taste.blas 21 - June-Aug 25

June - August 2025

The Welsh food and drink community working together

Publisher’s Letter

Come Together, right now

OK, it’s a bit cheesy but Lennon’s heartfelt plea for humanity to cooperate to resolve problems probably has more resonance today than it did 60 years ago. Something that’s not lost on the Welsh food and drink industry. So many of our producers share knowledge, expertise, time and energy to help and support each other on everything from product development to helpful contacts to adapting to climate change. e same is true for Food and Drink Wales, who have just announced a new Community Food Strategy, which we delve into in this issue, to encourage and support grassroots involvement in where our food and drink comes from.

We also look at the latest recipients of PGI status – all of which are rooted in their communities, whether

that be foraging for botanicals in the Dovey estuary, rekindling oyster farming in the Cleddau or keeping bees and collecting their honey on our heather clad uplands. While in our feature on Seasonality we see that by buying and growing seasonal produce we reap health bene ts, enjoy the tastiest food and support community farms, allotments and local farmers.

It all goes to show it’s amazing what we can do with a little help from our friends!

Paul Mulligan Publisher

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Contributors: Jon Gower, Myfanwy Alexander, Jack Tilson, Mike Lewis, Caroline Sarll, Sarah Morgan, Jonno Mack, Louisa Harry-Thomas, Abigail Saltmarsh

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taste.blas Magazine is published by Conroy Media Ltd, ©Conroy Media 2024. All rights reserved. This publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form in whole or in part without the written permission of the publishers. Whilst every care has been taken in the preparation of this magazine, the publishers can not be held responsible for the accuracy of the information herein, or any consequence arising from it. The views expressed in taste.blas are not necessarily those of the editor or the publishers.

Front cover image courtesy of Hybu Cig Cymru/ Meat Promotion Wales

Even more of our produce has been awarded PGI status Care in the Community

We wish we were bound For Welsh Homestead Smokery

Regulars

You can’t beat a bit of Apricity

Jon Gower on fruity language and more

Restaurant Reviews

Something of an equine theme this issue…

Home Groan

Caroline cheerfully sows her seeds

Hold the Front Page

e latest news hot o the press

Recipes

Sun’s out, surf’s up, saddle up, buns out

Finger Lickin’ Treats 46

Let our food and drink reviews tickle your taste buds

Sugar and Spice?

Myfanwy gets sweet on spice

Jon Gower

Food and

Language

ere are many beautiful words in the English language and we will all have our favourites. One of mine is apricity, meaning the warmth of the sun in winter. is was rst noted in Henry Cockeram’s English Dictionarie of 1623 where it appears as “the warmeness of the Sunne in Winter.” e word sounds a lot like apricot, does it not?

In 1617 the English linguist and lexicographer John Minsheu explained the name of this fruit as deriving from Latin, “in aprīco coctus,” “ripened in a sunny place.” He wasn’t right in the assumption but the idea was nevertheless rmly planted. A fruity name, apricot, now de ned by the Oxford English Dictionary as “a stone-fruit allied to the plum, of an orange colour, roundish-oval shape, and delicious avour’ becomes even lovelier when you think of the light at year’s end having both a hint of apricity and an orange warmth about it. Like those days when the sun is a mandarin.

Staying close to the fruit bowl, there are some gorgeous Welsh words for fruit. e word for peach, and sometimes apricot is eirin gwlanog, meaning a woolly or downy plum, while gooseberries are eirin Mair, Mary’s plums. Damsons are eirin Sbaen, or plums from Spain, where they are very popular, especially in Navarre. e English name connects with the city of Damascus in Syria from whence the Italians imported the purple fruit two thousand years ago, a fruity Damascene discovery. A truly lovely one is afal cariad for tomato, meaning love apple.

Which got me thinking about food and language. ink of the di erence between the word “food” and its Welsh equivalent “bwyd.” ey’re clearly not from the same stock, if you pardon the weak pun. “Food” comes from the Old English word for fodder, feed for livestock. Meanwhile “bwyd” is very old, rst found in e Black Book of Carmarthen in the 13th century, sharing a linguistic source with the early Cornish “buit” and Irish Gaelic “biad.” It’s interesting that while Irish and Welsh went their own ways linguistically there are still some words that sound very similar. e Irish Gaelic for herring is “scadán” and the Welsh

is “sgadan” which is hardly suprising when this once very numerous, tasty sh was enjoyed on both sides of the Irish Sea such that it was described as its silver currency.

e English language has much in common with French and when it comes to food a word that stands proud is gastronomy, from French gastronomie, coined in 1800 by Joseph de Berchoux as the title of poem on good living, reaching further back to the Greek gastros for stomach and nomos, the laws that govern. And there’s chef, a 19th century word, simply meaning head, so the head of the kitchen.

One of the loveliest French names from the kitchen is mille-feuille, which translates as a thousand sheets or leaves. A dessert with many, many layers of very thin pastry (o en around 700, sometimes in excess of 2000) it’s known in the United States as a Napoleon. Here in Wales there’s a much less complicated version, being the custard slice, which is far removed from the intricate confection of a Parisian patisserie.

Open the food atlas a little wider and you’ll nd a wealth of food names now rmly established in the English lexicon. ere’s yoghurt from the Turkish language, pitta from the Greek, bagel from Yiddish, not to mention the universally popular pizza, an Italian name rst recorded in Lazio in 887 AD. Yes, that far back. en you have wa es from the Dutch, vindaloo from the great port of Goa, connecting with the Portuguese carne de vinha d’alhos as well as the once fashionable kedgeree, another tasty, if shy, connection with India.

And Wales has contributed to that global menu with Welsh rarebit, topped traditionally with Caerphilly cheese, although some will argue for Y Fenni, or even add an egg on top to create the classic croque madame. en there’s cawl, bara brith and laverbread, from bara lawr, although it’s nothing whatsoever like bread! Put them all together and you’ll see that in the word-hoard of the kitchen, in the lexical larder, it’s a veritable smorgasbord out there.

Liquid

There’s nothing quite like a cold beer on a warm day – and what could bring even more sunshine into our lives than a Welsh IPA? Abigail Saltmarsh reviews some of the finest Indian pale ales to sip, savour and raise a glass with this summer

Purple Moose

Colourfully named Purple Moose Brewery grew out of owner Lawrence Washington’s passion for homebrew 20 years ago. Today it produces more than 57,000 pints from its base in Porthmadog, on the fringes of Eryri National Park.

Its range includes cask, keg and bottled beers that between them have won more than 100 major awards. Tasty, memorable names to look out for include the likes of 5.5% rich stout Chocolate Moose and 4.6% real ale Dark Side of the Moose. Its 5.2% Antlered IPA is a tempting amber ale, with a strong hop character and tangerine and citrus aromas. It also embodies a lasting bitterness with hints of pine.

purplemoose.co.uk

Monty’s Brewery

Situated near Montgomery, Powys, close to the Shropshire border, Monty’s Brewery was launched in 2008 by husband and wife team Russ and Pam Honeyman. Today it produces a range of real ales, many of which are gluten free.

Among its collection is Red IPA, brewed from mosaic, jester and magnum hops – and enjoyed for its bitterness. is tasty gluten-free beer was recently entered into the Cask Session Pale Ale category of the SIBA Wales and West Independent Beer Awards, where it scooped Gold. Red IPA is 4.2% and available in cask, bottle and keg. Congratulations!

montysbrewery.co.uk

Hafod Brewing Co

Producing just one barrel at a time when it rst started out in 2011, Mold-based Hafod Brewing Co has grown to become one of North Wales’s best-loved breweries. Still family run, it produces an array of well-balanced, drinkable beers for all occasions.

is summer, why not sup on its Freestyle IPA? is award-winning, 5.4% tipple is a hugely fruity option, which is dry hopped with mosaic for a sweet berry avour. A picnic and garden party favourite!

welshbeer.com

Conwy Brewery

Experimentation at the Llandudno home of chemist Gwynne omas, who was passionate about ale brewing, led to the birth of Conwy Brewery in the early 2000s. Today his son Oliver runs the operation, which still aims to produce natural beers with as little impact on the environment as possible.

Among their collection of Welsh brews are Conwy IPA and Sur n IPA. Conwy is an easy-drinking 4.3% choice with hints of both citrus and tropical fruits. At 5.1%, Sur n packs more classic American tastes with its full hop avour, zesty bitterness and sweet malty nish.

conwybrewery.co.uk

Antur Brew Co

Passion for the great outdoors as well as good cra beer, led to the birth of Antur Brew Co. e word “antur” means “adventure” in Welsh – and indeed this brewery is situated in Crickhowell, deep in Bannau Brycheiniog, with its exceptional opportunities for outdoor fun.

ose busy walking, hiking or climbing this summer might like to pause to refresh themselves with a pint of Antur Brew’s New England IPA. At 5.8%, this is heavily dry hopped, with a full body that brings with it a juicy mouthful of mango and tropical notes.

anturbrew.com

Sunshine

Bragdy Cybi

Husband and wife team Dan and Bethan Jones launched Bragdy Cybi on the Isle of Anglesey in 2020. Today they produce their beers in small batches from Holyhead, where they also have a taproom and bottle shop.

Their 5.3% IPA, Sunshine Dan (clearly named after one of their cheery owners!) is a slightly hazy ale, with a nice bitterness and really fruity punch. Just like eating a packet of Opal Fruits (or Starburst for younger readers!).

www.bragdycybi.cymru

First produced in the middle of the picturesque Llŷn countryside in an old cow shed, this beer is now brewed in Nefyn. Still handmade in small batches, its ales are created using soft mountain water drawn from Llŷn Cwmystradllyn in Snowdonia.

The North Wales brewery’s IPA was conjured up for a festival held to celebrate the finding of a Bronze Age brewing trough beneath the sand and clay on the beach at Porth Neigwl. Amber in colour, Porth Neigwl IPA is made with finished North American hops, combining bitterness with fruitiness to result in a well-balanced, flavoursome pint. Its draft is 4.5% and bottle 5%.

cwrwllyn.cymru

Felinfoel

Felinfoel Brewery, close to Llanelli, has an incredible history, reaching right back to the 1800s. Brewing initially took place in the Felinfoel village pub but in 1878, then owner David John decided to relocate his operation to a stone building opposite. This purposebuilt brewery is still the centre of production for the company today.

Known for its Welsh beer range that includes 4.2% Double Dragon, a deep copper red ale, and Dragons Heart, a 4.5% canned craft ale, the brewery has also recently launched its 3.6% Craft IPA. Golden straw in colour, with a lacing head, this is a medium-bodied ale that balances delicious caramelised malt with bitter hops. Perfect.

felinfoel.com

Glamorgan Brewing Co

Glamorgan Brewing Co was initially founded in 1994 in Gorslas, South Wales, to supply beers, wine and spirits to local hospitality operations. But in 2011 owner John Anstee bought a small kit and started brewing his own – and the rest is history. Since then, the company, now based at Llantrisant, has expanded exponentially and today produces an abundant range of its own keg, cask, bottled and canned beers.

Its gluten-free Dead Canary Indian pale ale is described as a modern, Welsh IPA. At 5%, the amber nectar is made with columbus, amarillo, centenial, challenger and simcoe hops. It has a rich malty, almost coffee-like essence, which also manages to be highly refreshing. Superb for summer.

glamorganbrewing.co.uk

Gower Brewery

Beginning as a tiny, five-barrel operation back in 2011, Penclawdd-based Gower Brewery now sells its Welsh beers in pubs, bars, restaurants and shops right across the UK. It has a restaurant, bar and coffee shop in Swansea, as well as taprooms in Penclawdd and Mumbles.

Its award-winning beers include the fruity 5.5% Gower Power and the lighter 4.5% Gower Gold. Oxwich Bay, its 5% IPA, is made from hops originating from New Zealand as well as the UK. Gluten free and vegan, it is sweet, balanced and hoppy, with a zesty, orangy resonance that can be enjoyed by all.

gowerbrewery.com

Grey Trees Brewery

Situated in Aberdare, close to beautiful Bannau Brycheiniog, Grey Trees brews its beer with water from a fresh Welsh source. Combining this with a complex blend of British malts, as well as hops from around the world, its award-winning ales aim to offer balanced flavours to appeal to a wide range of drinkers.

Its IPA, Afghan Pale Ale, has won many accolades over the years. Indeed, in 2024, it scooped CAMRA’s Champion Beer of Wales. Amber in shade, it is a refreshing 5.4% number, with fruity, berry roots taking centre stage and perfectly complementing its smooth caramel finish.

greytreesbrewery.com

Magic Dragon Brewing

Waving its wand to ensure its beers are flavoursome and distinctive is Magic Dragon Brewing in North Wales. Situated on the Plassey Leisure Park, near Eyton, it sells to pubs right across Wales and England and has a taproom in Wrexham.

Among its core products is the Green One, a single hop, 4.2% vegan IPA. Golden brown in colour, this is overflowing with gorgeous citrus and hop aromas. Its sharp taste is perfect for the summer months and its peppery finish more than lives up to the Magic Dragon name.

magicdragonbrewing.com

Tenby Harbwr Brewery

From its historic building overlooking bustling Tenby Harbour, this brewery produces pints that are supped right across Pembrokeshire, as well as in pubs in Swansea and Cardiff. Founded in 2015, Tenby Harbwr Brewery has rooted itself firmly in the coastal town’s past by naming many of its tipples after famous local boats.

Its IPA, Pia Whanga, is something of an exception, however. Created from three New Zealand hops, its name means “harbour beer” in Maori. Marrying the history of Wales with a taste of down under, this 4.2% ale is light in colour and deep in flavour. Think lemon, lime and tropical fruit as you drink – and just imagine that New Zealand sunshine.

harbwr.wales

Polly’s Brew Company

On a farm in Mold, Flintshire, Polly’s has grown from a tiny operation in a stable to a sophisticated set-up capable of brewing 10 times a week. Today it produces an incredible range of beers including IPAs such as 5.6% Rosebud, 8.4% Rosa Double and – for those seeking a truly powerful pint this summer – Something Fantastic – Oatcream Triple at 10.5%.

