Celebrations at the Beach Hotel by Francesca Capaldi (book extract)

 

I'm delighted to invite Francesca Capaldi to my blog today, with a book extract from her latest historical novel, Celebrations at the Beach Hotel.

Celebrations at the Beach Hotel

Sisters Alice and Annie have always been close but will a man come between them?

Annie and Alice love their life working at the Beach Hotel together and each is thrilled to have finally found a sweetheart. Yet the path of true love never did run smooth, and they soon find themselves facing conflict and strife. Could love come between them and the bond they share?

Meanwhile, as men start to come home from the war, the women have to work out how to keep their jobs, although they are delighted to be back with their beaus. Soon, wedding bells ring out in Littlehampton.

Will everything be made right in time for Christmas?

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Extract: Celebrations at the Beach Hotel by Francesca Burgess

 

The men have slowly been returning from the war to the Beach Hotel to work. Alice Twine had looked forward to Jasper returning, but things haven’t turned out the way she’d hoped.

 

The following Monday, it was Alice’s afternoon off. She was glad to get away from her sister, and the growing whisper around the staff that she was walking out with Jasper. At the same time, she felt lonely, wandering around the town on her own, her head filled with unwelcome thoughts from which there was little distraction. She’d asked an old school friend, who lived near them in Wick, whether she fancied a trip out, as they’d done on occasion. But her friend’s day off from the grocery store was currently on a Wednesday.

Walking down High Street, she stopped to look in the window of Mann’s, the draper’s shop. Perhaps she should buy some fabric and make herself something, a dress maybe, like the straight-lined, mid-calf length ones she’d seen some young women wearing. It might do her good to have a little project like this to interest her. And it would be much cheaper to make it than to buy it. She unclipped the metal catch on her handbag and took out her purse to peer inside. There wasn’t enough, and her savings were in a box at home, under her bed. She should have thought of it before.

She put the purse back in her handbag and was about to close the clip, when she was pushed forward, almost hitting the glass of the shop window. A young man had bumped into her, knocking her handbag off her wrist. With it still being open, her purse, comb and handkerchief spilled onto the pavement.

The young man crouched down quickly to pick the bag up, along with the items. At first, she panicked, afraid he was going to steal them, but he quickly stood up and handed the bag back to her, looking contrite.

‘I am so sorry. How clumsy of me. I really should look where I’m going,’ he said in a middle-class accent.

She was struck by his good looks and by how tall he was. His hair was very fair and a little longer than was fashionable. He had on a grey cap. His beard was fair too, with a hint of ginger, and he was wearing glasses. His neat, blue, three-piece suit, visible under a smart, open coat, was quite dapper.

‘That’s all right.’ She smiled to make him feel better. ‘No harm done.’

‘I do feel guilty. I hope your bag and the other bits haven’t got too dirty.’

‘They’ll survive.’

‘Listen, to make up for my clumsiness, could I buy you a cup of tea somewhere?’

She faltered for a moment, not knowing how to react to this rather swift invitation.

‘Sorry, where are my manners. I should have introduced myself first. I’m Jamie. Jamie… Sparks.’

She didn’t know him from Adam, so would it be right to agree? Then again, there were plenty of people around, so it wasn’t like she’d be in any danger.

She held out her hand and he shook it. ‘And I’m Alice Twine.’

‘Nice to meet you, Alice.’

‘And nice to meet you, Jamie. Yes please, a cup of tea would be very welcome.’

For a moment she was hopeful that he’d suggest Read’s Dining Rooms, as it was just around the corner on Surrey Street. She’d always fancied visiting it.

‘There’s a nice little tearoom at the end of High Street: Kimble’s.’ He pointed in the opposite direction.

‘Yes, I know the one. All right.’

They said little as they made their way to Kimble’s, and she wondered whether this would be a rather stilted affair. She questioned her decision; she wasn’t good at talking to strangers. But then how was she ever going to meet a future husband?

Future husband! She had no illusions that Mr Sparks was any such thing, but she had to start somewhere.

