I tried everything on Pret's Christmas menu - here are the best and worst bits

That’s the Italian prosciutto baguette. Occasionally, if I’m feeling flush, I’ll add a packet of dark chocolate almonds.

I never deviate, because that way chaos and disappointment lies.

Still, as it’s the season of Christmas sandwiches, I wasn’t going to refuse a chance to try their entire festive list (bar the drinks, which include the sugary-sounding Caramelised Almond Latte, Maple Pecan Latte and the Festive Orange Hot Chocolate).

The seasonal menu launched earlier this month and is filling their fridges with products that feature fir-tree-green packaging and red labels, some of which proclaim, “We’re back!”. 

“We’ll send them to your office,” said the official from Pret. 

Unfortunately for my colleagues, I work from home, so sharing was never a possibility. Ha ha, ha ha ha.  I mean, what a shame.

Sorry, The Scotsman pals, this was going to be a solo sandwich-athon, with bread-based items for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

The games began when a huge brown paper bag appeared on my doorstep. 

After hours of feasting, here are the most memorable hits, and misses.

HIGHLIGHTS

As my consignment of Christmas sarnies come via delivery, I’m not experiencing the Brie and Caramelised Onion Toastie at its freshly toasted peak. Au contraire. It’s predictably soggy, after a journey by reindeer-driven sleigh. Still, there’s plenty of fromage in this doorstopper. Classic combo. Can’t go wrong. 

I prefer it to the Boxing Day Toastie which contains turkey, cheddar, ham and a jumble of other popular post-Chrimbo proteins. 

Perhaps I’m slightly biased towards the brie-based offerings, as I neglect this for another cheese-based baguette - the Brie, Pistachio and Cranberry. Whole nuts in a sandwich - could this be a world first? Probably not, but I like it.

My other half is a willing helper in this experiment, and quickly bags the Christmas Lunch Baguette - also available as a Christmas Lunch sandwich (£6.25) - which contains thick slices of turkey, a slightly overpoweringly sweet port and orange cranberry sauce, herby pork stuffing, mayo and crispy onions. (Expect to end up with those feathery onions on your lap and caught in your white beard). 

Compared to other supermarket sandwiches, this all feels relatively healthy. You could have one as a daily al-desko lunch, without feeling too dirty.

The Very Merry Lunch (£5.99) might even have your five-a-day in it, with that distinctive port and orange cranberry sauce again (it’s in almost everything), as well as grated carrot, sweet potato and chickpea stuffing, and other vegetation. It’s also worth noting that 50p from every Christmas Lunch and Very Merry Sandwich sold is donated to The Pret Foundation, which supports those experiencing hunger and homelessness. 

Although I am greedy, and it does seem a little petite for my vast chasm of an appetite, the Pigs in Blankets Hot Roll is rather delicious, with a crusty and sturdy floury bap that’s stuffed with baby sausies, streaky bacon, onion chutney and mustard mayo. I immediately want a second.

We both enjoy the Christmas Ham Hock Soup, which is wholesome, rather than luxurious. It’s a like-your-granny-used-to-make sort of broth, with split peas and root vegetables, as well as notes of the prerequisite sage (expect lots of that herb in Pret’s collection). 

I’ve always liked this brand’s generally hearty soups, and, if I’m grabbing a pot in store, I always wonder how they stay so utterly tongue-sizzlingly nuclear hot. Witchcraft is the only answer. 

However, of everything in my bag of goodies, I am most suckered in by the sweet things. 

They do a decent Mince Pie - way better than your average shop-bought creation. It’s deeply filled, sugar dusted and rich, and has a nice citrus tang. 

They say there’s brandy in there, but it must be in homeopathic quantities. I still enjoy it, booze or not, and it’s my first of the year, so I imbibe it in traditional silence.

I’m also a fan of Melvin the Snowman Gingerbread , which I eat in the darkness of a weekend film screening. The biscuit is sandy and soft, and there’s a crisp layer of retro sugary icing, with the snowman’s ‘head’ made of a large white marshmallow. I dispatch that first, as an early coup de grace. Raymond Briggs will be turning in his grave. 

The Christmas Tiffin bar is another impressive example of its genre, with digestive, ginger biscuit and cranberry in the mix, and a white chocolate icing. Gone in four bites.

LOWLIGHTS

The Hog Roast Macaroni Cheese which is a hot offering, couldn’t sound more decadent. However, I just can’t cope with the overall sweetness. I blame the onion chutney ingredient. Also, though I enjoyed working my way through Pret’s Christmas range, would I swap my usual proscuitto-based buy for any of the Festive-themed sannies? The answer is no, I’m afraid. Old habits die hard, even at Christmas.

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