Look out for Polly’s recently released IPAs too. These include 6% Snake City with floral, pine and robust grapefruit notes, together with a slightly herbal edge, and Less Reverb, a 6.7% tipple for those seeking something juicy. This brings hints of mango, blueberry and even bubblegum...

pollys.co

Tomos Watkin

Celebrating the magic of Welsh life and colourful stories passed down the generations, Tomos Watkin has more than a tale to tell. Founded in 1996, this family-owned brewery at Llansamlet, near Swansea, evokes the folklore and history of Wales through its range of beers.

Blodwen, Magic Lagyr and Miner’s Pride are among its popular classics – and a newer, but equally spellbinding, character is Dragon’s Keep. This 5%, premium, vegan IPA is crafted from US hops and is fast becoming legendary. A beer with bite, it won’t have you breathing fire but does leave a tropical zing on the tongue.

tomoswatkin.com

Tenby Brewing Co

For a taste of an IPA brewed in South West Wales, try Tenby Brewing Co’s offering. This brewery has been creating its products in the vibrant Pembrokeshire coastal town since 2015. It also has a tapyard and eatery here, where you can sample its ales alongside freshly cooked dishes.

Tenby Brewing has a diverse core range, plus regular seasonal samples and some limited editions. Its Hammerhead IPA is brewed to be 6% and has a light body that still achieves a punchy bitter edge. Look out for its citrusy, piney notes too.

tenbybrewingco.com

Wild Horse Brewing Co

At Wild Horse Brewing Co in Llandudno the small team is exceptionally hands-on, doing everything on site, from milling the grain right through to kegging and canning – and all its beers are unfiltered, unpasteurised and vegan.

Its 3.8% Nakota Session IPA is a quaffable, moreish delight, with waves of tropical fruit and citrus. Its 6% Emrallt IPA is a true Welsh gem. Also bursting with bold tropical fruit character, it has a soft, hazy body balanced by a dash of dank, citrusy flavour. Perfect for the beach or out in the garden...

wildhorsebrewing.co.uk

Nature’s Gift: Brecon Carreg’s 80-Acre Wildlife Reserve in the Brecon Beacons

In a landmark move for nature conservation in Wales, bottled mineral water company Brecon Carreg has gifted 80 acres of ecologically rich land within the Brecon Beacons National Park to the Initiative for Nature Conservation Cymru (INCC). The donation marks the creation of a new wildlife reserve, now flourishing as a haven for endangered species and diverse habitats.

A Landscape Rich in Biodiversity

The donated land encompasses an exceptional variety of natural environments, including Marshy Grassland, Meadow, River, Scrub, Broadleaved Woodland, Heathland, and Scree. This patchwork of landscapes offers essential refuge for an array of flora and fauna, making it a significant conservation stronghold in the region.

Wildlife in Residence

This rich ecological setting already supports a number of notable species. Early wildlife surveys have already recorded the presence of otters, badgers, and the elusive Horseshoe bat, alongside avian species such as the Cuckoo, Nightjar, Pied Flycatcher, and Ring Ouzel. On evening walks, the soft glimmer of Glow Worms can be seen lighting up the reserve. The presence of the rare Petty Whin plant further highlights the site’s botanical importance.

Practical Conservation in Action

In collaboration with INCC, Brecon Carreg has supported a suite of proactive measures aimed at improving habitats and supporting native wildlife. To date, these include:

• A purpose-built Horseshoe bat roost is already being used by bats.

• Installation of 50 Dormouse nest boxes and 30 nest boxes for Pied Flycatchers

• Erection of a Barn Owl nesting box

• Placement of 10 bat roost towers to increase shelter opportunities Each initiative is part of a carefully managed conservation strategy designed to reverse the decline of key species.

A Pond for the Future

This past April, the reserve welcomed a group of students and volunteers who took part in a field-based conservation project. Their primary task: digging a wildlife pond in the marshy grassland. The new aquatic feature is designed to attract and support species such as frogs, newts, and grass snakes. In addition, a small stone wall was built along the pond’s edge, providing a basking spot for reptiles and shelter for amphibians.

Looking Ahead: Crayfish Reintroduction

One of the most ambitious goals on the horizon is the reintroduction of the native White-clawed Crayfish, now critically endangered in the UK. Before this can take place, however, the site must be tested for Crayfish Plague, a lethal fungal pathogen. Water samples are currently being analysed, and if the reserve is found to be plague-free, this rare freshwater species could make a comeback in Welsh waters.

Sustainable Land Stewardship

In a nod to sustainable and natural land management, six hectares of marshy grassland have been fenced off to allow cattle grazing. This traditional method helps maintain plant diversity and prevents habitat overgrowth, creating conditions in which native wildlife can thrive.

A Legacy in the Making

With the support of Brecon Carreg, this new reserve not only preserves the natural character of the Brecon Beacons but also provides a platform for ecological education, community involvement, and species recovery. Ongoing updates and conservation milestones will be shared through Brecon Carreg’s website and social media channels—an open invitation for the public to witness nature’s resilience in action.

www.breconwater.co.uk

Season’s Greetings

ANYONE doubting the importance of buying seasonal produce should spend ten minutes in the company of Ceredigion seafood producer Mandy Walters, who runs Cardigan Bay Fish with husband Len and son Aaron.

“Supermarkets shouldn’t be selling imported foods,” she says. “As an island we should be self-sufficient yet, as consumers, we’ve become too greedy. Do we really need strawberries in December? Or cherry tomatoes from Greece?”

Seasonal produce is more affordable due to availability and the coming of spring presents a timely opportunity to experience the joys of such savoury products, so removing the need to import produce while at the same time making our diets more sustainable and reducing the carbon footprint. And by embracing the changing seasons, buyers enjoy more nutritious produce less reliant on pesticides while supporting local producers. So, what’s not to like?

Not only does seasonal produce save you money, but it is also healthier as its wide variety encourages a more balanced diet in addition to being better for the environment as it is grown in its natural state.

‘Eating the seasons’ helps reduce the amount of carbon emissions released into the atmosphere as the amount of energy needed to grow and transport the food we eat is dramatically reduced when it comes from a local source. ‘Buying local’ means promoting sustainable living for farmers and the community. Smaller farms are more labour intensive so will see more of the profit.

So what produce is available at different times of the season? Who are the leading producers and where exactly do you buy?

Any gardener will tell you that vegetables currently in season are asparagus (best in April), purple sprouting broccoli (available in early spring), spring cabbage (best in May) and cauliflower (available in early spring). Spring-time salads and herbs include spring onions, watercress, spinach, parsley, lettuce and radishes, while rhubarb is an early fruit. And vegetables sown at home include cauliflower and cabbages, courgettes, beans, peas, pumpkins and squash, tomatoes (best to start growing indoors), sweetcorn, peppers and chillies, carrots and leeks, beetroot and chard.

The arrival of the first Blas Y Tir Pembrokeshire Earlies (blasytir.com) on supermarket shelves in June traditionally heralds the start of summer. These small oval-shaped potatoes, with a soft flaky skin and distinctive nutty flavour, are one of the food highlights of the year. Handpicked in May and sold dirty to keep their delicate skin intact, the award-winning Earlies are available until September. The unique Pembrokeshire climate and coastal soils work perfectly together to provide their full flavour, while Blas Y Tir’s seasonal PGI Welsh Leeks are available from August right through to April.

Summer also brings with it a veritable smorgasbord of vegetables include artichokes, courgettes, broad beans, aubergines (June onwards, but best in July), chard (two seasons: June-August and October-April), new potatoes and onions (March-August first season). Meanwhile, spring onions, watercress, spinach, parsley and rocket (early summer onwards) provide a varied mix of salads and herbs, not forgetting beetroots, brassicas, leeks, radicchio/chicory, swede, celeriac, fennel, carrots, and peas.

Favourite fruits are raspberries, strawberries, gooseberries, blueberries, cherries (mid-June to September), peaches (July onwards), blackcurrants and redcurrants and plums.

Fruits of the Sea

Turning to the fruits of the sea, Andy Woolmer, founder of Pembrokeshire-based Atlantic Edge Oysters (www.atlanticedgeoysters.co.uk), is delighted both their Native and Rock Oysters have received coveted Protected Geographical Status.

“Modern farming methods mean we can produce Rock Oysters all-year round,” he explains. “I find they’re at their best in spring and summer because they feed on all the plankton around. Masses of sunlight creates more marine food.”

Other shellfish such as Blue Mussels and Native Oysters are more seasonal. “The old saying that you need an ‘R’ in the month is true,” says Andy. “The season lasts from September to April as from May the shellfish start to reproduce so quality isn’t so high.”

Down in St Dogmaels, Cardigan Bay Fish (cardiganbayfish.co.uk) catch and produce a wide variety of seafood. While crab and lobster are potted all-year round, whelks and prawns are available from October to May. Sea trout, or sewin, are caught from coracles on the River Teifi from May to July and sea bass and mullet by hand line between April and July. The mackerel season lasts from late June until September while the spider crab season stretches from May.

Green green grass

Out in the pastures grass-fed beef may be scarce in winter but is greatly coveted come summer and is something Wales is particularly well-suited for, as a pasture rich landscape. Bryan George, veteran lynchpin behind W J George Butchers Ltd of Talgarth (www. georgebutchers.co.uk) would personally prefer completely grass-fed beef.

“Before June they are grain finished,” he explains. “Grain, silage or hay. Really it’s a job to beat grass-fed beef. It’s yellower in colour; nice and natural.”

Available from June-December Gower Salt Marsh Lamb, said to gain its distinctive flavour from the unique environment on which the sheep graze, is prized by connoisseurs of fine meat, top chefs and restaurateurs alike.

The meat of The Gower Salt Marsh Lamb company (www.gowersaltmarshlamb.co.uk) is fully traceable, born on the farms where the animals live and spend most of their lives grazing the salt marsh.

Autumn almanac

Come the chill winds of autumn, vegetables such as broccoli, leeks, chard, courgettes, cabbage and kale, celery, peppers, sweetcorn, winter squash and pumpkins (from October), potatoes and root vegetables such as parsnips, carrots and turnips remain in demand. In the salad and herb department onions, garlic, cucumbers, lettuce, spinach and fennel are still in season, while fruits include apples, blueberries, blackberries, figs, pears and plums.

Although winter invariably means a less busy time for home growers, they are able to concentrate on the sowing of broad beans and fruit trees. Growers and gardeners do not hibernate, though. Winter veg include Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, red cabbage and savoy cabbage, cauliflower, leeks, potatoes, root vegetables, swedes, celeriac and Jerusalem artichokes. Salads and herbs consist solely of spring onions, while fruits are limited to apples and pears in early winter.

Where to buy

Your first port of call should be your local butcher, farm shop, fishmonger or deli. They’ll have gone to great lengths to find the best, local produce thereby

reducing environmental impact and supporting your local community whilst putting great produce in your basket. Supermarkets are increasingly stocking Welsh seasonal produce too. Further afield, there are many great sources of seasonal produce across Wales of which the following are just a small, indicative selection:

• Welsh Fruit Stocks (www.welshfruitstocks. co.uk), part of a livestock-rearing farm in east Wales, have been supplying soft fruit plants such as strawberries, raspberries, blackcurrants, gooseberries, chuckleberries and rhubarb since 1990.

• M Hughes and Sons (m-hugheswholesale.co.uk)

– ‘Fresh quality wholesale produce delivered on time, every time!’ – have traded in Llandudno for over sixty years and pride themselves on supplying and delivering wholesale fruit, vegetables, dairy and bakery goods to the North Wales catering industry.

• Alex Jones Fruit and Vegetable Wholesalers (www.alexjonesveg.co.uk) are a family-run business who have been supplying over a thousand different varieties of fruit and veg throughout Mid and South Wales since 1964.

• Einon’s Garden (www.facebook.com/ EinionsGarden), launched in Mid Wales in response to the challenges posed by climate change and economic downturns, are committed to growing healthy fresh food for the local market and community.

• ‘Fair prices for farmers and artisan food producers is vital.’ That is the mantra of Mach VegBox (machvegbox.co.uk) of Mid Wales, who pay suppliers at least 50 per cent of the retail value for any products they buy in.

• (www.biodiversitywales.org.uk) is an information resource covering many aspects of Wales’ natural environment with an area dedicated to community gardens

• (www.farmgarden.org.uk/wales) has an exhaustive list of social farms, gardens and community schemes across Wales where you can get hands dirty helping or merely buy fresh produce. Examples include DoSummitGood in Swansea, Mackintosh Community Garden and Cardiff Salad Garden in Cardiff, Mach Maethlon in Machynlleth, Garden on the Hill in Newport, Banc Organics in Carmarthenshire, The Garth Hill Organic Garden near Wrexham, Incredible Edible Rhiwlas in Bangor and hundreds more so it really worth a closer look.

The last word on seasonal produce, appropriately enough, goes to Mandy Walters, of Cardigan Bay Fish, who is convinced the tide is turning as a new generation gain inspiration in the kitchen from influential TV chefs.

“Any fresh produce tastes better than processed,” she says. “All you need with fresh fish, for instance, is lemon and butter. Always try to keep it simple – and remember that less is more.”

The Fab Four

A gin produced by a tiny distillery in the Dyfi Valley in Mid Wales, Native and Rock Oysters farmed in the Cleddau Estuary in Pembrokeshire and Welsh Heather Honey gathered by bees from heather blossom on mountain moorland, are the latest Welsh products to be awarded coveted Protected Geographical Indicator (PGI) status.

The ‘fab four’ have bolstered the nation’s burgeoning reputation for food and drink and reinforced Wales’ reputation of continuing to punch above its weight, whilst breaking new ground.

For these latest awards, following celebrated Welsh achievements of the past, include two notable firsts. The Dyfi Distillery’s Dovey Native Botanical Gin is the first gin in the UK to achieve PGI status – an accomplishment emulated by Welsh Heather Honey, the first UK honey to do so.

