taste. blas magazine: Issue 2, Spring 2019

Celebrating great food and drink in Wales Spring 2019

FINE CUT

The best Welsh PGI beef and lamb

NORSE STAR

Noma’s founder is coming to Wales

BREW UP

Welsh beer’s on the rise

SEAFOOD

Eat it – what, where, who?

ANYONE FOR TEA? Great Welsh afternoon teas

THE GRAND TOUR Around Wales’ newest distillery

PLUS THE DIRTY VEGAN, FESTIVALS, FORAGING, VISITOR CENTRES AND RECIPES GALORE

Spring is sprung!

‘Moliannwn oll yn llon’! in the fresh Welsh air followed by a spot of Afternoon Tea or craft beer. How about challenging yourself to an extreme feat or two, like Matt Pritchard from Dirty Vegan. You needn’t feel you have to go the full Ironman route – how about preparing yourself a vegan feast? Or if meat’s more your thing, let the flavours of Wales sing, by savouring a fresh salad or delicious lamb stew?

Now, who could possibly refuse an invite to join in this wonderful celebration? And as nature gradually awakens, so does our appetite for life, and our willingness to explore new journeys, tastes and flavours. But as you raise from your slumber to go for a wander, consider the wonders on offer in Wales. This issue will inspire you to consider Cymru anew, and help you plan a few home-grown food adventures.

With so many Spring celebrations filling up the calendar, from Dydd Gŵyl Dewi, Easter, Shrove Tuesday and Mother’s Day, we have ideas to inspire, from recipes and reviews, along with some utterly ravishing Welsh views. So curl up and enjoy, then get out and explore! According to the song, brighter times are to come. As Benjamin Thomas had it, ‘Ffwd-la-la, ffwd-la-la, ffwd-la-la-la-la-la -la!’

How about exploring Welsh seafood, at a Pembrokeshire beach-side shack, or by adding laver bread to your GWB? It’s time to get out there, to take

Lowri Haf Cooke

© Emyr Young

I can’t help but dance a jig at this glorious time of year to Benjamin Thomas’ Welsh ode to springtime.

The Bethesda quarryman emigrated to Slate Valley, Vermont, and wrote the ditty in celebration of the passing of winter. He rejoiced in the prancing of new lambs, and the gentle rays of sun, along with rustling leaves on trees above green meadows.

taste.blas is brought to you by EDITORIAL

PRODUCTION

Editors: Lowri Cooke and Jeremy Head

Designer: James Meredith

Contributors: Lowri Haf Cooke, Jon Gower, Adele Nozedar, Vic North, Meryl Cubley, Steve Stratford, Catrin Rowlands.

Recipes: Lisa Ann Fearn (Gomer Press) Angela Gray, Matt Pritchard.

Photographer: Emyr Young (Pysgoty + Lowri Haf Cooke profile pic), Marian Delyth, Aled Llewelyn, Rowan Morgan.

ADVERTISING Publisher: Paul Mulligan Tel: 029 2019 0224, sales@conroymedia.co.uk

Alan Chaston

Sub-editor: Paul Spencer

Printed by: Southern Print

Distributed by Pear Distribution

To receive taste.blas call: 029 2019 0224 taste.blas Magazine is published by Conroy Media Ltd, PO Box 607, Cardiff CF24 1ZR ©Conroy Media 2017. 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.

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Front cover: (photographer Phil Boorman); food styling and recipe creation (Nerys Howell); recipe ownership Food & Drink Wales.

@tasteblas

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Contents Features All at Sea Welsh seafood is the best in Europe so let’s get fishy

Scrumptious Visitor Centres Award winning attractions with sublime eateries

A Cut Above Butchers’ tips on getting the best from Welsh beef and lamb

Tour de force A journey around Aber Falls

Talk Dirty The Dirty Vegan aka Matt Pritchard

Tea It Up Stunning afternoon teas in stunning locations around Wales

Sale of the Century A few of the 100 plus new products to be launched at Taste Wales. Blas Cymru

The Place to Be Plas Bodegroes’ Gunna Chown is a Michelin Couvert winner

Beer Goggles We eye up some great Welsh ales

Spring into Life Time to get out and forage

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Regulars Breakfast Like a King Jon Gower on his perfect start to the day

Recipes Galore If you want to lose weight, look away now

Hone Your Technique Time to sharpen your knives and dust down your rolling pin

Very, Very Tasty Let our food and drink tickle your taste buds

Kitchen Life Savers Kitchen kit you can’t live without

Dining Out in Style Restaurants to die for

A Wine That’s Close to Home A great French Chateau with a Welsh connection

Hold the Front Page The latest news hot off the press

Soggy packed lunches?

Myfanwy Alexander has a novel solution – calzone and cucumbers!e

8 38 42 44 49 52 60 62 66 ©Huw Jones

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TEA. SO NICE TO COME HOME TO.

Adwell Foods Ltd, Abertawe SA3 4YL p: 01792 363391 e: info@welshbrewtea.com

@welshbrewtea www.welshbrewtea.co.uk

Food Festivals Wales

Spring and Early Summer Roundup Can there be anything better than the first glimmer of Spring – and with it the wealth of fantastic produce Wales delivers – showcased at festivals across the country. Meryl Cubley takes a look at this year’s cream of the crop.

The Gower Welsh Cider and Cheese Festival, 4- 6 May Gower Heritage Centre, Parkmill The Gower Cheese & Cider Festival offers visitors a wide selection of locally produced, award winning cheese, cider and perry from across Wales. Mix all this with amazing entertainment, plenty of fun for all the family, Morris dancers, musicians, demonstrations and much more. There will also be a Gower-style roast and BBQ, Mill Tearooms will be serving a wide range of welsh classics. You can also expect treats from Old Monty Cider, Mumbles Pate, Blaenafon Cheddar and Pembrokeshire Goats Cheese. www.gowerheritagecentre.co.uk

Gŵyl Fwyd Caernarfon Food Festival, 11 May Bigger than the Eisteddfod and Christmas combined, the fourth annual Caernarfon Food Festival returns to Snowdonia with over a hundred stalls spread out to cover the entire town centre, including the castle grounds, central ‘Maes’, Cei Llechi (Slate Quay), harbourside promenade and Doc Fictoria marina.

Along with foodie-filled streets, 3 stages of live music and demonstrations, a huge draw will be local hero and star of YouTube and S4C, Chris ‘Foodgasm’ Roberts, who’ll host an awesome all-day Asado. www.gwylfwydcaernarfon.cymru

Really Wild Food & Countryside Festival, St. Davids, 25 -26 May Oriel y Parc, St Davids The Really Wild Food & Countryside Festival will be held at Oriel y Parc in St Davids on Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 May 2019; and celebrates rural food and countryside crafts that originate from living the wild life, far from the urban crowd. www.orielyparc.co.uk/reallywild

Gower Good Food Festival, 26-27 May Gower Heritage Centre, Parkmill, Wales, UK The Gower Heritage Centre is well-versed in holding successful foodie events; and the Gower Good Food Festival is no exception. Back for its third year, this festival is sure to tantalise your taste buds once more in a celebration of some of the best and most delicious food and beverages the Gower’s local producers have to offer. www.gowerheritagecentre.co.uk Cowbridge Food and Drink Festival, 27-28 May Cowbridge The bustling, vibrant Cowbridge Food and Drink celebrates its 15th birthday, with lots of new and exciting additions planned to mark the occasion in style. For the first time it plays host to its own Vegan Festival – with food, drink, cosmetics and clothes available. A whole weekend of foodie, family-friendly fun with over 100 exhibitors and three key sites allows something for all. Free children’s activities – from willow weaving to pizza making and have-a goceramics in the Old Hall – plus food demonstrations, TV chefs, tempting tastings, music and dancing making it more than just a food festival. www.cowbridgefoodanddrink.org Pembrokeshire Fish Week, 22-30 June Various locations across Pembrokeshire Pembrokeshire Fish Week festival is a celebration of everything that comes from the glorious Welsh sea!

The county of Pembrokeshire is once again celebrating its sparkling seas and fresh locally-caught fish and shellfish with 200 events taking place, from cookery demos and a celebrity chef evening to guided coastal foraging, filleting workshops, and seafood tasting.

Local restaurants will be centre stage; from delicious tapas evenings, to chowder trails, seafood extravaganzas and good old traditional fish and chips.

There’s plenty of fun-filled events for families including raft races at Goodwick Harbour, seashore activities and a fresh fish barbecue at Saundersfoot, as well as beach safaris, crabbing, guided coastal walks and angling lessons and competitions throughout the week. The festival opens with Milford Fish Festival - a free fun day out with street food, live music, boat trips and various children’s activities. www.pembrokeshirefishweek.co.uk Great British Food Festival, 22-23 June Margam Park More than ‘just another food festival’, The Great British Food Festival combines great food and drink with some of the country’s most treasured locations, providing a unique opportunity to explore new flavours and beautiful venues. Expect the finest local and regional artisan producers, hot food, real ale and wine bars, craft and gift stalls, children’s entertainment, foraging walks and great scenery, top chef demos, cake competitions and the popular Men vs Food, all accompanied by excellent live music. www.greatbritishfoodfestival.com Meryl Cubley ©

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©Marian Delyth

Jon Gower Extolling the virtues of the Great Welsh Brekkie – standing out from the rest with a nautical twist

©Brendan Gogarty

In the village of Pwll where I grew up there was once a man called Clocsi who would hammer nails into the soles of his wooden clogs and walk out across the Loughor estuary at low tide, catching, or more accurately nailing flatfish with every step he took.

clean from the sand, and sweated between two tile stones. The weed is then shred small and well-kneaded, as they do dough for bread, and made up into great balls or rolls, which some eat raw, and others fry with oatmeal and butter.

On the same sands we gathered cockles, following the tradition of washing them and then leaving them to stand in water for the duration of three tides to get the sand out. Even now, when I buy a measure of these edible bivalves at Swansea market, sprinkling them with malt vinegar and white pepper I can taste my childhood. For me it is one of the key ingredients of the Great Welsh Breakfast.

Later on, Pembrokeshire laver bread was commonly dried over thatched huts before being sent to places such as Penclawdd for processing. Nowadays laver bread is given protected status by the European Union alongside Pembrokeshire New Potatoes, Welsh Caerphilly Cheese and Carmarthen Ham.

For one of the great artery-clogging joys of life is a full breakfast and it can be a matter of national pride.

In Scotland it might feature Ayrshire middle bacon, the Lorne square sausage and even a curious fruit pudding or sausage. Ireland includes soda bread as a variant and of course there is the Full English, sometimes know as the Full Monty, after Supreme Allied Commander Earl Mountbatten’s habit of always starting the day with a tactical feed.

The Welsh, meanwhile, are a coastal people, at least numerically, with the majority living in towns, villages and cities only a seagull’s hop from the coast, so cockles and laver bread on the breakfast plate celebrate the fact that hardly anyone in Wales lives more than fifty miles from the sea. Thus the Great Welsh Breakfast naturally has a maritime tang.

Describing one key element of the GWB, being laver bread, a.k.a bara lawr or bara lafwr calls for chewing gum words, ones which fill the mouth rather. It is a gelatinous, mucilaginous, oleaginous green-black gloop but it is also downright delicious, a perfect foil to both the saltiness of bacon and its crispy texture. Little wonder that one of our finest actors Richard Burton called it “Welshman’s caviar.”

Seaweed gathering was written about by Wales’s first great travel writer Geraldus Cambrensis and latterly by the English antiquarian William Camden in his 16th century bestseller Britannia: Near St Davids, especially at Eglwys Abernon, and in many other places along the Pembrokeshire Coast, the peasantry gather in the Spring time a kind of Alga or seaweed, where they made a sort of food called lhavan or llawvan, in English, black butter. The seaweed is washed

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Its preparation involves a long boil of up to ten hours in the pot, during which the thin black, green and purple strands of the seaweed – back-breakingly harvested by scraping it off the rocks – transmute into a sticky black mulch. It’s a food that won’t win prizes for attractiveness but its taste is the very essence of the sea and chock full of marine goodness.

Seaweed contains more iron than a steak, more calcium than a hunk of cheese, and more fibre than a dose of prunes, not to mention plenty of iodine and potassium. To boot, seaweed is the only plant source of vitamin B12. Breakfast laver is usually made into a patty or cake using a mop of oatmeal which is then cooked in leftover bacon fat.

So what else makes up the Full Welsh? Sourcing local is, of course, key. The bacon should come from Wales and splendid butchers from Conwy to the Gwaun valley now offer online services to complement your local supplier, often curing the meat in secret ways.

For bread to toast or fry we’re increasingly spoilt for choice, with a growing clan of artisan bakers who make fine loaves and cobs, from the Alex Gooch in Hay-onWye through Conwy’s Tan Lan to Cardiff ’s Pettigrew Bakeries. The eggs should come from happy hens, with freedom to roam and range.

So, as my own variation on the Great Welsh Brekkie theme, try this. Press a hole in the middle of the slice of bread with a sherry glass then fry the bread in butter. When you’ve flipped over to the second side crack an egg into the hole and also start frying the little leftover bread disc. Turn once again then serve, maybe with a garnish of shibwns as some of us call spring onions. Serve with cockles, laver, a crisp of bacon and maybe a sausage or three. Not forgetting brown sauce.

You see, even long traditions have to start somewhere.

Collier’s long, deep and powerful taste releases slowly in the mouth and lingers, for you to experience this unique taste to the full. These are the factors that set Collier’s Powerful Welsh Cheddar apart.

THE GREAT TASTE OF WALES www.collierscheese.com

collierscheese

@collierscheese

Fayrefield Foods

Wonderful Welsh marine fare Vicky North celebrates a revival in Welsh coastal eating

Our strong, Welsh coast line teams with marine life and has a long heritage of drawing bounty from the sea. High in protein and generally sustainable, seafood ought to be our daily food of choice.

Yet for many, it’s not. When did we fall out of love with our national catch and how can we haul it back onto our dining tables?

Seafood has traditionally been big business for Wales but by the 1960s, fish stocks such as herring had fallen away due to overharvesting. Grappling with rising costs and legislation, fisheries went into sharp decline and with them went our appetite for coastal fare.

© pysgod.cymru

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The good news is that the herring are back. Stocks are once again buoyant. But boats in our harbours no longer jostle for space. Articulated lorries park at our quaysides and are loaded with tanks of live crab and lobster, destined to be shipped overseas. Welsh produce travels. Spain, Portugal and France enjoy our spoils and more recently, China. “Truth is,” says Mandy Walters, owner of Cardigan Bay Fish (www.cardiganbayfish.co.uk) and seafood entrepreneur, “If you’re on holiday in France and

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visiting a local market, the live lobster and crab you see for sale in the tanks are most likely to be from our Welsh shores. The average French householder is more likely to know how to prepare it than we are.”

