Celebrating great food and drink in Wales
Winter 2025
Wales tackles climate change
SOCKING
Great Welsh gifts for foodies
Jon Gower knows where to go for one HUNGRY
Gou-lashings of taste from Monika
We have the dubious pleasure of living in uncertain times. Our natural environment is under threat and the world order seems to be in a state of ux, nding it increasingly di cult to agree on some very complex issues, particularly around climate change. It’s all rather worrying.
What’s reassuring is that Wales, despite its size, is leading the way on battling climate change. It was one of the rst countries in the world to declare a climate emergency and also to place sustainability at the heart of policy-making. Food and drink, as both a signi cant contributor to climate change and as a sector at risk to the consequences, is core to this strategy. Luckily, Wales already has a head start, with a pristine coastline, a moderate climate, a low-intensity farming culture, great pro-active producers and a supportive government and great progress continues to be made. In this issue we look in detail at the e orts being made by the Welsh food and drink sector to reduce its carbon footprint, to sign up to B Corp status (the environmental benchmark for sustainable companies) and to adapt to climate change – did you know Wales, alongside Germany, is one of only two countries in
Europe to o er fully funded Climate Adaptation and Resilience Training? at’s something to be proud of, and shows Wales continues to lead the way, setting a great example to the world.
e future may be uncertain, and we, quite correctly, need to do all we can to minimise risks. But at the same time, we still need to enjoy life. With that in mind, and of course with Christmas approaching, what better time to enjoy some wonderful Welsh food and drink and our reviews section is stu ed to the ra ers with wonderful new produce, guaranteed to make your mouth water. Elsewhere, we’ve got some corker ideas for Christmas presents and we have Jon Gower and Myfanwy Alexander charming us with their intellect and wit. We hope you enjoy reading them. And we hope you enjoy the festive season. Nadolig Llawen from all at taste.blas.
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Contributors: Jon Gower, Myfanwy Alexander, 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.
I once travelled all the way across Tanzania, from Dares-Salaam to Lake Tangyanika, dining on local fare as I went. e trip included a meeting with a witchdoctor who managed to show me my at in Cardi in a glass of water and I swear it wasn’t a trick or clever case of auto-suggestion. I also remember the many delicious African meals served in tin shack restaurants lit by para n lamps.
ose memories came back in a great Zambezi ood when I recently visited Onja, Wales’ rst Tanzanian restaurant, which served luscious lamb chops avoured with cloves, cinnamon and cardamom as well as starchy African staples such as cassava, served here in the form of muhogo squares.
Which got me thinking about the number of countries represented in Welsh restaurants and how they shed light on parts of the country’s history, including the recent past which has seen Ukrainian cafes open in Wrexham and on Caerphilly railway station. It’s like a veritable United Nations out there, what with the Greek Ouzo and Olive in Caernarfon, and Turkish places such as Anka’s on Bangor High Street, not to mention the hundreds of Bangladeshi restaurants normally described as Indian.
Travel across the atlas. You can go Caribbean in Ceredigion, appreciating ackee and salt sh in Mama Fay’s in Aberystwyth or enjoy French cuisine in Paysanne in Deganwy. ere’s Sri Lankan in Swansea’s Banana Leaf, banga soup and ayamassa in our Cameroonian and Nigerian eateries as well as Moldavian and Romanian fare in Newport’s Salt and Pepper Tavern. Mind you, with the UN being made up of 193 sovereign states we still have a way to go!
While much of this is urban and city-based for obvious reasons, there are also interesting pockets of ethnic food in the Welsh countryside. Brecon’s small but visible community of Nepalese people is made up of those settled here – in total about 70 families – and those temporarily stationed here as they undergo infantry training with the British Army. e town duly sports a restaurant called Ghurka Corner, which, be tting its location in the heart of the sheep country of Bannau Brycheinog National Park, includes lamb
and nettle curry on the menu, along with Everest samosas, which presumably climb the culinary heights.
Cardi ’s Yemeni population is considered to be one of the oldest Arab and Muslim communities in the UK. With Yemen’s port of Aden coming under British control in 1839, the city was used a strategic coal refuelling station for British ships bound for India.
Yemenis, used to the scorching heat of ports such as Aden, worked as stokers in the engine rooms and as sailors on the ships, transporting resources to and from Britain. ey arrived in the Welsh capital as early as 1862, with many settling in Butetown to work in the docks and on the railways. Nowadays, there are Yemeni families of ve generations who have settled in Cardi and it follows that there are Yemeni restaurants such as e South Kitchen in Roath. Meanwhile the Somali settlement of south-east Wales, the oldest such community in Britain, is evidenced by restaurants such as Hadramout, Ayeeyo’s and Haraf in Grangetown, with their menus in English and Arabic.
Now, not many people know about the links between Wales and Georgia (that’s the one in Transcaucasia, not the United States) and in particular those between Newport, Gwent and the Georgian city of Kutaisi. A er all, it’s most unlikely to come up as a question in Trivial Pursuit.
e opening of a new restaurant, Genatsvale, in the heart of Cardi has brought a new lexicon of food words to the capital, including pkhali – an array of vegetable pâtés mixed with walnut paste; ojakhuri, panfried pork or lamb and, last but not least, the iconic khachapuri, a boat-shaped bread or pie containing gooey cheese, topped with an egg yolk. Not to mention the uncommon opportunity to sample Georgian wine, including the less-familiar category of semi-sweet red, as the country’s viniculture is many centuries old.
is sort of culinary cornucopia, there for the sampling, is also about welcoming people into Wales, this self-declared Nation of Sanctuary, with recent settlers and established migrants bringing their culture and cooking with them, bringing the world a little closer to our doorsteps. I’ll li my fork to that.
‘Spread
We are proud to announce that we have won a 2 Great Taste Award for our Halen Môn salted butters.
Available in rolls and blocks.
Seeking something special for that foodie friend or relative this Christmas?
Abigail Saltmarsh wraps up just some of the many flavoursome Welsh food and drink gifts there are to choose from this year...
Indulge yourselves with a delicious, alcoholic sweet treat this Christmas in the form of this gorgeous Orange Marmalade Gin from Aber Falls (41.3% ABV). A superior combination of sweet and bitter orange flavours, together with festive piney juniper, it provides a very pleasing citrusy punch. Open a bottle on Christmas Day or pop it under the tree as a special gift. Splash in some white vermouth and fresh orange juice to turn it into a luxurious marmalade martini.
aberfallsdistillery.com
Spice things up this Christmas by wrapping up a bottle or two of Barti rum. This award-winning (35% ABV) tipple brings together the flavours of the Caribbean and Wales and is a perfect winter warmer. Blending creamy vanilla with fragrant clove, cinnamon and citrus, the Caribbean rum has been infused with Pembrokeshire’s very own wild laver seaweed. Your nearest and dearest can sip it as it is or mix it to make it longer. For double delight, give it as a duo with Barti Cream, or present it in a gift set with glasses, ready to pour.
bartirum.wales
Head to the home of Carmarthen Ham to pick up a brimming hamper of tasty Welsh delicacies. There are various boxes of goodies here to choose from, including the colourful Hamper Bach. Open this up to discover a serving of the deli’s famous air-dried, saltcured ham, as well as pots of Gwenyn Gruffydd Honey, Snowdonia Chutney and Carmarthen Deli Marmalade. There is also some Welsh Brew Tea, Heartsease Pop and a bar of artisan Coco Pzazz Chocolate. What more could anyone wish for?
carmarthendeli.co.uk
Those seeking gifts that make delicious additions to festive tables over the coming weeks should look no further than Castell Howell’s range of offerings. For something suitably special, why not glance through the selection of Celtic Preserves? Plum, Apple or Pear and Ginger Chutney – or perhaps mouthwatering Red Onion Marmalade could be just the treat you are looking to take along…
castellhowellfoods.co.uk
Add colour to the pressies under your tree by parcelling up a bottle of Cinnamon Grove Vodka. The distillery’s Pembrokeshire handcrafted premium Pink, Orange and Toffee (42.9%) versions all make fabulous festive tipples for those seeking something a little different. With the full flavours of strawberries and raspberries, the Pink Vodka is ideal for those with fruity inclinations. The Orange is as citrusy as you’d expect, while the Toffee has warm notes of vanilla. For friends and family members who shy away from extra flavours, a bottle of original Premium could well top their Christmas lists.
cinnamongrovegin.co.uk
For delicious Welsh chocolates to pop into stockings this Christmas, Santa need look no further than Coco Pzazz. Based in Llanidloes, Mid-Wales, this confectioner handcrafts all manner of magnificent goodies. A box of Exquisite Handmade Salted Caramel Truffles, filled with ganache and salted caramel, and rolled in pure dark cocoa powder, for example, makes a suitably rich treat to bite into during the festive season. For those who prefer fudge, boxes of traditional, handcut Cappuccino, Clotted Cream, Peanut Butter and Salted Caramel will also be delicious finds.
cocopzazz.co.uk
Looking for the dream gift for the man or woman in your life who loves beer? How about a mixed bottle case, complete with a pint glass? This comes with 11 of Conwy Brewery’s tastiest tipples, such as its hoppy Welsh Pale Ale (4.5% ABV), classic American IPA Surfin’ (5.1% ABV) and Red (4.5% ABV), a smooth ale with roast and caramel malt flavours topped off with a lasting hop finish. All sure to go down easily over Christmas...
conwybrewery.co.uk
Dress your cheese board to impress this Christmas by adorning it with some exquisite Cradoc’s Savoury Biscuits. Savour the crunch of Spinach and Celery Seed or the kick of Lemongrass, Coconut and Chilli; Pear and Earl Grey are perfect with soft, creamy Welsh cheese, while Leek and Caerphilly Cheese are just delicious to crunch on their own. Get Santa to pop a box of these into that cheese-lover’s stocking on the night before Christmas...
cradocssavourybiscuits.co.uk
Great as a gift or perfect to pop open at a Christmas party are Gasm’s pre-mixed cocktails. Add extra sparkle to the festivities with these zingy bottles of crafted gin and prosecco. The SloeGasm (13.5% ABV) incorporates locally sourced, fresh sloe juice, while the PlumGasm (12.5% ABV) is a fusion of gin, prosecco and plum juice, enhanced by hints of elderflower and zesty lemon thyme. Or bring a little razzle-dazzle to proceedings with Gasm’s raspberry sparkling wine cocktail. At 12.5% ABV, the RazzGasm is also a fruity festive treat.
gasmdrinks.co.uk
How about a Portable Pub Gift Set for that individual who might not be happy at having to stay in with family at this time of year? This includes six bottles of Hafod Beer of your choice (subject to availability), plus two Hafod Club glasses, two bags of Jones crisps, two beer mats, a pen and a pub quiz. It brings all the fun of the pub right into the home! Ask to include a bottle of the brewery’s rich vanilla porter (4.5%) if possible. This warming winter sup will bring a smile to the face of any beer lover...
welshbeer.com
Give that whisky aficionado the opportunity to create their very own tipple. Hensol Castle Distillery, based in the cellars of the 17th-century, Vale of Glamorgan castle, has launched an exclusive Age at Home kit. Each set includes a one-litre oak cask, a 70cl bottle of the award-winning new make spirit, and all the tools to nurture your own unique whisky. With only 150 kits available, this really is a limited-edition Christmas pressie. Those who savour something different in their glass, however, might prefer a visitor voucher and the option of a gin tour and tasting or a spiced rum making session for two.