To her relief, once they were settled into the cafe, awaiting their order, he started chatting.

‘It’s my day off today and I wasn’t looking forward to spending it alone, yet again, so I am glad I, um, “bumped” into you, though I wish it hadn’t been quite so literally.’

‘It’s my afternoon off too. Where do you work?’

‘I’m a reporter for the Sussex Daily News.’

‘Isn’t their office on Terminus Road, near the railway station?’

‘That’s right.’

‘You must be well educated to do that job.’

‘Oh, I don’t know about that,’ he said shyly. ‘I’m just good with words. Where do you work?’

‘I, um, work in the stillroom at the Beach Hotel, on the common.’ It wasn’t quite true, of course, but it sounded better than ‘scullery maid’, which might be considered the lowest job at the hotel.

‘The Beach Hotel, eh? Very posh.’

He looked a little surprised – or was it even shocked? – at first. Didn’t she look good enough to work there?

‘It is very posh. I work with my sister mostly, which can get a bit much at times, as she’s older and rather bossy.’

‘What’s it like, working there, apart from having a bossy sister?’ He chuckled.

‘It’s a great place to work. The manageress, Mrs Bygrove, treats us all well. We’re very lucky in that way. Of course, during the war, it was mainly women doing the jobs, even as porters. The male staff are starting to come back now… those what survived.’

He nodded. ‘We lost a couple of the reporters I worked with too. I’ve always wanted to go for lunch or afternoon tea at the hotel, but I’m not classy enough.’

‘I wouldn’t say that.’ It was out of her mouth before she’d had time to consider it. It might sound like she had a fancy for him…

Purchase Link:

Amazon https://amzn.to/4gTi5fj

Kobo: https://bit.ly/4765y3M

Author Bio – 

Francesca Capaldi has enjoyed writing since she was a child, largely influenced by a Welsh mother who was good at improvised storytelling and an Italian father who loved history. She is the author of historical sagas, short stories and pocket novels. 

The first novel in the Beach Hotel series, A New Start at the Beach Hotel, won the Romantic Saga Award at the Romantic Novelists' Association Awards in 2024. The first novel in the Wartime in the Valleys series, Heartbreak in the Valleys, was shortlisted for the Historical Romantic Award in the RoNAs in 2021. 

Francesca was born and brought up on the Sussex coast, went to London to do a history degree, but has lived for many years in Kent with her family and a cat called Lando Calrission.

Social Media Links – 

Facebook: @ FrancescaCapaldiAuthor

Twitter: @ FCapaldiBurgess

Instagram: @francesca.capaldi.burgess

Tiktok: @francesca.capaldi.author

Website: francesca-capaldi.com 

Photo diary: Project 365, week 2-3, 2026.

 In the last few months I have been frequenting the local cafe Lynwoods for their TooGoodToGo offerings. The best slot is Sunday just before it closes down, as they try to get rid of as much as possible.

Just look at my haul. There was a selection of pastries and a sourdough baguette. I wanted to buy a second donut so both my boys could have one each, and they just gave it to me, saying that they were closing in a couple of minutes, and everything would go in the bin. It really upset me, thinking all the wonderful bread on the shelves would be binned. 

Couldn't they put it in a big box or basket the next morning, saying Free food from yesterday. I'm sure people would be happy to take it for free. The pastries are totally fine the next day (I reheat the croissants or pain au chocolate, when we have them), and the bread is absolutely fine too.

Also the bread could be sliced and turned into croutons. Such a pointless waste of food.

Monday morning - a bit of drama.

I managed to trip on the attic stairs and fall all the way down. Thankfully, I did manage to grab the banister, or it would have been worse. I hurt my back and side, so can't bend down now, and my knee sports a big purple bruise from where I hit the wall. Felling really stupid. And a bit lucky.

Decided to go out for a short walk to the pharmacy to get some Arnica cream, and hoping to ease the stiff back. Can't say it helped, but I'm just glad I didn't bang my head or break anything. Might take a painkiller at bedtime.