These accolades show how the rich landscape and stunning geographical features of Wales continue to produce such unique and outstanding products. This, coupled with its natural beauty, the minerals that litter its soil, heavy rainfall and a long coastline, combine to make our produce so special – and PGI status reinforces and protects that precious link between food and drink and where it comes from.

Fay Francis GI consultant for Mentera Wales who helps deliver the Welsh Government GI contract says ‘Our current Welsh GI family of 24 products is a far cry from when the Welsh GI contract started in 2009 when Wales only had two products in PGI Welsh Beef and PGI Welsh Lamb.

Since 2013 the vast majority of new UK products to attain UK GI status have been Welsh. The Welsh Government Welsh GI contract helps to identify products that would meet the criteria, as well as helping producers throughout the whole application process,” Fay explains. “Producers have a lot on their plates, and appreciate that there is help on hand to

guide them through what can sometimes be quite a long process’.

PGI status not only ensures the product’s name is legally protected but also affords protection for the producer by ensuring against cheap imitations and identifying quality, provenance and traceability. Fay says it is not simply a matter of the product being made in Wales.” she explains. “GIs are a form of intellectual property protection used to identify products whose qualities, characteristics and reputation are linked to the place where they have been produced or the method by which they have been produced.”

Run by brothers Danny and Pete Cameron, the Dyfi Distillery produces a range of gins, but only one –Pollination – meets the strict criteria enabling it to be called a Dovey Native Botanical Gin PGI.

“The Dyfi Valley was designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation as a world biosphere reserve and has a diversity of native flowers, fruits and wild herbs which are truly special,” says Pete, the master distiller. “We wanted to capture our surroundings in a bottle.”

This is where brother Danny, a master blender whose knowledge and experience of wines and spirits earned him a knighthood while working in Portugal, comes in. All Dovey Native Botanical Gin is produced from a minimum of 17 native botanicals foraged by Pete in a sustainable manner from within the world biosphere reserve.

The flavour compounds extracted by Danny during distillation provide a complex blend of notable characteristics both to the aroma and overall flavour profile. “Pollination Gin took us three years of trials before we found the unique blend of locally foraged botanicals which not only taste fantastic together but also hold a mirror up to our remarkable landscape,” he relates.

It has already won several prestigious awards and is a favourite at many Michelin-starred restaurants, fine wine and spirit merchants, as well as being available via the Dyfi Distillery itself or its online store. “Achieving the first UK GI for gin was never a marketing idea as we’re a genuinely artisan distillery,” reflects Danny, “but will help explain that this gin can be produced at world-class level combined with genuinely regional characteristics.”

Welsh Heather Honey has also joined the burgeoning family of food and drink products from Wales –now numbering 24 – that, by virtue of their unique characteristics and location, are deemed worthy of the GI stamp. The application was made to the UK Government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs by members of the Food & Drink Wales Honey Cluster.

It is part of the Welsh Government’s programme which gathers together food and drink businesses, suppliers, academia and government with the prime mission of helping businesses collaborate to achieve accelerated growth.

Welsh Heather Honey is unadulterated 100 per cent natural honey produced by the Western Honey Bee, foraging and collecting nectar from the heather moorlands in Wales. Most can be sourced from either Ling Heather or Bell Heather, although the former is the most prolific.

Welsh Heather Honey is additive-free and can be sourced from a single apiary or more than one. To produce the honey all bee hives (or apiaries) must be located in Wales and the nectar foraged from Welsh heather moorlands.

Other operations such as extraction and packing which do not alter the honey’s characteristics may take place at suitable (food-registered) premises located within or outside Wales, so long as the honey source is wholly traceable to the geographical area of origin.

North Wales-based Alex Ellis, of Border Honey, says: “This will help producers by demonstrating that Welsh Heather Honey is a special and unique product that can only be produced in Wales. Consumers can have confidence that when they choose Welsh Heather Honey they are getting the real thing.”

Those views are echoed by Gruffydd Rees, of Carmarthenshire-based Gwenyn Gruffydd Ltd, who says: “I’m delighted that Welsh Heather Honey’s precise origin and characteristics have been acknowledged. The UK GI application process is long, and it is wonderful that Wales is the first UK nation to have a honey receive PGI status.”

Dawn Wainwright, of Wainright’s Bee Farm in Aberystwyth, who describes Welsh Heather Honey as ‘the queen of honeys’ to connoisseurs, says heather blossoms in abundance across the Welsh mountain uplands during late summer. “The bees gather a small harvest of distinctive aromatic honey from the Ling Heather flowers with unique characteristics,” she explains. “The chemistry of the nectar gives the honey a protein content which produces a thixotropic or gel-like texture with crunchy crystals suspended throughout.

Being very slow to set, Welsh Heather Honey is difficult to extract, so the honey is often presented as cut comb in honey. Reddish-orange to dark amber in appearance and often containing suspended air bubbles, Welsh Heather Honey’s flavour is described as ‘intense sweetness with a touch of bitterness’ and ‘butter-filled toffee’ or ‘sweet burnt caramel’ with an aroma of heather.

Welsh Heath Honey is unpasteurised to ensure all the enzymes resulting from the natural origin of the honey – and, therefore, its characteristics - are retained, and only minimal filtration is allowed.

The length of the production season is short, weatherdependent and can vary significantly. It is usually produced between July and September so the window for obtaining the honey can sometimes last only a matter of days, which makes Welsh Heather Honey a rare and premium product.

Down in the far south-west, Dr Andy Woolmer says PGI recognition identifies the successful partnership between Tethys Oysters, his company which farms in Angle Bay at the mouth of the Cleddau in

Pembrokeshire, and Jake Davies, of Atlantic Edge Shellfish, a local shellfish processor and distributor. “PGI is the absolute best fit for us,” he says. “Other PGIs cover quite wide areas, but what we’re producing down here in Pembrokeshire is really unique. You can pinpoint the origin of a plate of oysters just by the way they taste.”

Andy launched the farm in 2018 and was developing the business when Covid hit. “The mutual society we were going to sell the oysters through lost premises they had earmarked so I had to develop my own unit and despatch centre,” he recalls. “It became too much. I developed health problems and Jake came in to help me.

“Now I can concentrate on growing the oysters, while Jake purifies, sell and markets them. We’re delighted to gain this mark of excellence. It’s a nod to both the unique flavour of our oysters and the sustainable way in which we farm them.”

Available all year-round Pembrokeshire Rock Oysters are prized for their delicate clean brine, cucumber freshness and subtle citrus notes, while Pembrokeshire Native Oysters, harvested between September and April, are known for their meaty texture, umami depth and vibrant marine overtones.

Pembrokeshire Rock Oysters are farmed, grown and harvested in the Daugleddau estuary from seed and part-grown oysters supplied by bio-secure commercial hatcheries and producers. The specific marine environment has nutrient-rich Atlantic waters mixing with freshwater flowing down from the Preseli Mountains through salt marshes and seagrass beds. This imparts a distinct set of characteristics to the oysters which are the main commercial species found in Europe and are a faster growing oyster compared to native oysters, reaching a minimum marketable size of 75g in two to three years.

Pembrokeshire Native Oysters are also farmed, grown and harvested in the Daugleddau estuary from seed and part-grown oysters supplied by bio-secure commercial hatcheries and producers. They are a slowgrowing native oyster which take up to five years to reach a minimum marketable size of 75g.

“PGI is a quality mark that sets us apart and will prove very important,” says Andy. “It helps protect that identity and will hopefully spur more chefs and foodies

to delve into what makes Pembrokeshire oysters so special.”

Yet the journey towards winning PGI status took five years. “To be perfectly honest with you,” Andy reflects, “I just wouldn’t have been able to stick with it without that Welsh Government help.”

These latest Welsh successes follow the likes of Halen Môn / Anglesey Sea Salt, Traditional Welsh Caerphilly / Caerffili, Welsh Laverbread and Carmarthen Ham, all of whom have previously been awarded Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) or PGI status. “Wales produces a spectacular variety of excellent food and drink,” says Fay Francis, who, whilst acknowledging that the road towards PGI recognition is long and winding, stresses that help is always on hand. “Producers generally have a telephone call with me first to go through the basic criteria and to explain the process of applying plus the pros and cons,” she explains.

“They would then have a site visit and start drafting the application which is the Product Specification. It is the product that gets the GI status, not the producer. The Product Specification has to go through the UKGI scrutiny panel and, if successful, undergoes a three-month consultation period where industry stakeholders can comment and/or object.”

The potential benefits indicate such a journey is worth it. Not only does such a coveted mark spell kudos and authenticity, but it also boosts customer confidence as well as a product’s appeal and marketability. So, if you feel your business has a Welsh product that has what it takes, the Welsh Government can provide expert advice and guidance on how to qualify and apply for a place in the culinary industry’s ‘Premier League’.

As far as producers are concerned, GI status can spell the difference between being also-rans and leaders of the pack. And from the point of view of consumers, GI tells them that the product they are buying oozes quality, provenance and heritage. So do check them out – you know you want to!

For information about applying for a UKGI or protected status please contact UKGI.Wales@gov.Wales

Together,

“FOOD connects us. It touches upon every aspect of our daily lives, both individually and collectively. From farm to fork, the food system supports economic prosperity, our physical and mental health, and helps bring our communities together.”

Such is the belief of Huw Irranca-Davies, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, and who is tasked with driving forward the Wales Community Food Strategy to help improve our social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being of Wales.

This means building relationships between local producers, businesses and the network of community initiatives to ensure more food bought in Wales is produced in Wales, whilst encouraging healthier food choices, tackling food poverty and supporting social inclusion through responsible production methods.

“The potential to obtain these outcomes and to maximise the benefits for our communities can only be realised through a collaborative, joined-up approach,” he explains. “We can achieve nothing on our own. We must also respect the diverse needs of communities across Wales and, through a place-based approach, seek to enable local activity that has been designed to meet local priorities.

“As a next step, I am commissioning a ministerial advisory group that will ensure the delivery of the objectives within the Wales Community Food Strategy, and establish an effective and productive partnership with our key stakeholders.”

You do not have to look very far for examples of such ideas being put into practice. Well-Fed, a social business based in Shotton offering services across much of north Wales, tick all the boxes, having initially been established as a partnership between Can Cook, Clwyd Alyn Housing Association and Flintshire County Council in 2019. The aim of the only ultraprocessed free meal provider in Europe is to ensure everyone has access to good quality and fresh food, regardless of their income levels. A big part of their work is to help feed struggling households and they are committed to feeding anyone who finds it difficult to access nutritious food, with a particular focus on feeding hungry children.

Well-Fed’s 24-strong workforce help deliver a range of services, including commercial catering for care and extra care services; mealboxes delivered to homes in partnership with housing associations; meal centres created in partnership with local community organisations; mobile shops focused on more isolated areas; meal lockers allowing people to order and collect meals to cook at home; meal vending offering plastic-free machines for workplaces and food training delivered within local communities.

The Well-being of Future Generations Act is a central plank of the Community Food Strategy. Derek Walker,

stronger

the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales, highlights in his strategy ‘Cymru Can’ (2023-2030) that ‘from farm to fork, food is critical to achieving Wales’s well-being goals for the health of our people and our planet’.

An excellent example of such an approach is the RCT Food Partnership, an award-winning network of organisations and individuals passionate about healthy, sustainable, and affordable food for all. With members drawn from community groups, public bodies and food businesses from around the county, they want every person in Rhondda Cynon Taf to have access to affordable and nutritious food that is also good for the planet.

Members of the UK-wide Sustainable Food Places network and Sustainable Food Places Bronze award holders, they have been able to develop and increase sustainable solutions to strengthen the local food system, and help tackle the root causes of food poverty, while funding has allowed groups to explore new and innovative ideas for community food projects.

Additionally, the RCT Food Partnership have supported a local veg box scheme working to bring locally-grown, organic produce to residents, whilst also benefiting the local community through volunteering opportunities. Their funding has also been used to teach resilient food skills such as growing, cooking skills and how to feed a family on a budget.

The Well-being of Future Generations Act is at the forefront of the Welsh Government’s approach for considering how encouraging the supply of locallysourced food in Wales can lead to opportunities for improving social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being. It can also combat food poverty

with local community growing plans, more food cooperatives and community kitchens. Food Matters: Wales, outlines the food-related policies and the ways of working that form an overall strategic agenda for food and also describes how the Community Food Strategy contributes to the well-being objectives.

The Welsh Government’s vision for the Community Food Strategy is to work in partnership to promote and strengthen the local and community food system while increasing the availability and consumption of locallysourced, healthier and sustainable food and inspiring improvements in well-being within our communities.

Among those picking up the gauntlet are Monmouthshire County Council who are formulating a Local Food Strategy to set a long-term vision for a fairer, greener, and healthier local food system focusing on areas where the council has direct influence such as public procurement, land management, community partnerships and grants. The result is the shaping of a local food system which reduces food and diet inequality whilst responding to climate and nature emergencies. Key initiatives include community grants for horticulture, establishing affordable Food On Our Doorstep Clubs to reduce food waste and creating globally responsible, deforestation-free school meals.

The council also host the Monmouthshire Sustainable Food Partnership, to ensure involvement and collaboration around its strategic approach to food. This includes collaboration with community groups, Coleg Gwent, Brecon Beacons National Park Authority, Natural Resources Wales, NFU Cymru and Aneurin Bevan University Health Board. Through this work the authority has incorporated

sustainable food production and consumption into its well-being objectives which are to progress food policy integration and align food strategy with the aims of the Well-being of Future Generations Act.

The achievement of the Welsh Government’s vision rests on a series of policy proposals under six objectives to give the framework around which Welsh Government, the public sector, key stakeholders and delivery partners can bring ideas and resources together for collective action. These are to ensure joined-up strategic thinking and leadership by enabling local food system coordination and action while strengthening food resilience through cohesive food communities built upon stronger, diverse local supply networks, more community growing and horticulture.

The Welsh Government’s next step of the equation is to deliver representative, diverse and active local food networks and increase the number of collaborative community food projects. A sum of over £2m of funding has been committed in 2025-26 to further develop the network of Local Food Partnerships across Wales and deliver community food projects. Additionally, Welsh Government has committed to resource these partnerships until the end of March 2028.

