This Chinese New Year, treat your guests to something more special than butter cookies, bak kwa and love letters. Delicious as these traditional goodies may be, going off the beaten track on the food front will certainly delight your friends and relatives (especially after three days of eating the same things). Make extra effort and splurge a little on the delectable gourmet food at Jones the Grocer. Throw the best parties with world renowned chocolates, exotic drinks snacks and organic tea!

Hamstead Organic Tea
An increasing number of people are taking the age-old habit of tea-drinking more seriously. These days, not any old cup of tea will do. With a more refined palette, there is a higher demand for fine, organic tea and this is right where Hamstead Tea comes in. Producing biodynamic, organic and fair trade tea, Hamstead believes in lush, natural tea leaves and fragrant, flavourful brews. Offering a good selection of black, green and herbal teas, this is simply how tea should be.

Pick up your Hamstead Tea for SGD13.50 each

Griottines Cherries
Forget the boring olives – these brandied cherries from French brand Griottines will taste much better with your champagne and cocktails. Loved for their freshness and refined taste, these wild Morello cherries have been pitted and prepared in Kirsch liqueur according to a well-guarded secret recipe. Other than being an excellent drinks addition, they are also great with desserts like cakes and ice-cream.

Griottines Cherries come in a pretty red jar and retail for SGD23.50

Alice Swiss Chocolate
Alice Swiss Chocolate is supposedly the ‘definitive Swiss chocolate experience’. Crafted in an artisanal manner, only the most luxurious cacao is used in its creation. Originating from a glacial valley over looking the Alps, Alice combines the rich local chocolate-making heritage with modern insights into branding and packaging. Housed in a distinctive, attractive sliding case, its name is inspired by Lewis Carroll’s most famous tales.

Alice Swiss Chocolate is available at SGD36 per box

Jones the Grocer is located at #04-21/23, Mandarin Gallery

It may only be the second week of November, but the Christmas jingles (which get more incessant each day) are a clear reminder that it is time to start counting down to the jolly Christmas season! And what better way to do so than with 24 delicious pieces of chocolates to nibble and savour, for each day in the month of December leading up to the 25th? The Christmas calendar (or Advent calendar) is traditionally meant for impatient children who cannot wait for Christmas to come, but there is no reason why adults should not have a bit of the fun. Filling their special calendars with premium confectionery, BESCHLE Chocolatier Suisse caters to the discerning grown-up palate.

The Advent Calendars
Featuring a beautiful, sensual lady on its front, the Lady advent calendar contains 24 classic, alcohol-free chocolates and truffles for your indulgence in the pre-Christmas season. With delectable treats like Truffe au Lait, Truffe Vanille, Truffe Ivoire, Café au Lait and Grand Cru Trinitario Madagascar in the mix, you will not know which one to expect each day – and this element of surprise adds to the delight of it all. For those who prefer a simpler design, there is also the Burgundy advent calender with its tasteful print. Lastly, the Santa Clause advent calendar (shown above) will be a sure hit with the children.

The Christmas Gift Boxes
Have you received an invitation to a Christmas party and have not the faintest idea what to bring as a gift? Put together with the spirit of Christmas in mind, Beschle’s special seasonal gift boxes are perfect for this purpose. The Christmas Spirit set offers a fine selection of liquor-flavoured truffles in dark, white and milk chocolate while Collection d’Hiver is made for wintertime with traditional Christmas spices. For true decadence, pick up the Truffes au Champagne de Nöel, an extravagant collection of dark and milk chocolate-coated truffles infused with Marc de Champagne (champagne brandy).

BESCHLE Chocolatier Suisse (#01-18, Mandarin Gallery) Advent Calendars retail for SGD69 while its Christmas Gift Boxes of 6 pieces each retail from SGD39

BESCHLE Chocolatier Suisse is not your ordinary chocolate-maker. Its latest advertising campaign is styled like a fashion editorial and features beautiful women biting blissfully into Beschle confectioneries. The message conveyed is one of decadence and absolute luxury, which is precisely what the brand stands for in the world of chocolate. Dubbed ‘chocolate haute couture’ by some discerning chocolate connoisseurs, Beschle is an indulgence that is always worth a sin.
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Starting this Friday (16 July 2010), come join us for a Singapore Food Festival promotion that’s not to be missed. Limited to the first 400 redemptions, spend SGD50 at any of our 11 food and beverage outlets within Mandarin Gallery and redeem a box of pralines from Beschle Chocolatier Suisse and a SGD50 dining voucher. Spend a minimum of SGD100 at all other stores within Mandarin Gallery and redeem the same freebies!

The 11 participating food and beverage outlets at Mandarin Gallery include Arteastiq Tea Lounge, Beschle Chocolatier Suisse, DeSté, Ippudo, Jones The Grocer, Lawry’s The Prime Rib, Suju, Thai Thai – Royal Thai Cuisine, The Oaks Cellars, The Society Bistro and Wild Honey.

Starting on 16 July 2010 to 25 July 2010, it is limited to the first 400 redemptions on a first come, first serve basis.