Sash went out with his PAs. I stayed at home and chatted to my Mum. 

Very stiff from the previous day's fall, and couldn't sleep well, as my ribs hurt. Didn't feel like taking photos at all, so here is another nature shot from Monday.

This week I finished reading Pietr the Latvian by Georges Simenon (1st book in the Inspector Maigret series). I bought this book a while ago, and thought I should give it a go. 

I was rather disturbed by how casually anti-Semitic it is. While I understand it was written in the early 1930s, and what was acceptable then, is different (or at least hopefully different) now. Put me off reading more of Maigret.

I have also started reading Simon Schama's Citizens. Ever since Eddie and I saw a fantastic exhibition in Paris on the French Revolution, I fancied educating myself on the subject. We did study it at school, and I imagine the subject had a specific slant to it. Schama's book is recommended as one of the best on the subject.

The book has over 800 pages, and will take me a long time, as I only manage several pages a day. The fonts are very small, and the spacing between the lines is too close. I really hate the fonts like that, it's too hard for eyes.

Also the style of writing is quite flourishing. Just stick to the facts, mate.

Thursday: It's been bucketing non-stop all day. All my guys had to go out (husband to work, Eddie to school and Sasha with his PAs). I decided to take a day off and didn't venture out. My ribs still hurt and my knee is a spectacular shade of purple black, looking much worse than on the first day. I did pick up some painkiller cream and Arnica, but so far that made no difference.

Sleeping is problematic as I like to turn often, and now I can only sleep on one side, which is super uncomfortable.

I caught up with watching the Christmas special of Call the Midwife and the first episode of the new series.  That's was quite an explosive confession from Sister Veronica.

Another wet day, with a bit of  sunshine, and the first rainbow of the year. I spotted it from the attic window, as I was looking for a book on Cornwall I bought in December. 

Last December I won a beautiful Monteverde pen (+ an ink of my choice), doing the Penandinkchallenge on Instagram. It has finally arrived, and of course, I immediately inked the pen.

This is my drawing on the theme of the Alphabet - Acrobat on a Ball with a Cat reading Dickens.

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Photo diary: Project 365, week 1, 2026

 I've never finished last year's Project 365, having stopped some time in late summer. Will I last as long this year, who knows, but I really want to try again.

Here are the snaps for the first ten days of January.

The first of January was all about Stranger Things, which we watched as soon as we got up. We had guests until 1am, celebrating a new year's eve with us, and I was pretty knackered from all the cooking. I enjoy cooking but it was a bit of a marathon, trying to prepare a spread for people with different preferences and diets.

Once we got up, I told my guys they could prepare their own breakfast and eat the leftovers for lunch, as I was not cooking anything else that day.

It feels strange indeed that there would be no more Stranger Things, and that after all these years, there is no new season to look forward to (they did mention a possible Spin-off with a new cast, but it's not the same). 

The finale left me a bit underwhelmed. I've been reading all the discussions on social media about the division between the GenX and younger audience. Well, I am GenX, and though I loved all the 1980s background, clothes and music, I am still not entirely convinced the finale was a masterpiece, as some say. It was just a tad soppy.

Leaving us in suspence re: Eleven's fate was the right thing. It has to be ambiguous.

And the first season is my favourite season of all.

The photo below was taken by my husband, and later in the week, but I thought it relates better to the day than my own photo of a box of watercolours.

I bought this box of Cotman watercolours during the Black Friday week, but haven't had a chance to open all paints until the start of this year. 

And this is the first sketch of 2026, made with watercolours and black pen, Pigma Micron 02. It's a portrait of Eddie when he was little. He adored that Batman hat. 

Cornish Horrors/ Tales from the Land's End from British Library Tales of the Weird was my last book of 2025. 

I bought The Killing Stones by Ann Cleeves on the new year's eve (and was rather peeved to see it at half price just a few days later). This is the first book I started reading this year. 