The long-term objective is to encourage Local Food Partnerships to nurture plans, as well as strategic relationships with public bodies while facilitating new local supply opportunities. Project funding will also support Local Food Partnerships to build capacity, develop targeted food projects and collaborate to address infrastructure challenges.

Food Sense Wales, the delivery arm of Sustainable Food Places for Wales, will oversee this process through a central supporting role for the Local Food Coordinators, including one-to-one and peer support, encouraging the development of local and regional food projects and monitoring best practise and evaluating impact. In the long run it is important to move away from a dependence on food banks, and support community food initiatives to procure food from a more diverse range of sources, beyond the redistribution of surplus food.

Ongoing grant funding objectives for Local Food Partnerships will include a focus on encouraging the local availability, access and consumption of healthier and nutritious food for all, including for those with protected characteristics, as well as distribution of surplus or excess food. An example of this work is Food Cardiff who have already engaged with communities in south Cardiff through multi-cultural food pantries.

Since its establishment over a decade ago, Food Cardiff has consistently worked in collaboration with a diverse range of stakeholders, and its Sustainable Food Places Gold Award in 2024 is a testament to the partnership’s success in bringing together sectors to drive

meaningful and strategic change in the capital’s food system. Food Cardiff operates through co-ordination, strategy, and operation, overseen by the Strategy Board composed of core members from organisations such as Cardiff Council and the Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, as well as representatives from third sector organisations and professionals and citizens who are part of the local sustainable food movement.

The wider partnership is made up of over 250 members which includes businesses, community organisations and individuals whose collective efforts are aligned with the Good Food Strategy, collaboratively developed to guide the city’s long-term food sustainability and access goals. Food Cardiff also co-ordinates sub-groups such as the Cardiff Community Food Collective, which is made up of almost 30 local community food projects. Cardiff Community Food Collective presents a collective voice for change to tackle the root causes of food poverty; and works collectively to deliver projects, for example on securing resilient sources of food supplies.

Welsh Government has set food targets to reduce edible food waste by 60 per cent by 2030 and communities can play a key role in curbing the waste of edible food. How? By supporting the effective management of the supply chain, preventing excess food being thrown away at home and re-distributing the surplus.

And lastly, given our country’s high rates of obesity, The Healthy Weight: Healthy Wales strategy supports people to eat a healthy balanced diet by increasing understanding and making healthier options more accessible and available The strategy and its delivery plans set out the key steps to ensure our communities have neighbourhood access to healthier foods through a broad range of outlets, including out-ofhome venues, hot food takeaways and public sector settings. Local health boards are encouraged to build a systems-based approach into their strategies alongside governance structures to strengthen collaborative responses to healthy eating. These include innovative approaches to healthier food within settings such as schools and leisure centres.

By restricting the promotion of high fat, sugar and salt products, the Food (Promotion and Presentation) (Wales) Regulations 2025 will move the balance of product promotions away from less healthy products within our food stores, while options to reduce advertising of less healthy foods on public-owned sites, following the example set by Transport for Wales, are being explored.

However, in the words of the Deputy First Minister, such ambitions can only be achieved through sustained team-work if ultimate, long-term objectives are to be attained. We can achieve nothing on our own – we are all in this together.

We’re proud to announce the re-launch of the Surplus with Purpose Cymru fund for 2025/26!

Last year, the fund helped farmers and food manufacturers across Wales divert 342 tonnes of surplus food from going into land ll, equating to over 814,000 meals for people in need.

We’re excited to be able to extend this support for another year and help more food businesses in Wales do good for people and the planet.

Welsh food and drink companies that have surplus food, while perfectly good to eat, may be too expensive or unsuitable for retail. From farmers and growers to manufacturers and wholesalers, the fund helps bridge the gap between surplus and those who need it most.

e Surplus With Purpose Cymru Fund is open for applications from all food and drink businesses in Wales. All donations are distributed to our network of charity and community group members.

e fund can be used to cover the costs of:

• Harvesting and labour

• Packaging or repackaging

• Storage or freezing

• Transportation O setting any loss of income from donating surplus food

• Other ways of unlocking surplus food to prevent waste

We believe it should never be more economical to waste food than to feed people. By using this fund, your business can be part of a growing movement to ght hunger and protect the planet.

If you’re a Welsh food business with surplus, we’d love to hear from you. To learn more, contact us today on 02920 362111, email swp@fareshare.cymru, or visit www.fareshare.cymru/surplus-with-purpose

With a fantastic range of places to eat and drink, views overlooking the boats at Milford Marina and the Milford Haven Waterway, independent shops and art galleries, Milford Haven Museum, Phoenix Bowl and regular events, mean there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

FIRE STARTERS

Nestled in the hills near Penuwch, on the edge of the Cambrian Mountains, the Welsh Homestead Smokery has emerged as one of Wales’s most dynamic, growing food businesses, producing a range of savoury jams, cured meats and spice rubs. Established in 2019 by husband-and-wife team Chris and Claire Jesse, the company is making waves in the Welsh Food and Drink sector and beyond, with their ever-expanding selection of products, all developed and made at their dedicated production facilities housed on their 200-year-old farmstead.

With a knowing smile, Claire – who oversees the day to day running of the business, acknowledges that their current success came from making bold decisions early on in their journey. “Yeah, we didn’t really make it easy on ourselves. Most people just choose one type of product to make - certainly to begin with, but we went straight in to making three, each requiring different production set ups and processes, which naturally involved a lot of work”.

Speaking to Claire, her determination and creative energy shine through, and it’s clear that neither her nor husband Chris, are not ones to shy away from a challenge. It’s their partnership and their combined, complementary skills, as well as a mutual love of the land, that have supported the company’s organic growth. An advocate for nutritious, sustainable produce and a natural entrepreneur, Claire brings a deep-rooted knowledge of food systems to everything she does — a reflection of her upbringing.

Growing up, Claire’s father was a horticulturalist who also worked in agriculture, so within the family home there was always a dialogue around land and food provenance. Learning about plants, vegetables and the soil from an early age, as well as living on a raw food diet for a large part of her childhood, provided a foundation of knowledge which continues to underpin her life to this day.

“We didn’t eat anything cooked until I was ten,” Claire explains. “My dad suffered chronic back pain when we were young and my mum – having done a lot of research, decided to introduce a raw food diet to help alleviate his symptoms, which meant as a family, we all ate that way”.

Although she now runs a business centred around smoked meat, Claire didn’t taste meat herself until she was nineteen and living in a flat share in Brighton, where she was tempted by a housemate’s cooking. “I was captured by the smell. It smelt so good that it led me to go to the local butcher to buy a chicken. I had absolutely no idea what to do with this chicken - these were pre-Google days, so I had to ask the butcher how to prepare the bird and how to cook it! It’s fair to say he was quite surprised when I told him what I was doing and why I was so clueless!”

The chicken proved a watershed moment, marking the end of her vegetarian days. While food and meat are now at the heart of Claire’s world, her entrepreneurial journey began in a very different place — with tattoos and body piercing. Trained by the wife of the head of

the Hell’s Angels Motorcycle Club in London, Claire went on to run her own piercing studio in Sussex for twenty years, until the business was sold in 2021. It might seem an unlikely crossover, but Claire found her previous experience incredibly useful when starting the smokery. “There’s actually a surprising amount of overlap,” she explains. “Hygiene, sterilisation, managing risk — all of that gave me a really solid foundation for understanding food safety.”

Living the good life

Gardening and growing food had also always been part of life for Claire, having carried through a knowledge and understanding of plants from her childhood. Chris too had a strong connection to the land and nature, working as both a landscape gardener and a tree surgeon. Prior to setting up the Welsh Homestead Smokery, the pair and their two children lived in suburban Sussex, where their life was reminiscent of the 70s BBC TV drama, ‘The Good Life’, with the garden doubling up as a smallholding, complete with vegetables, chickens and ducks. During this time, Claire would preserve and jar any surplus produce from the garden and smoking was born out of a natural curiosity to explore alternative preservation and flavouring methods.

“I’d been pickling and making preserves for years, so moving into smoking meat felt a natural extension of that interest. I started out by buying half a pig from a local farmer so I could experiment with smoking techniques. At first, I didn’t even recognise the cuts of meat — I had to learn which were suitable for smoking.”

The interest in smoking led to the couple wanting to rear their own animals, but their suburban neighbours weren’t thrilled by the idea.

“Our Good Life vibes had already ruffled a few feathers, but it seems a pig living on the street was a step too far. They drew a line at livestock on the front lawn. That practical limitation became the catalyst for our move to Wales”.

A smokery in the hills

The family’s search for the ideal location to live out their small holding dream led them to the wilds of Tregaron, where a homestead with a 3-acre plot of land provided them with the space and creative inspiration they were seeking. Moving as a family in 2016, it was never the intention to start a business. Claire ran her tattoo and piercing studio remotely to begin with, but as the vegetable patches and livestock population grew, so did the ambition and the passion for flavouring food with smoke and to sharing the results with others.

As the idea of selling their produce at local markets took shape, they decided to build their own smokery and to use the rental kitchen in their on-site holiday let to make larger batches of products they were already making for themselves, however, a visit from the local authority to assess safety standards, shifted the goal posts. They discovered that the smokery needed to have its own unit, fully pest proof and adhering to strict hygiene standards.

Rather than simply build a smokery in isolation, they made the decision at that point to develop a full production unit that would enable them to manufacture everything on site and meet food safety requirements. Chris, drawing on his landscape and construction experience, offered a solution: convert one of the outbuildings. “I needed a facility — so he built me one,” Claire recalls.

The smokery is the very heart of the business, with all the products in the range connected to that central process. Though inspired by traditional methods — like the cold-smoking sheds on England’s east coast — production at the Welsh Homestead Smokery balances heritage with modern efficiency.

“I love that it’s an ancient technique. Smoking meat, preserving food with fire — it’s how our ancestors lived. There’s something grounding and special about that but to ensure consistency, we use a digital smoker which gives us precise control over time and temperature and makes the process more efficient. The artistry comes in with the selection of the woodchips for the smokers. We choose the wood, tweak the flavour. It’s still creative”, says Claire.

Breaking through

That first visit from the local authority also led to Claire attending a Start Up surgery for emerging food and drink brands at the Food Centre Wales in Llandysul. Here she was introduced to Cywain, the Welsh Government project which supports Welsh food and drink businesses.

“I received some great support from the outset. Having run my piercing studio for years, I was confident in running a business and understood the financial side of things, so for me the value came in the form of help with the design and branding as well as conversations with market experts who helped us better understand the food and drink landscape and establish the right price points for the products”.

What began as a modest venture quickly gained momentum. Their bold, flavour-packed products proved popular at markets and events, and thanks to

ongoing support through Cywain, the pair were offered several opportunities to attend trade and consumer events, leading to greater exposure and meetings with trade buyers.

“At first, we thought we’d stay local. Markets, maybe a few shops. But things took off and we just kept saying ‘yes.’ That’s been my approach — say yes to everything and so many of the opportunities we’ve had and the connections we’ve made, have come from having that very open and agile mindset”.

One of their biggest hits has been their bacon jam, originally developed to use up leftover bacon rind from the curing process. It became so popular they now have to cure bacon specifically for the product.

“It’s by far our best-seller. People get addicted!” Claire says. Demand has since outpaced their own livestock supply, so they now work with trusted local meat producers for all their meat products.

Vegetables and chillies for the jams and preserves are also now sourced beyond the footprint of the homestead, but all are UK grown by farmers in Pembrokeshire, Cornwall, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Bedfordshire. The chilli jam range reflects the sense of fun and freshness that’s inherent in the brand’s DNA. Always keen to experiment with new flavours and flavour combinations, Claire explains how developing new recipes keeps things interesting, resulting in some in unusual pairings such as Chocolate Habanero or Red Habanero with Strawberry.

In the cured meat range, a more recent experiment with rum and molasses bacon has proved to be a great success. “Try it served on top of some American style breakfast pancakes – it’s amazing”, while a recent collaboration with Eat Wild at the Game Fair, led to the

development of a venison bacon which will officially join the range later this year.

Their growing success has led to partnerships with distributors and wholesalers, resulting in national retail and hospitality listings, while a leading online food retailer recently identified them as a ‘challenger brand’. “We never set out to become a big brand. We just wanted to share the food we love making. The growth has been organic.”

With expansion has come change. The company recently took on additional premises in town to keep up with demand while developing a new site on the farm — supported by the UK Government’s Levelling Up fund and local initiative, Cynnal y Cardi. The new facilities will allow for increased production, smoother operations and support their journey toward becoming fully off-grid, with additional solar panels already being installed.

The farm has also become a hub for food and fire lovers, with Claire now running workshops teaching people how to cook over flame in a bespoke outdoor wooden kitchen built by Chris.

“Teaching people to cook in this way is magical. It’s primal, elemental — and a beautiful way to connect.” At its heart, Welsh Homestead Smokery is more than a business — it’s a way of life. Claire likens the company to a living being that needs care and attention and recognises that there are days when it can be challenging.

“Some days, it feels like everyone needs something from you — suppliers, customers, the team. The key is to stay calm, prioritise, and maintain a sense of perspective. After all, this business enables us to live our dream and work here in this beautiful landscape. We would never want to change that”.

