Make it a Merry Manx Christmas

Make it a Merry Manx Christmas

At its heart, eating local means celebrating that the best flavours are from home; treat your taste buds and nourish your local community with a sustainable Manx Christmas full of local food and drink.

Did you know that every £1 spent on Manx food is worth £1.83 to the Manx economy versus 58p with a non-local business? We asked our artisans what’s happening this Christmas and are pleased to share just a small selection to inspire you to think local this year.

Ballakelly Farm offers lots of festive goodies; what could be more sustainable than purchasing festive sausages, pigs in blankets, award-winning gammon and grass-fed, dry-aged beef direct from the farmer? Orders can be conveniently placed online via ballakellyfarm.com.

Andreas Meat Co, Ballakelly Farm and Isle of Man Creamery will deliver fresh produce directly to your doorstep; Isle of Man Meats is celebrating a year since launching a range of beef and lamb roasting joints in Tesco; while Robinson’s, Shoprite and EVF stores also have a fantastic selection of Manx produce.

Visit Close Leece Farm Shop and Café, offering some of the very best of Isle of Man food and drink, from Berries Christmas puddings to Staarvey Farm mulled wine syrup, alongside their own award-winning range of bacon, sausage, salami, chorizo, Tamworth Rare Breed pork roasting joints, hams, pigs in blankets and pork stuffing.

Morgan's Pies have added a Festive Pie to their range of locally produced handmade pies and pasties, made using the finest Manx ingredients. Orders can be placed online via morganspies.com.

Introduce some spice to your traditional Christmas dinner with Leela’s Kitchen, who has introduced biodegradable packaging to its range of spices this year; or source locally grown herbs from Staarvey Farm.
Prepare a twist on the Manx National Dish with Manx king scallops available from many outlets across the Island including Isle of Man Seafoods and The Fish Market.

Enhance your cheeseboard with Manx goats’ cheese and Isle of Man Creamery flavoured cheddars, and perhaps start your Christmas morning with a bowl of Festive Granola from Paula’s Kitchen accompanied by a spoonful of creamy yoghurt from The Dairy Shed.

Don’t forget a dollop of Manx cream or perhaps even a scoop of Manx ice cream to melt over that mince pie you made with Laxey Flour.

Raise a toast around the Christmas table with a glass of sparkling wine from Foraging Vintners; then get into the festive spirit with a Winter Fyn & Tonic from The Fynoderee Distillery, some Bifrost Vodka or a pint of Manx ale or cider. Outlier Distilling Company is set to launch its first small batch spirit very soon so keep an eye out for what could be a rather unique Christmas present!

Treat your loved ones to a gift voucher from The Cook Shack, or gift them Volume 2 of The Island Kitchen recipe book produced by Lily Publications. Visit the Welcome Centre and MostlyManx for more foodie products, or send a Manx hamper from Isle of Man Hampers.

Wrap your presents with sustainable, biodegradable Manx Loaghtan Twine from Ballacosnahan Farm and look after any Christmas leftovers by wrapping them in Dee & Bee’s wax wraps.

There are many local events showcasing our Island’s produce alongside the spectacular talents of Manx crafters and artists, from the Close Leece Farm Christmas Artisans’ Market on 5th and 6th December, to the Manx Produce Market held at Tynwald Mills every weekend in December and DEFA’s first Artisan Island market held in partnership with Douglas Town Centre Management in Villiers Square on 12th and 13th December. Regular Farmers’ Markets also take place across the Island in the run-up to Christmas, and Bry Rad’s Fresh Veg Shed continues to sell the very best wonky veg bursting with character and flavour.

Should you fancy eating out over the Christmas period, check Visit Isle of Man’s directory of quality assured eateries championing local produce by searching ‘Harvest IOM’ online. Local chef Pippa Lovell, Founder of Versa, is about to move into her own premises in Port Erin – reduce food miles with her foraged brunch and dinner menu for something a little different.

Buying Manx food protects our Biosphere for future generations. This holiday season we hope your table is brimming with delicious local meals and surrounded by the people you love.

This list is by no means exhaustive so please take a look at our directory www.iomfoodanddrink.com for more information and inspiration, follow us @iomfoodanddrink on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or contact us via food@gov.im.

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