Why not use the new year to commit to indulge in and explore more of the things that you enjoy – and what better resolution than to sign up to a luxury food club, to begin sampling gastronomic delights from all around the world? We list below the pick of the bunch below that’ll transform your mealtimes from a daily drudge to an eating extravaganza!
1. HAAR at Home
For those living in the UK, HAAR at Home is the brainchild of Masterchef winner Dean Banks and offers a range of fine dining food boxes that can be delivered directly to your door. Choose from gourmet meal-kits such as a Luxury Crab and Lobster Box, which features two courses of pure eating pleasure: the starter is dressed crab with spicy mango coleslaw and an Asian style dressing, followed by the main course of native dressed lobster with mirin butter sauce, seaweed potatoes, seared tender stem broccoli, and smoked mayonnaise. This signature box allows you to try some innovative new flavors and is perfect for a special weekend dinner.
Other options include the three-course Winter Menu Box and the Best Of Land and Sea Box; there are also drinks and sides menu to peruse to help you find the ideal accompaniment to your meal. Stuck on a birthday present idea for a loved one this year? Give them the gift of a Haar at Home box for a truly unforgettable offering.
2. Firstleaf Wine Club
Wine club membership is becoming an increasingly popular way to enjoy some classic vintages and discover new wines from around the world. Firstleaf is a wine club that’s committed to providing quality, personalized selections based on the preference information that users initially provide and the ongoing feedback given on the wine selections subsequently sent. Read more here about how wine choices can be tailored to your unique tastes and how regular orders can be amended to take into account your likes and dislikes so that you can be sure that you’ll enjoy every single bottle sent.
Shipments come in bottles of six, and you can choose to have a delivery every one, two, or three months. Firstleaf prides itself on the consistently high quality of its wines and, as an organization, has developed close links with vineyards all over the world. Membership will give you access to a range of sublime red, white, rose, and sparkling wines – many of which are award-winning – from countries including Argentina, France, Spain, South Africa, Italy, Portugal, Australia, and New Zealand.
If you choose to sign up to receive six bottles a month, then your first order will cost $40, with every subsequent order being charged at $79.95, and extra bottles can be purchased online at any time, too, via the website.
3. La Gourmet Box
These boxes make for a delicious way to sample delicacies from across France, and can be chosen based on region (‘terroir’): choose to indulge in food from, for example, the Loire Valley, Burgundy, or The Pyrenees – there are also boxes for game lovers, vegetarians, and for those wanting organic selections only. The latter includes such temptations as a green olive gourmet paste with almonds, beetroot cream made with fresh goats’ cheese, and pork rillettes with candied lemon. A charming option for ‘little gourmands’ is the kids’ box, designed to introduce children to French cuisine; it features homemade farmhouse ketchup, organic salted caramel popcorn, and kits to make melting brownies and savory snack biscuits.
Sign up for a box to receive the fine flavors of France to your door each month: this company is committed to supporting local artisans and providing members with the authentic taste of the country’s various regions.
4. The Home Gourmet
The concept behind this club is to provide Michelin-style fine dining experiences via delivered dining packages and boxes. Hosting a party? Choose from one of the chef-prepared dinner party boxes; no prep is required for any of the options available, simply reheat, plate up and serve to your lucky guests! You can select from a variety of multi-course options from menus such as Fine, Forage, or Relaxed to make for an unforgettable party.
Alternatively, you could choose to sign up for a delivered DIY fine dining kit: these options require cooking and assembling but, like the prepared boxes, have all been carefully created by chefs. Meal kit boxes are a great way to enjoy cooking as a family, or as a group, as part of a special celebration, a holiday, or just to mark the start of the weekend! Sample menu items include Cornish crab choux bun with wild garlic, pumpkin and goats’ cheese ravioli, lobster and crevette cocktail, and passionfruit souffle with an almond crumb.
5. Home by Simon Rogan
Try out this club to experience a range of three-course meals prepared in the heart of the beautiful English Lake District with the very best seasonal ingredients. Once you take delivery of your box and are ready to feast, watch the simple video to take you through the preparation, step by step. This is a great way to cook together and to experience some fantastic new flavor combinations and regional delicacies.
The January 2024 three-course box features sourdough bread with whipped butter, slow-cooked belly of Old Spot pork with smoked celeriac and apple and caper jam, and a Muscovdao mousse and cake with miso caramel, pear, and pecan. Specially selected cheese, beer, wine, and aperitifs can be added to each monthly order via the website, and there are vegetarian options that can be selected, too.
Home is committed to both ethical and sustainable practices in all of its processes and provides eco-friendly packaging that can be easily recycled or reused – the website provides ideas on how you can go about doing the latter. Boxes are limited and tend to sell out fast, so ordering as early as possible is highly recommended.
Why Try a Luxury Food Club?
It’s easy to get stuck in a rut with meals and meal planning, even for those who consider themselves to be foodies: busy lives, stress, and tiredness after a day at work can all contribute to raiding the fridge for the same easily prepared meals, or to grabbing something naughty out of the freezer.
The new year is the perfect time to commit to getting out of this habit and to make food pleasure once more, rather than a chore. Signing up to one of the above clubs, whether that’s for a single box now and again or for regular delivery, is guaranteed to have you falling in love with food all over again.