There is a lot to look forward to at Christmas, whether that is spending time with your family, giving and receiving presents, or attending parties.

But for many, the number one reason to look forward to the festivities is the food – the chance to indulge in a way that you may not allow yourself to throughout the rest of the year.

And a big part of that is the Christmas hamper. A gift that cannot fail to put a smile on the faces of those receiving it.

Everyone will have heard of places like Fortnum and Mason and M&S offering hampers, but when I found out Ottolenghi also does my interest was piqued in a big way.

Since chef Yotam Ottolenghi opened his first shop alongside Sami Tamimi in Notting Hill in 2002, the Ottolenghi brand of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food has grown to become synonymous with London.

There are now eight Ottolenghi restaurants and delis across the capital, so I couldn’t wait to see what an Ottolenghi Christmas hamper looked like.

The good news for present-buyers is there are a range of options, from the essentials hamper at £55, right up to the extravagant ultimate hamper at £370, which is filled with enough goodies to keep the whole family going for the entire holiday period.

For the purpose of the review I tried the festive favourites hamper, which you can buy for £120.

The Ottolenghi festive favourites hamperThe Ottolenghi festive favourites hamper (Image: Ottolenghi)

This comes with a mixture of savoury and sweet items. On the sweet side there is a bar of nougat, a classic panettone and a Christmas cake. Now I’m not a huge fan of dried fruit, however the subtle flavours of the cake took it to another level to your average Christmas cake.

But it was the savoury items that really stood out. The rosemary spiced nuts are especially moreish and it was all I could do not to finish the whole jar in one sitting.

And the chili and coriander chutney has just the right amount of kick to compliment a strong cheddar on a cracker. I have also been spreading it underneath on the toast for cheese on toast. It will be perfect for that Christmas Day evening when you’re too full for a turkey sandwich, but fancy a snack to keep you going through another round of Who Am I?

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But if you do have space for a turkey sandwich, the favourites hamper still has you covered as it comes with a cranberry and apple relish.

Testing the hamper has certainly whet my appetite for Christmas early.

If I had the chance to choose one – and on the rare chance a family member of mine is reading – I would upgrade to the classic hamper, which boasts cheddar and pistachio biscuits, dark chocolate and shortbread snowflakes.  

Is it really still more than a month until Christmas?

Hampers can be pre-ordered now for delivery from December 3 to 20. For more information go to ottolenghi.co.uk/