Here's how you can have the ultimate Sheffield Christmas dinner by sourcing every ingredient from city independents
There is another way.
Sheffield's booming food and drink scene '“Â from farms to delis and producers restaurants '“Â makes it possible to source many, if not all, of your ingredients locally.Â
Seafood remains a popular choice for festive starters, and despite being landlocked, Sheffield has some fine suppliers to try. JH Mann on Sharrowvale Road is packed with everything from fresh scallops to prawns for the traditional prawn cocktail '“ and if you swing by on a weekend to stock up, they also offer wine and lunch too. For the main event, Whirlow Hall Farm is a popular choice to order turkeys and other meats reared on the farm '“ as well as stocking treats from other local suppliers and even home-grown Christmas trees. Â
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Hide AdKelvin Charles, commercial operations manager at the farm, said: 'Our shop and butchery not only have an amazing range of home reared and home butchered produce but also stock so many of the best local producers.
'It's a great place to start for a Sheffield Christmas.'
Order forms are available on the farm's website, and must be submitted by mid December.
If you fancy goose for a change, then Firs Farm at Ringinglow Road have plenty of fresh free-range birds reared on their farm, as well as turkeys. They are available to order until they sell out, and also have local eggs to make the all important Yorkshire puddings.Â
There can't be many places better for vegetables than the variety of stalls selling everything from sprouts to oranges at a hard-to-beat price inside The Moor Market. Â
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Hide AdYou can't get more Sheffield either, one vegetable trader, Bingham and Brownes has been trading in the city markets for 40 years.Â
If having organic produce is important to you, then Barra Organics, again on Sharrow Vale Road, is at the root of all things biodynamic.
Just a few doors down, and Seven Hills Bakery not only offers fruit and vegetables, many grown locally, but you can also pre-order their delicious breads, cakes and treats with an order form. Last year's quince mince pies were highly recommended. For vegans, The Incredible Nutshell on Chesterfield Road, Heeley has a great selection, from nut roast mixes to Tofurkey roasts, a tofu roast with wild rice stuffing and a delicious herb gravy.Â
They are also expecting '˜Redwood celebration roasts', which even feature vegan pigs in blankets, and vegan turkey.Â
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Hide AdFood can be ordered online and delivered to certain postcodes in Sheffield, Rotherham, Dronfield and Chesterfield.Â
A glass of sparkling fizz, comforting, aromatic mulled wine or a fine spirit make the seasonal celebrations even more special.
It is possible to cheer in the big day with a beverage crafted just around the corner.
With Sheffield being the country's beer capital '“ there are plenty of locally brewed ales that can stocked up on.
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Hide AdKegs of Bradfield Brewery's Farmer's Blonde, and the berry tinged Christmas special, Belgian Blue, are ideal for parties.
In the Moor Market, Â the charming Beer Central shop stocks a wide range of beers, including those from Kelham Island and Thornbridge. Gift-wise, the shop has plenty of more unusual and hard-to-find brews, as well as books, tankards and more.
Enthusiasts also rave about Hop Hideout tasting rooms and beer shop on Abbeydale Road, handily located next to a gin bar, the Broadfield pub and the charms of the antiques quarter, for festive shopping trips.
On to wine, and Renishaw Hall and Gardens close to Sheffield uses its own vineyards to create four different still and sparkling wines, which are on sale in the visitor centre.
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Hide AdTwo fine independent stockists in the city should also be able to meet all requirements for Christmas dinner drinks. Starmoreboss, on Sharrowvale Road, is an Aladdin's Cave of beautiful wines, including organic and vegan, as well as spirits, and beers.
Mitchell's Wine at Meadowhead has a similar level of expert advice and an even bigger range available.
Gin is having a moment worldwide, and Sheffield is no exception.
Sheffield Dry Gin is produced and bottled in the city by True North Brew Co, and there are several varieties of the small batch spirit available, including a spiced fig and Victoria plums. They are all available to buy on the company's website.
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Hide AdSothall mum Jayne Pearson has also created a range of pudding gins, from lemon drizzle to jam roly poly and custard, which are meant to be taken with different soft drinks depending on the flavour. Visit pudgins.co.uk.
The number of coffees created in Sheffield by independent companies has also exploded in the last few years. Forge Coffee, Frazer's Coffee Roasters and Foundry Coffee Roasters are all popular examples where you can buy a bag either online or in coffee shops, and brew at home.
Are sweet treats the best end to a festive meal '“ or savoury cheeses?
In Sheffield, there's plenty of home-grown choice on both a savoury and a sweet level to choose from.
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Hide AdTry the creamy brie-like fromage made in Kelham Island by Sheffield Cheesemasters, along with chutneys and jams made by Just Preserves. Beeches of Walkley has a great selection of cheese board items, as well as hampers for gifts.
On the sweet side, finish off a home-made Christmas pudding or mince pies with ice cream from Our Cow Molly in Dungworth, available from the farm direct or many shops city-wide.
For chocolates, Bullion, based in the new Cutlery Works at Kelham, offers artisan '˜bean-to-bar' options that will impress.
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