Christmas preparations are well underway here at ARAN. Ribbons, sweetie packets, jam jars, decorations and boxes are ordered, our Golden Christmas Cakes are baked and have begun their busy brandy feeding schedule, the bergamots are arriving by the crateful for jars of jelly and the panettone skewers have been put to the test for the first trials of the year.

Last week we opened our Christmas 2024 orders online. Our favourite Christmas items are back again this year, including soft Ginger Cookies, the famous Orange and Almond Amaretti and the return of our Fig and Chocolate Biscotti.

In addition to our individual items for collection, this year’s hamper contains a selection of our full Christmas range, a jar of Flora’s Bergamot and Vanilla Jelly, a festive posy and delicate glass decoration for the tree. This box of treats makes for a lovely Christmas gift, or simply can be devoured by you and yours on the big day.

OUR FINAL OPERATING WEEK WILL BE THURSDAY 19TH - MONDAY 23RD DECEMBER. THIS IS TO ALLOW FOR COLLECTIONS ON SUNDAY 22ND AND MONDAY 23RD.

We will have our usual range of items on the counter for you to choose from too, and sourdough on the shelves. Please note we will not be accepting pre-orders for this week.

ARAN’s final day of operation will be Monday 23rd December and we will close at 3pm, so please make sure all orders are collected by then. The team will then enjoy a much needed rest over the festive period. The bakery will re-open on Thursday 16th January at 9.30am.

LON Store is also in full festive mode and stuffed to the brim with all of our lovely Christmas stock, including beautiful dried wreathes. We also have plenty of chocolate coins and all the ingredients you could possibly need for gifting and cooking with over the next month. LON will be open as part of Dunkeld’s late night shopping on Friday 6th of December and (of course) for the village Santa Day on Saturday 7th December.The store will close for the year on Saturday 21st December and re-open on Tuesday 21st January at 10am.

We have a lots of new sweet and savoury treats on the counter for you this month. For starters, Bacon Rolls are back! Served on ARAN Seeded Rolls with Rhubarb Ketchup, these make for an ideal winter mid morning treat. Other savoury options include seasonal soup (to sit-in or take-away), Potato Dauphinoise Danish and a Serrano Ham & Celeriac Remoulade Focaccia Sandwich. Although, it will only be a matter of weeks before our Turkey and Stuffing Sandwich makes a comeback…

Our sweet specials this month are Chocolate Praline Tart with Cocoa Nibs and a Fig, Walnut & Mascarpone Creme Pat Danish. The scent of mincemeat is in the air… Mince Pies will be on the counter before we know it!

That’s all for now - will be back in touch before the year is out with stories from the team and bakery baby number two news!

In the meantime we are so grateful for the Christmas orders that are already with us, and for all your visits this year. It’s been a joy.

Please pop in and see us soon.

With love,

Team ARAN & LON xxx