Crispy, smoky Halloumi sticks

Ingredients

• Pack of Halloumi

• 2 tbsp Welsh Homestead Smokery Wood:Pren BBQ Rub

• 3 tbsp cornflour

• 50g Welsh Homestead Smokery Scotch Bonnet & Mango Smoked Chilli Jam

• A small bunch of chives, chopped finely

Method

1. Cut the halloumi into finger sizes sticks

2. In a bowl, mix the BBQ rub with the cornflour

3. Toss the halloumi in the cornflour mix

4. Cook halloumi at 180 degrees in an

air-fryer until crispy. Alternatively, cook in a little oil on a hot plate or pan set on a BBQ grill

5. Once cooked to desired level of crispiness, remove the halloumi sticks from the heat and place in a bowl before spooning the chilli jam over the top to coat evenly

6. Serve sprinkled with chives

CELTIC PIES

“PIES MADE WITH THE FINEST INGREDIENTS”

#CHFOODS

CYNNYRCH OGYMRU MADE IN WALES

Grain, Carmarthen

Carmarthen, with its rich historic past can boast being the oldest town in Wales. Rather than speeding past, on to the beaches of Pembrokeshire, pause, take a little time to wander and you’ll stumble across the remains of a castle and a Roman amphitheatre, elegant Georgian terraces, a bustling market and interesting shops. And then there’s the friendly welcome, handmade pizzas and craft ales offered by Grain Carmarthen. Unassuming exterior notwithstanding, step inside and it is immediately apparent that it is not bridesmaid to Grain St David’s bride. With its buzz of conversation, friendly staff and urban hipster vibe (courtesy of the warm lighting, bare wood and cellar-like bar) and of course 12 lines of craft ales, Grain Carmarthen is a perfect place to while away the evening. And foodwise they have hit on an excellent approach - offering a tight range of well-executed dishes, all prepared from quality ingredients, often sourced from local Welsh producers.

The starters arrayed before us may have looked a trifle greedy, but it really was a devil to decide what to pick. Wings are all the rage and Grain’s versions were exemplary; succulent meat, beautifully fried and covered in deliciously sauces. I went half’n’half, some enveloped by a deeply savoury Garlic & Parmesan and others with a totally peppery, spicey Buffalo, that made my lips tingle and taste buds sing. B loved their veggie version, tempura cauliflower, crunchy outside, hot and giving within and with the same tasty sauce options. The Iberico pork scratchings were a delight, delicate with an almost waffle-like texture, that complemented their gently-salted porkiness. And then the dough balls, enormous clouds of loveliness – fluffy and steaming when broken open and totally moreish when slathered in salty garlic butter.

Onto mains and it was pizzas for us both. Welsh foodie that I am, I couldn’t resist the ‘Ultracomida’, named after the Aberystwyth/Narberth based deli that supplies its toppings. Those classic Ultracomida flavours, rich tomato, great cheese, fine serrano ham and gently smoky chorizo, all perfectly partnered the crisp outside, soft and springy inside base. B opted for the ‘Land of My Fathers’, which unsurprisingly also leans heavily on Welsh components. Leeks and caramelised red onions were complemented by the creamy-tangy blueness of Caws Cenarth’s Perl Las cheese. And as we love it so much, we opted for a Perl Las dipping sauce, containing generous chunks of the cheese. Full to burst, we still couldn’t resist going for a brownies finale. Again, locally sourced from Cardigan Bay Brownies, these were beautifully executed classics, slightly crisp on the outside with indulgently gooey interiors. The salt in the salted caramel sharpened the brownies’ overall chocolatiness and warm vanilla notes, while the crème egg brownie was delightfully decadent.

And throughout was the craft ale, an ideal partner to the pizzas, and we loved the way you could choose from the house Bluestone brews or the changing range of guests. We stuck with Bluestone and were pleased we had. The Red of Heaven is an American red pale ale, dry, not massively hopped and really nicely malty. The Saint Croix is a New England IPA, cloudy, yeasty with pronounced hops and a lovely citrusy zip. And the Stone Cold is a classic IPA, refreshing, well-hopped and buttery. I could have drunk it all night long. A fitting end to our Carmarthenshire odyssey.

Grain Camarthen, 11-12 Queen St, Carmarthen. Tel: 01267 898007 grain.wales/grain-camarthen

The White Horse

Hendrerwydd, between Rhuthun and Denbigh

Reviewed by Niall Griffiths

Some places give off an aura: it’s not simply setting, it’s a vibe, an emanation. From the outside, you know such places are going to be Very Good. The White Horse is one such; an old farmhouse in the Vale of Clwyd, nestled in a bowl in the green hills, whispering seductively of sanctuary. The decor’s autumnal and understated shades complement the shimmering summer outside (and imagine it in the winter, with fires crackling). Even the music is judiciously chosen; a kind of unobtrusive indie. Everything is sourced locally, including the staff, and our server, Lucy, would, if Oscars were awarded for waiting, have a shelf full of golden statuettes. The owner - also Lucy - and the chef Jason opened in 2012 and their skill and commitment inform everything about this wonderful place.

And the food? Oh my; it’s to write an opera about. It’s an eclectic and alluring menu that begins with complimentary crisps dusted with tomato, all sweetsavoury and addictive. The oysters zing and sing. The foccaccia’s crust opens to a light yet chewy carby cloud that slurps in the Marmite butter before you slurp it into yourself. The balsamic anchovies, the crab with cucumber and chilli...I found myself simply existing to chew and swallow and emit murmurs of gustatory bliss. The seafood is like eating a rock pool on the cleanest of shores. Truffle asparagus tickled the nose with hints of forest and meadow. Scallops with peas and bacon was a symphony of taste and texture; the crunch, the umami depth of the broth - this is food as adventure. As thrill.

It’s a tapas style menu; the plates are small and very much reasonably priced. Sure, you’ll no doubt order several, but that won’t break the bank, and nor will the wine list; and you’ll be replete, satisfied, deeply pleased. The steak came with a selection of butters, including red wine and marrow; creamy and smooth and silken, the fruit essence of the wine in harmony with the melting meat. The king prawns were truly that, bigger than the Dublin Bay boys, bigger even than the Sydney ‘bugs’; I forgot to ask where they were from, but I’d hazard a guess at the planet where Starship Troopers was filmed. Beheading them felt somehow revolutionary; I needed a guillotine. You’ll lick every last fleck of herby, garlicky oil off your fingertips.

And dear Lord, the rhubarb panacotta was cosmically gorgeous; sour, tangy, sweet on the back, a velvety celebration. A good panacotta is airy and light anyway but here, the rhubarb took it skywards. So good. And burnt-sugar desserts are a true test of a chef’s skills, and the sticky banana dish was expertly, beautifully poised; the caramelisation was exemplary. This is precision cooking. Such a delicate balance, achieved with tremendous skill.

Indeed, The White Horse is all about equilibrium; everything about it inhabits that rare space of calm, so seldom experienced, in which only the moment exists: setting, food, staff, drink, music, all harmonise and function and work together to satisfy. It’s a wondrous place. There is no accommodation, but the nearby Cuddfan pods are a delight, a cluster of cosy capsules in an ocean of rippling green spreading out to the Clwydian range which humps across the horizon like the back of a gargantuan Nessie. A sauna and a hot tub. Dog-positive, too - indeed, canines are actively encouraged to scamper madly in the meadow. The pods are Tardis-like; the inner spaciousness is intriguingly achieved. I sat outside with a beer and a book but didn’t read a word; I just sat and gazed amongst the drifting dandelion clocks and the cronk of ravens swooping down from Offa’s Dyke and the songs and colours of yellowhammers and goldfinches and the chittering of swallows. At that point, the joys of The White Horse were waiting for me. Pure bliss.

Tel: 01824 790218 www.whitehorserestaurant.co.uk

Food in Brecon Destination

The best meal of my life, I ate in Brecon. I was a guest at a reception for the Nepalese Ambassador at which Joanna Lumley was guest of honour and the food was like a casket of jewels, each one unique and brilliant, combining to make an experience so distinct that it barely merits comparison. All I will say is, if you want to imagine how delicious food can be, imagine the Gurkhas have designed a menu to pay tribute to their heroine and you will have some idea of the flair and meticulous craft which was involved.

Its strategic location has long made Brecon a significant centre for both church and state and the picturesque walls of its 11th Century castle embrace Wales’ oldest hotel. Newly re-opened after a longanticipated £3 million refurb, the Castle of Brecon Hotel enjoys both a splendid location and iconic status in the area. My friend and I considered eating outside on a fine Spring evening the week after the hotel reopened but the smart new interior of the dining room beat the stunning mountain views from the spacious outdoor eating area in the end. The food was as stylish as the surroundings but was no triumph of appearance over flavour: the earthy punch of the walnut ketchup added an almost mysterious depth to the pork belly which was accompanied by celeriac puree with a floral fragrance. My companion raved about the Brecon Ale gravy with her faggots and she’s quite the gravy expert. The Castle at Brecon is definitely back, and back in style.

If the Castle is glamorous, my favourite place to eat in Brecon is rather more architecturally modest but there is nothing low-key about the food. Brecon and the Gurkha Regiment have established an enduring friendship, links which last long after tours of duty are completed as many Nepalese families have made permanent homes in the area, bringing with them their under-appreciated cuisine. I remember what

Himalayan Herbs in its former guise as Gurkha Corner is now, and it’s always a pleasure to introduce friends to the flavours of the High Himalayas, whether they are curry buffs, travellers or just seekers of novelty and there’s a lot to be discovered. The momos, available in pork or chicken, are delicious steamed dumplings served with nutty sesame chutney, and you can taste the Chinese influences in every bite. I love their translation of Gurkahli Kukhura as Brecon Chicken, stir fried on the bone with an invigorating hit of chili and fenugreek but their most surprising dishes are the Sisnu curries, using flour made from powdered stinging nettles.

There is also excellent Nepalese cuisine to be found at Gorkha and Khukuri up at the Golf Course. Yes, the Golf Clubhouse is a Nepali Restaurant but after all, this is Brecon. Where else can you get gulab jamun at the 19th Hole?

And speaking of sweet treats, the celebrated Llanfaes Dairy Ice Cream Parlour is way too accessible from the by-pass: anyone travelling the A470 is only moments away from a bewildering choice of flavours of really top-quality ice-cream. They put their success down to small batch manufacture, but I think the real secret is their passion for the product. I pretend I’m making a healthy choice with the pomegranate sorbet, then blow it with an irresistible affogato; well, I do need a coffee to help my journey and it seems churlish not to slip a scoop of their punchy vanilla into the espresso, I feel.

There’s been a lot of refurbing going on in Brecon: as well as the Castle Hotel, Theatr Brycheiniog has just had a refit: the newly reopened café and bar has already won a good reputation, especially for its sandwiches and quality antipasti. Its splendid location on the canal basin makes it well worth a visit, whether or not you are seeing a show.

Castel of Brecon Hotel

Himalayan Herbs

Gorkha and Khukuri

Dining

Also cultural enough to describe itself as a hub, The Hours is an intimate café and bookshop in Cathedral Close, a short walk from the heart of town. To accommodate visitors to the nearby Cathedral, their take on a ploughman’s lunch is the Pilgrims’ Repast, laden with local produce, for sharing or for the solo pilgrim. I always look forward especially to their home-made slaw. The Hours is a passion project, best enjoyed shop first then café: with your newly purchased book in hand, you will be able to enjoy the Burnt Basque Cheesecake at your leisure, though perhaps it should really be given the undivided attention it deserves.

Like many Welsh butchers, Paddy Sweeney’s business, which has been located in the heart of Brecon since 1975, is well-known for local beef and lamb but they place unusual emphasis on the quality of their poultry, including their unique ‘chicken oysters.’ Add in the range of home-made sausages and faggots and it is easy to understand why Paddy Sweeney’s bustling shop is a big draw.

Cradoc’s mother daughter team, Allie and Ella Thomas have been making excellent crackers on the edge of Brecon since 2008. Anyone who says that a cracker is just something to balance the cheese on has a world of taste to discover. Using vegetables and exquisite judgement, the Cradoc’s team have pushed the idea of texture and flavour in several unexpected directions. One of my most lowbrow tastes is my liking for Dutch cheeses, which have flavours somewhere between subtle and bland: they need a gentle but defined cracker taste, and the Cradoc delicately scented Pear and Earl Grey Golden Cocktail Biscuits are perfect with a bit of Leerdammer. The Lemongrass, Coconut and Chili Crackers have a tiger on the box: you have been warned. I like to switch them in for poppadoms to eat with chutney at the start of an Indian meal. Locally, they can be found at the award-winning Country Kitchen in Pegasus Lane, or nearby St Mary’s Bakery in St Mary’s Street, both of which are worth

a visit in their own right and stock plenty of Welsh produce.

A few miles north of Brecon, The Griffin at Felin Fach has been garlanded with so many awards over the years that it faces serious expectation issues. People come to The Griffin because they know what good food is and, with the team’s pinpoint emphasis on quality and their genuine capacity for innovative, unforced quirkiness, those discerning customers are not disappointed. I dropped in for a leisurely lunch and, as ever, felt that there was inspirational learning to be had as well as the pure pleasure of good food well-cooked. I am a huge fan of good lamb but had never thought of serving lamb terrine with an anchovy mayonnaise. I was intrigued by the unabashed centre stage role played by varieties of cabbage in the menu but knowing the value they place on seasonal and local produce, the spotlight seems very fitting. Afterall, their popular Forage and Feast events are back this year: participants are taken from the Griffin to a mystery but close location where, guided by Brecon Foraging’s Adele Nozedar, they source wild ingredients to be turned into a lunchtime feast by chef Gwennan. That is the Griffin in a nutshell: rather than resting on their laurels, they are foraging for them!

A little further out, another well-established reputation is attached to the Beacons Farm Shop at the Welsh Venison Centre at Bwlch. As always with meat suppliers, it is always a great comfort for us amateur retail types to know that professional cooks source produce from a particular place and that is certainly true for the Morgan family, who have been producing great meat for discerning customers for forty years.

As long days extend into summer, many of us head out onto the hills to walk and explore and the Bannau are a great draw. Don’t eat before you arrive and do bring an empty cool bag, because Brecon is delicious.

by Myfanwy Alexander

Felin Fach

The hours

Caroline Sarll Grow your

own

How about this for a real kick in the teeth to us broccoli-bred, fruit-fed, faceless-food eaters? e Food Foundation’s Broken Plate Report 2025 has revealed that healthier foods cost more than double per calorie than less healthy options. e writing is now indelibly on the garden wall. ‘Tis time we all opted to “live o a the fatta the lan’” and got (literally) a bit more groundbreaking in our plant-appropriation. In other words, GYO - with a twist.

