This isn’t just Christmas food, this is M&S Christmas food – and the supermarket hasn’t held back when it comes to experimenting with new food pairings. However it’s clear they’ve stuck closely to the turkey theme, and Mirror writer Niamh Kirk tried some of them out
One of the best things about Christmas is the food – and M&S have really pushed the boat out this year with what’s on offer.
Marks and Spencer’s is renowned for its impeccable Christmas food selection but this year, they have started to get a little adventurous with their offerings and it’s clear they go all out for all things turkey-flavoured. Aside from the classic turkey with all the trimmings, the supermarket has made sure it is getting the most out of turkey for the festive season – from turkey lasagne to Malaysian turkey crisps and turkey pasta, you can go the whole hog (or bird) when it comes to trying some new foods. So I had the seriously tricky job of trying a few of them to see how they held up…
Turkey Feast Pasta – £3.40
I was sceptical about this one. While turkey and pasta isn’t too much of a rogue pairing, it was the stuffing and gravy sauce that really threw me off with this one. I do enjoy a pasta pot for lunch, so I was intrigued by it. Pasta swirls packed with shredded turkey, bacon and stuffing. It was then coated in a maple and mustard dressing and came with a gravy dressing pot on the side.
I poured the gravy over the pasta – a combination I never thought I would ever try but if that’s what the experts at M&S recommend, I am here for it. Any worry quickly faded as it was delicious. It tasted like a very bizarre Christmas dinner, but it actually worked quite well. The stuffing and turkey gives it the festive taste and there is no chance of it being dry thanks to the gravy. Once you get over eating gravy and pasta, this is a tasty dish, and I am definitely a fan – it’s delicious.
5/5
Malaysian inspired roast turkey crisps – £1.80
When it comes to crisps, I do enjoy trying different flavours so I was excited for this one. I used to love the Walkers roast chicken flavour so I was thinking it may have been similar to those. However I was totally wrong. I’m not sure what flavour this particular packet was could be described as but I couldn’t taste any sort of turkey. They almost had more of a curry flavour, which was very overpowering. The bag says there are flavours of chilli, lime and coriander, and you can definitely taste the coriander – which may be a little off putting for some. I can’t say I was too impressed with these sadly.
2/5
Sloe gin crumble mince pies – £4
M&S have launched 10 different mince pie flavours this year so there is definitely something for everyone. With flavours including Frangipane mince pies, slow gin crumble, or the classic mince pies, they have pulled out all the stops. I decided to try the sloe gin crumble flavour and see if it was as good as the regular. I loved the crumble on top, it was buttery but crunchy and it really gave it a different texture. I think I prefer a crumble on top of a mince pie than a regular shortcrust pastry topper. However I can’t say I got much of a gin taste from the mincemeat, to me it tasted just like a regular mince pie, which was disappointing but still tasty nevertheless.
3/5
Peppermint bark – £10
This was the one I was most excited to try as I kept seeing it pop up on my TikTok. I love peppermint flavouring and who doesn’t like chocolate so for me this was already a winner. There were two slabs of layered dark and white mit flavoured chocolate, and topped with broken pieces of peppermint or “rubble” as M&S called it. It was seriously minty, but I really enjoyed it. When broken up into chunks, it’s a great treat, and it all comes in a fun festive tin. However, it is a little pricey, but it’s definitely one of my favourites from this year’s selection.
5/5
Turkey shwarma wrap – £4
Again, sticking with the strong turkey theme, M&S have taken the classic lamb shwarma and given it a festive makeover by replacing it with turkey. I wasn’t sure I would like the combination of fruity harissa and turkey but it surprisingly worked really well. The pairing was an odd one, but also turkey and cranberry is a great combination so it wasn’t too outlandish. I think this was quite a clever and well paired food and I thoroughly enjoyed, especially with the hint of pickled cabbage in there too. If I had to give it any criticism, I would say the turkey was a little dry – but then again, it is quite a dry meat as it is.
4/5
Overall, I think M&S have been creative with some of their Christmas food offerings. While some I don’t think quite work, there are some that are delicious. It’s not just just Christmas food, it’s M&S Christmas food. This is just a small selection of what the supermarket has on offer this Christmas, but one thing is for certain, it’s definitely turkey season in M&S.
Do you have a story to share? Email niamh.kirk@reachplc.com