hensolcastledistillery.com
Made with nothing but water, yeast and delicious honey from their own bees, this Hiraeth – Dry Welsh Heather Mead (12.5% ABV) from Hive Mind makes a unique gift for that foodie you have trouble choosing for. Crafted with heather honey from the Welsh hillsides and mountains, it encapsulates subtle floral aromas and offers a crisp, bright finish. For those eager to open a bottle at the festive table, the South Wales company’s Wye Valley Traditional Mead (14.5% ABV) goes beautifully with blue cheeses and rich desserts.
hivemindmead.com
Seeking something special for a whisky fiend? Well, watch their eyes light up when they unwrap a bottle of Brychan Blended Welsh Malt Whisky (46% ABV). Blended at the distillery in Ceredigion, it offers a curation of the finest single malt Welsh whiskies, aged in bourbon, port and Banyuls red wine casks and with notes of malt, red fruit, honey and chocolate, making it a perfect Christmas treat.
inthewelshwind.co.uk
Bring a little fiery fun to Christmas Day by popping a jar or two of the Pembrokeshire Chilli Farm’s delicious jams into your nearest and dearest’s festive stocking. The full flavours of the Chilli Bakewell Jam – devised, in fact, to enhance the traditional Boxing Day cold turkey sandwich – or the Aji Limon Jam, ideal as a dip or with seafood, make these into great little gifts, as well as exciting additions to the buffet table.
pembrokeshirechillifarm.com
No one who loves playing chef could resist adding delicious, infused rapeseed oils from Pembrokeshire Gold to their culinary creations. is gi box includes the Chilli Infused, Garlic Infused and Rosemary Infused versions, but you can substitute any of these with Smoked, Basil or Lemon bottles instead if you prefer. All made with 100% rapeseed oil that has been grown, pressed and bottled in Pembrokeshire, they are perfect for dressings, dips, frying, roasting, baking and have lower levels of saturated fat than butter and some other oils.
pembrokeshiregold.co.uk
If you are looking for a traditional Welsh gi to take with you to a festive co ee morning, a ernoon tea or even a Christmas dinner party, then pop into a supermarket to pick up something baked in Llanllechid in picturesque Eryri. e Popty Bakery magics up some mouth-watering treats, including Snowdonia Shortbread Biscuits, tasty Welsh Cakes and Bara Brith Fruit Cake. All suitably special for this time of year...
popty.co.uk
Delicious, environmentally friendly and perfect for the tea connoisseur in your life, these boxes really are tidy options. is Lampeter-based company has come up with a range of colourful tea options that are the perfect size for pouring into a Christmas stocking. For something di erent, bag a box of Tokyo Blossom or Moroccan Mint. Equally, Welsh Black might be a steaming hot choice for someone who prefers a good, strong, all-day breakfast cuppa.
tidytea.com
It might be a somewhat cheesy festive choice, but how about spoiling someone special with a full wheel of award-winning Trefaldwyn Blue? Luxurious, creamy and over owing with avour, this mouth-watering product has been made with pasteurised Welsh cow’s milk. Perfect for the Christmas table, the wheel will also last through Boxing Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. In fact, they will still be tucking in as 2026 gets well underway...
trefaldwyn-cheese.com
Lager lovers will enjoy unwrapping nothing more than this gi set from Wrexham. Including all three of the brewery’s best-known bottles, it is unlikely to remain unopened for long. is box includes refreshing Wrexham Lager (4% ABV), golden amber Wrexham
Pilsener (4.6% ABV) and the crisp, malty and stronger Wrexham Lager Export (5% ABV). We’ll be surprised if the box remains intact past Christmas dinner...
wrexhamlager.com
Go on, go all guns blazing with a smoking hot, Christmas hamper from the Cambrian Mountains in Ceredigion. ere are three sizes to choose from here – and they all contain goodies from the Welsh Homestead Smokery, as well as other local producers. Among the delicacies included will be a pack of Smoked Maple Bacon, some Smoked Chilli Jam and a jar of Earth/TIR BBQ Spice Rub. With Welsh crackers and a selection of Caws Cenarth cheeses too, the lucky recipient will have plenty here to keep the hunger pangs at bay throughout the festive season.
welshsmokery.co.uk
Buying for someone with a sweet tooth? Have a look at this delectable chocolate hamper – and perhaps pick up a little something for yourself too! Over owing with chocolate sensations, this elegant box is perfect for those with discerning tastes. Handcra ed in Pembrokeshire, its contents include all sorts of colourful and delicious items, such as a Honey and Golden Bar, a Salt and Pepper Caramel Bar, a Dark Raspberry Bar and two gorgeous Chocolate Flower Lollipops. Also tucked in there is an Exotic Six box, with its unique fusion avours, such as Passion Fruit and Chilli.
dillyschocolates.co.uk
Peruse the o erings at Morgan’s Brew Tea for a unique gi for the person who enjoys both a steaming cuppa and a delicious gin. For Christmas, Morgan’s has curated a fabulous hamper, with two pouches of tea, a handmade teaspoon and 20cl of Tea Gin. It also includes a single imperial tea made from dried green orange. Also check out the avoursome smoked and speciality teas. A pouch of Cambrian Mountains Black Tea or Hibiscus Flowers will make an interesting nd at the bottom of a tea-lover’s stocking on Christmas morning...
morgansbrewtea.co.uk
Don’t leave your four-legged friends out this year – make sure they nd something special under the tree too! Watch their tails wag when you show them a Dewkes Christmas Dog Gi Box. ese all-natural treats from Mumbles in South Wales include a helping of chicken jerky, some beefy sticks and a few pork scratchings, as well as some of the Welsh company’s suitably festive Christmas Turkey and Cranberry Biscuits. Perfect for a paw-some puppy treat!
dewkes.co.uk
With over 150 Welsh products earning Great Taste status this year, find out more about how Wales is consistently serving up award-winning taste.
As environmental challenges grow, Welsh businesses are stepping up to the plate with bold action and forward-thinking solutions.
Wales is making impressive strides in building a greener, more responsible food and drink industry.
One of the most encouraging trends is the rise in companies achieving B Corp certification – a globally recognised mark of excellence for businesses that meet high standards of social and environmental performance – reflecting a growing commitment to operate in a way that benefits people and the planet. Meanwhile, Welsh producers are actively responding to the realities of climate change – from reducing carbon emissions to adapting their operations – by showing that sustainability and innovation go hand in hand.
The Welsh Government is helping to drive this progress by offering clear guidance and practical support. Whether it’s funding opportunities, expert advice or collaborative initiatives, businesses are being empowered to make meaningful changes. The key to success stems from a collaboration between government, business owners and retailers to innovate and then try out new methods. Together, these efforts are positioning Wales as a leader in sustainable food
and drink – proving that with the right support and ambition, positive change is not only possible, but already underway. Wales’s pivotal role can only be matched on the European stage by Germany. Across the UK and Europe, these two countries offer a nobarriers, fully funded, comprehensive and sectorspecific Climate Adaptation and Resilience Training programme.
In the words of Huw Irranca-Davies MS, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs: “The success stories we’re seeing demonstrate that Welsh businesses aren’t just adapting to environmental challenges, they’re leading the charge towards a more sustainable future.”
Here in Wales, we are extremely fortunate. The country’s unique natural resources combine to provide a conveyor belt of high-quality, traditional products making us ideally placed to spearhead a sustainable food revolution. Historically, thanks to the warm and nutrient-rich currents of the Gulf Stream, despite
increasingly volatile weather, our climate is still relatively benign compared to other countries and perfect for the cultivation of many crops and livestock.
This is paired with a strong cultural connection to food, passionately innovative producers, ethical practices, low intensity farming and local provenance, while that all-important structure of support is there to help businesses adapt to changing realities in the face of climate change, helping our producers to reduce emissions, avoid risks and obtain the accreditation their efforts deserve.
David Harries, Head of Food and Drink Federation Cymru, says the sector aims to achieve net zero carbon emissions by working in partnership with others throughout the food system. “Industry is working hard to deliver reduced greenhouse gas emissions, improvements in resource efficiency, a step change in nature restoration and improved biodiversity, reductions in food waste, as well as more well-paid jobs and higher productivity as part of a just transition to meeting climate and wider environmental goals.” And while investment is critical to accelerating that transition, schemes such as the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund are ‘hugely important’ in helping support industries build experience and confidence in new green technologies along with government backing for food and drink manufacturing.
And seeking to create a more sustainable supply chain to reach net zero by 2050, Welsh Government launched a new pilot scheme in 2024 to help futureproof businesses by devising carbon reduction plans to measure and manage emissions and so create one of the world’s most sustainable food and drink supply chains.
The fully funded Carbon Reduction Pilot was developed to support manufacturers in creating robust carbon reduction plans. The initiative helps businesses understand the short and long-term benefits of measuring and monitoring their carbon emissions, aligned with Greenhouse Gas Protocol standards and public procurement requirements. Food and Drink Wales’ carbon reduction work also aligns with Bankers for NetZero green finance guidance on data sharing, which helps unlock green investment funding for producers.
Designed as a practical support programme, the pilot guides companies through the process of establishing baselines, setting measurable targets, and identifying carbon-saving opportunities, while also testing the methodology and approach for wider sector adoption. Coupled with support from the broader industry, including Tesco, and adopting a partnership approach with over a hundred food and drink companies, the scheme helps businesses control their carbon emissions whilst developing tailored reduction plans.
In its first year, it successfully supported 60 Welsh food and drink businesses, with plans to assist a further 80 companies in year two. By 2026, this work will culminate in a fully tested and validated carbon reporting model, forming a core part of a new Sustainability Service due to be launched in the spring. Tesco, for example, who – having committed to achieving net zero across their value chain by 2050 – were delighted to see the plan. “Tesco is committed to building a more sustainable food system and we’re proud to work alongside the Welsh Government in this transformative pilot programme,” says Enfys Fox, Relationship Manager for Local Sourcing at Tesco.
Edwards – The Welsh Butcher, of Conwy, believe the pilot provided the company with essential tools and expert guidance to strategically enhance their sustainability practices within the industry. Finance manager Simon Edwards says: “This pilot has provided us with the necessary support to help us develop our understanding and gain invaluable insights into a business’s environmental footprint and unlock opportunities for impactful changes.”
“While the process required diligence and commitment, our strong data management foundation allowed for a relatively straightforward progression. It wasn’t effortless, but our being prepared was a significant advantage.” Gaining a clear understanding of their current environmental baseline was a key benefit with The Welsh Butcher now achieving meaningful improvements in sustainability and environmental performance.
Ellis Eggs, of Aberdare, also eagerly accepted the invitation to participate, driven by a pro-active approach to environmental responsibility. As part of their efforts around sustainability they have already installed solar panels and implemented extensive recycling practices. “Ultimately, we need to be showing how we’re trying to reduce our impact on
the environment,” says general manager Jason Ellis, “so we certainly found the experience worthwhile. Participating in the pilot not only helps the business but also contributes to a broader understanding and commitment to environmental sustainability and reducing carbon footprint.”
“It really puts into perspective what we are doing as a business, not just for the company and the environment, but also on a personal level,” enthuses Jason. “All our staff are now recycling, and they understand the importance of it. I believe this awareness will extend to their home environments, creating a positive knock-on effect.”
