The Artisan Kitchen Christmas Gift Guide.
Gifting from our kitchen
The Artisan Kitchen Christmas Gift Guide
Thoughtful gifts, beautifully presented, with something delicious inside.
By Sarah Churchill, chef and founder of The Artisan Kitchen, Gloucester
I always think the nicest food gifts are the ones you can picture someone opening. A jar on the breakfast table, a spoon passed across to try something new, a quiet cup of tea with something delicious on toast. Small things, but often the things we enjoy most.
I’m Sarah, and I make the jams and marmalades here at The Artisan Kitchen in Gloucester. If you’re choosing Christmas presents for someone who loves good food, I’ve gathered a few favourites from my kitchen. There’s vintage Champagne for the Christmas breakfast table, something spirited for the cocktail lover, gift packs you can fill with the flavours they love, and subscriptions with more delicious deliveries to look forward to.
Quick answer
Which jam and marmalade gifts should you choose for Christmas?
For a little Christmas luxury, I’d start with our Christmas Marmalade, made with Seville oranges and vintage Champagne. A two or three jar gift box lets you choose their favourites. For the Negroni drinker, there’s a whole marmalade collection to explore; for someone who loves British orchards and their fruit, I’d choose the Heritage Plum Jam Gift Box. Our preserve subscriptions keep the pleasure going beyond Christmas, while Blackcurrant & Sloe Gin Jam and Blaisdon Red Plum Jam™ are lovely additions to the festive table.
Christmas gifts at a glance
| Who is it for? | Our suggestion | What makes it personal? |
|---|---|---|
| A seasonal little luxury | Christmas Marmalade | Seville orange with vintage Champagne |
| A personal thank-you | Two jar Preserve Gift Box | Choose two available flavours |
| A gift tailored to their tastes | Create Your Own Gift Box | Choose three available flavours |
| A cocktail enthusiast | Negroni Marmalade Gift Box | Three seasonal cocktail-inspired marmalades |
| A lover of British orchard fruit | Heritage Plum Jam Gift Box | Blaisdon Red, Early Rivers Prolific and Damson |
| A jam devotee | Jam Gift Box | Three contrasting fruit jams |
| A marmalade enthusiast | Marmalade Gift Box | Three seasonal citrus preserves |
| A gift that lasts beyond Christmas | Three or Twelve Month Preserve Club | A fresh selection delivered every month |
| Someone who loves dark fruit | Blackcurrant & Sloe Gin Jam | Blackcurrant richness with a sloe gin finish |
| The Christmas host | Blaisdon Red Plum Jam™ | A cranberry sauce alternative and cheeseboard companion |
A little luxury for Christmas morning
Christmas breakfast deserves something lovely on the table. Our Christmas Marmalade brings together hand-cut Seville oranges and 20-year-old vintage Champagne, with fragrant peel and the bittersweet orange character that makes a proper marmalade so satisfying.
Give a jar to someone who loves a leisurely breakfast, tuck one into a hamper or keep one ready for warm pastries on Christmas morning. For a simple present with a personal touch, pair it with their favourite tea and a packet of buttery shortbread.
Gift packs chosen just for them
You probably know more about their tastes than you think. The friend who always asks for marmalade. The parent who loves plum jam. The person who has to try the most unusual flavour on the menu. Start there.
Our two jar Preserve Gift Box lets you choose two available jams or marmalades, while our Create Your Own Gift Box holds three full-size 200g jars. Choose all jam, all marmalade or a little of each.
I like to include a favourite and a little surprise. Something you know they’ll love, and something they might never have picked for themselves.
A spirited gift for adventurous tastes
For the friend who enjoys a good aperitif as much as a good breakfast, our Spirited Marmalades pair citrus with wines, spirits and aperitifs chosen to bring something delicious to the fruit.
Seville Orange Marmalade with Oloroso Sherry is a particularly lovely winter choice, bringing a rounded, nutty richness to bitter orange. Try it beside mature cheese or brush a little over a warm orange cake.
The marmalades with Italian orange bitters are another lovely place to start. Give one to a keen cook and suggest trying it with cheese or in a dessert. Sometimes a jar becomes the beginning of a very good kitchen experiment.