For me, the eyes most de nitely have it. I cut the tiny sproutie bits o our spuds when cooking, shove them in the soil or a pot and, win-win, get all-year crops of home-grown tatties, whilst also eating the originals. Talking of gouged out eyes, I gamely replace King Lear’s “nothing can come of nothing” philosophy with my pollyannish “something can come of something” creed. It’s a no-brainer. Seriously. I have no truck with the late A.A Gill’s opinion that “growing your own vegetables is a bit like making your own fridge or whittling a car”. Superb rhetoric and wordsmithery, but utter codswallop. e low-dosh nosh method is both pro table and easy. I inherited this make-endsmeet modus operandi from my peerless mum, who, widowed young, fed us brilliantly on the tightest of budgets. She was the doyenne of “stretching” mashed potato and of conjuring up delicious stalks’n’all soups.

As well as the home-cloned potatoes, I use the same method to grow tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic and lettuce (just stick the stalk in water). Our kitchen windowsill is so jar and tub-lined with gougedout seeds, it’s starting to resemble a Tracy Emin installation. It’s like having benign Hydras in the house or self-perpetuating (jack) pots. Facetious Phil, aka Him Outdoors, regularly quips “I’m expecting Dolly e Sheep to appear any day now”. Bless. He still checks the fridge daily for random cold sausages (never nds any), so a serendipitous sheep would make his carnivorous day.

For compost, forget forking out on those bicepsbusting bags. Less onerous, cheaper and another bogof bene t – collect your used tea and co ee grounds (a spoonful of instant doesn’t quite hack it). Welsh grown Peterston leaves or Paned Cymreig and Dwyfor teabags are both perfect starter-cultures and I have pots

proliferating in both Dwyfor’s and Anglesey’s Cu edIn co ee. A er cutting Phil’s hair (a lockdown legacy), in go his nitrogen-rich cuttings to the “co -tea” mix, yielding another fringe bene t (sori!) - abundantly hairy-bottomed onions. Propagation-perfect. No garden? Try your spuds in a good ol’ cardboard box or even a ventilated bin bag. Takeaway last weekend? Use those tubs – especially the teensy condiment ones, before pricking out. Yes, that is a go-to gardening term.

ere are some caveats. My harvests can lean towards scanty - and supplement rather than replace our shopbought hauls. “It’s like feeding the Borrowers”, opines Feed-Me Phil. Conversely, I grew so many cucumbers one year, our garden entered tri d-territory and my younger daughter developed a nasty case of cucurbitophobia. She hasn’t consumed a ciwcymbr since.

Re the spuddies, bona de horticulturalists counsel against my spud-eye method, warning that it can spread crop diseases. Hands up, I have had a few scabby blighters, but the bu -coloured bewts more than compensate, as do the random rubies I occasionally unearth. My tomatoes, invariably grown from the Saver supermarket varieties, are sweeter, juicier and more lycopene-vibrant than their cut-price progenitors. Bonus (red) balls, galore.

An incorrigible turophile, I’m even making my own cheese. I gamely join the Yellow Sticker brigade to bag some reduced milk, add lemon juice or white wine vinegar whilst heating, before hanging the curds in muslin for an hour. Bingo! Cracking cream or cottagey cheese - for a song.

I can hear the naysayers a-braying: who has time for all this? Answer: most of us. Just nuke the Net ixbingeing, navel-gazing and the nailbar visits. Over 40% of us now w a few days a week – so replace your splitends-examining, TikTok-time-wasting breaks with just minutes of saved-seeds sowing. It will ll your heart, not to mention your pockets, seeing your investment grow. And, the biggest bonus for all menopausal gals, it more than ticks the (pro) creative box. So, happy seeding everyone, especially all placcy nail wearers. It really is time to grow your own.

Delicious Crispy Crunchy Gluten Free Crackers, Baked In CRADOCS

New GF Bakery. Find CRADOCS at All The BEST Places. Delis, Cafes, Cheese Emporiums and Specialists, Cheese Mongers, On-line, Garden Centres, Grazing Tables, Hampers or ORDER right here, right Now, with this hard working discerning Clever- Wholesaler, Stocking the whole Hand - Made Net Zero Carbon Range www.cradocssavourybiscuits.co.uk

Hold the front page

All Roads Lead to the Royal Welsh

The Royal Welsh Show returns to Llanelwedd from July 21-24, offering its signature mix of livestock competitions, equestrian events, and rural crafts alongside a spectacular showcase of Welsh food and drink.

At the Food Hall, over eighty producers will present Wales’ finest culinary offerings from artisanal cheeses to craft spirits. With improved visitor flow, guests can engage directly with producers and sample local delicacies—from Carmarthenshire charcuterie to Anglesey Sea Salt.

The popular Gwledd/Feast area provides a festival atmosphere with diverse street food and entertainment, perfect for relaxing between viewing the show’s 7,000+ livestock entries and browsing hundreds of trade stands.

The Royal Welsh Showground in Builth Wells welcomes visitors daily with advance tickets available online www.rwas.wales/royal-welsh

Wrexham Lager Toast Historic Promotion

Wrexham Lager Beer Co (www.wrexhamlager.com), the oldest lager brand in the UK and now under the co-ownership of Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds, is toasting the success of its sister brand Wrexham AFC after an historic third promotion in a row.

Amidst the celebrations, Wrexham Lager was pictured in the co-owners’ and players’ hands across major news outlets, with cooler boxes of the Welsh lager providing ample opportunities for the players and staff to soak in the success.

The club’s triumph and recent acquisition of the brewery by McElhenney and Reynolds has provided exponential visibility and growth for the lager brand, which is set to feature more on the next season of Welcome to Wrexham.

What’s Cooking Down on the Waterfront?

A lively atmosphere, plus a vibrant mix of street food from Pembrokeshire and South West Wales catering for every taste is guaranteed at the Milford Waterfront Weekender (www.milfordwaterfront.co.uk/milfordwaterfront-weekender), which takes place from Friday, August 8 until Sunday, August 10 at Mackerel Quay, Milford Haven – entry being free!

Boasting a varied selection of local crafts and goods, the Weekender offers the perfect opportunity to explore and take home something special produced by traders such as Martha’s Vineyard Bar, The Cheesy

Cow, Get Loaded and the Pembrokeshire Cheesecake Co. So, mark your calendar for a not-to-be-missed weekend of food, fun and good vibes at Milford Waterfront – organisers cannot wait to greet you at this delightfully tranquil waterfront setting!

A Good Move Down at Goodsheds

Grounds For Good (www.groundsforgood.co.uk), the social enterprise start-up business embracing the beneficial powers of re-used coffee grounds or their powerhouse extracts, are planning to establish a shop at Goodsheds in Barry where they will be selling their full range – food & drink and homewares – all from upcycled coffee grounds.

“The shop will also allow us to do ‘click n collect’ from our webshop orders for local customers,” says owner Rosie Oretti. “This is our first retail space and it’s a big leap forward from our current e-commerce which will continue. Goodsheds is an ideal spot to ‘cut our teeth’ – it is well established as a place to visit with good footfall.

“The space offers dining, drinking, retail all in one –we didn’t want to risk opening on a high street until we have had more retail experience. The lease is for 12 months – so fingers crossed!”

Brewery Strikes a Purple Patch

Purple Moose Brewery (www.purplemoose.co.uk), based in the historic harbour town of Porthmadog, are celebrating 20 years in business by giving their entire range a fresh new look, with craft cans celebrating the adventurous activities Wales has to offer. The new-look range will be released gradually through the year as current stock clears.

Founded by Lawrence Washington, and still the same family business today at the same location, Purple Moose opened their doors on June 14, 2005. Famous for their exceptional taste and quality, their beers (‘Brewed with love and passion using entirely UKmalted barley and water from the hills of Snowdonia’) have won over 100 major awards and range from refreshing pale ales and zingy, hoppy IPAs to deep and delicious dark bitters and stouts.

Staff are also celebrating their birthday with the release of Opulence, both versions, rum and whiskey aged, for three months.

Castell Howell Support Bid ‘To Make Allergy History’

Castell Howell (www.castellhowellfoods.co.uk) have launched a three-year strategic partnership with The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation, the UK’s food allergy charity, helping to support the organisation’s goal to #MakeAllergyHistory. MD Matt Lewis says:

www.daisybankdairy.com

www.trefaldwyn-cheese.com

Cinnamon Grove is a small family-owned Distillery situated in the heart of beautiful

Recognised as Pembrokeshire’s first gin distillery, we create wonderful, unique, handcrafted premium Gins vodkas and Rums using fresh fruits and pure well water from a well at the farm.

Tours of the distillery and tastings are offered in the Gin barn at the Distillery.

Products and can be seen, sampled and purchased at the distillery shop every Thursday and Friday and most food festivals and shows around Pembrokeshire.

Cinnamon Grove, Farm Old Hakin Rd, Haverfordwest SA61 1XG 07946 906309 www.cinnamongrovegin.co.uk

Pembrokeshire west Wales at Cinnamon Grove farm

Beautiful Welsh organic cultured butter, traditionally churned from free range organic cream

Award winning bold creamy blue and ruby soft cheeses from Montgomeryshire

“As a family business that supplies the education and health sectors as well as the hospitality industry, food safety particularly allergen clarity is essential to our operation and supply chain, which is why we are supporting the Foundation to help them ful l their ambition to make allergy history.’’

e Natasha Allergy Research Foundation was founded in 2019 by Tanya and Nadim EdnanLaperouse a er their daughter Natasha died aged 15 from a severe allergic reaction to sesame seeds that were baked into the dough of a baguette. e label on the packaging didn’t include this ingredient and they were invisible to the naked eye.

Matt adds: “Natasha’s story matters because no-one should ever lose their life because of the food they eat. It’s important the food industry continues to put every e ort into making a di erence and partnering with e Natasha Allergy Research Foundation is key for Castell Howell.’’

Do Goodly Dip into Tesco

Do Goodly (www.dogoodlyfoods.com), the Cross Hands-based business set up with the bold aim of creating a range of ‘deliciously di erent plant-based products with real purpose’ – have unveiled a brandnew range of chef-cra ed, plant-based dips that have just launched in nearly two hundred Tesco stores across Britain.

And at the heart of the line-up is a guacamole revolution. Forget standard avo mush – Do Goodly’s next-gen guac blends smashed green peas with creamy avocado for an unexpected protein kick.

Do Goodly – who donate 10 per cent of their pro ts to the Mind charity – have also re-invented houmous with a luxurious blend of cannellini beans and chickpeas, supercharged with sundried tomatoes and basil.

Distillery Staff Show a Lotta Bottle

Sta at a West Wales distillery have gone to great lengths to raise money for the Wales Air Ambulance by swapping stills for sports shoes to walk, jog or run 13.68 miles around their site, situated at a former pub ve miles north of Cardigan.

In e Welsh Wind (www.inthewelshwind.co.uk) took part in the ‘Helicopter Half’ to support the life-saving work of the Wales Air Ambulance Charity, which provides emergency air cover across the country. “We wanted to do something a little di erent and very personal,” explains CEO Ellen Wakelam.

Cygnet 77: A New Standard in Sipping Gin

Launched on World Earth Day during a visionary discussion on sustainability and luxury between Harrods MD Michael Ward and Cygnet co-founder Andrew Levitas, Cygnet 77 marks a bold evolution in luxury gin.

Born from the award-winning Cygnet 22, this re ned expression is aged for 55 weeks in Welsh whisky oak barrels with Manuka honey, the brand’s signature botanical, adding complexity and depth to its celebrated silky-smooth mouthfeel and lingering nish. Unveiling a gin designed to be savoured, notes of orange blossom and chamomile unfold delicately, nishing in a warm, honeyed linger that begs to be enjoyed on the rocks, as guests discovered at the exclusive launch event during the world’s rst tasting, led by award-winning writer and spirits expert Joel Harrison.

Following an exclusive debut at Harrods, Cygnet 77 is rede ning luxury sipping gin with a sustainable soul and is available across luxury retail and online from RRSP £129 44% ABV. Discover a spirit cra ed not just to drink, but to be savoured.

Olympic athlete shares her love of Welsh red meat

Your Food and Drink Industry Needs You!

A campaign to raise awareness of the career opportunities within the food and drink industry in Wales and challenge perceptions of careers in this eld has been launched. e Sgiliau Bwyd a Diod Cymru/Food & Drink Skills Wales Programme is a Welsh Government-funded programme committed to working with the food and drink industry to develop a skilled and capable workforce.

Blas ar Fwyd (www.blasarfwyd.com), the renowned family-owned business in North Wales, are supporting the launch of the new online Jobs Noticeboard as part of a broader recruitment drive aimed at attracting passionate individuals to join the thriving sector.

A series of new red meat recipes have been cra ed for health-conscious consumers by elite Welsh athlete Adelé Nicoll.

Between her strict training regime with team GB, the champion bobslayer has been busy in the kitchen, creating nutritious Welsh Lamb and Welsh Beef dishes with promotion agency, Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC). Also a champion shotputter, the international athlete is a strong advocate for healthy lifestyles and understands the importance of consuming red meat as part of a balanced diet.

Originally from Welshpool, Adelé is working towards becoming the rst British athlete to secure a medal at both the summer and winter Olympics. She says: “Having been raised in rural mid-Wales, I’ve seen rst-hand how Welsh Lamb and Welsh Beef is

sustainably reared in unique, untouched landscapes, using traditional farming techniques, which ensures the highest standards from farm to fork. at’s why I’m passionate about supporting local produce.”

HCC teamed up with Adelé during her successful Iron Wo(man) campaign back in October 2024. To help raise awareness of red meat as a key source of iron and other essential vitamins and minerals, Adelé emulated the iconic Ironman triathlon by completing her own series of events, cooking three wholesome Welsh Lamb dishes. Her latest recipes include ‘Welsh Beef tacos’ which she posted on social media to tie-in with Great British Beef Week. Look out for others over the coming weeks!

HCC’s Liz Hunter, Digital Marketing Executive said: “It’s great to be working with Adelé to highlight the nutritional qualities of red meat. She is a great role model to young females in particular, who require a higher level of iron in their diets. If you can’t wait for Adelé’s dishes to appear on social media, go to www.eatwelshlambandwelshbeef.com for hundreds of mouthwatering recipes.

