Alentejo Christmas Hamper: what to put in a gourmet hamper with producers from Alentejo

By Luís Serra, co-founder of Ra-Ro · View profile

About a 5 minute read

Every year someone asks me what to put in a Christmas hamper that doesn't look like it was hastily bought in a supermarket aisle. My answer is almost always the same: choose a region and let it tell the story. Alentejo is one of the easiest, because it has everything a December table demands.

A well-curated Alentejo Christmas hamper combines a wine with history, a sweet that exists only there, a sheep's cheese, a good olive oil and honey, all wrapped in a piece that remains after Christmas. At Ra-Ro, with the selection from Mercado Alentejano, this translates to wine from Herdade do Mouchão, Ameixas d'Elvas PDO in syrup, PDO Sheep's Cheese Évora from Monte do Ganhão, Tratturo de Fronteira olive oil, rosemary honey from Estremoz and, to carry it all, a hand-sewn Alentejo talego made from fabric scraps.

What does an Alentejo Christmas hamper include?

I always think of a hamper as a miniature meal: something to start with, something for the table and something for the end. In Alentejo, the starter is cheese and olive oil, the table calls for wine and the end is sweet. If you follow this order, the hamper makes sense to the recipient, even if they don't know the region.

For the starter, the PDO Sheep's Cheese is born at Monte do Ganhão, in Sousel, in a family dairy that began in 1975 with a small flock. It uses raw sheep's milk, salt and thistle flower, and is matured for at least 45 days. Alongside, the Cured Sheep's Cheese from Queijaria Lameirinha, with a more intense flavour. And a drizzle of Tratturo de Fronteira Olive Oil, from a traditional olive grove in organic production mode, with the Galega and Cobrançosa varieties.

For the table, the wine. The Mouchão Tinto 2017 is the gift for those who truly appreciate wine: 85% Alicante Bouschet and 15% Trincadeira, grapes foot-trodden in stone lagares and aged for at least four years in barrels before bottling. We tell the estate's story in another article, because it deserves it.

For the end, the sweets. The Ameixas d'Elvas PDO in syrup, from Convento da Serra, in Estremoz, are perhaps the most famous Alentejo sweet outside Portugal. The Rosemary Honey by Ana Paula Rosa, also from Estremoz, contains no additives or preservatives. And the Mouchão Abafado, a fortified wine to enjoy with dessert or coffee.

How much does an Alentejo Christmas hamper cost?

It depends on who receives it and how many people will be at the table. I leave three possible combinations with the products we have, as a starting point. The prices are those of the shop at the time of this article.

The Drinking Chocolate deserves a note: it's Almoço Rico, from Estremoz, a brand many Alentejo families have known forever. It contains low-fat cocoa, sugar, wheat flour, cinnamon and vanilla. In a small hamper, it's the kind of product that makes someone say "I didn't know this still existed".

How to wrap a hamper without plastic?

Here Alentejo offers an answer that I really like. The Traditional Alentejo Talego is a hand-sewn cloth bag made from cotton or linen scraps, designed to store bread. It perfectly holds the jars, cheese and bottle, and after Christmas it continues in the recipient's kitchen. Each talego has different scraps, so no two are alike.

If you prefer a piece that remains on display, the painted pottery from Olaria Xico Tarefa, in Redondo, also works: an olive dish or a tureen filled with products is a hamper that transforms into crockery. We talk about it in Alentejo Pottery.

If you would rather have a ready-made hamper, Ra-Ro has put together six limited-edition Christmas hampers that bring together flavours from small producers and pieces by makers from several regions. The Christmas Eve Keepsakes Hamper (€106.70) includes the Talego Tradicional Alentejano, the Rosemary Honey and the Tratturo de Fronteira olive oil, together with flor de sal, salicornia and elderflower liqueur. For the Christmas Eve supper, the Christmas Eve Table Hamper (€198.70) brings a hand-painted tray, four small mugs, Vinho dos Mortos and Lourinhã brandy. For a smaller gift, the Sweet Treats Hamper (€64.50) holds honey, apple jam and chocolate powder in a spiral basket. Hampers with wine, liqueur or brandy are only sold to people aged 18 or over. Please drink responsibly.

When to order to arrive before Christmas?

The sooner, the better. The food products from Mercado Alentejano sell quickly, but many Ra-Ro pieces are made to order and take the time the artisan needs. If you want to include a craft piece in the same hamper, order by early December. On the Natal Raro page, you'll find all the gifts we've chosen for this season, including those that join the Christmas Eve table.

A final suggestion, which is more a personal preference than a rule: include a handwritten card stating where each item comes from. Monte do Ganhão, Convento da Serra, Herdade do Mouchão. An Alentejo hamper is as valuable for what it contains as for the names it carries.

Frequently Asked Questions

What to put in an Alentejo Christmas hamper?

Sheep's cheese, olive oil, wine, a typical sweet like Ameixas d'Elvas and honey. At Ra-Ro you can add Mouchão wines, PDO Évora cheese, Fronteira olive oil and rosemary honey from Estremoz.

How much does a gourmet Christmas hamper cost?

With Alentejo products from Ra-Ro, a small hamper is around €20, a medium one around €58, and a hamper with Mouchão Tinto 2017 around €102.

How to wrap a Christmas hamper without plastic?

Use a cloth bag, like the hand-sewn Alentejo talego made from scraps, or a piece of crockery like a tureen. Both continue to be used after Christmas.

Can the hamper be sent outside Portugal?

Yes. Ra-Ro ships to Portugal, Europe, the USA, Canada and Brazil. For alcoholic beverages and cheeses, check the import regulations of the destination country.

Until when should I order to receive before Christmas?

Food products sell quickly, but if you include made-to-order craft pieces, it's best to order by early December.