground was running and got some delicious cakes.
On the way to the Overground, I visited Brockas and got a matcha cake even though I don't like matcha.
The icing was decent with a strong matcha grassiness but the cake itself was too dense and gritty but then it was vegan.