In the past couple of years, many British people have started to take more of an interest in the food they eat. Some cultural commentators call this the 'Jamie Oliver effect' after his famous program 'Jamie's School Dinners' kickstarted the government into action over the quality of food fed to children in school. Some commentators see the roots of the change going slightly further back to the great British restaurant boom of the 1990s, when London suddenly became one of the great destinations for wealthy gourmands everywhere.

Everything is available in London's top restaurants, from the finest Beluga caviar to the kind of three bird roast usually reserved for royalty. Of course, being London, the restaurants are some of the most expensive anywhere on Earth and are priced well out of most people's budgets. One option for anyone deterred by astronomical prices is to buy gourmet food online. While certainly not cheap, gourmet food stores on the internet allow people who live far away from top restaurants to experience great pre-prepared food in their own homes, at a more palatable price. Britain's leading online gourmet food retailer is Forman & Field, which is operated, in part, by H Forman & Sons, the most famous name in smoked salmon.

Forman & Field offer a huge selection of luxurious foods, ranging from luxury cheeses to increasingly rare varieties caviar. Interestingly, caviar has only accrued its luxurious status in recent decades. At the turn of the twentieth century, bartenders in New York would leave bowls of caviar on the bar - rather like salted peanuts nowadays - to stimulate people's thirst and make them order more beverages. In recent years, the Caspian Sturgeon has been over-hunted and is now in danger of extinction. This has pushed caviar prices up and off the menu in many restaurants. Indeed, the trade in caviar from the Caspian sea is now under strict scrutiny and it looks as though the international trade in caviar will soon cease entirely. The times when you would get caviar in Christmas hampers have been and gone, as one of the most ancient creatures on the planet edges towards oblivion.

A modern luxury hamper is more likely to include readily available foods like quiche and sausages than the eggs of endangered fish. Many people would rather eat something fleshy like porchetta than salty caviar anyway.

Hampers are a fantastic way to show someone how much you care at Christmas time. If you know what kinds of food they like, it is possible to hand-pick a hamper with their tastes in mind. Alternatively, you can choose a pre-prepared hamper with a little bit of everything, as chosen by experts.