“Engaging in this initiative has not only enhanced our environmental credentials but also improved our operational efficiency. By identifying areas where we can reduce waste and energy consumption, we have been able to cut costs and improve our bottom line. This has made us more competitive in the market and has strengthened our relationships with key customers who value sustainability.”
La Crème Patisserie, premium desserts manufacturers based in Cwmbran, source cream from Ty Tanglwst Farm in Pyle and other local suppliers wherever possible. Explaining why they signed up to the pilot, operations director Robert Hindle says: “We’ve always prided ourselves on having a strong sustainable ethos, but one of the main challenges is building a carbon tracker and being able to quantify our impacts, along with having access to relevant data.”
“The pilot has provided a manageable and actionable way to tackle climate change and reduce carbon emissions within the business. For example, it allowed us to study historic records and help identify areas of high emissions, along with developing a targeted plan to reduce them.”
Based in Llannefydd, north Wales, Llaeth y Llan/ Village Dairy accessed the pilot in order to map out emissions, improve sustainability, and strengthen customer trust through greater transparency.
“Reducing carbon emissions is a priority for both Llaeth y Llan and our customers,” reveals operations director Michael Burrows. “Participating was the ethical choice and aligned with our values.”
“The plan has helped us pinpoint areas where we can cut costs – whether that’s through improving energy efficiency, reducing waste, or streamlining our logistics. These changes don’t just benefit the environment –they also make our business more resilient and efficient in the long run.”
“It has become a really valuable strategic planning tool for us. It’s helped us pinpoint areas where we can cut costs—whether that’s through improving energy efficiency, reducing waste, or streamlining our logistics. I would strongly encourage other Welsh food and drink businesses to take part in this pilot. The support is there, and the insights are truly eye-opening.”
Beyond the Pilot Scheme, there are many companies in Wales who are forging ahead with plans to reduce their impact on the environment, many of which are well advanced and utilise the support available to producers from Food and Drink Wales. Radnor Hills, the midWales company named the 2024 Wales Food and Drink Sustainable Business of the Year, are emblematic of the huge push to reduce carbon emissions. Founded by the Watkins family with the aim of bringing their spring water to the world, their proud pledge is ‘to care for our planet and constantly improve wherever we can to become more sustainable and protect the environment around us.’
Having committed to zero waste to landfill as far back as 2018, they promptly invested in an entire recycling facility on-site to help fulfil that commitment. Their PET bottles are made up from 30 per cent recycled materials, while their shrink wrap is 100 per cent recyclable and made up of 30 per cent recycled plastic, making them the first in the UK to do so.
As part of a plan to reduce the carbon footprint of their new production facility, Wrexham Lager – the historic north Wales brewery joint-owned by Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney – intend to install solar panels on the roof of their new production facility to meet almost all of their electricity needs.
They also plan to introduce energy-efficient air compressor systems to recycle waste heat and hot water, reducing energy demand by 20 per cent, in addition to having on-site Nitrogen generation to produce all Nitrogen for brewhouse operations. Not
only could it be used as an alternative to CO2 for pressuring and purging tanks and pipework, but in-house production would also prevent delivery of Nitrogen tankers, further decreasing CO2 emissions, already slashed by 50 per cent.
Castell Howell, one of Wales’s most renowned food wholesalers, are striving for carbon reduction in three supply chains – dairy, beef and horticulture. Together with the National Trust, Gwynedd County Council and farmers they are working on a beef project focused mainly on biodiversity. However, as Group Environmental and Social Governance manager Edward Morgan explains, with reduced livestock density and reduced synthetic fertiliser inputs these cattle will be lower carbon.
“We’re also working with a group of Welsh growers, Food Sense Wales and local authorities to try and ultimately ‘onshore’ some of our horticulture requirements,” he says. “And as part of the Welsh Veg in Schools project we worked with BIC Innovation and Swansea University who conducted a life cycle analysis of frozen broccoli, imported from the Netherlands against the organic broccoli grown in west Wales.
“The research concluded organic broccoli could have 66-83 per cent lower carbon due to elimination of large transportation distances and lower production impact. The challenge is how to develop a lower carbon supply chain.”
The Food and Drink Wales website offers a range of information. The following links are a great place to start:
www.food-drink.wales/business
www.food-drink.wales/business/helping-your-foodand-drink-business-become-more-sustainable
www.food-drink.wales/business/helping-your-foodand-drink-business-develop-a-carbon-reductionplan
Welsh businesses are not just reducing their impact on the environment but addressing the direct risks posed by Climate Change and adapting accordingly. Halen
Mon - the famous sea salt company based on the north Wales coast – was one of the first Welsh businesses to grasp that the need to adapt was essential. General manager Nick Gornall relates how training provided by Food and Drink Wales ‘delivered a focused update to our Business Continuity Plan, aligning it to stormsurge, heat, and power-loss scenarios for a coastal site.’
With temperatures, precipitation and sea levels all predicted to rise in the coming years, fully funded on-site training gave the Halen Mon team a broader perspective on risk, ranging from single-event incidents to cascading impacts on seawater supply, staffing, and logistics. “Crucially, it enabled us to quantify these risks and demonstrate continuous improvement and commitment to understanding external impacts, strengthening our position with insurers, auditors, and customers,’ adds Nick. Allie Thomas, founder of Brecon-based Cradoc’s Savoury Biscuits, candidly admits she did not initially think climate change would affect such a little company until she attended the training. “It took some focus on how weather could affect Cradoc’s given the array of issues businesses already have to consider,” she recalls. “Flooding, drought, pandemic, politics and economics – we have way more than enough to think about! But we want to protect our folks, our business, customers and, of course, sales going forward so planning and strategic thinking has become the first step in building a safety net.”
“Just about any of the previously mentioned catastrophic issues could stop us functioning,” says Allie. “It’s a case of mapping the things that could go wrong, thinking about how we can ameliorate the effects, and which actions would give us the best chance of survival.”
“Thinking about climate-adapted products has also been flagged, changing the product to meet market needs. Working in a bakery in 30 degrees is not tenable for our staff and air conditioning is essential. This is an additional investment and ensures that our staff stay with us, are involved and help us grow the ideas at all stages of planning.”
Paul Davies, environmental manager of another Brecon business, Beacon Foods, is also addressing the potential pitfalls posed by climate change. “This year I
have completed three two-hour sessions with Food and Drink Wales on Climate Adaptation and Resilience,” he reveals.
“Here at Beacon Foods, we believe that climate change has the potential to affect the ways the business operates. Therefore, any future changes to the footprint should involve looking at risk management and force field analysis so that potential issues such as flood risk mitigation and power outages can be minimised.”
Julian Rice, sustainable supply chain manager of Prima Foods, says while businesses are ‘barraged’ on a daily basis with information on climate change adaptation, the training classes offered by Food and Drink Wales ‘gave an opportunity to look specifically at the things we can change – what is under our control’.
“It has given Prima Foods a better understanding of the global climate changes we are all facing but, importantly, an appreciation of how these could potentially affect our business and those of suppliers and customers,” he says. “Case studies showed how quickly and seriously climate shocks can affect businesses and bring them to a complete stop.”
“As a result, we are introducing improved risk management and emergency planning on our own site whilst also trying to gain a better understanding of how our suppliers are controlling risk.”
There are three routes of support for producers wishing to put together a Climate Adaptation Plan. Firstly, anyone can take the speedy self-assessment which will identify the areas the business is most at risk: https:// food-drink.wales/business/assessment/
Secondly, online training modules and supporting workbooks set up to offer a step-by-step approach to understanding and adapting to climate risks can be found at: www.food-drink.wales/business/climateadaptation-resilience-training. The third route is via free and on-site bespoke one-to-one training for the
leadership teams of food and drink businesses which provides a re-assuringly human network of support where potential issues and challenges can be discussed face-to-face. There are limited places available, however, and businesses should email bwyd-food@ bic-innovation.com to express interest as these sessions will only be available until March 2026.
Amongst the many benefits for producers of joining the Welsh Government’s Sustainability Cluster –market insight, access to expertise and innovation, branding and showcasing at events and growing the community – is one-to-one support for B Corp certification.
This international gold standard for sustainability involves a holistic approach which requires engagement from all aspects of a business to maintain its accreditation. The support available within the Sustainability Cluster helps this process run smoothly and enables Welsh companies to demonstrate that doing business responsibly is good ethics and good economics.
This includes how the business operates, its structure, employees and production processes, alongside transparency and accountability. It also signals a shift in how business is done – where profit and purpose go hand in hand, and business is used as a force for good.
Across Wales, 48 companies have achieved B Corp certification, joining an international network of over 9,500 businesses in 105 countries, across 160 industries. Among them, 11 Welsh certified food and drink producers are demonstrating how valuesled practices can create both commercial value and meaningful impact.
Barti Rum, of Pembrokeshire, who gained their B Corp certification last year, say it would be ‘alien’ not
to think about protecting the planet as well as looking after employees and the people who supply and buy from them. “Profit is great and obviously integral to running a successful business,” says managing director Fran Barnikel, “but there will always be other equally important things to consider. Getting B Corp certification is a great way to let people know that that’s the type of business we are. Our values go beyond making money.”
Meanwhile, company founder Jonathan Williams is learning about the use of seaweed as a carboncapturing tool which potentially means that Barti Rum, and many other businesses, may one day be able to offset their carbon through seaweed in the same way that some currently do by planting trees.
Coaltown Coffee, of Ammanford, in 2019 became the first B Corp-certified speciality coffee roaster in the UK and are happy to be ‘morally and legally committed’ to prioritising responsibility to the environment and society, from the experts who produce their coffee to the baristas who brew it.
“Our ethos is to create delicious coffee and do good along with it,” explains a spokesperson. “We believe that planet, people and profit are all equal when it comes to how we run our business. By focusing on ethical sourcing and sustainable production, we work together with industry leaders to develop new and innovative green practices that benefit not just the consumer, but the coffee industry as a whole.”
And Drop Bear Beer Co of Swansea, a multi-awardwinning brewer of alcohol-free craft beers, are one of the few female-owned breweries in the UK and the world’s first LGBT+ alcohol-free brewery. In 2021 they became Wales’ first B Corp brewery and the world’s first certified carbon neutral alcohol-free brewery the following year.
For further information see www.food-drink.wales/ business/wales-budding-b-corp-businesses.
For Huw Irranca-Davies MS, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Wales’ status as a pioneering force for good in food production is both a credit to us as a nation, and a huge opportunity.
“Wales is establishing itself as a leader in sustainable food and drink production, and I’m incredibly proud of what our businesses are achieving. From our pioneering Carbon Reduction Pilot supporting over 60 companies in its first year, to having 48 B Corp certified businesses including 11 in the food and drink sector, Welsh producers are proving that environmental responsibility and commercial success go hand in hand.”
“Our unique Climate Adaptation and Resilience Training programme – one of only two comprehensive, sector specific and fully funded schemes of its kind in Europe – is helping businesses future-proof themselves against climate challenges. Combined with our natural advantages and the passion of our producers, we’re building one of the world’s most sustainable food and drink supply chains.”
“This isn’t just good for our planet; it’s creating resilient businesses, supporting well-paid jobs, and positioning Wales at the forefront of global sustainable food production. We’re committed to supporting this transformation every step of the way, because when Welsh businesses succeed sustainably, Wales succeeds.”