For some reason my husband hasn't watched the BBC Shetland series before, so I have re-watched all the episodes from series 1 with him. It is really good. I enjoyed Douglas Henshaw as Jimmy Perez and was worried about the Shetland series after his departure, but the ladies who took over in the last few seasons are equally convincing.

The characters of Jimmy Perez and his close family in the books are quite different from the TV series. 

My silly potted lime decided it was a good time to start blooming in the middle of winter. For some reason it rarely blooms in summer.

A sketch of a baby bison made with inks on toned paper.

Tuesday was a frosty day, with a smattering of snow. Eddie took this photo on the way to school. By the time I went out in the afternoon, most of the snow was gone.

7th of January was the Orthodox Christmas. I fancied something familiar from my young days, and prepared a Salad Olivier (pronounced Oliv-Eh), the staple of the Soviet celebrations, basically a potato salad, with ham, pickles, carrots, peas and lots of mayo. 

Thursday started with a foggy morning.

I asked my husband to buy a Galette de Rois on the way home from France. It is a French institution, a seasonal treat of a flaky puff pastry with an almond cream filling. There are so many versions, each shop tries to outdo the competitors.

Ours was a plain version from Monoprix. It was actually pretty good.

We're back to watching classics with Eddie, and our latest choice was Forrest Gump. I love this film. Tom Hanks is exceptionally convincing, and so so good. 

Shopping in town later in the afternoon, I passed by the Buttercross.

How was your start of the year?

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Reading challenge of 2025 and new goals for 2026

 

New year's resolutions are not my forte, as I tend to break them pretty fast.

However, having book-related goals is totally manageable. I have worked on my reading goals last year, and did pretty well. One of my aims was to read more non-fiction, and last year their number increased to ten, which I'm pretty pleased with. They were on the subjects I'm interested in, and tied in with the fiction selection nicely (for example, a biography of Edgar Allan Poe and a novel American Boy, where Edgar appears as a young child).

My reading challenge on GoodReads keeps a tally on the amount of books I have read in 2025 - 99. 

Setting the same goals for 2026: hoping to read 52+ books;

Read non--fiction books, including a rather scary looking volume of Citizens by Simon Schama (I want to learn more on the subject of the French Revolution after we've seen a fantastic exhibition on the French Revolution in Paris last year);

Read more from British Library Tales of the Weird and British Library Crime Classics;

Study another book in a Dual Language series (I enjoyed an Introduction to French Poetry a lot);

Expand the range of books written by indigenous authors;

Discover a book outside my typical genres, and try something new, maybe Romantasy, which I have been avoiding so far (I prefer dystopian kind of fantasy, i.e. The Hunger Games, Divergent, etc);

Return to some old favourites (maybe Mary Stewart's Arthurian series);

Try not to worry about not finishing books I don't enjoy;

Take more books to the charity shops, especially those that I will never read again.

I am also hoping that this year I'll be able to attend some literary events, like book signings, and talks. 

And here is a full list of all the books I read through the year.

 

It was a year of Icelandic Noir for me, and it might well continue. I have just started The Shadow of the Northern Lights (Hildur no.3) by Satu Rämö on my Kindle. I have bought quite a lot of books from Orenda and Zaffre publishers (they do a lot of Icelandic and Scandi Noir).

Just before the new year's eve I bought The Killing Stones: The Return of Jimmy Perez by Ann Cleeves (and was peeved yesterday to see it a half price in the same bookshop). 

What else? I tried a free trial of Kindle Unlimited for 3 months, but decided not to continue. I have too many unread books in my Kindle library, and it was not worth it for me. 

What are you reading now? Do you have reading goals for 2026 that you care to share? 

Degustabox December Box: Winter Pleasures & Enjoyable Moments

It seems that Christmas season has only just arrived and then - whoosh - it's gone in a flash. Only 354 days to go until the next one. Hope you have had a wonderful time.

Degustabox is a monthly food and drink subscription box. It's an excellent way of discovering new products which have only just appeared in the shops, or those which have been around for a while, but you haven't had a chance to try them yet.