Mead: The Original Wedding Drink

As the world’s oldest alcoholic beverage, mead has been a part of weddings and celebrations for thousands of years. Cra ed by fermenting honey with water,

o en enhanced with fruits or spices, mead has marked life’s most important moments and has played a role in celebrating the start of married life for countless couples. And, fascinatingly, it’s the inspiration for the term ‘honeymoon’. Newlyweds were traditionally presented with mead to be enjoyed every evening for a full lunar cycle a er their wedding, to promote happiness, fertility, and good fortune in their marriage.

Today, mead is enjoying a resurgence as an alternative to traditional wedding drinks like champagne, re ecting a desire for natural, sustainable options made from local ingredients, alongside a wish to reconnect with ancient traditions and for something di erent. Mead’s versatility is one of its greatest strengths. Available in styles ranging from sparkling and oral to rich and spiced, mead pairs well with a wide variety of menus and seasons. Whether served as a welcome drink, a toast during speeches, alongside dessert or cheese, poured on draught from the bar, or given as a thoughtful gi to guests, mead ts seamlessly into every part of a wedding celebration.

Finding authentic mead can sometimes be a challenge. If you’re considering mead for a special occasion, look for products brewed with 100% honey from specialist producers like Hive Mind Mead in Caldicot, rather than mass-market options that o en contain sugar-sweetened white wine. For couples seeking a meaningful and memorable beverage for their wedding, mead truly is the original wedding drink.

Welsh Beef fillet surf and turf

Prep time: 30mins

Cook time: 20mins

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 2 fillets of PGI Welsh Beef

• 100g good quality fresh prawns, peeled and washed

• Handful of parsley, finely chopped

• Salt

• A few knobs of unsalted butter

• 4-5 cloves of garlic, minced or finely chopped

• Handful of pickled shallots, finely sliced

• Handful of tender broccoli greens (leaves), or other leaves such as spinach or kale

Method

1. Sprinkle the steaks with salt on both sides and add to a hot, oiled frying pan. After a few minutes flip them over and transfer the steaks to a low temperature oven (around 100ºC / 80ºC fan / Gas 1) to cook for another 5 minutes for medium-rare (or to your preference). Leave the steak to rest in a warm place once cooked to your liking.

2. Make garlic butter for the prawns by heating the butter in a pan, adding the garlic and cooking together for about 5 minutes until the garlic is very soft. Remove from the heat and, only once it has stopped boiling, add the prawns to the warm mixture as well as the parsley, and let them gently cook in the residual heat.

3. Reheat and chargrill the steaks for added flavour and crispiness by placing the steaks on a barbeque or grill for a few seconds.

4. To serve, slice the steaks into 5 or 6 pieces each and add a pinch of salt. Pile the broccoli greens or leaves in the centre of the plate and top with the steaks – the residual heat from the steaks will lightly poach the leaves. Spoon the garlic butter prawns on top of the steaks and dot a few pickled shallots over the dish to finish.

By Gareth Ward

www.eatwelshlambandwelshbeef.com www.ynyshir.co.uk

Welsh Lamb Saddle with Black Garlic and Mushrooms

Prep time: 40mins

Cook time: 1hr

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1/2 PGI Welsh Lamb saddle

Grilled Maitake

• 1 Bunch of maitake mushrooms

• 25g Unsalted butter

• Sea salt to season

Potato Pressing (make the day before)

• 5 good-sized Maris Piper potatoes

• 100g Unsalted butter, melted

• Sea salt to season

Dashi Stock (for the ketchup – make the day before)

• 250ml of cold water

• 25g Katsuobushi flakes

• 20g Dried kombu seaweed

Garlic Ketchup

• 3 Bulbs of black garlic

• 250g Dashi stock

• 2g Agar agar

• 100g Rice vinegar

• 50g Caster sugar

Lamb Dressing

• 100g Lamb mince

• 150g soy sauce

• 20g mirin

Method

Lamb Saddle:

1. Cut the lamb saddle to the size you need - a finger’s width of lamb saddle per portion.

2. Remove the outer membrane and score very lightly then blow torch to seal it

3. Place the saddle, with bone in for extra control, on the top racks of a BBQ, above a pile of embers sloped into a very small fire, turning regularly. Once the saddle has some heat in it, bring it down onto the grill to colour. Once coloured take the lamb back up to the top rack to rest. Aim for a temperature of 55°C-60°C using a probe

Dashi Stock:

1. Combine all the ingredients together in a large plastic container and leave in the fridge for 12 hours. Strain through a sieve and discard the katsuobushi and the kombu as the water has been infused and is now a stock.

Garlic Ketchup:

1. Mix the sugar and vinegar together and allow to dissolve.

2. Remove the skins from the garlic bulbs and heat in a saucepan with the dashi stock and agar agar. Bring to the boil and once boiled, put in the fridge to set.

3. Once set, blend with vinegar and sugar mix and add the soy sauce to a ketchup consistency.

4. Maitake Mushrooms:

5. Grill over the fire nice and slowly, with a little sunflower oil and sea salt.

6. Once soft, brush with butter and a little soy sauce for extra flavour.

Potato Pressing:

1. Wash and peel the potatoes, place in a mixing bowl and cover with a damp cloth

2. Slice the potatoes on a mandolin, very thinly and evenly. Layer the potatoes and thinly chopped garlic in a bread tin/ terrine mould, lined with greaseproof

paper, brushing regularly with melted butter and a small sprinkling of salt and garlic, until the tin is full.

3. Cover the top with a piece of greaseproof paper and a tightly wrapped sheet of tin foil

4. Place the pressing in an oven at 160°C for around 40-50 minutes or until soft when skewered. Remove from the oven and weigh the pressing down to get it to ‘stick together’ when cold using a small piece of wood cut to fit the terrine and oldfashioned scale weights or similar then leave for 12 hours minimum in the fridge to firm up.

5. Remove from the mould and portion into chunky chip sized strips. Place on a heavy skillet pan oven cook at 150°C until golden.

Lamb Dressing:

1. Place the lamb mince into a heavy bottom small saucepan and place onto a medium heat, for 20mins, stirring often until golden and full of flavour.

2. Add the soy sauce to the pan and remove from the heat. Allow this to sit for another 20 minutes and then strain off the lamb mince through a sieve and discard. Keep the infused soy sauce, which has now become a lamb sauce

3. Add the mirin to sweeten, place in a fridge until the excess fat has set, then remove and discard the layer of fat on the top of the sauce

4. When ready to serve, heat the sauce until warm, but not hot.

by Nathan Davies

Bao buns filled with roast pork belly, crackling, crispy kale and mustard dressing

Prep time: 1hr 30mins

Cook time: 2hrs

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 800g-1kg pork belly, unscored and an even thickness if possible

• 200g rock salt

• 20ml rice vinegar or cider vinegar

• 1 tsp Chinese five spice

• 1 tbsp onion powder

• 1 tsp black pepper

• 2 tbsp white sugar

• 1 tsp table salt

• 50ml Chinese cooking wine (or sherry or sweet wine)

For the bao buns – dry mix:

• 250g Chinese bapao flour (or plain flour), plus extra for dusting

• 1 tsp salt

• 20g caster sugar

• 8g baking powder

For the bao buns – wet mix:

• 25ml milk

• 110ml warm (not hot) water

• 15ml vegetable or sunflower oil

• 4g fast action dried yeast

To garnish:

• 80g kale for crisps

• 20ml oil

• ½ tsp chili flakes

• 60g carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks or coarse grated

• 50g ginger, peeled and cut into matchsticks or coarse grated

• 1 tbsp cider vinegar

• 50g mayonnaise

• 20g wholegrain mustard

• 1 tsp cracked black pepper

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tsp sugar

Method

1. At least 4 (preferably 12) hours before cooking, use a metal skewer or pointy knife to make a few hundred tiny holes (roughly 1mm deep) in the skin of the pork. Take care to pierce the skin only

2. Turn the pork belly upside down. Rub the flesh only with onion powder, Chinese five spice powder, sugar, table salt and pepper. Pat the pork skin dry with a paper towel.

3. Place the wine in a wide container in the bottom of the fridge then add the pork (flesh side down) and leave the skin to dry out for 4-12 hours, uncovered if possible.

4. To make the bao buns, mix the bao wet mix and leave until the yeast starts to bubble.

5. Sieve the bao dry mix ingredients into a dough machine mixing bowl, add the wet mix slowly and mix for 2 minutes on medium (or 4 minutes if mixing by hand). The dough should feel clammy - if it is sticky add a touch more flour or a small amount of water if it is dry. Then knead for 2 minutes on high (or 8 minutes by hand).

6. Shape the dough into a ball, coat lightly with oil and place in a bowl, covering it with a moist cloth. Leave to prove until it has doubled in size.

7. Preheat the oven to 130ºC / 110ºC fan / Gas 1. Mix the kale, oil and chili flakes on a tray and roast in the oven for 5 minutes, mix, then roast for another 5 minutes. Remove the kale once it’s crispy to touch, but before it goes brown. Once cool, sprinkle with salt to taste. Turn the oven up to 200ºC / 180ºC fan / Gas 6.

8. Place the pork into a large foil tray with edges slightly higher than the pork by roughly 2cm.

9. Dab the pork skin with a paper towel then brush 20ml vinegar onto the skin. Make

a rock salt crust on top of the skin by pressing the salt down gently to condense the crust. Place the pork parcel onto a baking tray and roast for 1¼ hours near the bottom of the oven.

10. Now make the bao garnishes. First mix the mayo, mustard and sugar, then set aside. Then mix the carrot, ginger, vinegar and salt, then set aside.

11. Take the bao dough onto a floured surface and divide into 50g pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, then roll into a circle – the dough should be 7-8mm thick. Brush the top with oil and then fold over. Place each bun onto a piece of parchment in a metal or bamboo steamer basket. Cover them with the lid and leave to prove for 30 minutes (don’t turn the steamer on yet!).

12. Remove the pork from the oven and remove from the foil parcel. Discard the crust and brush away all the salt that you can from the sides and top of the meat.

13. Turn the oven up to a medium high grill setting (or if you don’t have a grill, you can just turn the oven up very high to 240ºC / 220ºC fan / Gas 9).

14. Return the pork to the oven on the bottom shelf for 30-40 minutes or until cooked and golden.

15. Place your steamer on a pan of boiling water and steam your buns on a medium boil. Do not lift the lid on the steamer for about 15 minutes! Then leave your buns in the steamer on a low heat until you need them.

16. Remove the pork from the oven and slice it into 1cm thick slices.

17. To serve, fill the bao buns with the pork, ginger and carrot garnish and as much kale as you can fit in! Add the mustard mayo and sprinkle with cracked pepper.

by Bao Selecta

www.porcblasus.cymru www.baoselecta.co.uk

welshhomestead

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Food & Drink Reviews

Cinnamon Grove

Once in a while we come across a producer that epitomises all that’s special about Welsh food and drink - thoroughly rooted in its locale and run by people obsessed with their craft. Cinnamon Grove is one of those producers.

Cinnamon Grove is a farm (once owned by a local importer of cinnamon, hence the name), near Haverfordwest, that’s been in the same family for generations. It also happens to have a 300 year old well, which, in defiance of logic, the owners, Richard and Tracy, have kept going. Good job they did, as they now use its wonderfully pure, soft water, filtered through rock for decades before reaching the well, as the basis of an exceptional range of small batch, hand crafted, artisan spirits that includes various rums, vodkas and gins. We tried three.

First up was a delightfully crisp Pink Vodka. Whilst it had vodka’s trademark pure alcohol taste, the overwhelming impression is one of a lovely soft mouthfeel quite unlike most vodkas, allowing the flavour of real raspberry and strawberry to take centre stage, being sharp, gently sweet and fragrant all at the same time. The Spiced Rum was also a masterclass in smoothness, with an abundance of orange peel and cloves on the nose, the added warmth of cinnamon sitting over deep, rich molasses notes on the palette and a finish of yet more cinnamon and cloves. Their Cucumber and Mint Gin was another triumph, perhaps the biggest – smooth and oh so fresh, with juniper, cucumber and mint a perfect combo as they waft over, around and on your tastebuds. We can’t

think of a gin more perfect for the summer. All three were a joy and bode well for the rest of the range, and fully justify a visit should you be in the area, or even if you’re not!

www.cinnamongrovegin.co.uk

Aber Falls Madeira Cask Single Malt Whisky

While many whisky distillers north of the border are having a tough time, Aber Falls continues to buck the trend with strong sales and solid visitor numbers. Having set out to produce North Wales’ first whisky in 100 years, the Abergwyngregyn-based distillery’s fortunes look set to improve further, with the recent award of PGI status to Welsh Whisky and now the launch of their Madeira Cask edition.

Historically, I’ve had mixed feelings on sherry cask whiskies, being a bit of an oak or peat fan. Since Madeira is a close relative of sherry, I was a little sceptical. Aber Falls Madeira Cask has blown me away though. Its deep golden colour entices you in but it’s the nose of caramelised toffee, autumnal fruits and heady heather honey that closes the deal - it’s just spectacularly good. On the palette it delivers on the promise, being deep and complex with hints of orange, liquorice and black pepper added to the mix. The finish stays with these themes but is slightly dryer initially but as it lingers the honey edges back in. Sublime stuff and one that’ll be a drinks cabinet stalwart.

www.aberfallsdistillery.com

Colliers Spreadable Cheese

Fed up with bland spreadable cheese? Do you long for something with a bit more oomph? Well, Colliers have the answer. Colliers set out 20 years ago to reimagine the robust, full flavoured cheddar cheeses that were once popular amongst the Welsh mining communities of South Wales, in which its founder was raised. And now, they’re on a mission to apply their knowledge and expertise to the humble spreadable, to create something genuinely worthy of its cheddar monicker.