So, while it may not be guaranteed, for all our sakes we hope that those retailers and manufacturers who demonstrate business responsibility through sustainable improvements will be the ones most likely to excel in the long run. They are also the ones that everyone, whether a consumer or trade buyer, who wants to do what’s right for the planet should be supporting.
It is great to know that Wales leads the way!
Tucked away in the rolling hills of Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons National Park), Brecon Carreg has been bottling pure Welsh spring water for decades. But as environmental pressures mount, this home-grown brand is proving that sustainability is more than a buzzword — it’s central to its identity.
Every drop of Brecon Carreg water begins its journey as rainfall high in the Welsh mountains. For 15 years, it slowly filters through layers of limestone rock before it’s bottled at the source. That long, natural process makes protecting the landscape non-negotiable.
Brecon Carreg recently made headlines by donating 80 acres of land within the National Park to the Initiative for Nature Conservation Cymru (INCC). The land is now being transformed into a wildlife reserve, restoring habitats and supporting native species.
And it’s not just about wild landscapes — it’s about the smaller creatures too. The company has introduced beehives on its land to support pollinator populations, which play a vital role in healthy ecosystems. The bees provide a visible, buzzing reminder of how interconnected people, products, and the natural world really are.
Plastic is often the elephant in the room for drinks companies, but Brecon Carreg has been steadily chipping away at the problem.
• 100% recyclable packaging across bottles, labels and lids
• 30% recycled plastic (rPET) used in every bottle
• Using recycled plastic from within the UK to reduce transport emissions.
• Backing Wales’ deposit return scheme, designed to encourage bottle returns and reduce litter
The company sums up its approach in three words: Recycle, Restore, Reduce.
Behind the scenes, Brecon Carreg is working to shrink its carbon footprint. Plans are underway to install solar panels at the bottling site, a move that will significantly cut carbon emissions.
Partnerships with experts at Auditel are also helping the business track its emissions, set science-based targets, and put it on a credible path toward Net Zero
These efforts haven’t gone unnoticed. Since 2016, Brecon Carreg has been independently accredited by The Good Shopping Guide, which evaluates companies on environmental, animal welfare, and human rights criteria. In the most recent report, the brand achieved a remarkable 93/100 Ethical Index Score, ranking it among the most ethical water brands in the UK.
Sustainability for Brecon Carreg doesn’t stop at the factory gates. At events like the Cardiff Half Marathon, the company has pioneered “plogging” teams — runners who collect litter as they go. The initiative helped the event achieve a 96% recycling rate, proving that community spirit and environmental care can go hand-in-hand.
For Brecon Carreg, sustainability is not a destination but a journey. The road ahead includes:
• Reaching 100% recycled content bottles using rPET sourced in the UK
• Publishing validated science-based carbon targets
• Continuing to inspire consumers to recycle and reduce waste
Brecon Carreg’s message is simple: when your product depends on nature, protecting that nature is not just good ethics — it’s good business. From ambitious packaging commitments to gifting land for wildlife, the company is showing how a Welsh brand can lead the way in sustainability.
Siopa Nadolig hwyr y nos
Neuadd Fwyd
Dros 1,000 o gystadlaethau
Arwerthiannau da byw
Groto Siôn Corn
Arddangosfa tân gwyllt
Parcio AM DDIM
Gatiau ar agor o 8am tan yn hwyr
Late night Christmas shopping
Food Hall
Over 1,000 competitions
Livestock auctions
Santa’s Grotto
Fireworks display
FREE car parking
Gates open from 8am until late
Royal Welsh Showground, Llanelwedd, LD2 3SY
www.cafc.cymru | www.rwas.wales
“From Home, I Arrived Home”. For Monika, the founder of Monika’s Kitchen, these words capture a life’s journey that stretches from the rural Hungarian countryside to the “lush green hills of Ceredigion”. A former NHS dentist of 18 years, Monika’s path to the food industry was driven by a philosophy instilled in her by her father, a vet who taught her a profound respect for the people who grow and produce our food. It is this deep-rooted belief in knowing where your food comes from that inspired her to build a business that serves as a bridge between her two homes. Monika’s Kitchen is more than a brand; it is the expression of a life dedicated to the idea that food is the “glue between different people and cultures,” a way to share stories, build community, and celebrate the similarities between the Welsh and Hungarian souls.
Monika’s passion for food provenance was established during her childhood in the fields of 1960s rural Hungary. Following the example of her father, she was taught to respect the land and the immense sacrifice of those who work it. In her village, self-sufficiency wasn’t a trend but a deeply ingrained value, so much so that Monika recalls you would “feel ashamed not to grow your own stuff”. This ethos extended to everything, from growing vegetables to butchering pigs twice a winter to make their own chorizo and salami. Monika vividly remembers this in action, “it comes to late-May and everyone’s got so many green peas you’re just cooking peas for 2 weeks... If your green peas didn’t grow well, then your next-door neighbours will have enough and swap you for something else another time”. This created a powerful sense of community.
Despite having to move to the city for dentistry school Monika’s heart has never left the countryside. When the time came for her and her son to move to the UK for his education, she made the deliberate choice of staying away from the larger cities. This led her to settle in a rural area with high clinical needs for a dentist, where her love for the countryside was also fulfilled. This is how they ended up in Lampeter, in rural Ceredigion.
After 19 years in Wales, Monika now firmly considers Ceredigion her home. She finds a remarkable similarity between the two cultures in their shared values, friendly nature, and slower pace of life. Monika believes this connection stems from a shared history of resilience, cultivating the land and preserving our national heritage. This connection, combined with Wales’s own deep-rooted agricultural tradition, has created a powerful sense of belonging for her. As she simply states, “I’ve always felt welcomed here... I feel safe here”.
For Monika, the move from dentistry to the food industry was more of a natural evolution. Her work as a public health specialist involved organising Hungary’s first national oral health programme, a mission rooted in advocating for good food versus “eating rubbish”. This passion for public well-being simply shifted from dental health to food provenance, driven by her core belief that knowing what you put in your body is one of the most important tasks in life.
Along with her son Zoltan, Monika started her ventures in business as an importer and wholesaler
of Hungarian food. The goal was to bridge the two countries and to introduce Wales to Hungarian produce while forming relationships with her suppliers to ensure quality. This later inspired her to create her own brand…
The decision to put her own name on the labels came from a very personal place, as she celebrated being alive, having recovered from serious illness. Encouraged to do so by her son and colleagues, she realised the importance of leaving her imprint on the business she had built. “Hopefully it will be my legacy… I formed the bridge between the two countries” she says. The brand represents products she is proud of and that are deeply important to Hungarian culinary history. While she understands the practical value of building customer trust and loyalty, she admits the spotlight feels strange. She finds it incredibly “rewarding and satisfying” to see her name on the shelves, but laughs that she’s “not an Instagram influencer,” making the experience a surreal one!
Central to her business is the Goulash Spice Mix, which helps consumers recreate the popular Hungarian dish. Monika describes the dish as equivalent to the Welsh classic, “Goulash is like the Cawl for the Welsh, it’s the national dish.” She has discovered that the taste for authentic flavours is increasing as she believes “that the barrier of not wanting to try foreign food is breaking down now.” Bringing these products to new markets requires both passion and realism, and the perfect balance of these exists between her and her son. She describes their business partnership, “He’s the legal and economic guard of the business, and I am the heart and the soul. We need both”
While Monika is familiar with running her own successful business pre-Monika’s Kitchen, food production is a whole new challenge. An open day visit to Food Centre Wales, in Horeb, which helps deliver The Helix Programme on behalf of the Welsh Government, was a key point for her. She met with many different advisors, all set up for various levels of businesses. It was here that she was introduced to Cywain, another Welsh Government funded programme. Mark from Food Centre Wales advised, “You definitely need me and you definitely need Cywain”, two programmes that run well hand in hand.
While Monika had the ideas and the recipes, she needed the technical expertise to turn them into market-ready products. This is where the team at Food Centre Wales proved invaluable. As Monika explains, “They have a very comprehensive programme. If you just have an idea, they can help you with everything”. This hands-on support guided her through the entire process, from the practicalities of jarring her honey and developing her spice mix to the complexities of shelf-life testing and designing a production area that complies with legislation.
With the technical side dealt with, Cywain steps in to provide further business support. Monika’s Growth Manager at Cywain, initially Lowri Gaenor and then Ffion Jones, has become a key figure in their business growth journey. To help tackle the challenges Monika was facing, she was connected to a marketing specialist for an in-depth mentoring session in identifying the brand’s key messaging and, in turn, bringing the brand to life.
Alongside facilitating important connections to mentors, Ffion has been a direct, hands-on support in many areas. She assisted with PR, helping to review press releases that saw Monika featured in multiple
media outlets, offered invaluable advice on navigating grant applications, and helped to integrate them into the “vibrant diverse food network here in Wales”. However, to Monika, Ffion’s most important role is her moral support, knowing she’s always available to help, as she describes “(she) feels like one of us, one of the team”, adding that the approach through Cywain is so personal and supportive it feels like having a dedicated partner in her business.
Marking a significant step in her business growth, the latest chapter in Monika’s journey is the opening of a deli in Aberystwyth. The independent shop with her own authentic Hungarian range alongside a curated selection of Welsh products. This commitment to localism is deeply personal: “I want to meet the suppliers, their families and get to know their story. It’s so important”. With her production unit in the works, she plans to serve up her homemade goulash, made with Welsh meat and veg. The convenience offered by her Goulash Spice Mix will soon be matched by a range of frozen ready meals, furthering her lifelong advocacy for healthy eating by creating hearty meals with a transparent supply chain. With a vision beyond production and sales, she wants the deli to become a true community hub, already planning charity events to give back to the country that has now become her home. From the fields of Hungary to the lush green hills of Ceredigion, Monika’s Kitchen is a story of passion, provenance and the belief that good food can connect us all.
Monika’s Kitchen offer top-quality products sourced from chosen partners, ensuring guaranteed origin and
complete traceability from farm to table.
Rubin Paprika developed the goulash seasoning, and their team of experts is dedicated to bringing you premium-quality Hungarian paprika powder and spice mixes. The family-owned company is based in Szeged, at the heart of Hungarian paprika production. The area’s unique microclimate and rich soil provide the ideal growing conditions for cultivating the finest raw peppers. Combining traditional stone milling with the latest quality control methods, each packet brings a touch of the Hungarian countryside to your table.
This complete seasoning mix comes with a detailed recipe and list of ingredients, and the pack includes all of the herbs and spices required for cooking the national dish of Hungary.
The combinations include the finest sweet paprika powder, made from ground red peppers, as well as ground caraway powder, garlic, and black pepper, for an authentic experience.
Each spice packet will yield eight portions of goulash; alternatively, you can adjust the amounts below to prepare multiple batches.
You can also use the versatile seasoning powder to add an infusion of Hungarian flavour to your dishes. Simply sprinkle over roast meat, vegetables, potatoes and egg dishes, or add it to sauces, curries and casseroles for a culinary twist.