Thanks to Degustabox, I have found new favourites to add to our shopping list, including some products which I otherwise wouldn't have tried.

Each time a monthly box arrives, its contents are a total surprise. You get a good selection of foods and drinks.

If you haven't tried Degustabox subscription box yet, and would like to have a go, I have a £3off discount from your first box (and you can unsubscribe any time), just use code DKRLN when placing an order. 

What did we get in December Box Degustabox: Winter Pleasures & Enjoyable Moments?

Tilda Spicy Mexican rice (£1.54) is a Product of the Month.  This is a tasty recipe of black beans, sweetcorn and red peppers combined with chipotle and jalapeno chillies.

Ready in 2 minutes, either in the microwave or on the hob.

Perfect with a naked burrito bowl (with fried chicken, served with salsa made with tomatoes, red onion and coriander); for a vegetarian version add roasted vegetables or grilled cheese.

Nutritional information: 149kcal and 1.4g of sugar per 125g serving; gluten free; suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

Available in the major supermarket chains.

Bonne Maman madeleines (£3.15), a French classic, come in a special Christmas pack during this festive season. 

These pure butter madeleines are a perfect breakfast/elevenses/late afternoon treat to go with a cup of tea or coffee. Very buttery and moreish, they are perfect for sharing.

Bonne Maman cakes and biscuits come in many delicious flavours. We absolutely love lemon madeleines and mini vanilla muffins.

Nutritional values: 435kcal and 16g of sugar per 100g.

Available in the major supermarket chains.

Nestle Cheerios Very Berry (£3.50) - is a new cereal from the popular brand, which promises a delicious taste of berries in every bite.

I have a special place for Cheerios in my heart, as this cereal brings lovely memories of my sons when they were little and absolutely adored these cute tasty rings. They just snacked on them, without milk.

Nutritional values: 118kcal and 6g of sugar per 30g serving (one box = 14 servings); high in fibre, from oat, wheat and barley; contains 7 vitamins, calcium and iron.

Available in Tesco, Sainsbury's, Waitrose, Ocado and Morrisons.

Campbell's Cream of Mushroom soup (£1.60) is a classic super creamy soup, packed with flavour. 

Cook it as a quick and easy meal, or use as an ingredient in a variety of casseroles. 

Americans are very inventive when it comes to casseroles made with tinned soup. I have a book of recipes from the times when we lived in the States, and there is a big selection of meals, using this not so secret vintage ingredient, from a Pasta Bake to Baked Cabbage casserole with Ritz Crackers.

Check out recipe ideas at www.campbellsoup.co.uk, if you fancy cooking wild mushroom arancini, beef Stroganoff or roasted vegetable pasta.

Nutritional values: 133kcal and 1.42g of salt per serving.

Available in Tesco, Sainsbury's, ASDA, Morrisons, Waitrose, Ocado, Amazon an other grocery stores.

Garofalo La Pasta di Gragnano - Stortini (£2.60)- is a durum wheat semolina pasta.

This small shaped pasta is made with children in mind, but grown-ups can obviously enjoy it as well. Curved pasta shapes absorb the sauce, and are great in soups or light meat-based or vegetarian broth.

Garofalo are pasta experts, and I was glad to try a new type of pasta from their excellent range.

Nutrition values: 351kcal and 3g of sugar per 100g.

Available on Amazon.

Teapigs Mao Feng Green Tea (£5.49) promises to capture the delicate taste of summer air. It turns a clear pale green when infused.

Motto: Big leaf, big flavour. They only use big, quality, whole leaves, no dust. All natural, no artificial flavourings. Tea temples are plastic free, made from plant starch, and are nice and roomy.

Great Taste award in 2021.

The tea flavours are delicate, fruity and refreshing.

Available in the major supermarkets and e-commerce chains, and at teapigs.co.uk.

Double Dutch Double Lemon (£24.99 for a case of 24) is a carbonated lemon flavoured soft drink. Its combination of lemon, lime and quassia makes a great base for a cocktail with vodka or a citrus-flavoured gin. 