Mandy is on a mission, “It’s all about education,” she says, bustling around her production shed, clad in a blue plastic apron. “More people need to know what we have from our coast and we need to make things accessible.” Behind us, a vat nearly as tall as I stand, labours hot in the fresh air. A giant pressure cooker packed with live crab is rapidly boiling its contents through to their final moments.

“I don’t refer to myself as a fishmonger,” says Mandy, who sells her produce at a weekly market in St

© pysgod.cymru Dogmaels, “I simply prepare the catch as it comes in.” A family business, Mandy’s husband Len and son Aaron are fishermen and cast their nets on Cardigan Bay. The offerings are seasonal, local and incredibly fresh. “It depends on the tide and weather,” says Mandy, “Sometimes we’ll have pollock, mackerel or seabass. The prawns arrive in November but further up the coast off Aberystwyth, you’ll see them a month earlier as it takes time for them to make their way down the bay.” Picture a shimmering, broadband of shellfish, wriggling and glinting their way down the Welsh coast. “Lobster and crab are more reliable,” says Mandy, “And caught all year round.”

Mandy’s favourite fish is sewin, caught from the river Teifi, Towy and Taf by coraclemen. Coracles are small, circular one-person boats which date back to preRoman times. Len and Aaron hold one of just eight licences on the river Teifi and work late at night to catch sewin which are prized for their rare status and firm, deep-crimson flesh. West Wales Coracle Caught Sewin is one of 15 Welsh products to have the coveted European Union’s Protected Food Name status, along with Anglesey sea salt, Carmarthen ham and Welsh lamb.

Where there is water, there is fish Further up the coast on the Menai Strait in North Wales are David Evans and Robin Hodgson, founders of Michelin recognised, Welsh seafood dining group, Dylan’s (www.dylansrestaurant.co.uk). David tells me how Dylan’s, now three restaurants strong, began seven years ago. “We sat on the footings of our new building in Menai Bridge and looked out over the Strait,” recalls David, “It occurred to me, where there is water, there is fish.” The menu was born, offering locally sourced oyster, scallops, lobster and crab. “The economy has been really fragile for our fishing community as wholesale prices haven’t gone up in over 25 years,” says David, “I believed we could offer a life line so I spoke to my kitchen team and said we need to help Siôn stay out on the water.” Siôn Williams from Porth Colmon supplies the restaurants with lobster and crab. David’s team created the Llyn Peninsula Crab Cake and it is now a menu staple. David pays his suppliers well and says, “We give the fishermen an extra pound per kilo for produce. It works because we secure our supply and help our producers. It’s hard, dangerous work and you’ve got to respect that.” David is also driving demand for sustainable mussels, “Menai mussels are flushed twice a day by the tide and are of exceptional quality,” says David, “We cook them in Welsh cider, cream and tarragon and they’re one of our most popular dishes.”

Shellfish make sense. “We’re living at a time when food production is placing huge pressures on our environment,” says Shaun Krijnen, supplier of mussels and oysters to Dylan’s and owner of Menai Oysters (www.menaioysters.co.uk), “We’re encouraged to eat less meat and more plants and yet no-one is talking about shellfish. Oysters and mussels are efficient and create quality protein, high in omega three for basically no input on the part of the farmer - I don’t have to water or feed my reefs.”

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Health benefits of seaweed Another seaside super food is seaweed, “I began foraging on the coast of Wales because you can basically eat anything you take from the rocks,” says coastal forager and founder of Wild About Pembrokeshire, Julia Horton-Mansfield (www.wildaboutpembrokeshire.co.uk). Talking from her home in the city of St Davids, Julia says, “Seaweed has amazing qualities and is hugely diverse.” Julia enjoys seaweed every day for breakfast, “I serve with marmite and avocado on hot Dutch biscuits and it has helped my arthritis enormously.” Packed with vitamins and minerals, seaweed is also a good source of protein for vegans. Standing in her kitchen, Julia’s eyes twinkle as she runs her hands over strands of drying sea spaghetti suspended from the ceiling. “We have twelve different types of seaweed on our Welsh shoreline and they all have their uses.” Picking up a strip of dark brown kelp, Julia says, “I wrap this around fish for barbeque and often slip a few pieces into a beef stew for the umami flavour.” She adds, “Did you know that monosodium glutamate originally came from kelp? It was traditionally used in Japan as a flavour enhancer.”

Mid Wales’s husband and wife team, Siôn and Rhiannon Tansley have similarly looked to Japan for inspiration. In 2016, they founded Swshi and began delivering fresh sushi to front doors across Wales.

“We realised that in our rural area, a sushi restaurant would struggle,” says Sion, “So we decided to do things differently.” Swshi (www.swshi.co.uk) is a pop-up service that publishes delivery dates on social media.

Customers place their orders once their county has activated. “We use Welsh fish and seafood whenever we can,” says Sion, “Even our soy sauce comes from Wales.”

If you prefer your seafood outdoors, head on down to Cafe Môr at Freshwater West (www.beachfood.co.uk).

Sited in a National Trust car park and overlooking a rolling beach, Jonathan Williams tends to his food trailer grill. Wearing a colourful bandana wrapped tightly around his head, he swiftly tosses Welsh sea black butter through crabmeat, ready to cram into a crusty roll. “These are always popular,” says Jonathan.

“And we have fish on the menu every day too.”

Jonathan has a good rapport with his fish suppliers who operate from small day boats, “I always ask if there’s any weird stuff,” he laughs, “I’ve made Dog Fish scampi before now and I love the challenge of making something new.”

Across Wales, small scale is taking effect. Food entrepreneurs are reinvigorating our appetite for seafood, with an emphasis on local, sustainable and seasonal. Eating the best fish is no longer a challenge it just takes a little digging out and a willingness to try something new.

“Let me tell you a story,” says Shaun Krijnen, “Years ago, Keith Floyd made a programme about cooking mussels. Overnight, demand shot up to 12 tonne a week. That’s what we need – the Keith Floyd effect.”

The more we see how delicious and easy seafood can be, the more we’ll be enticed to give it a try.

Vic North

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Contemporary Ales Brewed in Wales “full of complex avours of chocolate, coffee and toasted oats. Long length and refreshing.

Extremely well balanced. A truly delicious stout It's surprisingly fruity with a great sweetness to it and almost a molasses feel - with an espresso martini element. Amazing.”

Just some of the Great Taste judges comments about our gluten free, vegan friendly stout Dark Secret!

Call us for details of your nearest stockist

Tel: 01686 668933 www.montysbrewery.co.uk info@montysbrewery.co.uk

The Perfect Welsh Complement

Make any cocktail, mocktail or meal an extraordinary occasion www.llanllyrsource.com

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VISITOR

It’s Springtime; get out there! Go for a wander, rediscover Welsh culture. How about planning a road-trip round our finest foodie hot-spots, and consider the gastro side of our visitor centres?

Experience your favourite Welsh panoramas over breakfast, lunch and dinner; go for the thrill, but do stay for an appetizer!

Lowri Haf Cooke takes us on a tour of some of the more foodie focused Visitor Centres boasting great welsh fare as well as a stunning vista or cultural experience….

Caffi Castell Harlech, Harlech Hands up who collected key-rings, various ‘gonks’ and car-stickers from castle gift-shops all over Wales?

Consider a brand-new pilgrimage, around the castles of Wales, to fight those battles anew against Edward I’s evil forces – then make a bee-line for a spot of refreshment. After all, it’s what Owain Glyndŵr – and Bendigeidfran - would have wanted; two ‘giants’ who - over the centuries - set up home at Harlech Castle.

One of the chicest, most contemporary visitor cafes in Wales, is attached to the hilltop-castle floating bridge, in the ancient Welsh commote of Ardudwy.

With floor-to ceiling windows, this minimalist glass cube offers vistas of Snowdonia, and Harlech beach below that’ll leave you gasping for a Poblado Coffee.

Sister-cafe Llew Glas is located a stone’s throw away on cobbled courtyard Plas y Groits. Shannon’s home-made cakes – including her freshly baked scones – will have you humming ‘Men of Harlech’, and possibly plotting another Welsh revolution. I’r Gâd!

Caffi Castell Harlech, Castle Square, Harlech LL46 2YH, tel: 01766780200

Y Gegin Restaurant, St Fagans National Museum of History Whilst Stockholm’s got Skansen, we’ve got our own world-class folk history attraction that - like the Urdd camp at Llangrannog – is a rite of passage for children all over Wales. If it’s been an age since your last visit, you may have heard of the brand new galleries, as well as recent additions of Llys Llywelyn, Gweithdy, Bryn Eryr Iron Age farmstead – not forgetting, of course, the brand new Coed Lan high ropes and zip wire tree-top course.

Another recent upgrade is the visitor centre restaurant, an open cantina-style cafe with a choice of hearty Welsh fare. Although the choices may be timeless – such as cawl, bara brith, faggots and peas – there are some traditional dishes that may be new to you. The ‘Anglesey Eggs’ are a must, for example – mashed potatoes, boiled eggs, leeks and creamy cheese sauce, the definition of comfort food. Talking of comfort, the restaurant booths were upholstered in a bespoke Melin Teifi woollen pattern. For a full-on gastro-folk experience, don’t forget to pop in to Popty’r Dderwen for a tin loaf, or Gwalia sweetshop for ‘losin du’ before tea!

Y Gegin Restaurant, St Fagans National Museum of History, Cardiff CF5 6XB, tel: 0300 1112333

Caffi Castell Harlech

Rhug Farm Shop and Bison Grill Bistro, Corwen If you’re a foodie visiting Bala, for some watersport adventures on Llyn Tegid or the river Tryweryn, you must make a 10 minute detour North-East to the Rhug Estate Farm Shop and Bistro near Corwen. Not only is Rhug one of the UK’s biggest single producers of organic lamb, but Lord Newborough’s estate lamb has PGI (Protected Geographic Indication) status, like Champagne, Caerphilly Cheese and Parma Ham. With over 3000 Welsh products the timber-framed farm shop is reminiscent of ‘Daylesford’, only better, as it’s closer to home! Indeed, it’s the only Welsh finalist in the running this Spring to claim The Guild of Fine Food’s award for ‘Farm Shop of the Year’ for 2019.

At the Bison Grill Bistro, how about a ‘Rhug Estate Breakfast’, or even a ‘Date with a Duck’ for your tea?

The bison burger is served with triple cooked chips – but if you’re really in a rush, the organic bacon bap is a must, from the ‘On The Hoof ’ Takeaway!

Rhug Estate, Corwen, Denbighshire LL21 0EH, tel: 01490 413000

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C ENTRES Bwyty Blondin, Zip-World, Bethesda

Rhug Farm Shop and Bison Grill Bistro

A ‘Swper Chwaral’ (or ‘quarry supper’) for some in the slate region of North-West Wales meant liver and onions, or bacon mash... or whatever a quarryman’s meagre wages could provide. Well over a century since ‘The Great Strike’ that split a village in two, Penrhyn Quarry is big business in the high-flying zip world.

The blue slate landscape provides an astonishing view from the windows of contemporary bistro Bwyty Blondin – named after the slate-quarry’s original aerial ropeway. Just metres above the terrace is Velocity 2, the fastest zip-wire in the world, but the menu also offers an adventure or two. How about a five-course tasting menu, kicked off with a Llanrwst cheese gougere, paired with a Blue Slate G&T from neighbouring quarry, Dinorwig? The weekly Sunday Roast is a popular draw with visitors and locals, and so is the signature lager, Cwrw Chwarel (Great Orme) brewed with Snowdonia water. And for those with a nose for literature greats, Cwrw Caradog (by Cwrw Ogwen) is a tribute to local hero, poet-novelist, Caradog Pritchard of Bethesda. There are also burgers and cocktails, coffee, tea and cakes aplenty, and whilst there may be a campaign to bring back plates to restaurant tables, this is one space where the slate never goes out of style.

Zip World Penrhyn Quarry, Bethesda, Bangor LL57 4YG, tel: 01248 601444

The Cariad Restaurant, Llanerch Vineyard There can’t be many experiences to beat a glass of rosé, savoured at sunset in a local vineyard. With so many vineyards all over Wales, there’s no need to book a channel crossing, but how about a restaurant to go with that romantic view? Look no further than Cariad restaurant – indeed, the clue’s in the name - at Llanerch Vineyard in Hensol, Glamorgan. Named

The Cariad Restaurant

after the estate’s ‘Cariad’ wine, the oldest vineyard in Wales is also home to Angela Gray’s award-winning cookery school. But back to the menu, begin with the cockle popcorn and laverbread mayo, before extending your knowledge – and refining your palate – by tasting the finest Welsh seasonal flavours. Will it be sloe gin battered catch of the day, or an Eynon’s of St Clears fillet steak with polenta chips? Perhaps the wild mushroom strudel will tempt you, or slow-cured Welsh beef bresaola – perfect with the Cariad Sparkling Blush. Whilst that vineyard in Provence may be a one night affair, not all summer romances must end. Cariad restaurant in Hensol is open all year round, so book now for a Welsh whirlwind romance.

The Cariad Restaurant, Llanerch Vineyard, Hensol, Vale of Glamorgan CF72 8GG, tel: 01443 222716

Bwyty Blondin

Bwyty Blondin

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Y Gegin Restaurant

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Lamb shouldeer

Beef rib Beef shin

A CUT ABOVE

We have some of the finest meat in the world. But do we make the most of it? Three of Wales’ best traditional butchers give us their top tips for choosing the choicest cuts You don’t need to take our word for it. Welsh Beef and Lamb has Protected Geographical Indication status which means it’s unique - up there with the very best.

Unsurprisingly, traditional butchers Chris Hayman, from Blackwood, William Glyn Owen, from O.G.Owen in Caernarfon, and Martin Player from Whitchurch, Cardiff think you’re missing out if you’re not featuring this fantastic Welsh produce on your weekly menu.

“Welsh lamb and beef is renowned around the world.

It has a protected geographical indication status (PGI) from the European Commission. Basically they’ve recognised that nowhere else does lamb and beef like it - due to our wonderful Welsh landscape and the excellent conditions in which its raised,” explains Chris.

Conditions that Will says ensure “the animals drink pure water and feed only on the finest grass.” Martin is keen to expand further: “PGI means there is a full line of traceability, that the animal has been reared only in Wales. The animal husbandry has been the highest standards. That comes out in the quality and flavour of the meat.”

Beef brisket

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But it’s not just provenance that gives great texture and flavour is it? How meat is prepared and matured is a crucial part of the equation too. Martin explains “A good butcher will take pride in the meat they source, how and where it was reared. They will mature the beef and lamb for the appropriate times. This is crucial for

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improved flavour and tenderness. They will cut and prepare the carcass to a high standard. It is a skill that takes many years to learn. A supermarket is less likely to spend the time or money on dry ageing or trimming the meat.”

