As the winter chills set in this month, it really is starting to feel like winter. Time to get my teddy scarf out methinks

Dad and I have been to several Christmas markets in Germany and while they were fun short trips abroad, we did find some of them a little disappointing – not much variety in the food offerings and the merchandise cheap and nasty

My mom to be lives in Winchester, the old capital of England. The city has a historic feel to it and well worth a trip. The cathedral is a focal point for the town and it is celebrating the 10th year of holding its Christmas market

Held in the shadow of the cathedral, there are stalls offering cooked food, food products and assorted gifts as well as an outdoor ice rink

The small food court had a variety of hot food and quite a few stalls offering seasonal alcoholic drinks like mulled wine. Mum to be and dad decided to share a grilled cheese sandwich and a burger

The Gourmet grilled cheese company ply their trade at markets. Grilled cheese is not that well known in the UK but this home comfort dish is elevated to restaurant level in the USA. Dad chose the Signature Smokey with streaky bacon – what doesn’t bacon improve? It was perfect winter food. Crispy bread enveloping a gooey tangled generous blob of cheese and crispy bacon. The side of pickled gherkin gave a welcome sour note to cut through the carb fest

In contrast, the burger from Three Kings was a little bland. The burger was quite firm with none of the juiciness of the best beef patties. Best thing to say was that it filled a spot

Mum to be and dad decided they had a little space left and purely in the name of research, they got a Köhler Küsse chocolate dome to share as well as some chestnuts. The domes are imported from Germany and new to me and dad – wafer base and a flavoured cream covered with a chocolate dome. They were cheap at a pound each but dad felt the cream could have carried more flavour. The orange version they tried was nice without them wanting to rush back to buy the variety pack as Chrismas gifts

Dad and mum to be finished their  lunch with that most Christmassey of festive outdoor markets – chestnuts roasted on an open fire

Dad was impressed with the variety of gift stalls. There was a craft fair area, various food and drink outlets and quirky ones like the stall selling artificial snow. Definitely a good place to look for that unique Christmas gift

Dad and mum to be were very impressed with the Christmas market. Highly recommended, they say but you have to be quick as the market only runs until 22nd of December