It is like a sip of summer in winter.

Nutritional values: 19kcal and 4.4g of sugar per 100ml

Available at www.doubledutchdrinks.com

Get More Vits Kids multivitamin squash Sumer Fruits (£2.50) is a concentrated low calorie summer fruits soft drink with sweetener and added vitamins. Also available in Apple & Blackcurrant and Orange, Mango & Passionfruit flavours.

Use 5 parts water to 1 part squash, one bottle contains 30 servings.

Nutritional values: 4kcal and 0.5g of sugar per 150ml (diluted drink); made with 20% real fruit juices.

Available in Tesco and Morrisons.

Ritter Sport Orange or Honey Salt Almonds (£1.89/£2.20) is a high quality chocolate from a much loved brand.

We're big fans of Ritter Sport (their Marzipan chocolate is the best, and so is the Whole Hazelnuts Milk or Dark Chocolate, pure perfection).

You will receive one item of two. We got Orange flavour, which is rich and indulgent, with 50% dark chocolate and a smooth creamy orange centre.

Available in Waitrose, convenience stores and on Amazon.

Which product is your favourite from the latest box?

Degustabox Advent Calendar

Do you buy and enjoy food and drink advent calendars? I don't mean just the chocolate varieties. I've seen cheese, beer, wine, gin, spices, chilli sweets, brownies, popcorn and some other tasty and sometimes pretty weird offerings.

I have ordered a Degusta Box Advent Calendar almost as soon as I've seen it being mentioned online, as we have enjoyed it in the past years. Sadly, there was no International edition this year, and I do hope they will bring it back in December'26, for me that was the bees' knees.

Degusta Box Advent Calendar 2025 contains 24 festive surprise food and drink items. Contents value of this calendar is £55. 

Let's recap what we found inside, day by day.

Day 1:

Truestart Barista Grade Instant coffee (£6.99) is a delicious instant coffee made with smooth Colombian arabica, that's been lab-tested to ensure you get the cleanest cup.

They say, "No moulds, heavy metals or other nasties and packed with antioxidants or clean coffee makes you feel amazing every time with its regulated caffeine content!"

Glad to have tried this coffee, as I've seen it in the Co-Op and kept thinking I should get one. It's a decent instant coffee, though I won't be buying it, as we love Illy much more.

Day 2

Monty Bojangles Chocolatey Truffles come in a distinct colourful box. A Great Taste Award winner, these truffles are very chocolatey, moreish, dusted with cocoa.

Nutritional values: 600kcal and 39g of sugar per 100g; certified sustainable palm oil; suitable for vegetarians.

Available at Sainsbury's, Tesco and Waitrose.

Day 3

Clara's Selections Wafer Rolls Hazelnut & Cocoa (£2) - are indulgent light crispy rolls with a cocoa and hazelnut filling.

Eat them as a snack with or without a hot beverage or ice cream. What a delectable treat (and not just for Christmas).

Nutritional values: 495kcal and 44.3g of sugar per 100g; natural flavourings, suitable for vegetarians, no artificial sweeteners.

Available in Home Bargains and One Beyond.

Day 4

Waterdrop Microdrink Passionfruit (£7.99) will encourage you to drink more water, adding a full-bodied flavour of passionfruit, with a touch of sweetness. This product is made in Germany.

Refreshingly fruity drink, it could be added straight to bottles, allowing cubes to dissolve. My younger son has been enjoying this drink (we had different flavours from the previous Degustabox boxes), taking the bottles with him to school.

This is tasty hydration, made easy. Contains zero sugar. Vegan.

Nutritional values: 4kcal and 0g sugar per 500ml.

Day 5

Divine Orange Milk Chocolate bar (£1.29) is a perfect bite of smooth milk chocolate, infused with zesty orange. A beautiful citrus note. This bar is crafted with Fairtrade cocoa and sugar, 100% pure cocoa butter and free from palm oil or soya. 

These bars are ethically sourced, supporting cocoa farmers and their communities.

