LatinoLife's Christmas Wish List

Winter is upon us, Christmas is near, and nothing cheers us up more than bringing a bit of Latin American pazzazz to our very British Christmas menus. Here’s our selection of must haves from the Latin Xmas hamper
by Amaranta Wright
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Onda-Onda Dulce de Leche

Surely every child’s dream stocking filler, this luxury, creamy dulce de leche, is the essential add-on to any Christmas pudding: whether it be the humble mince pie, trifle, chocolate log, or good old Christmas pudding, a dollop of dulce will never go a miss. Based on the best recipes from Uruguay, Argentina and Brazil, this smooth milky caramel is delicious with ice-cream or great in any cake or desert, as a topping or filling. But of course you can always just spread it on toast and sneak away from the crowd with a good old English cuppa for a rare moment of blissful peace. Just make sure you hide it well, or the whole family you've invited over Christmas will demolish the jar and it’ll be gone in a wiff.

Get yours at Urushop.co.uk

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Brazilian Bubbly

This is one you definitely didn’t think of, right? Brazilian Prosseco Amadeu Rosé Brut 2015…you heard it from us first. This gorgeous pink bubbly is full of ripe summer berries and super bubbles. The producer, Mario Geisse, owner of Brazil's leading sparkling wine producers, was formerly MD for French Champagne house Moët and Chandon's Brazilian operations during the 1970s. Mario and his sons now run their own winery, Cave Geisse, and this 'Amadeu' rosé is made in the traditional method, entirely from Pinot Noir grapes grown on their own property. Dry to off-dry, this delicate pink sparkler is great value, and perfect for popping with friends and loved-ones over Christmas and New Year.

Amadeu Rose is currently on offer @£16 a bottle at gobrazilwines.com

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Coffee the Latin Way

Whilst living in Colombia, Chris Davies had the vision of selling Colombian coffee from a mobile van in London. Eight years later his creation, El Cafecito, is bringing the freshest Latin American coffee from roaster to door, whilst raising awareness about the amazing countries that they originate from. This winter you can find El Cafecito at  ‘Christmas by the River’ between London and Tower Bridge (where la Clave Fest was this year) with their Pabellon’ partners, until January 2nd. Or buy their delicious coffee from Colombia, Peru, Guatemala, Costa Rica and Brazil online. We’ve tried them and can vouch that even the famous Illy doesn’t match the rich, smooth sweetness of these original blends.

www.elcafecito.co.uk

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Fine Venezuelan Chocoalate

Christmas spells luxury, and Franceschi’s collection of Fine and Extrafine Venezuelan chocolate takes luxury to a whole new level. Forget Green&Blacks or that Willie guy you saw on TV once ‘discovering' Venezuelan chocolate, this family have been doing luxury chocolate since 1830, that’s six generations. Made from selections of ancestral cacao of Criollo and Trinitario origin, the varieties take you on a journey from cacao tree to chocolate bar like no other -  the result so smooth and sweet, with no bitter trace, that even those resisters to dark chocolate will be converted. Thanks to careful post-harvest processing, Francheschi brings together the combination of aromas, textures and flavours from the different Venezuelan regions, in a way that enhances the unique characteristics of their origin and genetic quality. They definitely won't be revealing their secrets to Willy Wonka.

Find your nearest stockist at franceschichocolate.com/en/

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Cabana’s Malagueta sauce

Malagueta pepper, is a type of chili pepper widely used in Brazil, Portugal, Mozambique, Angola, made into a heavenly sauce, most famously by those in the state of Bahia.  The heat of the chilli works perfectly in a marinade for grilled chicken, but is also apparently fantastic with turkey. When they first started Cabana, co-founders Jamie Barber and David Ponte claim they went through months of tasting to find just the right balance of sticky sweetness and Malagueta chilli, to create the ultimate spicy malagueta sauce. So now you know what to do with that left-over turkey, just grab a bottle of Malagueta and Brazilian barbeque it!

www.cabana-brasil.com

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Read Latin America

Though this little book does not exclusively recommend books from Latin America, the extremely knowledgable editor of 'Read the World' gives you an easy introduction to the best novels and non-Fictions from each Latin American country. Pushpinder Khaneka takes you on a literary journey through Latin America, Asia and Africa, recommending the best three books on more than 30 countries. The mix of classic and contemporary fiction and non-fiction goes beyond mere location to reveal something of each country's soul. So, whether you're an intrepid traveller or an armchair adventurer, climb aboard to encounter different people and places – and learn more about them. A perfect present for someone who wants to learn about these amazing country through the finest literature. Enjoy the trip!

Get here: https://bit.ly/2B3tx5P

 

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