Make home made food your Xmas gift with Miele

Why not make some food gifts for Xmas? There’s still time thanks to these great ideas from Miele. Red onion jam, Florentines and pistachio and ginger biscotti – beautifully wrapped – will bring more pleasure than the usual quickly-bought bottle.

The Orrery, Marylebone, London

The Orrery delivers a proper French assault on the black truffle and comes away the winner. Whether you prefer being truffled up their way or the Italian way is a matter of personal preference, but the price is right and the offer of a vegetarian truffle tasting menu is pretty unique. Chef Igor is looking to get Orrery’s Michelin Star back and with this kind of classic Inspector-pleasing cooking he should have a good chance.

The Real Greek named UK’s healthiest restaurant, calorie counted greek cuisine, in a freindly environment, great for couples and groups.

They said it wouldn’t catch on, but the emergence of calorie-counted menus in its six London outlets has led to The Real Greek scooping one of the biggest rewards in the industry. This week the group announced it had scooped Healthy Eating Chain of the Year at Restaurant magazine’s R200 2010 awards, beating off stiff competition from Leon and Feng Sushi.

Fine Deposits at Wine Bank

Dynamic Rheingau restaurateur turned hotelier, turned riesling producer, Balthasar Ress is not shy of courting publicity. In June, ostensibly believing it would optimise the maturation of their top cuvée, they buried 18 magnums and one Balthazar of ‘RESSpekt’ 18m below the surface of a flooded quarry. Barring visits from thirsty, thieving divers, there it will rest until 2013.