Day 6

Ambrosia Gingerbread Devon Custard (£1.95) is a festive twist on a classic custard. Smooth and creamy and full of flavour, it's great with mince pies, puddings, or just on its own.

Tastes delicious hot or cold.

Nutritional values: 126kcal and 13.8g of sugar per 130g portion (1/3 can); made with Red Tractor certified milk; suitable for vegetarians.

What a lovely seasonal treat!

 

Day 7

Mardel Alfajor De Dulce de Leche Negro and Blanco (£1.25) are soft cookies, filled with Mardel dulce de leche (milk caramel) and covered with either dark or white chocolate coating.

My sons enjoyed these cookies a lot. A lovely sweet treat, Alfajor is an iconic product from Argentina.

Nutritional information: 398kcal and 43.5g of sugar per 100g (one package is 50g).

You should receive 2 items, one each.

Available in international Latin shops.

Day 8 is a day of a product surprise, as you will receive one of Tilda rice varieties (choice of 4).

We got Tilda Easy Meals Sundried Tomato & Beans (£2.50). Ready in 2 minutes, no hassle, no stress. It's a flavourful combination of Haricot beans, carrots, red peppers and sundried tomatoes.

One pack is supposed to be a meal for 1. I served it with other side dishes, just a couple of tablespoons for each person.

Nutritional values: 226kcal and 1.54g of salt per pack; A source of protein, fibre and 1 of 5 a day; no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives; suitable for vegetarians.

Day 9

Baxters Large Silverskin Onions (£2.40) are crunchy & tangy, and full of flavour. They are pickled in malt vinegar, with ginger and cinnamon.

Add them to casseroles, serve with fish and chips, cheese platters or grazing boards, and of course, as part of the Ploughman's lunch.

Typical values: 43kcal and 0.31g of salt per 100g.

I wasn't super excited with this window as we still have an unopen jar of pickled onions from the last year's calendar, as my guys are not big fans of pickles.

Day 10

Flawsome! wonky tonic water pumpkin & apple (£1.33) is a smooth blend of crisp, wonky apples and rich flavours of pumpkin. A lovely seasonal drink, refreshing and bursting with taste.

No added sugar or artificial ingredients.

Day 11

Eisberg sparkling white/Schloss Wachenheim (£2) - is an alcohol free sparkling wine based drink in a can.

I made a lemonade spritz with this alcohol free wine, and it was lovely, refreshing and crisp.

Nutritional values: 23kcal and 5g of sugar per 100ml.

Day 12

Wilkin & Sons Ltd/ Tiptree English Damson Gin Liqueur (£4.99) comes in a mini bottle. It's such a vibrant festive colour. Each damson plum is carefully hand-picked, then rested in locally distilled Hayman's gin.

The gin liqueur has a deep sweetness of English damsons, with a hint of almond. Perfection.

Day 13

Bonne Maman Hazelnut Chocolate Spread (£410) is an indulgent spread, carefully crafted from simple ingredients and containing no palm oil. This jar is a limited edition, with Christmas decor.

Excellent with croissants, toast, plain brioche and pancakes/crepes. 

Nutritional values: 551kcal and 51g of sugar per 100g; palm oil free.

The hazelnut chocolate spread is available from most major supermarkets.

Day 14

Indie Bay Pretzel Thins Ligthly Salted (£1 each) are tasty savoury snacks which have a satisfying crunch. They are thin and crispy and absolutely delicious. Great for dunking, dipping and topping, enjoy them on the go or while watching a film. 

They are vegan, a source of fibre and protein, and are made with natural ingredients. Nutritional information: 137kcal and 2.5g of salt per 35g bag.

Available on Amazon, indiebaysnacks.co and good independent shops.

Day 15

Birchall Great Rift Breakfast tea/ or Great Rift Decaf Tea (£3.35) is crafted using the finest tea from across East Africa.

Great Rift Breakfast: It's the UK's most awarded tea, winning a prestigious Great Taste Award for a record 15 consecutive years.