• 800-1000g beef stewing steak cut into cubes
• 4 tablespoons (60ml) lard or vegetable oil
• 1.5-2l water
• 800g potatoes peeled and cubed
• 1 medium brown onion finely diced
• 2 large carrots peeled and sliced
• 2 medium tomatoes diced
• 2 red bell peppers de-seeded and diced
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• Monika’s Kitchen Goulash Soup Seasoning Mix
1. Heat the lard in a large stock pot. Add the onions and cook until translucent.
2. Add the beef cubes. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the meat starts browning.
3. Add the water and cook on medium until the meat begins to soften.
4. Add the potatoes, carrots, tomatoes and bell peppers. Season with salt and the entire contents of the Goulash Spice Mix sachet and cook for 40 minutes.
It received 2 stars at the 2023 Great Taste Awards.
Comments from the judges: “This is a bright and vibrant spice mix. The range of flavours that explode onto the palate is extraordinary and exciting - sweet, salty, warm and spicy, garlicky and some citrus, herby and all abundant with good textures. We enjoyed the additional spices and can imagine that this would add depth of flavour to any dish.”
www.bestofhungary.co.uk/products/goulashsoup-seasoning-mix
Wales possesses such a rich, natural larder that we are always delighted to come across a restaurant making the most of this bounty. The Shed, in Swansea’s SA1 waterfront, certainly does just that. Executive Chef, Jonathan Woolway, Swansea-born and now returned from 16 years working with the Michelin starred, London St John Group, holds local ingredients as central to The Shed’s ethos. Their suppliers’ list reads like a ‘Who’s Who’ of quality Welsh food and drink producers, and with the menu updated daily, Jonathan is ensuring that The Shed’s offerings remain in rhythm with the seasons.
On the evening we visited, SA1 was bustling. The Shed is an invitingly light, large warehouse space. Clean lines, bare brick and sparkling glasses, with an open kitchen that reflects the honest openness of their approach. We were greeted by pleasant staff and welcomed into the convivial hubbub. The best restaurants always make this part of an evening special, when you’re settling in and vacillating between tempting dishes. The Shed is no exception. To accompany our investigation of the menus we tucked into an excellent sourdough and some grilled Caws Teifi Halloumi. The densely mellow cheese was beautifully complemented with drizzled Gower honey and a warming scattering of chilli. The friendly and knowledgeable staff were on hand to help us choose and soon our starters arrived.
I chose the potted Car-Y-Mor crab, beautifully prepared beneath lashings of clarified butter. The crabmeat was delicate and flaky, perfectly seasoned and with a lively, citrussy zing. B had opted for a dish of beetroot, walnut and Brefu Bach cheese. Visually beautiful (rich purples and greens with dazzlingly white cheese) and wonderfully constructed. Crunchy, succulent and deeply giving textures jostled, while the sharp acidity of the pickles, was complemented by the walnut’s gentle nuttiness and the delicate sweetness of the ewe’s cheese.
And onto mains. My Gower Saltmarsh Barnsley lamb chop arrived atop a sublimely rich reduction, that takes all day to make, and bed of cimi di rapa (a deeply flavoured brassica) with jewel-like redcurrant jelly. The meat was exceptionally good. Tender, sweet and gently flavoursome, as we would expect from the samphire rich saltmarshes, and impeccably cooked. The whole dish was beautifully balanced and pleasingly hearty. Yielding to sharing-pressure from my companion I had opted for chips rather than mash. Hot, fluffy and crisp, these were a triumph in themselves, and enabled me to soak up every last smear of the reduction. B’s oyster mushroom and pearl barley dish was appropriately autumnal, with deep earthy flavours contrasted by sweetly creamy but gently sharp ewe’s yoghurt. Warming and satisfying. I washed mine down with an Adobe organic merlot, sweet and plummy on the nose, yet drier on the mouth with mellow almost velvety softness. B paired hers with a CVNE Monopole white rioja, crisp and light with floral and fresh hay hints.
For dessert I was guided towards the Olive Oil Parfait, a favourite of our waiter. Her advice was excellent. Dense, sweet and creamy, but cut through with a crunch of seasalt. Unusual and delicious. My chocolate afficionado companion, B, chose the mousse, which met with her expert approval. An oxymoron, it was heavily sumptuous while remaining light and airy, the chocolaty darkness zipped up with a tangy crème fraiche. And then we couldn’t resist the Welsh Cakes, paired with a Da Mhile whisky. Made to Jonathan’s grandmother’s recipe these were the perfect end to a lovely evening. Warmly spiced and with that gentle gooiness that only a Mamgu can perfect. Blasus!
The Shed Restaurant and Bar, Unit 1-2, J Shed Arcade, Kings Rd, Swansea SA1 8PL theshedsa1.com
Coming Soon
Fabulous Coco Pzazz chocolate, brilliant Driftwood designsand bilingual as well!
Available now from lovely farm shops, gift shops and delis across Wales.
‘Pasture, Passion and Plate’ will be the theme for the 41st Worldchefs Congress & Expo 2026 at ICC Wales in Newport from May 16–19, hosted by the Culinary Association of Wales. Over the course of 98 years of history, the event has been organised in 40 cities around the globe and events in Newport next spring are bound to leave an indelible impression as the eyes of the world food and drink industry focus on Gwent.
It was the Team Wales partnership who secured a global event which will attract over 1,000 chefs and over 5,000 visitors from at least 100 countries over four days of global professional networking. Their successful bid followed months of work and lobbying by the Culinary Association of Wales, ICC Wales, Celtic Manor Resort, and the Welsh Government.
With the congress taking place at ICC Wales, delegates from all corners of the world will be accommodated at Celtic Manor Resort and nearby hotels. Singer Katherine Jenkins has been announced as the Ambassador of CAW and will be the ‘face’ of an event which has united a global community of chefs and cross-industry innovators to explore, as well as celebrate, the past, present and future of the culinary trade since 1928.
Worldchefs Congress & Expo 2026 will feature thirty international expert industry speakers from all over the world as well as four live finals of Global Chef Competitions that will see 72 teams compete for Young Chef, Chef, Vegan Chef, Patisserie and Confectionary Chef titles. In addition, exhibitors will gain access to an engaged, international audience and be given the chance to showcase their brand on a world stage.
Remember that original ideas spring from interesting conversations. Worldchefs Congress & Expo 2026 offers producers a priceless opportunity to exhibit and sell their wares to the best chefs in the world and for both hospitality workers and foodies to come and see them in action and enjoy their presentations.
So, join the discussion surrounding the biggest challenges and opportunities facing our community and help inspire trends that will shape the future of the hospitality industry.
Hear insights from experts, take part in immersive workshops to spark new ideas for your business or career, and expand your network at official events with the largest culinary body worldwide! And if you’re a Welsh food and drink producer seize the opportunity to get your wonderful products seen on the world stage.
www.worldchefscongress.org/register/
www.worldchefscongress.org/program/ www.worldchefscongress.org/speakers/
The Royal Welsh Winter Fair offers the perfect start to the Christmas season when it returns to Llanelwedd, Builth Wells, on November 24-25, bringing two days of top-quality livestock, shopping and entertainment. Recognised as one of Europe’s leading prime stock shows, the Fair attracts exceptional entries of cattle, sheep, pigs and horses, with farmers from across Wales and beyond, while visitors can also enjoy a packed programme of competitions including equine, hounds, poultry, butchery, cookery, produce, handicraft and floral art as well as hundreds of trade stands providing unique gift ideas, while the Food Hall showcases the best of Welsh produce. In addition, the popular Gwledd/Feast area in the Shearing Shed will serve up vibrant street food, alongside live music on the Gwledd Stage.
An added attraction this year is ‘The Big Science Project’, an initiative founded to promote engagement with science and widen participation in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) within local rural communities of Wales. Expect interactive workshops, demonstrations, and activities that make scientific concepts accessible and enjoyable for children, with a particular focus on the everyday applications of science along with activities that are both educational and inspiring.
At its heart, ‘The Big Science Project’ is about bridging the gap between scientific research and public understanding. Linking farming in Wales with human biology, its activities will investigate how meat is digested, focusing on its protein and fat components through fun experiments and hands-on activities around the theme of food that are both educational and inspiring. The aim is to foster curiosity, build confidence, and encourage long-term interest in STEM.
For details, tickets and schedules, visit www.rwas.wales or www.cafc.cymru
The Allyn family, of New York, who teamed up with Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney to form Red Dragon Ventures to invest in Wrexham Lager, have always backed community projects. They, and co-owners the Roberts family, have joined forces with F Jones Food Services to create a new recognition award initiative aimed at shining ‘a positive light’ on Wrexham.
Named after Fred Jones, who ran Jones’s Fish and Chip Shop, they recently held their third F Jones Initiative Awards evening, where guests learnt the Wrexham Lager Tasting Experience had been rolled out in 11 restaurants across Wales, while The Wrexham Taster Tour had helped attract visitors to North Wales.
And having won the Wales Food and Drinks
Community Award earlier this year, the company are now sponsoring the Royal Welch Fusilier Festival by creating a bespoke five-litre keg, with £5 from every keg sold going to the RWF Museum in Caernarfon.
Other initiatives include an arts history competition fund-raiser for the Wrexham Maelor Hospital League of Friends Charity, support for the regeneration of the High Street by providing outdoor barriers and parasols and sponsorship for a Tattoo Cymru event in local hospices, a Golf Day for Nightingale House Hospice and the opening gala at the William Aston Hall comedy festival.
www.wrexhamlager.com
South Wales distillery Hensol Castle have scooped a silver medal at the prestigious International Wine & Spirit Competition for their Single Malt New Make Spirit – which is not even whisky yet. Known as ‘new make,’ it is the raw liquid that will spend years maturing in casks before it earns that title. Yet even in its unaged form, Hensol Castle’s creation wowed judges with tropical fruit aromas, a silky mouthfeel, and a citrus finish that lingers long after the first sip. No wonder it scored an impressive 92 out of 100.
The distillery has also launched an exclusive ‘Age at Home’ kit, offering enthusiasts the chance to play distiller themselves – the perfect Christmas present for the whisky lover in your life! For other festive treats see the Xmas gifts feature elsewhere in this issue.
www.hensolcastledistillery.com/product/ whisky-age-at-home
Based in Cross Hands and part of the Castell Howell group, Mario’s Luxury Daily Ice Cream has been awarded the Great Taste Golden Fork for their Blackcurrant and Cassis sorbet. Praised for its vibrant fruit profile and velvety texture, the winning sorbet was selected from over 14,000 entries submitted to the world’s largest and most trusted food and drink accreditation scheme. Founded by Mario Dallavalle, Mario’s combine Italian heritage with the finest Welsh ingredients and – with over 40 years of experience – the family-run business is renowned for premium ice creams, sorbets and desserts using milk from an award-winning Carmarthenshire dairy and Welsh double cream.
www.mariosicecream.com
The early months of 2026 promise to be a hectic time for Castell Howell – Wales’s leading food wholesaler – who hold three ground-breaking shows in January and February. Joining their line-up this year is the ICC
Newport on January 20-21 which, at an impressive 4,000 sq. metres, will be home to the company’s biggest-ever show.
From there the action will move to Parc y Scarlets, in the heart of Llanelli, on February 10-11 before the Castell Howell road show moves up to north Wales and Parc Eirias, in Colwyn Bay, on February 24-25.