For the Negroni lover
Some gifts feel as though they were made for one particular person. Our Negroni Marmalade Gift Box is one for the friend who always orders the same beautifully bitter cocktail.
Inside are three seasonal Negroni marmalades, each with its own balance of citrus, bitterness and aromatic cocktail ingredients. The selection varies with availability. Part of the pleasure is opening them together and deciding which you like best.
I’d serve them with toasted brioche, a few good cheeses or something dark and chocolatey. Breakfast is only the beginning.
For the jam lover
Our Jam Gift Box is a cheerful collection for someone who would always choose jam on their toast. It brings together Tutti Frutti, Strawberry Apple Vanilla and Blackcurrant Apple Lime in three full-size jars.
There is comforting strawberry and vanilla, deeper blackcurrant with a lift of lime, and the generous fruit mixture of Tutti Frutti. A lovely present for breakfasts, afternoon tea and the occasional spoonful straight from the jar.
A taste of Gloucestershire orchard heritage
For gardeners, food lovers and anyone with a fondness for traditional British fruit, our Heritage Plum Jam Gift Box has a story to share.
The collection includes The Artisan Kitchen Blaisdon Red Plum Jam™, Early Rivers Prolific Plum Jam and Damson Jam. Each variety brings its own character, from generous plum flavour to the wonderful depth and sharpness of damson.
Blaisdon Red has a special place in my kitchen. I first made it commercially in 2013, using a rare Gloucestershire plum that deserves to be remembered and enjoyed. This box is a lovely way to discover how different three plum jams can taste. Open them with warm scones and let everyone choose a favourite.
For someone who takes marmalade seriously
Our Marmalade Gift Box brings together three full-size seasonal marmalades, chosen to offer contrasting citrus flavours.
It makes a thoughtful present for the person whose breakfast is never complete without a jar on the table. Put the kettle on, toast a few slices of sourdough and make a morning of tasting the collection. Exact flavours vary with the seasonal selection.
A Christmas gift with more to look forward to
There’s something lovely about a present that arrives again after Christmas. Once the decorations are down and the last mince pie has disappeared, a box of good things for the breakfast table is a very welcome delivery.
Our Three Month Preserve Club brings four full-size jars each month for three months, with twelve jars to enjoy altogether. For a gift that follows the whole year, the Twelve Month Preserve Club delivers three full-size jars each month, with thirty-six jars across twelve deliveries.
Choose jam, marmalade, a mixture of both or my Chef’s Selection. It’s a lovely way to discover different flavours as the seasons change, especially for someone who already has everything they need but always appreciates something delicious.
For a single delivery, A Month of Chef’s Preserves offers four full-size jars as a one-off gift. All the pleasure of a preserve parcel, with no ongoing subscription.
Blackcurrant & Sloe Gin for a little winter indulgence
Our Blackcurrant & Sloe Gin Jam feels particularly at home at Christmas. Deep blackcurrant flavour, that lovely natural sharpness and the rounded richness of sloe gin make it a generous little jar for a winter hamper.
I’d put it out with cheese, spoon it over vanilla ice cream or serve it alongside a slice of chocolate cake. It’s rather good with warm scones and clotted cream too, if Christmas afternoon calls for the kettle and a comfortable chair.
Give a jar to someone who loves dark fruit and a little indulgence, or choose it for a personalised gift box when available. A small present with plenty of ways to enjoy it.
Blaisdon Red for Christmas dinner and the cheeseboard
Here’s a little suggestion from my own kitchen: try The Artisan Kitchen Blaisdon Red Plum Jam™ in place of cranberry sauce with your Christmas dinner. Its rich plum flavour and natural acidity make a lovely fruity accompaniment to turkey and all the trimmings.
It’s just as welcome on the cheeseboard. I particularly like it with Brie, where the fruit cuts through the creamy richness. Put a jar beside the crackers and let everyone help themselves, then bring it out again with Boxing Day cold cuts.
For a host who enjoys cooking, a jar with a handwritten serving suggestion makes a thoughtful little gift. A Gloucestershire plum for the Christmas table, with plenty left to discover beyond breakfast.
The finishing touches
Gift wrapping and a handwritten message can be added when ordering our gift boxes. They can also be sent straight to the recipient, with no pricing inside the parcel.
