Christmas food made simple

You may well have noticed, as you wandered down the aisles of your local supermarket, that things have changed. There are baubles on every available space and BOGOFs (Buy-One-Get-One-Free to the uninitiated) are on every known brand of lager and mince pie. Yes, Christmas is here again.

The thought of all that preparation and cooking is enough to send any sane person scurrying to hide in the cupboard under the stairs.

The answer is to cheat. You can have a Christmas survival kit (aka hamper) wrapped up and delivered to your door.

Harrods, Selfridges and Fortnum & Mason spring to mind immediately, but you'll probably need a new mortgage to buy one.

However, scattered around London are a number of small delis with a passion for sourcing the most delicious foods from around the world - products that have been made for generations by the same family, in a small village in the middle of nowhere. There are French fancies, Italian delicacies and, of course, the best of British Christmas foods.

East Dulwich Deli arrived on the scene two years ago and has put South London firmly on the foodie map. The shop has the most beautiful treasures for a Christmas hamper, including more than 15 varieties of Panettone, including Panettone aceto balsamico, with plump raisins that have soaked in aged balsamic vinegar. You might also want to check out their Stollen, a type of Christmas cake from Dresden, and Booja-Booja, organic vegan truffles in hand-painted boxes from Peru.

East Dulwich Deli, Tel: 020 8693 2525. Tailor-made hampers available. Delivery £5 within a 6km radius.

West London has its own food Mecca: Portobello Food Company, where Italy comes alive. The owner, Ludovico Filotto, has handpicked produce for the perfect Italian organic hamper. This is the place to get the most delectable Cioccolatini Peyrano, made by the family of the same name in Turin, and the perfect Olive Oil Hamper.

Portobello Food Company, Tel: 020 8748 0505, www.portobellofood.com London hamper deliveries cost £4.90.

If it's decadent French goodies that you want this Christmas, then head down to Comptoir Gascon, where you can buy hampers ranging from an indulgent £90 to the ultimate gourmandaise at £175, which includes violet tea, almond honey, chocolate sauterne raisins and cherry and violet jam - and it's all absolutely delicious!

Comptoir Gascon, Tel: 020 7608 0851, delivery charges apply.

Machiavelli, on Havelock Terrace, has the most luxurious Pecorino truffle, truffle salami and hand-made Panettone classico, all of which look too good to unwrap. Their hampers bear names such as Christmas Tree at £40, After Dinner at £85 and The Luxury at £175.

Manicomio hampers at Machiavelli's, Tel: 020 7498 0880, www.machiavellifood.com

If you do want to go for one of the big names, Harvey Nichols Foodmarket Christmas boxes are an experience in their own right. With great packaging and an exciting combination of products, they range from £25 to a jaw-dropping £1,000. The mini Christmas box is a great present chock-full of goodies.
Harvey Nichols mail order, Tel: 020 7201 8681, or visit the Foodmarket in Knightsbridge.