All three showpieces will be bursting with inspiration, tips and deals from a huge variety of artisan producers and brands providing the best product knowledge and ingredient advice. So don’t miss out on products new to Castell Howell, the chance to meet producers, demo kitchen inspiration, a Welsh producers’ village and free coffee shop!
www.castellhowellfoods.co.uk
For the first time, families across Wales will be able to purchase PGI Welsh Lamb meatballs direct from the supermarket. Edwards – The Welsh Butcher has launched a brand new, ready to cook, PGI Welsh Lamb meatballs product which is available in selected Tesco stores across Wales.
Many will know and love the Edwards’ brand for their ready-to-cook PGI Welsh Beef burgers and meatballs and their range of pork sausages. Now, customers can experience the same Edwards’ quality in the form of PGI Welsh Lamb meatballs.
Speaking on the new product launch, Edwards’ Managing Director Simon James explained: “This represents 12 months of hard work from the Edwards team and its producers, and we are thrilled to finally be adding Welsh Lamb products to our range. These Welsh Lamb meatballs are perfect for quick mid-week suppers and can be served with a range of accompaniments and sides to make delicious dinners to suit all tastes – making them perfect for the whole family.”
Jason Craig, Market Development Lead from Welsh red meat promotion body Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) commented: “This is great news for consumers as well as the red meat sector in Wales. It is fantastic to see this type of innovation here in Wales which will hopefully allow more families and shoppers to choose and cook Welsh Lamb going forward.”
To celebrate the launch, HCC has created a new Asian Glazed Welsh Lamb meatball recipe which works perfectly with Edwards’ new Welsh Lamb meatballs. Head to the Edwards, The Welsh Butcher’s website for full details.
*Edwards’ Welsh Lamb meatballs are available in selected Tesco stores across Wales
We are specialist suppliers of loose leaf teas and infusions and tea distilled Gin. Our blends are sourced from a collection of old and new recipes. We sell our own brand of 46 loose leaf teas and accessories via online webshop.
Our aromatic and flavour-rich blends are endlessly versatile; whether it be a satisfying cuppa, a delicate herbal pick-me-up, as an aromatic culinary ingredient or as a twist to an elegant cocktail. From black teas to caffeine-free, from herbal to fruit infusion – all our teas are blended for your enjoyment. You can drink our teas and infusions in the morning, mid-day, afternoon, evening - and as a nightcap.
NEW in for Christmas - our Range of 20cl Coventina Gins
Prep time – 15 mins
Cook time – 60 mins
Serves – 4
• Joint of PGI Welsh Beef (suitable cuts: topside / silverside / sirloin or rib joint)
• 2 carrots, halved lengthways
• 1 large onion, sliced into thick slices
• For the crust:
• Handful of fresh thyme leaves, some chopped for crust
• 3 sprigs of rosemary, 1 chopped for crust
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 lemon, zest and juice
• 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• ½ tsp coarse black pepper
• Pinch sea salt
1. Calculate cooking time: Medium-rare: 20 mins per 500g / Medium: 25 mins per 500g / Well done: 30 mins per 500g
2. Preheat oven to 220°C / 200°C fan / Gas 7.
3. Remove the joint from the fridge at least 30 minutes before cooking to allow to come to room temperature.
4. Place the vegetables and sprigs of herbs on the bottom of a roasting tin to create a trivet and pop the joint on top.
5. Put the garlic, seeds, and seasoning in a pestle and mortar and lightly crush. Add
the oil, zest and juice of lemon and fresh herbs.
6. Smear the crust mixture over the surface of the meat and place in the hot oven for 20 minutes.
7. Reduce the oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas 4 and cook for the remaining calculated cooking time. Baste occasionally by spooning the juices from the tin over the meat.
8. Remove from the oven, place joint onto a chopping board, and allow to rest for at least 30 minutes before carving. Sprinkle over with a little sea salt when carving.
9. Skim the fat from the roasting tin and use the juices to make a delicious gravy.
www.eatwelshlambandwelshbeef.com
Made with tender pulled Welsh lamb and topped with Welsh Smokery’s Smoked Lamb Bacon, these savoury crumpets make a standout brunch dish
For the Lamb Shoulder
• 1 whole lamb shoulder
• 1 small tin anchovies
• A few cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
• Several sprigs of rosemary
For the Lamb Butter
• 4 lamb kidneys
• Small bowl of milk (for soaking)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 90g salted butter
• 2 tbsp sherry
• ¼ tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp salt
• Pinch of black pepper
For the Crumpets
• 1 pack Welshhomestead Smokery Smoked Lamb Bacon
• 1 pack crumpets (or more if feeding a crowd!)
• Pickled gherkins, sliced thinly lengthways
• Small bunch of chives, finely snipped to garnish
Method
Cook the Lamb Shoulder
1. Preheat the oven to 130–150°C (depending on how low yours will go), or
set up your BBQ for indirect cooking at around 120°C.
2. Open the anchovies and cut a few fillets into thirds.
3. Using a small, sharp knife, make incisions about 2cm deep all over the top side of the lamb shoulder, spacing them roughly 8cm apart.
4. Into each incision, press a piece of anchovy, a slice of garlic, and a small sprig of rosemary — these little flavour pockets will infuse the meat beautifully.
5. If oven-cooking, place the lamb in a roasting dish with a cup of water or wine, cover tightly with foil, and roast.
6. If BBQing, add a little wood for smoke (cherry works beautifully) and place the lamb directly on the grill.
7. If cooking on the BBQ, wrap the shoulder in butcher’s paper or foil once it reaches 65°C internal temperature.
8. Continue to cook low and slow until the meat reaches over 90°C or until it’s tender enough to press easily with a spoon. This usually takes 5–6 hours. The goal is soft, pull-apart meat that falls from the bone.
9. Remove the lamb, wrap it in tea towels or place in a cooler to rest for at least 1 hour (up to 2). This allows the juices to redistribute and makes shredding easier.
10. Shred the meat, discarding any unrendered fat or tough skin. Use immediately or store in the fridge/freezer until ready to assemble your crumpets.
Make the Lamb Butter
1. Soak the kidneys in milk in the fridge for
a few hours to mellow their flavour.
2. Remove and trim the kidneys, discarding the thin outer membrane and the central white core. 12. Chop the remaining flesh into small pieces.
3. Melt half the butter in a small pan, then add the kidneys and minced garlic. Gently cook for 4–5 minutes until no pink remains. Transfer to a food processor and add the salt, pepper, and ground coriander.
4. Melt the remaining butter in the same pan, add the sherry, and let it bubble vigorously for 2 minutes. Pour into the processor with the kidney mix and blend until smooth.
5. Spoon into a bowl and refrigerate for a few hours to set. (It’s also brilliant on toast or crackers — keeps for about 3 days in the fridge.)
Assemble the Crumpets
1. Gently fry the Smoked Lamb Bacon, then set aside. Reheat your shredded lamb in the same pan.
2. Toast the crumpets until golden.
3. Spread each hot crumpet generously with Lamb Butter, then pile high with the pulled lamb.
4. Top with two slices of pickled gherkin, a rasher of Lamb Bacon, and a sprinkle of fresh chives.
5. Serve immediately — ideally with a little salad, extra pickles, or sauerkraut on the side. www.welshsmokery.co.uk
Discover a cocktail experience unlike any other. Gasm Drinks are not simply ready to drink cans, but a celebration of craftsmanship, where sparkling wine meets the finest fruit gins in perfect harmony
The result? Award Winning blends that embody sophistication with every sip.
Plum GASM - A radiant rose-gold hue with an alluring plum bouquet. Subtle notes of elderflower and lemon thyme are layered with orange blossom and peach, finishing with a delicate touch of sweetness and dry elegance.
Sloeberry GASM - Deep sherry red in colour, offering a refined chardonnay nose enriched with hints of cherries and berries. A bold Sloeberry character unfolds into blackberry and cherry notes, balanced by a smooth, dry finish.
The cocktail reimagined. Seasonal. Stylish. Exquisite.
www.gasmdrinks.co.uk
Snack,
Prep time – 1 hr
Cook time – 2 hrs 30 mins
Serves - 4
• 1 piece of Gammon
• 2 sticks of celery
• 2 carrots- halved lengthways
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
• 2 star anise
• Bouquet garnish – rosemary, thyme and bay leaves.
• 500 ml cola or apple cider (or just water)
For the glaze (make double if you want a pouring sauce):
• 70g clear honey
• 2 tablespoons soft brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon English mustard
• 2 tablespoons marmalade
• Grated rind 1 orange
• Cloves
• Orange slices (optional)
This is the best glazed gammon recipe – in our opinion! Perfect for entertaining or for a festive gammon joint.
1. Take the gammon out of the fridge and leave for 30 minutes.
2. Place the celery, carrots, peppercorns and star anise in a large pan.
3. Place the gammon in the pan and then pour over the liquid. Top up with cold water just to cover the meat.
4. Bring to the boil and then put a lid on the pan and simmer for the time stated.
5. 20 minutes per 450g plus 20 minutes over. Ensure the gammon reaches an internal temperature of 75’C.
6. Allow to sit in the cooking liquid for at least 30minutes.
7. Remove and when cool enough to handle remove the skin ensuring you leave the fat layer on the meat.
8. Use a knife to make a diamond pattern and place a clove in the diamonds.
9. Mix all the ingredients for the glaze together.
10. Line a roasting tin with foil and a square of bakewell paper. Place the gammon on top and bring up the foil up the sides and exposed edges.
11. Pour half the glaze over the top and place in a hot oven for 10 minutes.
12. Add the sliced orange or satsuma into the roasting tin (optional)
13. Pour the rest of the glaze over and place back in the oven for another 10 minutes.
14. Allow to rest for 30 minutes before carving.
www.porcblasus.cymru
Welcome to our NEW ADDITIONS to our already exstensive range...
From our kitchen to yours...
Prep time – 25 mins
Cook time – 240 mins
Serves – 4
• ½ shoulder of Welsh Lamb
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 5 cloves garlic
• 2 preserved lemons, chopped
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• Handful coriander, chopped
• ½ tsp dried mint
• Seasoning
• 2 tbsp oil
• 150ml vegetable stock
• Yogurt and Tahini Dressing:
• 200g thick Greek yogurt
• 2 tbsp Tahini
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tsp lemon rind
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• ½ tsp Sumac powder
• To Serve:
• Pomegranate seeds
• Flatbreads
1. Preheat the oven to 130’C
2. Heat a small pan and add the cumin seed, heat carefully for a few minutes until they start to pop and colour slightly. Remove from heat, cool and place in a pestle and mortar and crush the seeds.
3. In a food processor place the cumin, lemon, garlic, cinnamon, mint, coriander, seasoning and the oil. Blitz to a paste.
4. Place the meat in a roasting tin.
5. Use a sharp knife to make slits in the surface of the meat.
6. Rub the herb paste all over the surface of the meat.
7. Pour the stock around the base of the tin.
Perfect balanced with a mix of spices, citrus avors, wine, and Apero , this easy to make hot winter cocktail recipe from Grounds4Good is Christmas in a glass!