You might think that would make butcher-bought meat more expensive, but that’s often not the case. “A big misconception is that a butcher is more expensive than the supermarket,” Martin agrees. “People only look at the price on the pack in the supermarket. Next time look at the price per kilo. You might be surprised!”

And of course you get more than just a great quality product. Buying great quality Welsh beef and lamb is only part of the deal. “A good quality butcher can offer more than just excellent quality meat,” explains Chris. “Cooking advice, recipe recommendations, full traceability, excellent service and passion are just a few things a customer can’t get in the supermarket.”

TOP CUTS FOR VALUE So what are their tips for getting the very best from our uniquely wonderful beef and lamb? If value is your priority, Chris suggests buying shin beef. “It’s a fantastic and very under used cut of beef. The flavour is unquestionable and trimmed correctly it’s a very lean cut. It’s perfect for hearty stews or minced in a tasty cottage pie.” Will and Martin are big fans of brisket: “If

Lamb breast William Owen

Chris Hayman you cook it slow it allows the abundance of connective tissue to break down and gelatinize into a rich tender cut of meat, ideal for pot roasting,” says Will and Martin adds “A piece of boneless brisket can be slow roasted, braised and shredded and it’s a great cut to marinade. Brisket can go a long way if you are having a house full or party.”

For great value lamb, Chris points to breast of lamb.

“It’s another cut that’s very under used now, but is excellent for flavour and it’s a very cheap cut. It can be stuffed and slow roasted, diced for cawl or even marinaded on the BBQ and cut into ribs.” Will suggests shoulder of lamb. “Meat from lamb shoulder is full of flavour. Cook the shoulder nice and slowly so the fat will melt into the meat giving you a fantastic succulent roasting joint that’s cheaper than a leg of lamb.” Martin agrees, “There’s nothing better for flavour. It’s another great slow roasting cut that you can do loads with. Definitely the sweetest part of the lamb.

Delicious!” adds Martin.

THE TASTIEST OF THE LOT And how about buying for the tastiest cuts, that special occasion? Chris is emphatic on this one: “You’ll struggle to beat a dry-aged Ribeye steak when it comes to flavour. It has great marbling and fat content. Sear it in a hot pan to get great caramelisation on the outside and soft juicy meat inside. It’s fantastic!” Will’s a fan of rib-eye too thanks to excellent marbling “giving it loads of flavour and providing the fat needed to help it stay tender.” Martin opts for brisket again: “The flavour is so good. Roasted slowly it will be as tender and taste as good as any joint.”

And for lip-smacking lamb? Martin’s not budging on shoulder either, but otherwise he suggests boneless leg steak “if time is not on your side”. Chris on the other hand goes for a classic French trimmed rack of lamb: “It not only looks impressive but has an excellent flavour and tenderness. It’s also a great flavour carrier for a herb crust or marinade.” Will comes up with yet another option: “Lamb rump (chump), where the top of the leg meets the loin, is a lean cut of meat with a generous layer of fat to keep the meat juicy. Unlike the beef rump , lamb rump isn’t that popular, but it definitely should be.”

“For melt in the mouth beef,” says Chris “fillet is always going to be a winner for tenderness. Tucked away under the rib cage it does very little work which gives it such a soft texture.” Will agrees adding that “Tenderloin filet also known as filet mignon is a delicious steak.” Whilst admitting fillet is tender

Martin adds that it “lacks the flavour I would get from another cut of steak.” Looks like we’d better change the subject!

THE SECRETS ARE OUT! What about cuts that not many know about but should? Do butchers have their secrets that they keep just for their best customers? Martin reckons chefs have discovered most butchers’ secret cuts but Chris has a tip for beef: “Something you won’t find in many places but a good butcher will have or will order for you is hanger steak, also called onglet. It is a fantastically flavoursome cut.

You need to cook it medium rare to maintain its tenderness.” Martin’s left-fielder is Feather cut: “This cut is beautiful when braised slowly or shredded. It is also the cut that the flat iron steak comes from.”

For lamb Chris rates neck as massively underappreciated. “Its flavour and sweetness when slow cooked is fantastic. All hard working muscles build up excellent muscle structure and flavour but need slow cooking to deliver the tenderness.” For Martin and Will, it’s breast of lamb. “Boned and rolled then roasted slowly.”

ALL-TIME FAVOURITES When it comes to their own personal favourites, rib of beef on the bone is the cut of choice in the Hayman household. “It’s a family favourite for Christmas or a special Sunday roast,” he says. “Excellent fat cover and marbling give this joint a fantastic flavour and succulence.” Will goes for a classic sirloin steak “with plenty of covering and taste, I love a tender and juicy sirloin – mouthwatering!” For Martin it’s a flat iron steak: “This is my favourite steak when prepared correctly. A couple of minutes in a hot pan is all that’s needed. It’s really important to then let it rest for 5 minutes. Then slice. It’s as tender as fillet when cooked properly but with way more flavour.” And he has form on this. He previously won best Welsh beef product at the Q Guild Smithfield awards with his flat iron steak marinated in coffee and black pepper.

For lamb, all three are in agreement. It has to be shoulder. “Slow roasted on the bone, it goes a long way too. Great stock from it for the gravy,” says Martin. Will agrees “Sweet in taste and a bit of natural good fat.”

Chris adds “Yes. Shoulder of lamb is a firm favourite of mine. Slow cooked on the bone it gives an excellent sweet yet tender meat that literally falls off the bone.”

National Butchers’ Week, 11th-17th March 2019 www.nationalbutchersweek.co.uk

www.taste-blas.co.uk

Martin Player, Q Guild Smithfield awards Lamb neck

Chris Hayman, 52-53 Main Road, Maesycwmmer, Blackwood CF82 7PJ. 01443 812162 Martin Player, 10 Park Rd, Cardiff CF14 7BQ. 029 2061 6094. www.martinplayer.com O.G.Owen and Son, 2 Bangor St, Caernarfon LL55 1AT 01286 672146. www.ogowenandson. co.uk

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Bursting with Welsh spirit Two years ago there was no such thing as Aber Falls gin and whisky distillery.

But since transforming a derelict old butter factory into North Wales’s first whisky producer in 100 years, managing director James Wright has turned the enterprise into an award-winning market leader for Wales on the world stage.

Steve Stratford took a tour to find out more.

Nestled between Snowdonia and the Irish Sea, just off the A55 along the North Wales coast, Gwynedd’s Aber Falls Distillery – named after the 120ft Rhaeadr Fawr waterfall – sits at the heart of the community of Abergwyngregyn.

It may be a small village, with a population of just 240, but its roots stretch deep. Aber boasts the longest unbroken dwelling place in Wales, dating back to the Iron Age, and, under its historic name of Aber Garth Celyn, was the seat of Llewelyn ap Gruffudd, the last native Prince of Wales.

This connection with the history and culture of Wales is as important to James as it was winning at last year’s prestigious World Spirits Competition in San Francisco, where Aber Falls Orange Marmalade Gin won silver, and the Welsh Dry an unbeatable gold.

James’s passion and enthusiasm go a long way to explaining why Aber Falls has been such a success.

He dreamt of establishing his own whisky distillery – the first in North Wales in over a century – and built around him a team of people perfectly suited to the business.

‘Every member of staff is from the local area, and they are trained from scratch so their skills are specifically designed for Aber Falls,’ explained James as he took me on a tour of the distillery.

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All of the equipment is new, but it still manages to look wonderfully Heath Robinson, with myriad pipes and tubes, and its huge copper stills full of bubbling, swishing, fermenting spirits. Computers keep the process in careful check, but the men and women on the floor are key to making sure Aber Falls produces quality spirits.

‘It’s really important to listen to the machinery,’ James smiles.

I peer through portholes into the boiling, bubbling vats of liquid destined to become North Wales’s first home-grown single malt whisky in 100 years. It takes three years and a day until a spirit has aged enough to be called a whisky, and James started producing in January 2018. Around 20 casks are produced every week.

A select few will be able to taste the earliest results in 2020, but eager whisky aficionados will have to wait until 2025 for the official launch.

‘This whisky is unique in both its production and its taste,’ explains James as we pass between Golchi and Gwirod, the two huge copper stills. ‘We use only authentic Welsh malted barley and fresh Welsh water.’

In the meantime, to keep the coffers full and to establish Aber Falls’s reputation for quality product, James has been producing gins and liqueurs, and recently launched a line of juniper and citrus gin, and a copper-distilled smooth and sweet vodka.

I’m amazed at how far the Aber Falls brand has travelled already, since it was launched at Llandudno Christmas Fayre in 2017.

‘We now export to China, Germany, Spain and France,’ smiles a proud James, ‘and by the end of this year we’ll be on the shelves at Tesco, Co-Op and Waitrose, and in Wetherspoon’s pubs.’

By the end of 2019, Aber Falls will also be drunk by Australians and Americans.

‘I want Aber Falls to be an international keystone business for Wales,’ asserts James as he shows me the range of drinks the distillery produces, from the deliciously homely Rhubarb and Ginger Gin, to the floral, aromatic Violet Liqueur.

Halen Môn Anglesey Sea Salt, while James and his “gin lab scientists” have consulted with Treborth Botanic Garden, and the Henfaes Grain Research Centre (both part of Bangor University), to develop the very best ingredients.

James has brought Aber Falls so far already, but ambition is like blood in his veins. By the end of 2019 a brand new Visitor Centre will have been built on site, welcoming the thousands of people who come to tour the distillery each year.

‘We’ll have three exhibition spaces, a restaurant, a cinema, and a gin lab,’ says James, showing me the detailed plans that line his office walls. ‘I hope it will become a hub to drive people to other attractions in North Wales.’

This sums up how James has made such a huge success of Aber Falls. His pride and ambition are clear, but it’s his need to take others on the journey with him, and to support the wider community, which shines through.

Aber Falls Distillery really is bursting with the Spirit of North Wales.

Aber Falls Distillery, Station Rd, Abergwyngregyn LL33 0LB. tel. 01248 209224 www.aberfallsdistillery.com

James wants Aber Falls’s success to be shared by those who have helped it rise. The whisky is distilled, bottled and matured on site; the Anafon Hydro Scheme, which helps power the distillery, is community-run and the barley used in the fermentation process is grown locally by farmers. James plans further talks with farming unions to increase the amount of barley crop grown in Wales.

Even the stuff the distillery doesn’t want is recycled, as the waste pot ale is given to local farmers as fertilizer, and spent grain is reused as cattle feed.

Aber Falls also works with other Welsh businesses to produce its drinks portfolio. For instance, the Salted Toffee Liqueur was developed in partnership with

www.taste-blas.co.uk

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The Matt Pryderi Pritchard Profile Matt Pritchard shares a middle name with the star of The Mabinogi, and was a prolific hell-raiser in his Dirty Sanchez youth. Now starring in BBC1’s cooking TV series, Dirty Vegan; this self-proclaimed “business man” has also been nurturing his Sleep When You’re Dead brand for the last 5 years. Meryl Cubley asks: Has the former bad-boy become a man?

Dirty Vegan by Matt Pritchard (Octopus) £20

Matthew Pryderi Pritchard walks into Costa coffee near his home in Pentwyn fizzing with excess energy.

“I’ve tried the classic meditation practices and I just can’t do it – my head moves too fast. I know it’s meant to be really good if you can get it working… I just can’t.

I’ll stick to my endurance training.”

With branches in Cardiff and Bargoed, his tattoo and male grooming parlours Sleep When You’re Dead are sure-fire hits. ‘’I can’t believe I’ve been a business man for five years!”

A lot has been written about his ‘vegan epiphany’, after watching the documentary Cowspiracy. But what can get lost in all the talk of the film, is that Pritchard originally began to research veganism when he realised premium athletes were following the diet: “Pro athletes were all over the plant-based diet, and that interested me, because of my own endurance training; I wanted to know why. Then I thought where do we stop? Do we eat dog, cat, horse? I went pescatarian first – and then later – vegan.”

Known to most as the sometimes-peroxide blond prankster in MTV’s stunt-tastic Dirty Sanchez, it could be said that he shares certain characteristics with his (middle) namesake, the prominent figure of Welsh mythology – Pryderi fab Pwyll. “It’s a famous Welsh story; and my Grampy’s name was Pryderi, so my mother thought she’d use it as my middle name, to carry the tradition on.”

Pryderi is described as “...bold and enterprising, but rash to the point of foolishness”, in Jeffery Gantz’s translation of The Mabinogion. Pritchard’s crazy escapades in his youth are certainly noteworthy; including eating a cow’s eyeball when he was in Dirty Sanchez: “Not very vegan - but I wasn’t a vegan then, so...” he says this with a sideways smile and an insouciant shrug that instantly turns the clock back 20 years.

His own endurance training is testament to a determined spirit: “I’ve always been one of these people who says go hard or go home. I did Iron Man. I did tons of Welsh Triathlete competitions. I just loved it. We’ve got ten Iron Man challenges over ten days coming up soon… I just really enjoy doing that kind of stuff. It keeps my body healthy – and it works for my mental health too – I like to switch off from everything, to go inside my own head and to push myself. I get away from everything that’s going on… it clears my brain...”

Despite his male-centred career, his mother is a very important figure in his life, just as Rhiannon was to Pryderi in the original legend. And where there’s a mythological prince, there must be a princess. Matt indeed has his own ‘Cigfa’ too: “She’s Irish, and lives in Dublin, so it’s a long-distance relationship. We’ve been together for 9 years. Before the Dirty Vegan thing kicked off I had a lot of time on my hands and I’d go out there and spend 3 weeks in Ireland. I don’t have the time to do that now – but she comes over here and we see each other on weekends. We’re getting married next year in Ibiza.”

Growing up Lakeside wasn’t always easy for the younger Matt Pritchard: “My mother was a bit of a hippy; she used to shop in Spice of Life in Roath, which is still there today, and where I still do quite a bit of my own food shopping; I’m a believer in supporting local independent business... (but) there were times too, when we didn’t have much money, so my Mum would soak bread in milk and bake it in the oven to make it look like food, fair play.”

Following a Welsh-medium education at Glantaf Comprehensive he attended catering college; and went on to work at a restaurant on City Road. The experience cut straight through his burgeoning enthusiasm and skill for cooking and destroyed any desire to work in the food sector. “I had a really bad experience... I was very badly bullied... and to cut a long story short... it really put me off the entire food industry. I just left. But I’ve come full-circle now and really rediscovered my passion for cooking and good food.”

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It’s not clear where the couple will live post-nuptials – but Pritchard is in no rush to ease up on his business commitments: “We are talking about opening up a restaurant – in fact everyone’s talking about it – yes, the rumours are true,” he laughs. “We don’t have a location yet, but it’ll definitely be in Cardiff.”

As the interview winds down, we chat about what he’s up to at the weekend: “This thing I’m doing on Sunday – up and down Pen y Fan mountain – twelve times in twelve hours. It’ll be fun! It’s my meditation!” And with that he’s gone, fizzing off into the sunset, with that trademark rocket-fuel energy.