Every jam and marmalade here is made by me, in small batches in my Gloucestershire kitchen. I hope you find something that feels just right for the person you’re thinking of.
And if a jar intended as a present finds its way onto your own toast, I quite understand.
Chef Sarah’s gifting note
You don’t need to build an enormous hamper to give a lovely food present. Two carefully chosen jars and a few handwritten words can say plenty. If you’d like to add something, try good tea, a little shortbread or a favourite cheese, depending on the preserves you’ve chosen.
A little help with choosing
Christmas jam and marmalade gift FAQs
Can I choose the flavours in a Christmas gift box?
Yes. With our two jar Preserve Gift Box and Create Your Own three jar Gift Box, you choose from the flavours listed on the product page. Our other collections have their own selection, with the details shown before you order.
What is in The Artisan Kitchen Christmas Marmalade?
Christmas Marmalade is made with hand-cut Seville oranges and 20-year-old vintage Champagne. It has aromatic orange peel and a bittersweet citrus flavour. It contains sulphites and is not an alcohol-free product.
What is a good Christmas gift for a marmalade lover?
Choose the Marmalade Gift Box for a seasonal citrus tasting selection, Christmas Marmalade for a festive jar, or the Negroni Marmalade Gift Box for someone who enjoys cocktail flavours. Think about what they already enjoy on their toast, and take it from there.
Can you send a gift box directly to the recipient?
Yes. Enter the recipient’s address as the delivery address when ordering. Gift boxes can be sent directly, with no pricing included inside the parcel. Gift wrapping and a handwritten message can be added when ordering.
Are all the jams and marmalades alcohol-free?
No. Christmas Marmalade is made with Champagne, Blackcurrant & Sloe Gin Jam contains sloe gin, and the spirited and Negroni collections include alcohol. Check the individual product information when choosing for someone who avoids alcohol or has dietary requirements.
How should I store preserves bought ahead for Christmas?
Keep unopened jars in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and check the best-before date on each jar. Once opened, refrigerate and follow the storage instructions on the label.
Where are The Artisan Kitchen Christmas gifts made?
The preserves are handmade in small batches by chef Sarah Churchill in Gloucester, Gloucestershire. Sarah founded The Artisan Kitchen in 2011, following a career in professional kitchens.
Can I give a jam and marmalade subscription for Christmas?
Yes. Choose the Three Month Preserve Club for four full-size jars each month over three deliveries, or the Twelve Month Preserve Club for three jars each month over twelve deliveries. Both offer jam, marmalade, mixed preserves or Chef’s Selection. A Month of Chef’s Preserves is a separate one-off box.
Can Blaisdon Red Plum Jam replace cranberry sauce?
Yes. I recommend serving a little Blaisdon Red Plum Jam™ alongside Christmas turkey as an alternative to cranberry sauce. Its rich plum flavour and natural acidity also make it a lovely accompaniment to Boxing Day cold cuts.
Which jams would you choose for a Christmas cheeseboard?
Blaisdon Red Plum Jam™ is lovely with creamy Brie. Blackcurrant & Sloe Gin Jam brings deeper berry flavour to mature Cheddar or creamy blue cheese. Serve small spoonfuls so everyone can try the combinations for themselves.
More ideas from our kitchen
A chef’s guide to pairing jam, marmalade and cheese offers inspiration for a Christmas cheeseboard. For more help choosing a thoughtful preserve present, read our guide to jam gifts.
Meet the maker: Sarah Churchill
Sarah Churchill is the chef and founder of The Artisan Kitchen, an independent preserves producer established in Gloucester in 2011. Her professional experience includes The Square in Mayfair under Philip Howard and ten years at Daylesford Organic.
Sarah still develops the recipes and makes every batch herself. Since founding The Artisan Kitchen, her preserves have earned 210 Great Taste Awards, including 51 three-star awards across the range.
For editors & journalists
Putting together a Christmas gift guide?
From marmalade made with 20-year-old vintage Champagne to a gift box celebrating British heritage plums, there are plenty of stories behind these jars. The Artisan Kitchen is an independent, one-woman preserves business, founded by chef Sarah Churchill in Gloucester in 2011.
For Christmas gift guides, product information, image requests or a conversation about the kitchen, please email hello@theartisankitchen.co.uk. I’d love to hear what you’re working on.