Ingredients
• A large glass of Apero – the key ingredient thanks to its classic bitter-sweet avour, which pairs so well with the spices and citrus
• A bottle of dry White Wine
• A glass of Apple Juice – preferably fresh and unsweetened
• 2 tablespoons of Welsh Honey – add more to taste
• 2 fresh Oranges
• 3 or 4 Cinnamon Sticks
1. In a medium pot, combine all the ingredients – apart from the honey.
2. Heat the mixture over low heat, ensuring it doesn’t boil. Let it warm for about 10 minutes, allowing the avours to meld
3. Taste the mixture and add honey to preference - stirring to ensure it is dissolved
4. Pour the hot Apero cocktail into heatsafe glasses or mugs, straining out the orange slices and cinnamon sticks
5. Add fresh orange slice and/or a cinnamon stick to each glass
Tip - make this ahead of time and then warm it up when you want to drink it
www.groundsforgood.co.uk
8. Cover tightly with foil making sure it’s not touching the surface of the Lamb.
9. Cook for approximately 2 ½ - 3 hours until the meat is tender.
10. Increase the oven temperature to 200’C.
11. Remove the foil and cook for a further 20 minutes until the crust is crisp and browned. (You could place under the grill until crisp and browned)
12. Leave to rest for 30 minutes before pulling the meat o the bone.
For the Yogurt and Tahini Dressing
1. Mix the yogurt, tahini, garlic, lemon rind and juice together until smooth.
2. Add the sumac and just gently stir through.
3. Serve the Lamb with atbreads, the dressing and top with pomegranate seeds.
www.eatwelshbeefandlamb.com
• 250g plain our, plus extra to dust
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 100ml cold water
• 140g chilled Castle Dairies butter, plus 35g chopped and extra for greasing
• 250g mixed dried fruit
• 100g light brown sugar
• 100g glace morello cherries, chopped
• 50g marzipan, nely chopped, plus 50g
• 3 tbsp brandy
• 2 tbsp mixed peel
• 2 tbsp crushed mixed nuts
• 1 apple, grated
• 1 tsp grated nutmeg
• milk, to brush
• icing sugar, to dust
• gold spray, to decorate (optional)
You’ll also need baking paper, a 12-hole cake tray, 9cm cookie cutter, 8cm uted cookie cutter
1. In a large bowl, mix together the our, sugar, egg yolk and cold water until you have a thick paste. Knead with one hand for 30 seconds.
2. Place the butter between two sheets of baking paper and hit with a rolling pin until a at square.
3. Lightly dust a clean kitchen surface with our, then roll the dough out to a 20cm by 30cm rectangle.
4. Place the butter in the middle of the rectangle and fold one side of the pastry over the butter, then fold the remaining side of pastry over the top of that, so you have a square.
5. Turn the square 90 degrees and roll into the same sized rectangle. Turn one side into the pastry and then the other side over that, and turn 90 degrees.
6. Repeat the rolling and folding process one more time. Wrap in cling lm and chill for 1hr.
7. In a large bowl, mix together the 35g chopped butter, mixed dried fruit, light
brown sugar, cherries, marzipan, brandy, mixed peel, nuts, apple and nutmeg.
8. Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/gas mark 5 and grease the holes in the cake tray.
9. On a surface dusted with our, roll the pastry out to around 1/2cm thick then cut out 12 x 9cm circles with the cookie cutter.
10. Line the tray holes with the circles of pastry then ll the pastry cases with the fruit mixture.
11. Bring the o cuts of the pastry together and roll out again. Cut 6 x 8cm circles from the pastry and top six of the pies with then.
12. Using a skewer or fork, prick the tops of the pies with the pastry lids, then brush them with milk.
13. Bake for 20-25 mins until golden. Allow to cool complete within the tray.
14. Roll out the extra marzipan and cut out two stars. Place the stars on one of the openings pies. Dust with icing sugar and spray with gold spray.
www.castledairies.co.uk
A cocktail for all occasions, that’s a perfect blend of sweet and sour, herb and fruit and based on Coventina Oolong and Blackcurrant Gin from Morgan’s Brew.
• 70ml (double shot) of Coventina Oolong and Blackcurrant Gin
• 35ml of pear syrup
• 150ml of quality tonic water
• Half a squeeze of lime
• A sprig of fresh mint, lightly bruised
• Lime to garnish
1. Pour the pear syrup into the glass
2. Add the gin and tonic water and stir gently
3. Fill to the top with ice
4. Add the lime and lightly bruised mint and stir
5. Garnish with a slice of lime
Enjoy!
www.morgansbrewtea.co.uk
We’re no strangers to Aber Falls’ delectable liquids, having tried most of them but it’s been a while since we’ve had the pleasure of any liqueurs. From memory they were rather good indeed. So, we didn’t need asking twice if we wanted to try a few recent additions to the range.
The first thing that struck us was the new elegantly fluted bottling. What filled the bottles was no less classy. The Wild Raspberry was perfection on a late summer’s evening – refreshing, delicate raspberry, sweet but with a hint of sharpness, robust juniper and botanicals. Add tonic and you have an exceptional, pink gin. The rhubarb and ginger was less summer and more autumn, the warmth, spice and tartness of its main constituents bouncing brilliantly off the gin adding up to a sum greater than its parts.
Our tasting panel was initially unsure of the idea of a pistachio cream, being unable to imagine what it would taste like. How wrong we were. It was the surprise winner, going down a storm. The alcohol is clearly present, but more background, adding depth and a spirit edge but, whether it’s the nutty, earthy roasted pistachio or the creamy sweet white chocolate, there’s something here that makes it compulsive drinking.
www.aberfallsdistillery.com
Having given our Italian friends a mighty scare with their amazing, Parma-styled, Air Dried ham, Carmarthen Deli have now turned their hand to Air Dried beef.
Established in 1962, Carmarthen Deli have mastered the art of curing. Taking the finest cuts of PGI Welsh beef they use their vast experience to cure it perfectly – it has to be a certain weight, dried at the correct temperature in the correct environment, cured, with a secret ingredient, to produce a balanced flavour and matured for precisely the appropriate length of time, which is an art in itself. The texture is spot on. Moist but not too much, a little bit of bite but so tender that it melts in the mouth within seconds. But oh, the taste. It has a wonderful beefy flavour that blossoms from the tip of your tongue to fill airways with a gorgeously deep aroma. This is swiftly followed by layers of incredible mellow, delicately salty umaminess that lingers long after the last swallow. Sumptuous, again!
www.carmarthendeli.co.uk
Pembrokeshire Gold is emblematic of so much great Welsh produce. A family farm, in a beautiful, richly pastured part of Wales, forced to diversify, comes up with an imaginative and inspired product that the owners then throw all their passion and energy behind to create something very special – a range of delicious, healthy and sustainable oils and dressings based on pure, cold-pressed rapeseed oil, produced on their own farm.
Having been blown away by the plain and garlic versions a couple of years ago, this time we set about the more recent Rosemary, Smoked Applewood and Chilli (from nearby Pembrokeshire Chilli Farm) infused incarnations. All had that trade-mark lovely light nuttiness, and myriad mouth-watering usesfrying and baking, creating dressings, drizzling on pizza and greedily dipping sourdough. But they also had their own little areas where they truly excelled – the Applewood for frying salmon or Trout or sprinkling over cheese (with a little honey), the chilli as a drizzle on pretty much anything but especially pizza and ice-cream, and the rosemary in a roast or for dipping sourdough, served with Halen Mon sea salt. Liquid gold indeed.
www.pembrokeshiregold.co.uk
While Llanelli based Krunchie’s vinegar may be better known, their Gravy browning deserves a good look too. It uses natural ingredients and colouring and is aimed at those that want to make their gravy the traditional way, from the stock, drippings and roux. It’s a great way to add an insta perfect, lush, rich brown colour which all beats granules and powder hands down.
But ‘Gravy’ browning is something of a misnomer as Krunchie see their browning as a versatile, go to product that can be used to make many foods more visually attractive. Since it has no taste it can be freely used to give a lovely, appetising brown glow to casseroles, sauces, baked goods and cakes, pie fillings, microwaved, slow-cooked or roast meats and even home brewed beer! A must for any kitchen cupboard.
It’s Autumn, so time for some comfort beer. And what better than a plum porter? Similar to a stout but not quite as black and heavy, being brewed from brown malt, as opposed to roasted malt, Porter is a gentler introduction to this style of beer – it’s thinner, and arguably easier to drink, less bitter, and with milder, but still present, coffee and chocolate notes. For this reason, it’s a great passenger for fruit, especially plums.
And my wordy does Nos Dawel have plums. Hafod use 100 kilos of proper plum in each batch, introduced in two stages, during the boil and during the ferment. This raises the already excellent porter to a different level – chocolate on the nose which unfolds to a sweet coffee bitterness, and unfolding fruit on the palate and then an explosion of dark chocolate and plummy goodness on the finish. Perfect in front of an inglenook fire.
www.welshbeer.com
Queen Bee is Daniel Baxter’s baby, and Dan lives for honey. He’s been keeping hives since his teens, is a DEFRA employed bee expert and produces honey from apiaries nestled between the Skirrid, the Sugarloaf and the Blorenge near Abergavenny. Honey that uniquely captures that beautiful part of Wales, and follows its seasons. Honey is one of the few products that genuinely reflect their terroir. Proper honey, that is. Honey from bees collecting nectar from the plants in their range that happen to be flowering at that time. And that’s what Dan produces. The set Spring honey may be the least intense, but it’s divinely light and fragrant and perfect on crumpets. The runny Summer carries forward the fragrant hues and adds a deep and mellow woodiness and is slightly sweeter, and just as scrumptious. The intensity of the frankly stunning heather honey, which is produced late summer by the strongest hives on the upland moors, is on another level and produces an amazingly robust and deeply flavoured honey packed with heady floral notes. Regal honey indeed.
www.thequeenbeehoney.co.uk
Cardigan is now truly on the food and drink map, thanks to businesses like family owned Dewi James Butchers, with their potentially game-changing take on the traditional banger.
Their original bangers set out their stall - no rubbish ingredients, no artificial flavours, just top-quality pork and proper ingredients and no nasties. Having experimented with gluten free (most sausages aren’t), they realised they could make GF sausages that were just as good (some customers say even better), creating ‘a one sausage fits all’ solution for anyone, consumer or trade, worried about gluten.
And honestly, you’d never know. The Original has all the flavour and texture of its Gluten predecessor – a classic style with a great balance of herbs, spices and caramelised onions that’s perfect in a cooked breakfast. The ‘Red Hot Chilli Banger’ is back with a bigger punch – the chilli uptick adds extra, but not too much, fire and will be a hit with heat seekers. The Apple Banger’s gentle sweetness works wonders with mash but also in a casserole. Still great sausages, for all occasions and anyone.
www.dewijamesbutchers.co.uk
We’ve already tried Trefaldwyn’s ruby red soft cheese, and sister company Daisy Bank’s cultured butter, and both were very special. At their heart is Daisy Bank’s own organic cream that, with care, skill and some stubborn passion, has been transformed into otherworldly goodness. And now we turn to the cheese that brought Trefaldwyn to the attention of the cheese world in the first place. The Blue. A delightful orange gold sunset colour, with delicate veins of blue, this soft set cheese is sublime. Slowly matured for a mellow, rich and deep flavour, with a blue tang that’s bold but not overpowering, and complements the savoury, slightly sweet, creamy cheese at its heart. A world class effort that justly deserves the many awards it’s won.
www.trefaldwyn-cheese.com
With a name inspired by the Red Kite, expectations are high for the latest whisky to come from Cardigan’s In The Welsh Wind. Especially since it’s the first to be blended solely from Welsh malt whiskies.