Meryl Cubley ©

DELICIOUSLY DRY, WELSH BOTANICAL SODA

Bryn Williams St Brides Spa

Llangoed Hall

Afternoon Lowri Cooke travels the length and breadth of Wales to find the tip of the top afternoon tea experiences...

For generations in Wales, ‘te’ was the third meal of the day, a light snack before dinner or ‘swper’ . What is more refreshing than a hit of Assam, to wash down the trials and tribulations of the day? Here are some of the top Afternoon Tea hot spots on offer across Wales:

Penceunant Isaf Tea House, Llanberis St Brides Spa Llangoed Hall

The next time you descend ‘Yr Wyddfa’, make your way to Penceunant Isaf. Ideally located on the Llanberis path, this popular farmhouse spot (which dates from 1790) is like a vision from St Fagans. As well as the classic Welsh Rarebit, Snowdon Pudding and Bara Brith, the menu promises ‘The Best Hot Chocolate in Britain’. Steffan Roberts, your charming host, is a splendid raconteur, and don’t forget to buy his Snowdon Café Cookbook!

Penceunant Isaf, Snowdon Path, Llanberis, LL55 4UW - 01286 872 606

Bryn Williams Porth Eirias, Colwyn Bay For a contemporary take on ‘Afternoon Tea’, how about taking a wander to Porth Eirias, Colwyn Bay? The magnificent seafront location takes your breath away; what awaits inside is the Welsh version of The Wolseley.

Bryn Williams Porth Eirias is the Denbigh-born chef ’s grand vision for Clwyd, following his success at Somerset House and Odette’s in London. A recent addition to the menu is the Afternoon Tea By The Sea,

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which earned top marks from his Nain, who taught Bryn everything he knows about baking. Start at the bottom, with a selection of sarnies and brioche finger rolls, before reaching the top, to devour a chocolate éclair, lemon meringue tartlet and vanilla & almond financier The local teas are all provided by Seibiant tea shop in nearby Conwy; the name means ‘break’ or ‘respite’, in Welsh. May I personally suggest the rhubarb tea with the bara brith... and do stay for supper too!

Bryn Williams Porth Eirias, Colwyn Bay Promenade, LL29 8HH, 01492 577525

Llangoed Hall, Llys-wen Now there’s Afternoon Tea, and then there’s Llangoed Hall’s ‘Laura Ashley Afternoon Tea’; the Radnorshire retreat was once the home of Bernard Ashley, widower of Welsh wonderwoman Laura Ashley. The domestic goddess from Dowlais put Welsh design on the map.

To this day, the hall is home to many Laura Ashley touches, including a framed apron, her first ever creation. Chef Nick Brodie and team change the desserts every day; it can vary from a Rhubarb and Custard Tart and a Cherry Roulade, to an Opera Cake, and a Black Forest Gateaux. Perrenials on the menu are the home-made crisps and featherlight sandwich bread.

When customers enquire whether they can buy a loaf of the bread, you can bet this is Afternoon Tea taken to the next degree. A recent partaker was none other than Arnold Schwarzenegger. You can guess his response...

‘I’ll be back’!

Llangoed Hall, Llys-wen, Brecon LD3 0UP. Tel: 01874 754525

Penceunant Isaf Tea House

Tea delights The Angel, Abergavenny

Holm House Hotel, Penarth

And speaking of Chef Nick Brodie, who’s partial to a savoury Afternoon Tea, he’s full of praise for the treats on offer at the Angel in Abergavenny. He’s not alone, as the ‘mother ship’ for Welsh Afternoon Tea is lavished with prizes, annually. I savour the birthday celebration we arranged there for Mam – equal to Claridges, if not better, as we were home in time for supper! A former Georgian coaching inn, it has been lovingly restored, and High Tea is served in the elegant Assembly Room. As a member of the UK Tea Guild, the varieties include a rare Darjeeling , Heart of Persia and Kombucha. Back in 1963, on their way to Merthyr Tydfil, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton called at the Angel for a couple of hours. Whilst they enjoyed a bottle of Claret, go for a bottle of Bollinger, to enjoy with your own ‘Rich’ tea.

On a perfect Spring day on a sun lounger at Holm House, you could swear you were basking on a beach in St Tropez. The view over the Hafren (The Severn in Welsh) towards Echni (Flatholm) and Ronech (Steepholm) from this chic boutique hotel is a marvel.

And on a beautiful day, there’s no need to tear yourself away, as the al fresco afternoon tea is served on the garden terrace. With Penarth train station only a hop, skip and jump away, upgrade your afternoon tea to ‘Sparkling’, with a glass of Champagne or Prosecco.

Make time for a stroll along the Victorian promenade, then admire the Art-Deco Pier pavillion. A timeless pursuit, enjoyed by locals for generations, and a Holm away from home for tea!

Angel Hotel, 15 Cross Street, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire NP7 5EN. Tel: 01873 857121

Holm House

Holm House, Marine Parade, Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan CF64 3BG, 02920 706029

St Brides Spa Hotel, Saundersfoot I guarantee you’ll feel years younger after indulging in a spot of ‘Afternoon Delight’, on offer at St Brides Spa Hotel in Saundersfoot. The view towards Amroth from the bijou infinity pool will certainly soothe, as will the manicure or pedicure that’s part of the ‘pampering’ package too. Following a thorough thermal steam and sauna, you’ll be ready to feast at Cliff Restaurant, overlooking Carmarthen Bay. Chef Daniel Retter (formerly of Coast) enjoys mixing things up, adding a crème brûlée and a chocolate mousse to the delectable pâtissiére top tier. Look out for the Spring addition of savoury Pembrokeshire crab scones, to go with the classic sandwiches, along with meats from Eynon’s butchers of St Clears.

Bryn Williams

St Brides Spa Hotel, Saundersfoot, Pembrokeshire SA69 9NH, 01834 812304

The Angel www.taste-blas.co.uk

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TRADITIONAL

BACON

PORK SAUSAGES

& GAMMON

2 018

2 018

PRIME PORK SHOULDER RED TRACTOR FARM ASSURED PORK

NATURAL HOG CASINGS NO ARTIFICIAL FLAVOURINGS

BACON TRADITIONALLY DRY CURED BY HAND

WELSH BEEF

WELSH BEEF

BURGERS

MEATBALLS

2016

LOCALLY SOURCED WELSH BEEF

THICK SLICED GAMMON FROM BRITISH PORK LEGS

2016

PGI STATUS

Our reputation has been established over 35 years & is at the heart of everything we do.

LOCALLY SOURCED WELSH BEEF

We use Farm Assured British Pork & Prime Welsh Beef, fully traceable back to farm, & our fantastic production unit is a BRC Accredited production site.

The Traditional Welsh Sausage Co. Ltd, Crwst Business Park, Ffordd Sam Pari, Conwy, LL32 8HH Tel: 01492 576800 www.edwardsofconwy.co.uk

PGI STATUS

We pride ourselves on our award winning recipes, traditional methods & have won multiple awards including UK Butchers Shop of the Year and Best in Wales.

We Are Edwards @WeAreEdwards

edwardsofconwy

cocktail sausages

Meat:

Pork

Time:

35mins

with Welsh honey & sesame seeds

Serves:

with E dwards

/

A tasty recipe made using our Cocktail Pork Sausages, using prime pork shoulder, made into smaller bite size sausages. These are a favourite with children and adults throughout the year.

ingredients

method

1 Pack of Edwards of Conwy Cocktail Sausages 350g

1. Preheat Oven to 220°C / 425°F / Gas Mark 7.

2 tbsp. Sesame Oil 125ml Welsh Honey

2. Arrange the Cocktail Sausages in a large shallow roasting tin

2 tbsp. Soy Sauce

3. In a bowl whisk the oil, honey and soy sauce, pour over the sausages ensuring they are all coated in sauce.

1 tbsp. Sesame Seeds

4. Throughout cooking move the sausages around.

more recipes

edwardsofconwy.co.uk/recipes

5. Roast for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and then add the sesame seeds.

6. Delicious served warm or cold and great for parties

Innovation across the nation Wales’ biggest food and drink trade event BlasCymru/TasteWales is back featuring a host of exciting new products, perfect for restaurateurs, retailers and hungry diners!

The Partnership, Spiced Haloumi Burger

St Brides Spa

Over a 100 new food and drink products will be launched at BlasCymru/TasteWales at The Celtic Manor on March 20 and 21. This will be the second time the international trade event has taken place and all the signs are very encouraging. The inaugural event generated £14 million for the food and drink industry in Wales. Over 450 delegates attended, including more than 150 national and international buyers from 14 countries, and in excess of 100 Welsh food and drink producers, showcased over 800 products.

There’s a real smorgasbord of new products on offer including creamy yoghurts, zesty sauces, healthy veggie and vegan products, smart new food service offers for busy chefs and unique innovative packaging options for retailers. Here’s a sneak peak at few of our favourites:

No normal veggie burger

Radnor Hills Water

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Since starting with a stall at The Riverside Market in Cardiff 12 years ago Ben Moss, founder of The Parsnipship Ltd, has taken his pioneering approach to vegetarian and vegan food to a much higher level.

Of course, he was way ahead of the crowd, long before Veganism became so popular. These days the company’s tasty vegetarian and vegan products like Moroccan Cashew and Walnut Roast and Beetroot Bomb can be bought online and are delivered chilled with 10 days shelf life and suitable for freezing.

Commenting on plans for BlasCymru/TasteWales, Director Flo Ticehurst said: “We have four new lines coming out: two veggie and two vegan burgers. We

www.taste-blas.co.uk

were inspired to start our business after years of being disappointed at the meagre offerings available for vegetarians and vegans. TasteWales is a great time to showcase some new products as well as our wider offer.”

The Parsnipship, Penllwyngwent, Saville Road, Ogmore Vale, Bridgend, CF32 7AX. 01656 857130 ben@theparsnipship.co.uk www.theparsnipship. co.uk

Extra energy and vitamins The source of Radnor Hills spring waters lies in the old county of Radnorshire in Mid Wales. It’s a wild, under populated area. The water filters naturally through layers of eons-old rock to achieve its exceptional taste and purity. You can already enjoy Radnor Hills’ spring water in a range of natural fruit flavours, still and sparkling. We’re also big fans of their premium fruit pressé drinks sold under their Heartsease Farm brand. At the show, Radnor Hills, are launching a range of Natural Energy Water, which contains zero sugar and added B vitamins. William Watkins, Managing Director said: “We wanted to create the ultimate energy water which contains natural caffeine and is designed to give consumers a convenient energy boost without the dreaded sugar crash. We at Radnor Hills are hoping to revitalise, rejuvenate and refresh the nation in a healthy, natural way.”

Radnor Hills Water Heartsease, Knighton, Powys, LD7 1LU. 01547 530220 www.radnorhills.co.uk

The Coconut Kitchen

Patchwork Traditional Food Company

Daffodil Foods Cwm Farm Charcuterie

Sauce in all the right places From its home in Abersoch on the Llŷn Peninsula, The Coconut Kitchen has won a host of awards for its amazingly authentic range of Thai sauces, pastes and marinades.

The business has come a long way since Head Chef Preechaya started cooking Thai food out of a food truck in 2006. Now the team are launching a new foodservice range for four of their products. Director Paul Withington comments “We have had a lot of requests for foodservice over the last two years and now that we have sold our restaurant, we decided it was the right time to go into this market with two of our bestselling curry pastes and Vegan stir-fry sauce.” The catering packs of sauces will come in convenient 2.5 litre containers, ideal for busy chefs in the restaurant trade.

CK Food and Drinks Ltd, Llanbedrog Pwllheli, Gwynedd, LL53 7PG. 0870 850 8862 www.thecoconutkitchen.co.uk

Choose the perfect chews

Pack in more bacon As anyone in the hospitality trade will tell you, size matters. Larger packs with more of the product take up less space and produce less waste. The team at Edwards of Conwy butchers are responding to this demand with new larger packs of their award-winning bacon geared for restaurants, cafes, and hotels. As Simon James Edwards’ MD says: “Recently we’ve seen a gap emerging within the bacon market, as a result we’ve developed a premium offering within the wholesale and foodservice arena.

Our new lines will provide consistently highquality British Bacon, traditionally cured by hand in Wales, the ideal solution for the more discerning customer.” The new formats being launched at the show are Dry Cured Smoke Flavour British Bacon - Made in Wales 4kg (4 x 1kg) and Dry Cured British Bacon - Made in Wales 4kg (4 x 1kg). For added convenience Edwards ensure the same number of rashers per case.

Edwards of Conwy, 18 High Street, Conwy LL32 8DE. 01492 592443 www. edwardsofconwy.co.uk

Burgers without the beef Patchwork Traditional Food Company have already made a bit of a reputation for themselves with their unique range of handmade patés - they make over 30 of them with some really unusual flavours - how about Chicken Liver with Cointreau and Orange?

And they also make the UK’s only frozen

This clot’s got the lot Why is it that in Wales you often don’t get Welsh clotted cream with your cream tea? It’s time to stop settling for Devon or Cornish!

Daffodil Foods, the brainchild of Lynne King who is a thriving North Wales business using the very creamiest of Welsh milk in its range of uniquely lush yoghurts with decidedly unusual flavours like Alphonso Mango and Passionfruit. At Taste Wales Lynne and team are branching out, using their vast dairy expertise to produce amazing proper Welsh Clotted Cream made from cream produced in Holm House Welsh farms by Welsh cows. This new range of clotted cream products is currently aimed at trade and hospitality. We’re hoping they might start selling it to the general public too!

Daffodil Foods, Canolfan Fenter, Congl Meinciau, Botwnnog, Pwllheli, Gwynedd LL53 8RA. 01758 770 005 sales@ daffodilfoods.co.uk www.daffodilfoods.co.uk

Get drastic about plastic Princes Gate is a spring water company based on an organic dairy farm in the foothills of the Preseli mountains. The company was set up by two brothers 27 years ago and their family have been farming the land around the factory for generations. Sustainability is key to the business and in recent years they’ve made big changes in production processes to reduce the amount of plastic needed for bottling. They’ve also installed solar power and wind turbines and all their packaging including the label is 100% recyclable. But why not use recycled plastic in the first place too? At BlasCymru/TasteWales they’re announcing plans to double the amount of recycled plastic used in their bottles from 25% to 51%. Expect to see them adding to their existing brace of awards for sustainable, carbon friendly business practices in the very near future.

Princes Gate Spring Water, Princes Gate, Narberth, Pembrokeshire, SA67 8JD. 01834 831 225 www. princesgate.com

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Princes Gate

Cwm Farm Charcuterie started as husband and wife team Ruth and Andrew Davies selling their home reared bacon and sausages from a food trailer on the A4067 in Pontardawe.