Great Rift Decaf: All tea leaves are hand plucked before they are carefully decaffeinated, which gives tea its golden colour and strong refreshing taste.

We received a Breakfast blend, which is 100% black tea. Enjoy with milk or a slice of lemon (lemon all the way for me, with a spoon of sugar or mint leaves and honey).

Day 16

Skittles Desserts (£1.15) are chewy bit-sized candies, a mix of your favourite dessert flavours: Strawberry Ice Cream, Choco-Orange, Blueberry Tart, Cherry Cheesecake, Lemon pie.

Day 17

Galipette Cidre Brut 4.5% (£2.50) is a superior cider, dry to medium dry.

The balance between acidity and tannins, dry and mild sweet flavours is just right. All cider apples come from traditional orchards near the river Rance in northern Brittany. 

A classic cider, made with 100% pure apple juice, no added sugar.

Available in Waitrose, Tesco, Ocado, Whole Foods and Booths.

Day 18

Filippo Berio Balsamic Vinegar of Modena 250ml is a classic Italian condiment, smooth and full of flavour, tangy and sweet. 

Made from specially selected Modena grapes and aged in oak barrels according to tradition, using the Solera method.

Filippo Berio's balsamic contains 40% grape must, among the highest levels for an everyday balsamic, and double the required minimum of 20%.

For new year eve's party I served a starter of chickory boats with blue cheese and walnuts, drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, one of my favourite starters. The vinegar enhances the saltiness of the blue cheese and creaminess of walnuts.

Day 19

Mentos Feeling Berry Good (£1) come in a sharing pouch. Packed with three irresistible flavours - Cherry, Blueberry and Raspberry.

Day 20 - Product surprise no.2 (one product from a choice of 5: Forest Feast Honey & Sea Salt cashews and peanuts, or Starbucks premium instant coffee/Pumpkin spice latte, or Kitkat Hazelnut Chocolate sharing bar, or KitKat Salted Caramel Chocolate sharing bar, or KitKat Double Chocolate sharing bar)

KitKat Salted Caramel Sharing Bar 99g (£2) is one of the newer flavours of the classic confectionery. You get crispy wafer fingers covered with caramel flavour milk chocolate and white coating, with a salted caramel flavoured filling.

Nutritional information: 172kcal and 16g of sugar per 3 fingers.

Available in the major supermarket chains.

Day 21

OXO Signature ready to use stock/ Chicken (£2.50) is inspired by homemade stock, using natural ingredients & 100% UK meat. 

This stock has been simmered for up to 15 hours, extracting deep, rich flavours.

I used this pack for making a chicken gravy to go with a roast.

Day 22

KIND white chocolate raspberry - new (£1.40) is a new nutty bar from KIND.

It was gone in 60 seconds, as my older son loves fruit/nut bars, so I presume it was tasty.

Day 23

Filippo Berio Arrabiata pasta sauce (£2.65) is a delicious pasta sauce, made only from finest quality, carefully-selected ingredients: 100% Italian tomatoes, Filippo Berio Extra Virgin olive oil and chili peppers. 

No preservatives, artificial flavourings or ingredients; gluten and lactose free, suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

Day 24

Poppets Wicked toffee  39g (£0.60 each) are milk chocolate coated toffees. Quite a retro candy, but with a modern makeover, as you  can spot characters from Wicked on the box.

Soft and chewy toffee in milk chocolate coating, these are lovely treats to share in the cinema or while watching your favourite show on TV.

Nutritional values: 474kcal and 58g of sugar per 100g (one box is 39g).

Available in Morrisons, B&M, Home Bargains, Farmfoods and The Range.

While lovely as a little candy, Poppets don't quite equate to a Christmas treat in my mind, and I was mildly disappointed to find them in the final window of the calendar. We've just had them in the November food box, and it's not the most exciting way to end the calendar. You would expect something really special for the last day.

And that's all, folks. Would  I buy it again? Yes, I would, especially if they bring back the International edition. 

If you bought this advent calendar, what did you think? What was your favourite product?