The spirit, whilst smooth, being all malt, is rich and full-bodied, and golden straw in colour. The way it’s been blended and aged, using a combination of oak, bourbon, port, and wine casks, makes for a very complex whisky, which is where the fun really starts. There’s so much going on, you could while away an evening or more with friends finding and debating its subtleties. We got liquorice, dark chocolate, orange peel, wood smoke, berries, winter spices and even hints of cognac. At a base level it’s just a lovely dram, but its great appeal is the joy to be had peeling back its layersyou think you have its subtleties within your grasp and then find more. Like the Red Kite, its wonder just out of reach.
www.inthewelshwind.co.uk
Thanks to Angle’s nutrient rich, crystal clear waters fed by the Gulf Stream and a large tidal range that washes over their oysters twice a day, Atlantic Edge Pembrokeshire Oysters have been making waves recently. Oysters are very sensitive to their merroir, which is why Atlantic Edge’s oysters, Rock and Native, have been awarded PGI status. So pristine is the water in which they’re farmed, you can eat Atlantic Edge Oysters safely, straight from the sea. It also means they taste unbelievably clean, wild and crisp – the scent of sea spray is remarkable, the liquor is a saline elixir that captures the very essence of the Atlantic, and the plump, sweet flesh delivers layers of deep, creamy, zesty mineral flavour. The Rock Oysters were meatier, more briny and deeply flavoured, while the slower growing Natives, often the connoisseurs’ choice, were subtle, creamy and gently nutty. Quite the best oyster experience I’ve ever had, better even than Galway and Arcachon.
www.atlanticedgeoysters.co.uk
It is a truth universally acknowledged that an impeccable Welsh cheeseboard must be accompanied by Cradoc’s crackers. And now those Cradoc’s baker ladies are embracing difference by turning their expert hands to a new product, Delisticks - breadsticks with a twist. We were lucky enough to sample three varieties, all made using sourdough. First up the Salted Sourdough, solid yet crisp, this had that slight sourdoughy tang we all love. A beautifully versatile accompaniment to our houmous. Next, Cheddar Cheese and Onion. Slightly denser, these had a gentle herby onion-ness alongside the savoury tones of cheese. Delicious alone and then with aioli. Finally Mexican Chilli Bean, a total departure from traditional breadsticks! Smoky, spicey and gently earthy, these had a cheerful snap. We loved these, dipped into soured cream or simply on their own. The humble breadstick has finally come of age.
www.cradocssavourybiscuits.co.uk
Monmouthshire mead pioneers Hive Mind won a Golden Fork in The Great Taste Awards in 2023 for their Traditional Mead so we know we’re already off to a great start before popping the cork on the whisky barrel aged version. Pop said cork and you’re hit by an unmistakeable and delightful waft of whisky, and at a guess I’d say, a bourbon cask whisky given the hints of vanilla, possibly even Islay as there’s a hint of smoke in there too. Inhale more deeply and the mead’s glorious honey tones come through. In the glass it’s a wonderful golden colour and blossoms on the nose as the honey comes even more to the fore. On the palate it’s satisfyingly drier than you’d expect with a pronounced oak/woodiness, whilst the whisky continues to add sparkle. What shines though is the quality of the mead, which, with the extra layers of whisky loveliness makes for a very special, sophisticated, and luxurious tipple.
www.hivemindmead.com
As people who adore real coffee and love campervanning, we’re always seeking ways to brew a quality cup, that don’t require scraping out messy grounds. Coffee bags may be the answer, but is the coffee itself really good enough? The answer is a firm ‘yes’ when the coffee bags are from Lampeter based, Tidy. We took Tidy coffee bags on a recent campervan trip to beautiful Llyn Brianne. The 100% Arabica bags brewed into a deliciously smooth morning coffee, with a rounded flavour - slightly nutty and subtly fruity, with absolutely no hint of bitterness. Sitting up late searching for stars shooting across the llyn, we sipped another deliciously mellow coffee, made using Tidy’s decaf bags. With sustainability at their centre, Tidy ensure all the bags and packaging are environmentally responsible, so our used bags went straight into the compost – no scraping of grounds required. Tidy!
www.tidytea.com
Pembrokeshire’s Cinnamon Grove have a welldeserved, growing reputation for premium small-batch gins, distilled using pure water, drawn from their 17th century well. Now, alongside a range of handcrafted spirits, Cinnamon Grove have added Toffee Vodka. We initially sampled it neat. The aroma of toffee, intense on the nose, was honey-soft on the mouth, with notes of caramel, vanilla and subtle bara-brith, all captured in a spirit that was certainly smooth enough to be sipped alone. Next, we created long sparkling drinks. With a lemonade mixer, it delivered a sumptuously sweet, full-on toffee experience. But our preference was to mix it with tonic. The rounded sweetness of the toffee dramatically juxtaposed with the dry bitterness of the tonic, creating a truly, multi-layered experience.
www.cinnamongrovegin.co.uk
Mid-Wales has a reputation for being a little, shall we say sleepy? But actually, Mid-Wales is stealthily becoming a by-word for innovation, particularly in food & drink. And pivotal to this movement is Gasm Drinks, a family-run business from Sarn near Newtown. They’ve developed delicious cocktails, handily available blended, then bottled or canned. Unlike the ready-mixed cocktails on our supermarket shelves, Gasm Drinks’ cocktails are not sugary sweet and full of artificial nasties. Rather, these are properly grown-up, fruit-infused gin and finest sparkling white wine cocktails. We tried two. Spritz-like, the Sloeberry is a dry, joyously fizzing drink, lightly refreshing but with deeply fruity-berry notes. The Plum, delicately rose-gold in colour, offers a lovely complexity of plummy fruitiness and floral hints, within a deliciously dry crispness. Both are gloriously sophisticated cocktails, yet handy enough to take on a picnic, to a festival or maybe even to a dinner party.
www.gasmdrinks.co.uk
We love it when working together brings out the best in two Welsh companies. Both family businesses, Castle Dairies and Halen Môn have been doing this with award-winning success. Churning British cream for nearly 60 years, Caerphilly-based, Castle Dairies have been awarded 2 Great Taste Stars for their block and roll of Halen Môn butter, hand-salted with Anglesey’s Halen Môn sea salt. We treated ourselves to a block to see if the fuss is deserved, and it certainly is. Spread cold on a hunk of sourdough, this golden butter delivers Castle’s signature smooth, creamy richness with a delightful sparkling, salty crunch that bursts on the tongue. Melted over hot crumpets, it takes it to another level, visibly glistening with crisp flakes of sea salt that make the butter sing! North-meets-South in buttery perfection!
www.castledairies.co.uk
It’s hard to beat a good stout. And this is a hard to beat good stout! Back in the days when most ale and lager was, frankly, undrinkable, stout was my go to. Having drifted away, thanks to the boom in real and craft ales etc., it’s great to be reminded why I used to love the black stuff. And that’s what Conwy’s new Black Dragon has done. It sticks pretty close to the formula, being a homage to a classic stout with its distinctive dark, deeply roasted malt flavour, bringing with it dark chocolate and coffee notes alongside a sharp bitterness balanced by gentle hops. Where it differs is it’s a tad less harsh, avoiding that slightly burnt taste, is more mineral-rich, has a less weighty mouthfeel and a lovely finish with hints of treacle. You can ‘violent’ pour straight from the can or get a ‘surger’ from Conwy if you prefer a classic creamy head.
www.conwybrewery.co.uk
I have just lit the rst re of the year, two and a half weeks before my father’s autumnal deadline but, lest I should be considered over-nesh, I have just been for a bracing swim in a mountain lake, so deserve a cosy evening. ere is nothing more conducive to a sense of well-being than the ability to revel in the changing seasons so I have abandoned the summer without a qualm: though I am always a bibliophile, there’s something special about curling up with a book by the re.
When I run creative writing sessions, one of my favourite ‘provocations’ is a box of assorted oldfashioned sweets. When we want to vividly recapture our childhood experiences, some of which seem to have sunk without trace, buried beneath more obviously signi cant memories, taste can be a powerful mechanism. Sweets, partly because they are o en the rst foods we buy independently, operate like a bouncing bomb, destroying the dams which hold back connections to the past. e village shop run by the gloriously named Mrs Cuckoo was where I rst learned to budget, rejecting things I actually really relished eating, such as the piratical Old Jamaica chocolate bar with its ‘rum-soaked’ raisins for the value for money provided by Fruit Salads, Black Jacks, straws full of sherbet and Flying Saucers, where the rice paper stuck to the roof of one’s mouth. Sherbert was a feature of my choices: later, I began to make my own, ramping up the proportions of citric acid to blistering sharpness. One of my sisters, also a fan of that white powder, undertook an experiment as a Fresher: how long can an active life be maintained by a human eating only Sherbet Fountains? She came back home for the weekend just before scurvy set in.
inking of the confectionery of times past brings me to my namesake, Miss Myfanwy Price, whose unconsummated love for the draper Mr Mog Edwards is one of the most poignant relationships in ‘Under Milk Wood.’ It’s clear that Dylan omas had a nostalgia for the sweet treats of childhood, as he lovingly describes: ‘Gobstoppers big as wens that rainbow as you suck them, brandyballs, winegums, hundreds and thousands, liquorice sweet as sick, nougat to tug and ribbon out like a red rubber tongue, gum to glue in girls’ curls, crimson coughdrops to spit blood’.
ere are many wonderful books about food. Pen Vogler’s fascinating ‘Sco ’ reminded me of the culinary class warfare of my childhood, where my father’s robust working-class tastes collided with my mother’s exotic sensibilities. Polemics like Chris van Tulleken’s ‘Ultra Processed People’ are game-changing works, making us all examine our relationships with food: what we read shapes how we cook.
en there are the food memoirs, where we get to share a life in food. Again, back to my mother, Elizabeth David’s ‘An Omelette and a Glass of Wine,’ shaped the sensibilities of a whole generation, helping us to promote simplicity and avour above arti ce: I can’t make a bavarois to save my life and David showed me that it doesn’t matter. Nigel Slater’s ‘Toast’ created a new genre, combining honesty with deep food knowledge and there is something particularly pleasurable about sitting quietly on one’s sofa and reading about the frenetic life of a professional kitchen: Anthony Bourdain’s ‘Kitchen Con dential’ is arguably the classic of this sub-genre.
en there are the recipe books themselves. On my shelves, perhaps disproportionate space is taken up by the plastic binders containing ‘Robert Carrier’s Kitchen’, a partwork my mother assiduously collected. She valued the fourteen volumes su ciently to bequeath them to me in her will and should the house catch re, I’m taking them out rst, though I would probably tuck Bryn Williams’ excellent ‘ e Perfect Ingredient’ under my arm as well. Gradually, the character of the person creating the recipe has become a vital part of a cookbook. I was lucky enough to contribute to Lowri Haf Cooke’s ‘Amser Nadolig,’ where Christmas recipes and anecdotes blended and the experience of seeing my own recipe presented professionally by stylists was utterly delightful.
But if, with all this reading matter at your disposal, you are still hankering a er sunshine, grab a copy of ‘Cywain/Harvest’, a brilliant, bilingual celebration of home-grown food by Wales’ version of Nigella, Nerys Howell. I think I’ll just snuggle under a blanket with a glass of her ‘Fig Leaf Gin,’ and Grace Dent’s book ‘Comfort Eating.’
Available in supermarkets across Wales