Using Colliers Powerful Extra Mature cheese as the core ingredient, the result is a rich, nutty and pleasant tang, that’s extremely moreish. It’s a spreadable so it won’t quite hit the ‘robusts’ heights of a block of Collier’s but it comes a lot closer to the punchiness of a good cheddar than most spreadable cheeses we’ve ever tried and is a world away from the plasticky stuff that most of us have grown up with. It works well as a sandwich addition, with salmon or ham. And it’s perfect on toast, crackers or your finger!

www.collierscheese.com

Hive Mind Honeyade – Part 2

Here’s a lovely success story. Monmouthshire based Hivemind’s recently launched sparkling soft-drink, Honeyade, has proven so popular that founders Kit and Matt have added two new flavours to the range already. It seems that the combination of Hivemind’s efforts to reinvent honey-based drinks for a new generation (or two), the provenance of their produce, which uses real honey, some of it from their own bees, with no nasty additives, and the health benefits of honey over sugar has really caught the zeitgeist. Add in the stunning taste of their original ‘Just Honey’ and ‘Lime & Mint’ and it’s no wonder there’s demand for more Honeyade flavours. So, we now also have Rhubarb & Ginger and Strawberry & Basil. Both have the subtle but unmistakeable taste of honey at their heart but head off in different directions. The R&G’s distinctive and sharp rhubarb contrasts perfectly with the delicate sweetness of the honey, with both elevated to another level by a warming, spicy kick of ginger, to give a real buzz. The S&B is a different creature. The herby and slightly floral basil combines with the sweet/tart honey and strawberry combo to produce a wonderfully decadent summer vibe - think Wimbledon and croquet on the lawn and you’re on track. The set of four work together brilliantly to cover all the bases – mellow, refreshing, invigorating, and indulgent. Take your pick to suit your mood – you really can’t go wrong, they’re all utterly brilliant.

www.hivemindmead.com

Mamgu Welshcakes

We’ve always loved a welshcake, hot off Aunty Pat’s bakestone or the griddle in the indoor market. Totally traditional…. But are they? Mamgu’s, based out west in St David’s & Saundersfoot have taken the humble welshcake and given it a twist. Hand mixed, rolled and baked, their traditional welshcake is an exemplar; soft, succulent cake with just the right amount of spice and fruit, delicious, as expected. But it was their crazy creations that we were most excited to try. Available online we enjoyed them at home. Without a bakestone (call us Welsh foodies) we warmed them in the toaster and it worked a treat. First the orange and cranberry; the same gorgeous dense texture as the traditional, but this time with sweet, zesty, deep marmaladey citrussness. Then the InTheWelshWind Gin infused welshcake. What a triumph! A gentle lemony crunch from the icing. Tender welshcake beneath. The whole tasting of juniper and bittersweet tonic, left us licking our lips. And onto that next West Walian combo, this time Mamgu and Barti-Spiced Rum – another marriage made in heaven. We loved those wintery clove & cinnamon spices and the warm round rum tones all wrapped up in a welshcake. And finally, La Mexicana, іAy Caramba! What a blast! Intensely savoury cheese with a spicy peppery chilli kick. We loved ‘em. Banging welshcakes Mamgu!

mamguwelshcakes.com

Coco Pzazz: Art-isan truffles

Artisan chocolate has always been the ultimate indulgence. However, recent cutting-edge research has shown that if we choose a superior product, chocolate is not only delicious, but also good for our health, as it is choc-a-block full of polyphenols. But for Coco Pzazz, based in Llanidloes, health and deliciousness is not enough, they have ensured that their chocolates are ethically sourced and created in harmony with the environment, even supporting the communities in Ecuador and Ghana who grow their beans.

So, full-marks for credentials, but what of the chocolates themselves? We sampled Coco Pzazz’s handmade truffles. Each beautifully designed cardboard box held eight exquisite truffles, rolled in pure dark cocoa. We started boozy, with the Barti Spiced Rum Truffles, crisp outside and filled with rich, smooth ganache; deliciously warm, heady and sumptuous. And then tried the Aberfalls Whisky Truffles. The same harmonious texture combination, but this time darker and woodier, with a gorgeously lingering sophistication. On to the Apple. We hadn’t known quite what to make of appley chocolate, but are total converts. The creamy, zingy apple curd lent the truffles a cinnamon, spiciness that superbly complemented the chocolate, making us dive back in for more. And finally, the classic, Salted Caramel. We knew we would love these, and indeed we did. Crisp, smooth, sweet, salty, and totally chocolately. We love the way that Coco Pzazz have taken a global product and made it truly Welsh using local ingredients such as Crwst’s Caramel & Welsh Lady Preserves. These truffles would of course make a beautiful gift, but you would need to love someone an awful lot to part with a box!

cocopzazz.co.uk

SipSyrup

As regular TB readers will know we are confirmed coffee enthusiasts and love that quality coffee is now widely available across Wales. At home, we mostly enjoy our coffee as it comes, but when we’re out and about we will sometimes treat ourselves to a cheeky flavoured latte or in this hot weather, to an iced coffee. However, we’ve found that the syrups cafés use can sometimes be overly sweet and are often artificial tasting, which is particularly disappointing when paired with a superior coffee. We were therefore delighted to be given the chance to try SipSyrups, a new range of coffee syrups, made by none other than Cardigan based, Crwst, entirely from natural ingredients. We tried all three flavours, each presented in a cool, recyclable aluminium bottle. Vanilla first, hot in a latte. As promised the syrup lent a light, gentle sweetness to the drink, with subtly smooth vanilla tones (courtesy of Madagascan vanilla pods) and with no saccharine aftertaste to impair the flavour of our good quality coffee. Next up we went for the hazelnut, again in a latte. Slightly more robust than the vanilla, this added a deep nuttiness to the drink that was almost spicy and very moreish. Finally, we cooled

things down with a caramel iced coffee. This was a total treat, with beautifully rounded dark toffee and vanilla low notes, accentuated by the merest hint of seasalt (courtesy of Halon Môn). The ultimate caramel iced coffee. To see just how pure SipSyrups are, check out how few ingredients are used in their production. No wonder Crwst have ditched those artificial syrups in their café. And we are so pleased that we can now recreate their café vibe using SipSyrups at home.

sipsyrup.co.uk

Daisy Bank Dairy Salted Organic Cultured Butter

From the people behind stunning Trefaldwyn Blue cheese comes a first for Wales, French style cultured butter. For those in the know, and I wasn’t until recently, cultured butter is widely seen as a pinnacle of butter making, thanks to its deep and complex flavour, wonderful texture and sense of luxury. You have to start with the best quality cream – and the cream Daisy Bank Dairy use is second to none, coming from their own family-run organic dairy in the lush pastures of Montgomeryshire. And then the magic happens. Lacto acid bacteria is added to the cream to start a fermentation process that creates something similar to crème fraiche, which is then churned to make butter. It’s a lengthier and more complicated process, but worth it - Daisy Bank’s Cultured butter is like nothing you’ve ever tasted before.

There’s a wonderful artisanal, handmade feel to its shape and packaging while the deep yellow colour hints at the velvety richness to come, which it duly does in bucketfuls. It’s soft and light straight from the fridge, spreading easily, and with a very slight foamy feeling on the tongue as it melts. Then the taste hits you. Layers of gentle tang sit over a much more pronounced creamy butter flavour than we’re used to, capped off with a pitch-perfect amount of salt. It really is a magical sensory experience, and if I were a restaurant owner with aspirations, or simply wanted to have the most amazing butter to put on my table, I’d beat a path to Daisy Bank Dairy.

www.daisybankdairy.com

Purple Moose Opulence 20th Birthday Gift Set

They were pioneers in 2005 at the dawn of ‘craft’ ale. Fast-forward 20 years and they’re stronger than ever and want to shout about their 20th birthday. And boy are they shouting, with a very special 20th Birthday ‘Opulence’ gift set that includes a commemorative glass, a keychain bottle opener and, stars of the show, two bottles of Opulence, one aged in Barbados rum barrels, the other in Penderyn whisky. Opulent, by name and nature, they’re 12 and 13% ABV, which is barley wine/old ale territory, which comes through in the taste – the base beer is delectably rich, slightly fruity and pleasantly malted. But the real magic is in the aging for 3 mouth. The whisky barrel imparts

gentle, inimitable, whisky notes with added spice, subtle sweetness and a Christmassy fruit finish. The rum is subtly different. It also has a wow factor but brings rum’s trademark molasses spirit edge, is slightly drier, with a hint of coconut and tropical fruits and a vanilla finish. Both are exceptional.

As a real ale fanboy of longstanding, I have mixed feelings about how they’d be most appreciated. On the one hand, I think they’d be best savoured by aficionados - those who can truly appreciate just how special they are. But then, I haul myself in, and stop being a beer snob. It would be an injustice if they weren’t experienced by all and sundry, as they’re such a great advertisement for how wonderful, good beer can be.

www.purplemoose.co.uk

Morgan’s Brew Tea and Mountain Mead’s ‘Hywel Dda’ Tea Blended Mead

Welshpool’s Morgan’s Brew Tea and Tregarth based Mountain Mead have teamed up to create something rather special. As one of the oldest and most versatile drinks, mead lends itself to novel ideas, and two of Wales’ finest artisan producers have combined to exploit this trait by blending fine teas from Morgan’s Brew with authentic mead crafted from real honey. These are not infusions, done after the mead has been made - to fully integrate and impart the teas’ flavours, the teas are added prior to fermentation. Once fermented, the mead is then strained and bottled.

Hedge Row, as the name suggests, uses a blend of traditional British herbal teas including nettle, sage, mint and fennel. It’s delightfully aromatic, with honey to the fore and rounded genteel herby notes with a floral finish. Cardigan Caravan, we assume inspired by merchant routes to China, uses fragrant Oolong Green Tea and Lapsang Souchong to create a heady, intense mead with alluring smokiness and a grassy finish. Lastly, there’s Oriental Cherry. A fruity, floral explosion that sits between the other two in terms of intensity, with lashings of rosehip and hibiscus balanced by the sweet sharpness of cranberry and cherry. All three are great examples of what can be achieved with remarkable ingredients by passionate, creative people with equally remarkable talent, and worth climbing the highest mountain for.

www.morgansbrewtea.co.uk

A FAMILY BUSINESS THAT’S PASSIONATELY WELSH

“As a company we’re committed to championing food and drink businesses of every scale situated across the entirety of Wales.

We take immense pride in being an integral part of this hugely important sector within the Welsh economy, and look forward to being part of their exciting journey.”

BRIAN

JONES, Founder & Chairman

£51.7m* invested in Welsh suppliers 11.34m* units of Welsh stock bought 35%* of all stock is Welsh

*1st April 23 to 31st March 24

Spicing it Up

Myfanwy

Alexander

Lengthening days generate a restlessness; we’re exploring, planning trips to unknown places and that inquisitive spirit abounds in the kitchen. So, in my quest for a bit of zing, I have been exploring Welsh providers of strong avour.

Just over the hill from me, the Pili-Pala Farm are using regenerative methods to grow garlic, more readily Med than Meifod. ey are using regenerative methods to grow a variety of bulbs, both hardneck and so neck. ough the erce complexity of hardneck varieties have lots of appeal, the so neck keep better, their tangy sweetness makes them versatile. e south-facing slopes of the site in Cwm Nant y Mechaid particularly favour the violet so neck, o en grown in southern France. is year, those people investing in the unique share scheme where the dividend is paid in garlic, will be watching the post eagerly for their annual parcel of sweet and sticky bulbs, usually dispatched in July.

And edge is always in plentiful supply from the team at Chilli of the Valley, who create a variety of products adaptable enough to generate just the right level of warmth. Dan recommends adding a dash of their Reaper Pickle to banish blandness from your curry but also suggests mixing it with cooling yoghurt to experience the breadth of avour if you are thinking of dipping a poppadom in it. ey’ve recently picked up a Bronze award for that red-hot jar at the National Chilli Awards, together with a slew of other prizes, including a coveted Gold for the gloriously named ose Damn Crows Wake Up Ketchup. For versatility, I’m a fan of their Chilli Jam Drizzler: I spread a generous layer on the second side of a steak before grilling and it makes a crunchy, caramellised crust which is tasty out of all proportion to how easy it is to prepare. It also gives a dreary dressing reason to live: if you toss halved plum tomatoes in a balsamic and olive oil mixture with a good dollop of chilli jam in it, not only do you get a snappy salad but can sloosh any remains on chicken as a marinade.

At least as hot as Chilli of the Valley are the Africaninspired Goch and Co. ‘Goch’ is , appropriately, the Swahili word for barbeque and close enough to the Welsh for ‘red’- what is a mutation amongst friends? At their base not far from the National Trust’s Erddig, they produce avoured oils, sauces and chilli jams, many with a distinctive fruity twist. If you like to go warm not hot, their Exotic Citrusy Chilli Jam brings a lot of orange to the party. It’s great on a cheese board and I have stirred it through a creamy custard to make a Chilli Ripple Ice Cream, an eccentric avour choice but fun to try. Another fruit-based winner from Goch and Co is their Apple Chilli Sauce which makes an ideal dip for dunking snack-sized sausages and is also a great glaze, especially on pork chops, elevating everyday meat and a show-stopper on a quality cut. It’s also lovely with halloumi.

Still thinking of matters African and leaping like a springbok over the boerewors sausage from Mortons butchers in Cross Hands, I had the best tajine of my life the other evening, cooked by a friend who is a busy woman but knows her lamb. I never know if it is proper party manners to ask for tips over the dinner table but she puts great store by the quality of the dried fruit used. ere is a world of di erence between the pu y, lurid things sometimes available and fruit which has been allowed to dry gently, retaining depth of avour and texture. e worst of these are the syruplled neon botoxed apricots which say tanning salon not the Maghreb. Better choices are available in Wales’ many treasured wholefood shops: ‘ e Spice of Life’ in Roath stock hunza apricots whose to ee fruitiness go beautifully with lamb, and also sell angelica for all your 70s novelty desserts: pear mice, anyone?

With so many inspirational extras here for us in Wales, we have no excuse not to have a long hot summer, in the kitchen, if not on the beach.

Harissa Welsh Lamb koftas