These days they create all manner of tasty treats, in particular a range of unusual salamis.

At BlasCymru/TasteWales they are launching a range of products that use a totally natural preservative to keep them fresh for longer.

Working with Welsh beekeepers, they are using beeswax which is a by-product of honey production as a preserver. And the flavours are pretty unusual too. How about salami with Welsh leek and Salami with Laverbread?

This goes with their range of uniquely tasty Biltongs. There’s Biltong coated in Laverbread and Biltong Coated in Piri Piri for extra bite!

Cwmfarm Charcuterie Products Salami HQ / Unit 5 Cwmtawe Business Park, Pontardawe.

Swansea SA8 4EZ. 07446 555102 cwmfarm@ hotmail.co.uk www.cwmfarm.co.uk

Chicken Liver Parfait - known affectionately as Posh Paté! There’s also a light range - low calorie, high protein and gluten free. Finally, healthy indulgence has arrived. But it’s not all about meat. They’re catering for herbivores with their new products to be launched at the show. Their in-house team of chefs has created a range of cook-from-frozen vegan and plantbased meat balls and burgers. These include pungent Chinese Beet Balls, zingy Indian Spice Burgers and also Vegan Bacon Jam! The Patchwork Traditional Food Company, Lon Parcwr, Ruthin, Denbighshire, LL15 1NJ. 0845 123 5010 info@patchwork-pate. co.uk www.patchworkfoods.com

Chef profile

Magic touch advertising their accolades. Yes, you read that correctly; the folk from the gastro gong-fest (that, last year, was hosted on Facebook Live) at one time found public displays of celebration rather naff. ‘It was a different time...’, Gunna explains, ‘before the internet, and social media.

Even when we launched our first website, and mentioned Chris’ star, we were ‘advised’ to take the reference down.’

Gunna Chown has retained the coveted Michelin ‘Couvert’ maintaining the highest standards in comfort, service and décor year on year as ‘Front of House’ at Plas Bodegroes. Lowri Cooke met up with the maestro of the ultimate dining experience to find out how..

If Gunna Chown was the star of a chilling Nordic Noir, she’d be ‘The Girl With The Eyes in The Back of Her Head’. That’s not to suggest that the Faroe Islander is frosty at all – quite the contrary, as I discovered for myself. On arrival at her Scandi-chic home a stone’s throw from Pwllheli, I was offered tea and home-made kaffeebrød. But when it comes down to the nitty gritty of hospitality, she takes the biscuit, and runs with it.

As co-owner and ‘Front of House’ of Plas Bodegroes in Efailnewydd, she’s the doyenne of the Welsh ‘Croeso’ crew. Back in 1991, her Chef husband Chris was awarded a Michelin Star, and highly praised for re-defining Welsh cuisine. Gourmands went mad for his warm monkfish and Carmarthen ham salad, and to this day it’s still in high demand. But whilst Chris’ Michelin Star run came to a head in 2008, surprisingly little is known of Gunna’s own remarkable feat.

Every year since 1991, she has retained her Michelin ‘Couvert’ – the crossed knife and fork awarded for high standards in comfort, service and décor. Partly responsible for this ‘diss’ were the Michelin grandees, who – at the time – forbade all award-winners from

It’s therefore a testament to both that Plas Bodegroes was such a hit, and indeed, is still considered one of Wales’ finest gastrodestinations. During springtime, the Georgian manor house is draped in wisteria, whilst the restaurant embraces Welsh art and seasonal flavours. And whilst Chris has taken a backseat role in the kitchen to Pen-y-groes-born Hugh Bracegirdle, it is Gunna who runs a tight ship at front of house, bringing with her high standards that were instilled early on during her childhood in Scandinavia.

‘We always had napkins, and a tablecloth, and were taught how to set the table. We ate whale meat, dried cod, lamb, rhubarb and potatoes that were in abundance on the Faroe Islands, before my father moved the family to Denmark.’ It was quite a culture shock for the eight-year-old girl; the Danish ate lots of pork, and open sandwiches on rye bread, and she had to learn to speak a brand new language. But whilst boys spent a year doing their National Service, girls were encouraged to travel the world.

That’s how, at 17, she landed at Capel Curig, as a kitchen asisstant at Plas y Brenin, the National Mountain Centre. She fell in love with the landscape, that reminded her of the Faroe Islands, and was a married mother-of-two by her early twenties. Ten years on, following her divorce, she met Chris, from Betws y Coed, in a chance encounter at Llanrwst leisure centre.

‘We had lots of friends in common, and the rest is history! I’m a bit more outgoing whilst Chris is rather shy. But as a partnership we complement each other.’

Whilst Chris spent his formative years as a Chef in London, he harboured a dream of opening a restaurant with rooms in North Wales. Gunna was a secretary at an aluminium factory in Dolanog at the time, and asissted Esmé Kirby, the founder of the Snowdonia National Park Society. It was at a restaurant in Zürich, whilst visiting Chris at work, where Gunna experienced world-class service at first hand . ‘The hostess was very attractive,

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with a nice personality, and she chatted with us during our meal. She was like a magician, because as she talked, she had also cleared the table - we were so charmed, we simply hadn’t noticed.’

That certainly helped Gunna to visualize what she had in mind upon receiving the keys to Plas Bodegroes in 1986. Whilst Chris and his team garnered rave reviews over the years, Gunna quietly went about the business of hosting guests. Although the original decor was mostly ‘country-house classic’, she introduced Scandi-touches too; string lighting from Copenhagen, wood floors and no carpeting - and no smoking in the dining room. ‘That was unheard of at the time, and if I had my way there would be no curtains either - that’s where Chris and I disagree. But much like white tablecloths - the height of elegance – they absorb sounds, which helps to create a warm atmosphere’.

Quite often, says Gunna, she’ll sit a new recruit at a dining table, and ask them to play the part of a guest, to encourage them to sense what’s missing. As for the ‘croeso’ element, how does one perfect that Welsh welcome, that keeps guests returning year after year? ‘I very often say you should treat your guests like your best friend’s mother; with kindness, generosity and respect. You should be very prepared to see them, and greet them warmly, but don’t overstep that familiarity.’ Gunna also relishes the role of ‘Front of House’ as a piece of theatre.

‘It’s a performance of sorts. You have a minute or five before you go out... and then it’s stage time – open curtain!’

In recent years, with plans to retire, the Chowns handed the reins of the business over to a management company. It was a disasterous move, and diners from near and far were delighted to see them ‘return’ - from their house next door! They have no plans to leave Pen Llŷn, a region of Wales that long ago stole their hearts. Last autumn, however, the business was placed on the market, in the hope that others might wish to continue the Plas Bodegroes legacy.

‘We created something beautiful, and we have given a lot of people a lot of pleasure, but in the end, we’ve got to let go. Whoever buys Plas Bodegroess musn’t think they can’t be as good as us. There should be no comparison.’ As for what Gunna’s last words might be, when she finally hands over the keys? A simple, heartfelt, ‘Diolch yn Fawr’.

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Right Up Your Valley

Independence Day has come for Welsh Craft Beer Out amidst our lush green hills and fed by the finest of Welsh spring water a brewing revolution has been quietly taking place for years. Now, finally people are starting to notice.

Luke Waterson takes us on a tour around some of the bright stars in the welsh ale brewing scene. The watershed came in 2015. CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale awarded overall gold to a Welsh brewery at the Great British Beer Festival. Since then Welsh brewers continue to push boundaries in their quest for new, exciting flavours using everything from seaweed to oysters. In a move not seen since the 1870’s some are even brewing with Welsh-grown hops.

Better still you can go see many of them in operation. Scenic brewery settings, such as Tenby Brewing Co’s beach bar and Bluestone Brewing Co’s lovely mountainside farmhouse give the visitor experience a uniquely Welsh character. Today, there are funky indie brewers making amazing beers all over the country. Here are a few that we think really stand out.

Monty’s Brewery, Powys Comfy armchairs, flagstone floors and beams are not the welcome you might anticipate in a brewery, but head brewer Pam and her husband Russ have bucked trends at Monty’s, since day one. Their convivial visitor centre in historic Montgomery, sheltering beneath the town’s 11th-century ruined castle, might seem a genteel townhouse, but it includes a brewery shop and a development brewery where the latest hops and experimental beers are trialled. The visitor centre offers a unique opportunity to buy the experimental brews, and you can expand your palate further with the regular beer-and-chocolate, or beer-and-cheese pairings. Wacky one-offs aside, their multi-awardwinning, golden and citrussy Sunshine heads the best of the rest. We also dig the Best Offa, a golden bitter brewed especially as the Offa’s Dyke Path’s official beer.

Buy the beer: Monty’s Brewery Visitor Centre, The Cottage, Montgomery, Powys SY151QT; www.montysbrewery.co.uk Price: £2.20-£3.50 per bottle

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Boss Brewing, Swansea Way before the first sip, this 2015 addition to the South Wales brew scene founded by Sarah John and Roy Allkin impresses. The slick website looks like a sequence from a graphic novel for goodness sake! In 2018 the outfit remodelled and moved into a centuryold cinema for their new premises. Inside, not only are you treated to the whole grain-to-glass process, but the £20 tour fee covers as much beer as you want to quaff.

So, don’t drive there, OK? There is an on-site taproom open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, plus another, Copper, in central Swansea which also specializes in coffee. Of all their brews, it is perhaps the stouts that stand out. The silky Boss Black was Champion Beer of Wales in the stout category in 2016 and 2017. Look out for the comic book-style pump clips.

Buy the beer: Boss Brewing, 176 Neath Road, Landore, Swansea, SA1 2JT; www.bossbrewing.co.uk Price: From £2.75 a bottle

Bluestone Brewing Co., Pembrokeshire Sequestered away up in the Preseli Mountains along a labyrinth of lanes, Bluestone is not the easiest place to find. But the adventure is utterly ‘wort-while’. (The pun preps you for the wild beer names, which combine brewing terms with the region’s rocky topography, e.g.

OutCROP, RockHOPper). You eventually rock up at a 300 year-old farm centred on a courtyard which hosts regular live music events. Here is the casual bar-cumbrewery shop. Set up by a father-and-daughter team, Simon and Amy, Bluestone’s beers use spring water that tumbles down from the mountains through a natural reed bed filtration system and arrives on the doorstep so pure that it is ready to be used for brewing without further ado. Their talismanic beer is Preseli Pils, a pilsner commemorating a battle supposedly fought nearby by King Arthur.

Buy the beer: Bluestone Brewing, Tyriet, Cilgwyn, Pembrokeshire, SA42 0QW; www.bluestonebrewing.co.uk Price: £2.95

Grey Trees Brewery, Mid-Glamorgan

Tenby Brewing Co, Pembrokeshire Tenby is the traditional Pembrokeshire holiday destination. And beer and the seaside combine just wonderfully according to Tenby Brewing Co founders James and Rob - whether it is slaking your thirst in the sun on the sand or huddling over a brew on a stormy winter day. So knock back their perennially popular tropical ale Son of a Beach during the former, or nurse a Black Flag Porter, replete with hints of chocolate, coffee and vanilla-infused rum, during the latter.

Tenby Brewing Co relish innovation, too: they have fashioned brews with everything from Welsh-grown chilli to Pembrokeshire-foraged seaweed. They’ve even collaborated with a nearby farm to make a beer with hops cultivated in Wales (not easy, by the way, hops hate damp, wet and wind) for the first time since the 1870’s. A block back from the sandy beachfront, they have opened craft beer and street-food joint Sandbar, sporting seven craft keg lines, a range of UK indie beers and some Welsh artisan ciders to boot.

Buy the beer: Sandbar, 4-5 Upper Frog St, Tenby SA70 7JD; tenbybrewingco.com Price: £2.40/£3.40 bottle/can

The Welsh Valleys were once one of Britain’s most important areas for breweries but ale’s golden age came and went with the mining industry. If ever there was a brewery to boost beer’s profile hereabouts however, Grey Trees would be it. It is one well-decorated brewery, with the shining star their Afghan Pale Ale, an American pale ale styled beer with some real character and depth. Gold in the Champion Beer of Britain’s strong ale category and overall gold in the Champion Beer of Wales in 2017 testifies to its success.

Staff are enthusiastic about showing visitors how they make what is jestingly referred to as their liquid gold (as opposed to the black gold, aka coal, mined in the nearby hills for centuries). Behind-the-scenes tours include malt and hop samplings and the chance to pour your own pint (or more) from a selection of Grey Trees brews.

Buy the beer: Grey Trees Brewery, Units 5 & 6, Gasworks Road, Aberdare, Rhondda Cynon Taf, CF44 6RS; greytreesbrewery.co.uk Price: From £2.20

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Purple Moose Brewery, Gwynedd In the rapidly-evolving craft beer world, Purple Moose, based in the fetching seaside town of Porthmadog on the Llŷn Peninsula, is a grandfather of the movement, tracing origins back to 2005. They have won more awards than most other Welsh breweries, with eight of their range decorated multiple times. The unusual Elderflower Ale won Champion Specialty Beer of Wales two years running, while Dark Side of the Moose has come second in Champion Winter Beer of Britain. The brewery taproom is in The Australia pub on Porthmadog’s High Street and, in an unprecedented partnership with three other North Wales breweries, Purple Moose operates Conwy’s famous craft beer bar, the beautifully preserved 1920’s Albion Ale House.

Buy the beer: Albion Ale House, Uppergate Street, Conwy LL32 8RF; purplemoose.co.uk Price: £2.59 per bottle

Crafty Devil, Cardiff There is no visitor centre at this up-and-coming Cardiff brewery, established by best mates Adam Edinborough and Rhys Watkins in 2014, and started initially in a garden shed. But beer aficionados’ heavy-heartedness at this news will be assuaged by the knowledge that the out-of-the-ordinary beers are available at two very cool Cardiff bars: Crafty Devil’s Cellar Bar and crowdfunded Beelzebub’s, with a cosy American-style vibe and Brobdingnagian portions of American comfort food like Philly cheese steak fries. Opt for Safe as Milk, a coffee-flavoured stout, or the Triple AAA, a sweetbut-hoppy American amber ale.

