Who doesn’t love a hamper? A giant one turned up on my door step a few days ago, full of Italian products, from lots of familiar names.

Ciao Gusto in a group of household names from Italian big brands, now sold via Ocado in the UK. The basket I received had an assorted selection of products, not necessarily just for Christmas. Each product was easily recognisable and some of them brought back many memories of my life in Italy.

Ciao Gusto is a family of famous Italian food and drinks brands, working together to tell their stories and to spread the love of Italian food and culture around the world.

Flavours of home

Some of the products are firm favourites of mine: Auricchio cheese for example (in the basket, it came in its own terracotta pot ready for a fondue!); Cirio tomato puree’, which I regularly use (accompanied by a recipe book by Antonio Carluccio); sparkling water from San Benedetto; a wedge of 30 months aged Parmigiano Reggiano; mushroom risotto by Gallo.. Some other products are not things I now regularly use but when I grew up they were often found in my family cupboard or fridge: panna Chef, Amarena Fabbri (morello cherries), RioMare tuna tins (pleased to see this is line and pole caught); Aceto Ponti (balsamic vinegar).

Some other products such as a bottle of Vecchia Romagna brandy, Zonin prosecco and a mini Bauli panettone (no palm oil!) make the hamper more ‘seasonal’ yet they are also brands every Italian is familiar with.

Perhaps the only item in the basket I am not so keen on is the Filippo Berio olive oil tin: while the tin is very pretty and has a vintage, special edition decor, the oil itself is not the quality I seek in Extra Virgin olive oil, being a blend of three countries and not monocultivar single origin. I am also not personally keen on Barilla pasta, and I never buy it.

Overall the basket contained many good products, and even if from major brands, they are classic and staples for Italian families. Ciao Gusto has a wide range of products, from everyday ingredients to seasonal. Prices are fair (better than my usual online Italian deli) and many items are currently discounted.

Stock up on Ocado or directly from Ciao Gusto for an Italian Christmas and .. and Italian 2017!

^{I received the basket of products complimentary, but I was not asked to review or blog about it; opinions are my own}