Ben Handley of The Duck Inn at Stanhoe launches Norfolk Christmas Day Hampers

After what has been a rotten year for many, the chef patron of a multi-award-winning West Norfolk pub has decided to spread some seasonal cheer by launching hampers packed with luxurious festive treats.

Ben Handley, chef patron of the multi-award winning Duck Inn at Stanhoe has teamed up with his suppliers to launch The Duck’s Christmas Day at Home Hampers.

Each hamper contains items for the perfect foodie Christmas Day, sourced from his amazing network of suppliers at The Duck and its sister pub The Hunworth Bell, near Holt.

The Duck is also running a competition on social media asking people to nominate somebody who they feel deserves to win a three-course Christmas Lunch Hamper.

Said Ben: “We want to make Christmas as easy and special as we can for everybody this year, because let’s be honest, it’s been horrible for so many people. This year more than any other, all of us here at The Duck would like to spread some festive cheer from our home to yours.

"Customers can choose from just a local cheeseboard, or bottle of port, right up to an all singing, all dancing Hamper, which means they want for nothing on the big day.

"We have missed six months of 2020 and it will be wonderful for families to come together again at Christmas, that’s why we want to help everything go as smoothly as possible this year."

And his wife, Sarah, said of the competition: "So many people have suffered this year, so we are asking people to nominate somebody who needs thanking for things they have done, or maybe just needs a lift. We will randomly draw a winner and hope to spread some festive love.”

Customers can choose to have in their hampers anything from a single course, right up to the All Ducking Day Christmas Hamper, which contains everything needed for an indulgent Christmas Day, starting with a full English breakfast of Arthur Howell sausages and bacon, Havensfield Farm eggs, Fruit Pig Co black pudding, and more, plus a bottle of finest champagne.

Ingredients for the Christmas lunch include Staithe Smokehouse Salmon, the best Norfolk black turkeys, fresh local vegetables from David Whitwell as well as jars of Ben's own Mr H Mustard, Smoked Cranberry Sauce and Bread Sauce. Pastry chef Rebecca Houlder has added her vintage Christmas puddings to the hamper too.

Ben will include full cooking and serving instructions, and will prepare the vegetables himself, even blanching the roast potatoes and marinating in duck fat, garlic and rosemary, and prepping the turkeys

Hampers can be ordered online at www.duckinn.co.uk/christmas The closing date for the orders is Monday, December 14, and they can be collected from The Duck on December 22.