Buy the beer: Crafty Devil’s Cellar, 16 Llandaff Rd, Cardiff CF11 9NJ; www.craftydevilbrewing.co.uk Price: £3.90 per can

Untapped Brewing Company, Monmouthshire Alongside one of South Wales’ mightiest fortresses in, Raglan Castle, Untapped has been going strong since 2009. These guys spend the majority of their time making beer and so concentrate less on the visitor experience, although they do have a brewery shop and will arrange tours and tastings, where you can slurp from your very own cask. Their Ember, a silver award-winner in the Champion Winter Beer of Britain and a slightly sweet and spicy brown ale, is our recommended refreshment. Unusually for any brewery, Untapped offer two organic beers in their range too: Monnow, a best bitter, and U.P.A, an IPA. Buy the beer: Untapped Brewing Company, Raglan, Monmouthshire, NP15 2BX; www.untappedbrew.com Price: £3 per bottle

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The Glamorgan Brewing Co, Mid-Glamorgan In the 1990s, when virtually no indie breweries in Wales were around whatsoever, the Glamorgan Brewing Co were. Now with 25 years’ experience and located in Llantrisant, home to the Royal Mint, the brewery is still stamping its authority on the craft beer business with some wonderfully idiosyncratic offerings. Bravest is their boozy version of the Welsh cake, the griddled dried fruit-stuffed rounds that rank as one of our country’s foremost traditional sweet treats. The Welsh Cake Stout has oats and raisins mixed in to yield a unique heavy, biscuit result. Their Welsh Lager, meanwhile, was made to show would-be drinkers that lager can be lovingly made and produced with quality ingredients. A newly-built bar above the brewery serves a great range of their beers.

Buy the beer: Glamorgan Brewing Co, Llantrisant Business Park, Llantrisant, Mid-Glamorgan CF72 8LF; www.glamorganbrewing.co.uk Price: £10 for 6-bottle selection pack

Brecon Brewing Tracing its lineage back to 2002, Brecon Brewing is run by a stalwart of the Welsh beer scene Buster Grant who is one of the daddies of modern Welsh brewers.

He’s served on the board of industry body SIBA and the Food and Drink Wales Board and he’s an old brew dog, having garnered a masters in brewing, not afraid to learn a few new tricks. So whilst the range includes traditional, award-winning ales such the golden Welsh Pale Ale, Golden Beacons and the light and refreshing Welsh Dark it also extends to modern, full-flavoured beers in its Artisan and Heritage ranges. Go for the deliciously complex Red Beacons which sits very nicely between a traditional Welsh Red Ale and the hoppy, zesty hit of an American IPA. Buy the beer: Squire Drive, Brynmenyn Industrial Estate, Bridgend, CF32 9TX www.breconbrewing.co.uk Price: £2.99

Tomos Watkin Originally brewed in Llandeilo, Tomos Watkin has been part of Swansea based Hurns Brewing Company since 2002 and has grown into West Wales’ most popular range of beers, belying its family-owned status.

Historically Tomos Watkin’s repertoire has consisted of more traditional albeit well-crafted ales which include OSB, a classic rich red bitter and Cwrw Haf, a fine zesty summer ale. More recently they’ve pushed the envelope with more idiosyncratic brews, a doffed cap to the craft beer movement no doubt, such as the citrusy Blodwen’s Beer and Delilah, a light, golden ale that uses American hops. What to go for? Though tempted by Pecker Wrecker, if only for its cracking name, the sensible choice is Delilah, a lovely blend of classic and modern.

Buy the beer: 3c Alberto Rd, Valley Way, Swansea Enterprise Park, Llansamlet, Swansea SA6 8RP www.tomoswatkin.com Price: from £1.79

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Spring Foraging Adele Nozedar lifts us out of the winter gloom to the abundant harvest of delicious wild ingredients on your doorstep wherever you are in Wales.

After a damp and dismal winter there’s no better way to perk up the spirits like a foraging stroll to find them. You’ll find cuckoo flowers, hairy bittercress, dandelions, tasty fresh nettles, cleavers, and more…. but for me, nothing shouts ‘SPRING IS HERE !!!!’ louder than a wood full of wild garlic, and there’s a good chance you have some growing near you. An indicator of ancient woodland, you can even buy wild garlic in garden centres, but buyer beware… it’s very invasive. You shouldn’t plant it in your own garden unless you have a lot of land, or you don’t mind your entire outdoor space being taken over for 3-4 months of the year.

Tell me more about wild garlic!

Wild Garlic has many different folkloric names, which means the plant is held in high esteem. You might know it as Ramsons – indeed, place names bearing the word ‘ram’ tell us that the plant once grew abundantly there; Ramsgate, for example. Its botanical name, Allium ursinum, means ‘bears garlic’ or, in Welsh, ‘garlleg yr arth’. This is because it was believed to have been the herb favoured by bears to kick-start their digestive system after a long hibernation.

I want some! Where can I find it?

Find wild garlic in the woods where bluebells grow.

The season is generous; you’ll see tiny green shoots starting to appear any time from early February onwards. The larger leaves are a lovely mid green, the flowers like little white stars. If you’re not sure that you’re looking at the right thing, just pick a leaf and rub; the garlicky scent is unmistakable. Flowers, stems, leaves and seeds are all edible, although an important point to know is that wild garlic doesn’t have a large bulb like the ‘normal’ stuff. Pick the plant carefully, a leaf at a time, leaving the roots in the ground. The only plant that looks similar is Lords and Ladies, aka Cuckoo Pint, which grows in the same places and is toxic. Mature Cuckoo Pint leaves look very different from those of the garlic.

How should I eat it?

Use your imagination! All parts of the plant are great added raw to a salad or sandwich. You should definitely chomp some raw leaves as you’re picking!

It’s pungent but doesn’t linger in the mouth (or on the breath) like conventional garlic.

Wash the leaves thoroughly and dry in a salad spinner or clean tea towel. Chop finely and add pine nuts, finely-grated hard cheese and a little salt to make a pesto (you don’t need to add oil since the garlic is really juicy). My favourite way of using it is to slice the top from a round of camembert, stuff with the garlic, season with cracked peppercorns, pop the ‘lid’ on then bake in a hot oven for 15-20 mins. Scoop up the gooey, garlicky, cheesy mixture with chunks broken from a loaf of good fresh crusty bread. My mouth is watering just thinking of it!

Adele Nozedar is the author of several books about foraging, including her latest, Foraging With Kids (Random House), £12.99. Find out more at: breconbeaconsforaging.com

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The Spirit of adventure

@BARTIRUM Barti Rum

www.bartirum.wales www.taste-blas.co.uk

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Recipes

T h e S c arl e t

S al a d Chef Matt Pritchard

Prep: 15 Minutes, plus standing overnight Cook: 5 minutes

Serves 4 This went down a treat with the Scarlets Rugby Team as it’s packed with flavour and colour, and the vinegary, garlicky dressing brings the leaves to life. I get my salad leaves from Cae Tan, a Community Supported Agricultural Project in South Wales. Using fresh, biodynamic produce makes an unbelievable difference to how much I enjoy a salad bowl.

INGREDIENTS For the marinade • • •

2 oranges, segmented and juice collected 2 fennel bulbs, cut into wafer-thin slices 1 teaspoon paprika

For the dressing • • • • • •

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar 1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard 1 small garlic clove, crushed 1 teaspoon maple syrup salt and pepper

For the salad Dirty Vegan by Matt Pritchard (Octopus) £20

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• • • • • • • •

3 tablespoons sunflower seeds 3 tablespoons pine nuts 150g Russian or regular kale 100g mixed salad leaves 1/2 a cucumber 300g rocket 10 cherry tomatoes, halved handful of edible flowers

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METHOD Start with the marinade. Put the orange segments and juice into a bowl with the fennel slices as soon as you slice them (to stop them browning), then add the paprika and stir. Leave to stand, overnight ideally, or for as long as possible.

Put the sunflower seeds and pine nuts into a heavybased pan and toast them over low heat for 5 minutes, until they take on a rich brown colour – be careful not to char them.

To make the dressing, put the ingredients into a bowl, season to taste and mix thoroughly. The mustard should emulsify the mixture to make a smooth dressing.

Next, prepare the Russian kale. This leaf is good raw, but the stems can be tough. Remove the stems and slice the leaves into bite-sized sections.

Put the salad leaves, the cucumber, kale, rocket and tomatoes into a serving bowl. Pour a half of the dressing into the bowl and toss the salad by hand.

Drain the fennel from the marinade, reserving a few orange slices for decoration, and add it to the bowl. Sprinkle over the sunflower seeds and pine nuts, arrange the orange slices on top, then drizzle the remaining dressing over the salad. Garnish with the edible flowers and serve immediately.

Taken from Dirty Vegan by Matt Pritchard. Published

by Mitchell Beazley.

Photography by Jamie Orlando Smith and Chris Terry.

Recipes

Han dm a de R av iol i filled w it h

G o at s ’ C heese a n d Wi ld G arl ic INGREDIENTS • • • • • • • • • •

• • • • • • • • •

400g ‘00’ pasta flour plus extra for rolling out 1 level teaspoon salt 3 large eggs + 1 egg yolk Filling 250g soft goats’ cheese – Pantysgawn is delicious 1 tablespoon spring herbs, chopped – parsley, chives, thyme 1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts 1 rounded teaspoon of grated lemon zest ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg 2 heaped tablespoons soft, sticky, cooked onion (sauté 1 medium finely -chopped onion in 2 tablespoons of olive oil slowly until soft, sticky and slightly coloured, about 15 minutes) 150g blanched and well drained wild garlic or spinach, chopped 40g Parmesan cheese Wild garlic pesto 150g wild garlic, blanched and drained 1 teaspoon sea salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper 50g pine nuts or blanched almonds 100ml olive oil 75g Parmesan, grated

Serves 4-6

WHAT YOU DO To make the pesto – Place all the ingredients in a blender and pulse to combine into a smooth paste.

Taste and adjust the seasoning to your taste. If the paste is a little thick, loosen slightly with a little olive oil. Cover and set aside until needed.

To make the pasta dough – Tip the flour into a pile on your work surface, add the sea salt and mix together, making a large crater in the middle. Break in the eggs and egg yolk and gradually mix in the flour. Before forcing the whole mixture together, check it’s not too dry. You can flick a little cold water over the surface and then push everything together into a soft dough ball.

Now to work the dough – Begin by gently folding the dough onto itself, flattening, and folding again. It will be soft at first, then gradually start to firm up. Once it’s firm enough to knead, begin kneading the dough.

Incorporate more flour as needed to prevent the dough from sticking to you or the work surface. The dough is ready when it forms a smooth elastic ball and has very few air bubbles when cut.

Place the dough onto a sheet of cling film and wrap, setting aside for 30 minutes.

Next, make the filling – Mix together the cheese, chopped herbs, roasted pine nuts, lemon zest, grated nutmeg, cooked onion, chopped wild garlic or spinach and Parmesan cheese. Taste and add sea salt and black pepper to your taste.

Now you are ready to roll! The name of the game at this point is to keep everything well-floured to prevent the pasta from sticking to itself or the roller as you work. If the dough starts to feel sticky as you roll it, sprinkle it with flour. Also sprinkle flour on any pasta you’re not working with (rolled, cut or otherwise) and keep it covered with a clean tea-towel.

Chef Angela Gray © A L S Photography

Cut the dough into 4 portions and place 3 under the cloth. Set your pasta machine to the thickest setting (usually marked “1”). Flatten the one piece of dough into a thick disk between your hands and feed it through the pasta roller. Repeat twice. Fold this piece of dough into thirds, like folding a letter, and press it between your hands again. With the pasta machine still on the widest setting, feed the pasta crosswise between the rollers. Feed it through once or twice more until smooth.

Begin changing the settings on your roller to roll the pasta thinner and thinner, rolling the pasta twice on each setting. If the sheet of pasta gets too long to manage, lay it on a cutting board and slice it in half.

Roll the pasta to setting 7.

Lay the sheet on a floured surface, cut out circles with a cutter or a ravioli cutter and place under a tea towel. Lay out 8 pasta circles, wet the edges, spoon ½ teaspoon of filling in the centre, top with another pasta circle and seal the edges – place on a floured tray.

Repeat until all the pasta is used up.

Cook the pasta in a large pan of salted water for 3-4 minutes, drain well, tip into a serving dish or onto plates and drizzle with the pesto.

Note: You can roll the pasta by hand – use a little flour on the surface, flatten one piece of dough at a time and roll out. Put your weight behind the heels of your hands and make short, sharp rolls forward with the rolling pin, stretching the dough forward. It will spring back, but persevere, adding a little flour only when needed. Cut and fill as in the recipe above.

You can open freeze the ravioli and then pop into a freezer bag to store easily. Cook in salted boiling water from frozen for 4 minutes.

In addition, you can roll up and shred the off cuts by hand and cook in salted boiling water for 3 minutes, drain and serve with some pesto as a lunch treat!

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© Huw Jones

Angela Gray’s Spring Recipes is available now Order online www.graffeg.com or call 01554 824000

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Recipes

Q ueen of P uddi ng s

with L e mon an d El derflo wer C urd

Chef Angela Gray © A L S Photography

INGREDIENTS Custard • • • • • • • •

400ml whole milk 200ml double cream 1 medium lemon, zest only 25g butter (extra to butter ramekins) 4 large (60g) eggs yolks (save whites for meringue) 100g caster sugar 4 x 5cm thick slices of brioche

Topping • • • • •

140g good lemon curd 2 tablespoons elderflower cordial Meringue 225g caster sugar The 4 saved egg whites

Serves 4

Angela Gray’s Spring Recipes is available now

WHAT YOU DO

Order online www.graffeg.com or call 01554 824000

Butter 4 large individual ramekins or chef rings (place on a baking sheet lined with parchment) and heat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/Gas 4.

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Bring the milk, cream, zest of 1 lemon and 25g butter to the boil, then turn off the heat.

Beat the 4 egg yolks with the 100g caster sugar, then strain the hot milk over them, whisking constantly to make a custard.

Push the brioche slices into the ramekins or the base of the chef rings, pour in the custard and let them sit to soak for 5 minutes, then bake for 20 minutes.

When the brioche has 6 minutes left in the oven, spread the sugar for the meringue onto a parchmentlined baking sheet and heat in the oven (the same temperature) for 6 minutes. Remove the brioche bases and the sugar. Whisk the 4 egg whites until they form peaks, then whisk in the hot sugar and continue whisking for a couple of minutes, until the meringue is thick and glossy. Mix the lemon curd with the elderflower cordial and spoon onto the brioche bases.

Next, spoon the meringue into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle, then pipe a ‘Mr. Whippy’ style meringue topping.

Finish the meringue tops by caramelising the outside with a Chef ’s blowtorch. If you don’t have one, pop into a preheated oven at 220°C/200°C Fan/Gas 7 for about 7 minutes until they start to colour. If using chef rings, to decant, run a knife around the inside of each ring to release the pudding. Use a spatula to ease onto a serving plate.

Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream – utter bliss!

Pembrokeshir e Early

Recipes

Potato a nd b a c on s al a d with a p p l e dre s si ng This salad is best served warm but all the components can be prepared beforehand and assembled just before serving.

Serves 4 as a starter, 3 as main course Prep time: 15 mins Cooking time: 20mins

METHOD

INGREDIENTS

1.

• • • • • • • • • • • • •

3.

