Easter has been rather thrust upon us this year and my organisation has not been brilliant so I decided to limit myself to shops where I knew I could rely on an abundant supply of original and imaginative Easter goodies. My first stop was Fortnum and Mason in Piccadilly. Delicious chocolate including the very best champagne truffles! And I am an expert as they have always been my favourite so I have tried a vast variety.

They had gone to town on the Easter theme with gigantic easter eggs and feathered birds and chocolate bunnies everywhere you look. They even had Easter Tea and a selection of Easter biscuits.

I am almost sure that they would even prepare an easter hamper if you asked although I must say that after many years of relying on the wonderful Fortnum and Mason the last two hampers I ordered never actually arrived at their destinations which caused such great embarrassment especially as the store never mentioned that they were not actually delivered!! So enjoy this wonderful environment and delicious produce but make your purchases in store.

The basement of Fortnum and Mason is a gentleman’s grocery department. There is the most wonderful wine and spirits department and an abundance of delicatessen counters with everything from cold meats, cheese to ready prepared luxury picnic goods. In the pantry section they have the most wonderful choice of pickles, chutneys all sorts of spreads (the gentlemans’ relish presented in vintage ceramic pots are a great gift). Spices herbs and unusual ingredients to give your recipes that very special touch.

I then moved to the High Street to see what I could find apart from the usual supermarket selection which is always incredibly good value and delicious. I think it was Marks and Spencer that has to take the prize for the most original and fantastic collection of Easter gifts. They had pretty much covered every eventuality – a great chocolate dinosaur. A ‘Frozen’ themed chocolate castle. They had flavoured chocolate a bright yellow easter chick which was apparently white chocolate and a bright orange carrot …. orange flavoured. They had iced biscuits and easter egg hunt tins full of mouth watering treats. They had chocolate rabbits, pigs, chicks and of course eggs.

They also had a fantastic collection of Easter cakes in a range of styles to suit a casual table setting or a much more formal affair. There were a collection of luxury easter eggs as well for a more sophisticated impression and again a wide breadth of selection.

Thorntons was also on my radar as they do a free icing service which for a gift is a nice touch with a bit of originality and the chocolate is very good so a crowd pleaser.

I was feeling a bit weary now and had my fill of gazing at chocolate delicacies so as I made my way home I did stop in to make a note of the trusty easter egg selections which are always very popular and most certainly never disappoint and available in the supermarket!