Unbeatable birds and other local Christmas Goodies

If you're running around getting all those Christmas essentials, there's nothing better than getting it local. So here are a few top quality Christmas essentials you can get nearby.

The Bird

Whether you're going for a traditional turkey or any poultry or meat, it seems like Baldwins may just be tops. The turkeys they supply are the very same ones you'll be supplied by Harrods! They're proper free range bronze turkeys from Berkshire. They're not the cheapest at £12.90 per kilo but quality ain't never cheap - and everyone I've spoken to who's had one before swears  by them.

If turkey's not your thing, Baldwins will also do you a Barbary or Gressingham duck, various varieties of free range goose or pheasant and partridge direct from shoot and processed in the shop.

Or go along to Harringay Market and order a bird in a bird in a bird from Marsh Produce.

If fancy something more meaty, they'll also do you wild boar venison, suckling pigs and all cuts of beef. 

For trimmings, Baldwins also do smoked hams, bacon and twenty different varieties of home made sausage, including, Lincoln, cumberland, merguez, boar, toulouse and Christmas chipolatas.

Baldwins
469 Green Lanes, Harringay, N4 1AJ
Mon: 8:00 - 19:00, Tue - Fri: 9:00 - 19:00, Sat: 7:00 - 18:00, Sun: 9:00 - 17:00

Harringay Market
Falkland Road, Harringay

Sunday: 11 - 3

Seafood Perhaps?

If you fancy a change this year, how about seafood. Don't forget the wonderful Zhous who get fresh seafood every day or so from Billingsgate. They have wonderful fresh prawns, clams and crabs in stock, but whether you want fresh lobster or anything else, I'm sure they'll also be happy to take an order from you too!

South & North Oriental Foods
Unit N, York House, Whymark Avenue, Wood Green, N22 6DJ

Pies and Pud

For your pies and pud, it's well worth a schlep over the tracks to Crouch End and to Dunns. Their award wining mince pies are now a London legend and their puds have been winning plaudits from time poor mums for many a year.

Dunn's also make traditional Christmas Cake, yule logs and gingerbread.

Down at Harringay Market you can get plum mince pies from Square Root London and organic mince pies from The Celtic Bakers.

Dunn's
6 The Broadway, Crouch End, N8 9SN
Or online at www.dunns-bakery.co.uk

Harringay Market
Falkland Road, Harringay

Sunday: 11 - 3

Cheese

Follow that with some cheese from London's newest cheese maker, Tottenham based Wildes Cheese. Phillip is selling a special edition Blue cheese for Christmas. He also has plain fresh cheese, garlic fresh cheese, french farmhouse, salad cheese, beer washed cheese, a mild dry hard cheese and a traditional English type. 

The Cheese stall from OtomaOmorte at Harringay Market stocks English, French and Italian artisan cheeses. They are known as The Dark Knights of Cholesterol and the queue at their Harringay Market says it all: these guys sell fabulous cheese!

Wildes
Order online at wildescheese.co.uk

Harringay Market
Falkland Road, Harringay

Sunday: 11 - 3

Coffee with that?

Round that off with some first class coffee. Two of my favourites are over the other side of the tracks again.

There's My Kind coffee offering the popular Crouch End Blend (half Monsoon Malabar, half Brazilian with hint of spice) or lots of single origin coffees with crops now in from Bolivia Mexico, Nicaragua, Colombia and Brazil.

I also having a more than just a sneaking passion for the addictively luscious coffee at Coffee Circus. Try their Espresso coffee or any of their coffees from Brazil, Peru, Mexixo Ethiopia or Kenya.

Coffee Circus
136 Crouch Hill, London N8 9DX
Monday - Friday 8am - 6pm
Weekends 9am - 6pm

My Kind of Coffee
13 Broadway Parade,Crouch End, N8 9DE
Every day: 8.00am to 6.00pm

Other Treats Fresh from the Market

Charcuterie: For Charcuterie look no further than Picco Salumi (Italian Salami made by the Picco family in Islington) and Capo Caccia for artisan charcuterie from Sardinia.

For something different try Batch Bakery's Christmas Brownies.

B&G sell wonderful traditional German and Brazilian Christmas treats and cookies in case you're looking for something less traditional. Try the Brigadeiro chocolate truffles, or a butter spritz, a traditional German cookie.

Market hamper for sale. You can win a hamper worth 70 pounds. A ticket is 5 p. The draw will be on 23 December at 1. The proceeds go to Wood Green Animal Shelter.

Harringay Market
Falkland Road, Harringay

Sunday: 11 - 3

Flowers

If you want some flowers to set your Chritams table of just perfectly, try Anthos florists. They also do Christmas wreaths, arrangements and table arrangements.

Anthos
601 Green Lanes (just north of Beresford)

The Tree

See our post from last week.