350g Pembrokeshire Early Potatoes* 4 slices of smoked bacon 2 crisp eating apples, cored and cut into wedges 15g (1 tbsp) butter 6 handfuls of salad leaves 50g hazelnuts, toasted 4 spring onions, washed and sliced 1 tbsp chopped chives to garnish Dressing 2 tbsp apple cinnamon curd 1 tbsp cider vinegar 3 tbsp olive oil Halen Môn Sea Salt and pepper **

2.

4.

5.

6.

Wash and halve the potatoes and place in boiling water until just tender.

Make the dressing by whisking all the ingredients together in a small bowl.

Pour half the dressing over the drained warm potatoes and set aside.

Fry the bacon for 5 minutes on each side, remove from the pan and cut into bite-size pieces. Add the butter to the same pan and brown the apple wedges in the melted butter.

Remove the apples and deglaze the pan with the remaining dressing.

In a serving bowl, mix together the potatoes, bacon, apple, nuts, spring onions and salad leaves.

Pour over the warm dressing and garnish with chives.

*Protected Geographical Identification (PGI) **Protected Designation of Origin (PDO)

W hi t e choc ch i p W el sh c a ke s with r asp berry j a m and va n il l a c re a m

Recipe courtesy of Food & Drink Wales: https://businesswales.gov.wales/ foodanddrink/about-us/recipes

This is a delicious and fun way to serve Welsh cakes. A great recipe for those who don’t like dried fruit, they look so mouth-wateringly beautiful that no one will ever guess that they’re our simple little Welsh cakes ‘glammed up’. This recipe makes about 20 cakes, depending on size, and should take about 20 minutes to prepare. each cake needs to cook for about 2 minutes on each side. I usually cook 10 at a time. So the whole process takes less than half an hour from washing my hands to my first taste.

INGREDIENTS • • • • • • •

225g (2 cups) self-raising flour 110g (. cup) salted butter 80g (. cup) caster sugar 50g (. cup) white chocolate chips 1 egg a drop of milk butter and caster sugar to serve

METHOD Sift the flour and rub in the butter. Stir in the sugar and the chocolate chips. Whisk the egg and add it to

the mixture. Then work it into a dough. If the dough is a little dry add a drop of milk.

Roll out the dough on a floured surface to a thickness of about 5mm and cut out small circles or hearts or any shape you like, using a cookie cutter. Place onto a hot bakestone, griddle or frying pan, turn once and cook until golden. Add a little butter, sprinkle with caster sugar, and serve warm if possible.

To make a cream tea, slice the cooled Welsh cakes to create two rounds. Layer one side with raspberry jam and whipped vanilla cream (see below), replace the other half, and serve like scones.

Vanilla cream To make vanilla cream, whip up a small carton of double cream and sweeten with just a level tablespoon of icing sugar and a cap full of vanilla extract. Whip again to mix the ingredients. Store in the fridge until needed.

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C aribbean M ini

Recipes

Welsh Beef Top si de Joi nts Serves 4 Cooking Time 50 mins

and add white wine vinegar, soy sauce, ground ginger, ground allspice, garlic, mango and orange fruit juice and sweet chilli sauce. Cover and marinate in the fridge for 1 hour. Drain and retain marinade.

Ingredients •

450g (1lb) approx lean Welsh Beef mini topside joint* 30ml (2tbsp) white wine vinegar 30ml (2tbsp) soy sauce 2.5ml (½tsp) ground ginger Pinch ground allspice 2 garlic cloves, crushed 300ml (½pt) mango and orange fruit juice (or similar) 15ml (1tbsp) sweet chilli sauce

• • • • • • • Recipe courtesy of PGI Welsh Beef: https://eatwelshlambandwelshbeef. com/en/recipes

Method 1.

Place lean mini beef joint into a large shallow dish

2.

Preheat the oven to gas mark 4-5, 180°C, 350°F.

3.

Place in a preheated oven directly onto the wire shelf or cook on a barbecue with a lid for about 50 minutes for medium cook.

4.

Place marinade in a saucepan and thoroughly boil to reduce slightly.

5.

Serve beef thinly sliced with griddled fresh pineapple, rice and beans, plus a seasonal salad.

*Protected Geographical Identification (PGI)

C ro que

Monsieur crêp es

Dathlu / Celebrate by Lisa Fearn (Gomer Press) £14.99

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Ingredients

Method

Classic French crêpes • 3 large eggs • 21/3 cups of milk • . cup of sugar • 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence • a pinch of salt • 21/3 cups of flour (300g) • some butter for the pan

Simply combine all of the above ingredients in a large bowl and whisk well to form a batter. Allow to stand for 10 minutes or so for the flour to fully absorb the milk and for any lumps to disappear. The addition of sugar in this recipe helps the crêpes to colour nicely and obviously gives a lovely sweetness to the pancake.

Don’t try and make them too small. Fill the pan and spread to cover the whole base. Turn them once when the underside is golden. For traditional crêpes, don’t roll them, but fold them.

Need a quick and simple supper?

Roll up some ham and cheese in a pancake for a delicious yet simple meal.

Preheat the oven to 200°C / 180°C (fan) / 400°F / gas mark 6.

Make a batch of crepes using the recipe above, then add some delicious ham and cheese sauce (recipe below) to the centre of each pancake, roll up and place on a baking tray, sprinkle with some grated Cheddar or Parmesan and bake for 10 minutes or place under the grill until golden. Simple!

Ingredients

Method

Easy ham and cheese sauce • 1 tablespoon of butter • 1 tablespoon of cornflour • 1 cup (240ml) of warm milk • black pepper • 1 cup of cooked ham, chopped • 1 cup of mature Cheddar or Parmesan cheese, grated

Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat.

Pour in the milk and the cornflour and whisk until smooth. Then reduce the heat to low and stir with a wooden spoon for about 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Add the ham and cheese and stir well. Set aside.

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Optional: Add a tip of a spoon of mustard. Stir in a handful of spinach with the ham and cheese and cook for 1 minute, or place the cheese mixture on top of the spinach before grilling. Healthy and nutritious!

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Techniques

Mussels in Welsh Ale To celebrate our great Welsh Seafood and help you cook up a storm in the kitchen for you and your family, William Richards from Cambrian Training suggests you try out this great recipe. Follow this step-by-step guide to preparing and cooking this fabulous Seafood dish:

Ingredients • • • • • • • • • • • •

75g butter 2 Carrots (cut to brunoise) 3 Celery stalks (cut to brunoise) ½ Leek (finely chopped) 3 Shallots (finely diced) 2 Garlic cloves (crushed) 1kg Gower Mussels 300g Double cream Chive, Parsley, Chervil (finely chopped) 10g Welsh rapeseed oil 250g Real Welsh ale Sourdough Loaf (Optional)

Preparing & Cooking your Mussels:

Chef’s Top Tips •

•

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Remember to use all the natural cooking juices when cooking with shellfish as this is a money can’t buy experience your pallet doesn’t want to miss out on.

Try substituting the Real Welsh Ale for white wine and making yourself a classic French Moules Marinières

Preparing and cooking Seafood develops skills learnt by apprentices when working towards a Foundation Apprenticeship in Professional Cookery and Craft Cuisine Level 2 and covers preparing and cooking of a range of Seafood. For more information about Apprenticeships contact Cambrian Training Company at cambriantraining.com or Tel: 01938 555893.

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1.

To begin, wash and clean the mussels by running under cold water and using a spoon to remove the beards. Once the beards are removed you need to scrape off any barnacles, rinse then place into a clean bowl. Repeat until all mussels are clean.

2.

For the sauce base, you will need to melt the butter in a pan and sauté the shallots, garlic, carrots, celery and leek until cooked with no colour. (remember to take your time with the brunoise vegetables and make sure every piece is 2mm by 2mm, this will improve your knife skills)

3.

When the vegetables are cooked, remove from the pan and place to the side to use later on.

4.

Using the same pan, add the rapeseed oil and heat until smoking.

5.

When the oil is hot add in the mussels and place the lid on and shake the pan to move the mussels around.

6.

Continue to cook until the mussels begin to open then remove the lid.

7.

Next, pour in the ale and reduce by half, allowing the alcohol to cook off and enhance the flavour with the natural juices from the mussels.

8.

When reduced, add back in the vegetables you prepared earlier and stir.

9.

Add in the double cream and reduce until thickened whilst continuing to stir the mussels.

10. When the cooking liquor has thickened, remove from the heat and add in the finely chopped herbs, and season with salt and pepper.

11. Finally, serve in a bowl with all the cooking juices and pair with freshly baked sourdough bread to absorb those cooking juices.

Preparing a whole Seabass

Techniques

To celebrate our great Welsh fish and help your healthy eating habits for 2019, it’s a good time to introduce some fish to your diet and learn new skills too.

Fish is high in protein and contains those all-important omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential to a healthy diet.

Here is a step-by-step guide from Chris at Cambrian Training to preparing and cooking a whole Seabass.

Equipment needed: • • • •

Scissors, Filleting knife, Blue chopping board, Fish descaler (or back of knife is fine)

Preparing your Seabass: 1.

Firstly make sure that your work area is clean, your chopping board is secure (Top tip: for this it helps to place a damp tea towel underneath to help prevent it from slipping) and have a waste bin close by.

2.

Descaling the fish: using the descaler tool all you do is rub it all over the back and belly of the fish scrapping off the scales also making sure towards the head. Remember to do both sides of the fish.

Alternatively, if you are using a knife, keep the blade facing you at an angle and scrape the scales away, while using the knife you must be careful not to scrape with the blade against the fish or you will be scoring the fish all over rather than making sure that the scales are all removed.

Whilst doing this you should hold the fish by its tail, using a dry tea towel will help prevent the fish from sliding out of your hands.

Top tip: The ideal place to descale the fish is in the sink with cold water running, as you start to scrape the fish some of the scales will shoot off, doing this in the sink will help manage where the scales go. Once you start to scale the fish, you will be able to see where you might have missed and can then go back over to finish it off.

3.

Once this has finished you should proceed to remove the guts. To do this you can place the fish on the chopping board, find the vent (or bum) of the fish and cut along towards the head in-between the top 2 fins and under the chin.

Running cold water through the belly will help clean the insides as you remove the guts and the bloodline.

4.

Then you can go back to your chopping board, and using your scissors cut away at the 2 front fins and back fin getting as close to the flesh as possible. You can use a kitchen cloth to dry the fish at this stage if it still seems to be slippery.

5.

Filleting the fish: Now you can start to remove the fillets. To start you should run your knife along the backbone of the fish starting from the

head and slowly cut towards the tail. Doing this slowly will make sure you have control of your knife whilst cutting along the ribs. You continue to work your knife in long strokes along the one side of the fish until you reach the belly where the fillet should come clean off. Then you can repeat on the other side.

Cooking Pan Roasted Seabass: The best way to cook the seabass is pan roasted: 1.

2.

3.

Lightly flour the skin side, shaking off any excess flour then adding to a hot oiled pan skin side down.

Lightly fry until the skin shows some colour then place the pan into an oven for 3 minutes at 185 degrees C. Once cooked remove the fish from the pan and serve with some wilted samphire, boiled new potatoes and a fresh Lava bread sauce made from the fish stock.

Preparing and cooking a whole seabass develops skills learnt by apprentices when working towards a Foundation Apprenticeship in Professional Cookery and Craft Cuisine Level 2 and covers preparing and cooking of a whole fish. For more information about Apprenticeships contact Cambrian Training Company at cambriantraining.com or Tel: 01938 555893.

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Chef’s Top Tips •

With the bones, you could always make a fish stock by adding them to cold water, with leeks, onion, and celery sticks.

Bring to a boil and simmer for 2hrs before straining.

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Very, very tasty!

Adam Rees sips and samples the newest food and drink in town Anglesey has the mustard

Gin it to win it

Halen Môn The family-run Halen Môn from Anglesey specialize in the award-winning sea salt on their doorstep, but also have a range of sauces and condiments including these latest additions. The BBQ Ketchup’s deep flavour has both a tang and rich tomato base that’s perfect for dolloping on grilled meats, and definitely benefits from a liberal dose of salt. The Smoky Honey Mustard and Smoky Dijon Mustards meanwhile are some of the finest we’ve tried either side of the Channel. The creamy Dijon has the requisite bite with a luxurious, lingering heat, while the Smokey Honey does what it says on the jar, utilising sweet nectar and Halen Môn’s smoked water for a soulful flavour. It’s definitely one of those that you’ll aim to savour yet smear on anything and everything at the first opportunity.

BUY IT: From £3.95 per jar. Halen Môn (www.halenmon.com)

Eccentric Gin Staking a foothold in the increasingly populated craft gin market, most of Eccentric Gin’s roster aren’t quite as barmy as their name suggests, with classic concoctions delivered very well. It’s therefore up to the Pembrokeshire Pinky and Violet Gin to add a bit more of the razzmatazz for the Caerphilly distillery.

The latter’s colour makes it immediately stand tall, but its sweet violet flavour is far from overpowering, giving it a splendid well-balanced taste to have on its own or as part of one of the suggested cocktails you can find on the company website. The Pembrokeshire Pinky on the other hand is a vibrant mix of fruity notes and velvety smoothness that’s as good as any other pink gin bustling for position in one of the country’s trendiest tipples.

BUY IT: For £30 per bottle. Eccentric Gin (www.eccentricgin.co.uk)

The Bee’s knees Hilltop honey - Welsh Blossom honey Scott Davies of Hilltop Honey’s story is a real sweet one, having started to keep bees in his parents’ garden after a work-related injury. Eight years on Hilltop Honey has outgrown the local Powys community, thanks mainly to the moreish flavour delivered by the bees of Newtown. As well as Soft Set and Heather varieties, this light Blossom Honey is simply delicious and worthy of the acclaim Scott’s products have garnered. Though credited to ancient lands and mythical nectar, the secret is the vibrant flowers that give the honey its golden colour and fresh scent. A honey for all occasions that’s particularly punchy on breakfast muffins or dashed into your tea before bed, and was a particularly helpful nurse for this reviewer during a post-Christmas cold.

BUY IT: For £5.99 per jar. Discover Delicious (https://discoverdelicious.wales)

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Coffee beans on toast Coaltown x Rogue Preserves Espresso Marmalade This mad collaboration between Ammanford’s nationally recognised coffee producers and the renowned chutney and jam specialists from Rhondda answers the question of what would happen if you dunk your morning marmalade on toast into some high-end coffee. As is the case with all Rogue Preserve products, the marmalade is of the highest quality, rich in flavour with the sweetest orange clout. However, it’s Coaltown’s contribution that needs to succeed in this chaotic tag team, and it does so with aplomb. Lovers of the strong black stuff will instantly be won over by the gorgeous chocolatey nature, and while we can’t tell if there’s sufficient caffeine kick to fully replace your morning mug, we’re inclined to believe this addition to your breakfast spread ticks all manner of boxes.

BUY IT: For £5.95 per jar. Coaltown Coffee (www.coaltowncoffee.co.uk)

Udderly delicious latte

Soft ‘n’ vinegar

Daioni Organic Coffee Latte When you want the best milk products, go to straight to the source. Daioni Organic have gone from supplying fresh organic milk across the world from the Harris family farm in Ffosyficer in West Wales for decades, to expanding to cream and flavoured milk.

Now they’ve teamed up with English Kingdom Coffee for this cold caffeinated pick-me-up. It’s as wholesome and refreshing as you’d expect, but while lattes such as this aren’t really for coffee connoisseurs, the fair-trade Arabica blend from Kingdom adds a serious flavour punch despite being of medium strength. There are fruity and smoky hints you can pick up through the velvety Daioni milk. Aside from a nice leaf design on the top, you’d be hard-pressed to find a barista do a better job.

BUY IT: For £17.40 for 12 cartons. Discover Delicious (https://discoverdelicious.wales)

Nonsuch Shrubs Most of us only tend to drink vinegar when our fish ‘n’ chips are drowning in it come summertime, but these novel additions – London-based but from the same stable as the makers of Wales’ Lurvill’s Delight botanical soft drinks – have apple cider vinegar at their core. With a range of health benefits this ‘Modern Elixir’ makes an impact as soon as you open the bottle, with the Peach & Basil in particular smelling like an intoxicating summer garden. But the combination of sweet and sour flavours with a modicum of fizz is an enjoyable surprise with the aromatic basil lingering on. The Blood Orange & Bitter Lemon flavour is more straightforward, with the strong citrus flavours making any suspicion of the apple cider vinegar’s ferocity null and void, while the Blackcurrant & Juniper flexes its strength as a mightier alternative to Ribena.

BUY IT: For £3.29 per bottle. The Drink Shop (www.thedrinkshop.com)

Ramsey Island Gin

Tandoori lamb tomahawks Far from the standard marinated fare that takes up supermarket shelves come BBQ season, these tasty chops come from Martin Player High Class Butcher of Whitchurch, Cardiff. They have earned Best Welsh Lamb Product at the prestigious Smithfield Awards where the butchers also won the Best Welsh Beef category for its Montreal Steak Burger as well as a host of other awards. The Tandoori rub opts for shrewd flavour over heat, delicately adding the warmth of turmeric and cayenne while letting the gorgeous flavour of the meat take centre stage. Given Wales’ renown for quality lamb it’d be remarkable if these tender tomahawks were anything less than exceptional.

We are happy to report that they exceed expectations when lightly grilled with some cool yoghurt and mint.

BUY IT: From about £7 for three. Martin Player (martinplayer.com)

You wouldn’t expect a nature reserve notable for grey seals and choughs to be joining the gin game, but these innovative newcomers are Ramsey Island to the core. Made with plants taken from the island just off St David’s Head in Pembrokeshire, the Welsh Dry Gin and St David’s Seaweed Welsh Dry Gin have been made by RSPB to help fund their vital conservation work there. The botanicals are only collected in small amounts, adding to the exclusivity, while the birdemblazoned bottles will appeal to collectors. Crucially they soar when it comes to the taste, with the heather and mint coming through in abundance, while the Seaweed Welsh Dry Gin’s more piquant flavour is still sweet enough to ensure it appeals to more than connoisseurs.

BUY IT: For £39.95 to £45 per bottle. St Davids Gin (https://stdavids.wales/)

Trailhead Beef Jerky With the current trend of slapping ‘High in Protein’ stickers on every other product, the likes of biltong and beef jerky are becoming increasingly popular to satisfy a quick itch. Hailing from Welshpool via the expertise of the US Midwest, Trailhead’s range of jerkys have won acclaim far from the country’s borders, with top of the line Welsh beef at their core. The Original flavour is delicate with an almost creamy afterthought, while we were also keen on the Black Pepper and rugged Hot Smoked Chipotle. The latest edition, the Raging Bull Chilli, unsurprisingly tries to gore the jugular with its tense heat, yet is still ludicrously moreish, making our initial consideration of a resealable pouch a moot point.

BUY IT: From £2.99 per 50g pouch. trailheadfinefoods.co.uk

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Cwm Farm Charcuterie

Barti Ddu Rum

Cwm Farm is another Welsh company using outstanding local produce to put their own stamp on international delicacies, with their Pontardawe farmers’ salami and chorizo being some of the world’s best.

While you might expect the multi-award winning Laverbread Salami to be even saltier than the usual cured classic, it’s such a dainty edition that all you’re left with is a stunning tasting salami that justifies the commendations it’s attained. We particularly enjoyed the bite of the skin, with the more nipping Leek Salami overtly bringing in the extra dimension. Cwm Farm’s free range pork is again the key to the silky, softer Italian paste Nduja, which we consumed in no time spread on a piece of crusty bread – a supreme Mediterranean experience.

BUY IT: From £1.50 per 30g pouch. cwmfarm.co.uk

While bar-favourite Captain Morgan gets its moniker from a Welsh pirate, that’s where the connection to Cymru ends. Barti Ddu on the other hand not only takes its cues from infamous swashbuckler Bartholomew ‘Black Bart’ Roberts but intriguingly also utilises a Pembrokeshire staple: seaweed. A bellicose 35% dark rum that’s sweet and caramelly on the nose, the seaweed doesn’t dominate proceedings, instead blending with the more prominent orange and surly clove for a balance of sweet and savoury flavour. While it’s natural bedfellows are ginger ale and citrus mixers, we found it so smooth that a simple dash on the rocks was perfect, while a more adventurous chocolate liqueur addition worked surprisingly well with the orange punch.

BUY IT: For £26.99 per 70cl bottle. mumblesfinewines.co.uk

Poblado Coffi This Snowdonian coffee company may source its beans from the finest coffee producing countries around the world, but they’re roasted with the aid of Welsh spring water and the area’s natural beauty as inspiration. With single varieties from Africa, Asia and South America available - the vanilla tasting Burundi Kirema was a personal favourite - their signature blends clearly show a passion and depth of knowledge learned while its makers were living in Columbia. The Poblado Espresso produces a mellow shot with oodles of sweet character, making for an ideal introduction to stronger coffee tasting.

BUY IT: From £5.95 per 250g pobladocoffi.co.uk/shop/

Gower Coffee Co Not only does the West Welsh peninsular have some of the best beaches in the world, but there are also some fine coffees named after them as well. The coffees are based on the waves at each beach as experienced by surf and caffeine enthusiast Marcus Luporini. The smoother notes in Three Cliffs Bay make for a winning all-rounder next to the more hardened strength of the Rhossili Bay blend. Tor Bay will have the most to offer to aficionados with its intensity held in check by a malty hit and plenty of citrus aroma. Often overlooked, it’s actually the Decaffeinated option that struck a chord, which still gives a wonderful dark cup that’s crackling with jets of peanut.

BUY IT: £6.99 per 227g pouch gowercoffeecompany.co.uk

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Penderyn Faraday Here’s something to keep an eye out for when you’re coming in or out of Cardiff Airport’s Duty Free.

This exclusive is indicative of Penderyn’s growing international renown, with its name taken from the distillery’s still. Finished in a port cask the Faraday is reasonably rich with hints of fresh fruits, oak and jam.

On the nose there’s an instant hit of port, followed by vanilla and fruit, while the body is creamy, with a touch of raisins, sultana and a bit of spice to round it off. With a delicious vanilla finish it’s another outstanding addition to the Penderyn arsenal and worth flying home for.

BUY IT: Cardiff Airport

A brand proud to be WELSH! Visit the winery or shop online at www.celticwines.co.uk

Celtic Country Wines, The Winery, Henllan, SA44 5TD

The Perfect Gift Angela Gray’s Spring Recipes Spring, Festive, Summer, Autumn, Winter recipe books £9.99, any 3 books £25.

Order online www.graffeg.com or call 01554 824000 Spring Recipes Taste Blas Advert_Feb 2019_P1.indd 1

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19/02/2019 09:08

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The magazine that celebrates food and drink in Wales 48

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Cook up a storm Adam Rees selects the latest gear to turn YOU in to a Masterchef Cost competitive pan set with quality and beauty

For those of you that want your kitchen equipment not only of the highest quality but also with looks to match, the Lakeland 5-piece non-stick pan set is one of the best you can get without breaking the bank. With a trio of 16, 18 and 20cm saucepans, a milk pan and a sturdy frying pan, this quality set of pans has excellent heat distribution and comes out sparkling even after the most robust treatment. Coming in smart carbon or copper colour, they both look and perform far beyond their division.

BUY IT: For £84.99 from Lakeland Cardiff https://www.lakeland.co.uk/26191/Lakeland-5-Piece-Copper-Coloured-Non-Stick-Pan-Set

Titanium pan offers excellent scratch and dirt resistance It’s difficult to get your head around the idea that a pan can have 24 times better non-stick capability, yet the boffins at Tefal claim to have delivered a pan that seems almost incapable of getting dirty or scratched. The titanium-reinforced cooking area certainly delivers on its promise, which you can clean effectively with no more than a running tap, while you can happily scratch away with a metal fork without leaving a mark. The high sides mean it can be used as a pot, pan, baking dish, wok and more. It even comes with a lid and steaming rack and the trademark red hot spot also indicates the ideal cooking temperature with superb heat distribution.

BUY IT: For £60 from Debenhams, Cardiff https://www.lakeland.co.uk/26233/Tefal-Owl-Animal-Pancake-Pan-25cm-with-SqueezeBottle

Multi-cooker takes the strain at dinner time We love devices like the Crock-Pot 5.6L Express Multi-Cooker where you can just throw ingredients in in the morning and come home to a warm, healthy meal in the evening without any faff. Though the array of buttons on the Crock-Pot might at first appear daunting, it’s pretty easy to get into the 12 main settings, whether you want to steam, saute or slow cook, while manual controls are quick to master. At 4 litres of cooking space there’s plenty of room for a big feed too. As well as a steam rack and a spoon it even comes with a recipe book to get you started.

Trust us when we say a slow cooked baked potato in one of these things will change your life.

BUY IT: From £89.99 from Lakeland Cardiff https://www.lakeland.co.uk/61768/Crock-Pot-5-6L-Express-Multi-Cooker-CSC051

Elite grill provides exceptional performance The BORA Tepan stainless steel grill is a serious piece of kit for those whom only the most elite gear will do. The grill comprises a continuous plate for powerful flash cooking. Two different grilling zones with individual controls mean you can simultaneously grill fish and meat at high heat on one and lightly crisp up vegetables on the other. As you’d expect from such a professional high-end product, the heat distribution and retention is exceptional, with the results speaking for themselves with steak, fish and more cooked at up to 250°C. A real style icon.

BUY IT: From £3,790 Artisan Interiors, Cardiff.

Powerful food processor makes light work Though not feeling quite as up to standard as Cuisinart’s previous stainless steel choppers, the performance of this Mini Prep Pro is second to none. Coming in silver or ‘Vintage Rose’ for a few quid extra, the capacity is just shy of a litre. But the twin direction blade is surprisingly powerful, making easy work of some of the biggest chunks of raw vegetables and ice we threw its way for a morning smoothie. One of our biggest peeves is food getting stuck around the side that needs to be pushed down back into the blade’s path. Switching direction however ensured this was kept to the absolute minimum on the Mini Prep.

BUY IT: £44.99 from John Lewis Cardiff https://www.johnlewis.com/cuisinart-mini-prep-pro-compact-food-processor-silver/ p3751429

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Norse Star

Superstar chef and founder of probably the world’s best restaurant, Noma, Claus Meyer tells us how he helped spark a worldwide food revolution Claus Meyer is founder of Noma, the Two Michelin star Copenhagen restaurant that took Nordic cuisine from obscurity to the forefront of a worldwide movement. His daring flavour combinations using all manner of unexpected ingredients - most found right on the doorstep - are a thing of legend. This year, he’s a keynote speaker at Wales’ signature international food and drink trade event Blas Cymru.Taste Wales. There really can’t be anyone better placed to explain why and how we Welsh foodies should celebrate our food heritage and exceptional produce.

“The change we long for is something we create together”

taste.blas: Many of our readers will be aware that Noma has been regularly voted the world’s best restaurant. What makes it so special?

Claus Meyer: With Noma we decided to challenge most of the conventions defining fine dining. We wanted a clear purpose: to spearhead a cultural food transformation in the Nordic countries. We really felt that Nordic food was a bit of a disaster. We wanted to turn it back into something truly wonderful and inspirational for the rest of the world.

No one ever rests at Noma. The team is very conscious about what it takes to be an industry leader. They are constantly expanding the range of unusual ingredients found in Scandinavian nature, constantly coming up with radical new flavours, concepts and dishes.

René Redzepis is doing a great job continuing to push these boundaries.

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t.b: What was it that made you move from a French style of cooking to something rooted in your native Denmark?

CM: That’s a very interesting question. There is always something about timing that is magical. It probably happens a few times in your life. Suddenly you see a game-changing opportunity right there in front of you.

I was deeply inspired by the Spanish chefs who back in 1973 had decided to revamp Spanish cuisine. In fact I contributed to a book about that revolution. I was also inspired by the Danish film makers who challenged the world of film making for a while with their Dogme manifesto which focussed on getting back to basics.

Most of all I was inspired by the way that so few of the diners in our restaurants had any real understanding of our food systems. t.b: In the past you’ve talked about how important it is for children to experience high quality food and good cooking. What are the benefits, both obvious and less obvious?

CM: Children who grow up in such surroundings will tend to make wiser choices as citizens. What we eat impacts what we grow and how we produce it. Children learn from what we do, not from what we say. If they grow up in a family where food matters and eating together is important, they will tend to be more conscious of health issues, planet impact, inequality, the art of hosting, the realities of farming, the potential losses and wins - the bigger picture in brief.

“We wanted to spearhead a cultural food transformation”

t.b: Celebrating local produce is at the heart of New Nordic Cuisine what can we in Wales learn from your experience of creating renewed interest in local food?

CM: Everybody needs to be involved. The change we long for is something we create together: private people, chefs, researchers, policy makers, farmers, fishermen, journalists… together. There has to be a vision shared by all stakeholders.

“What we eat impacts what we grow and how we produce it”

my time in France that really changed my life. I went to live in Gascony where I lived with a guy who was a bit of a Renaissance man. He was a poet chef and pastry chef. He was a complete inspiration. He became like a father to me.

t.b: How important is it to a country’s self-esteem to have a thriving food scene that everyone can identify with?

CM: Look at Denmark and Copenhagen these days.

Or look at Lima and Peru. This says it all. There is something unique and approachable about food based on local produce. t.b: What other lessons can we learn to help strengthen our regional identity and make us feel proud of our food?

CM: An important question to answer is ‘what can be the uniquely important Welsh contribution to the world of gastronomy?’ Answer this question and you are well on the way. t.b: What inspired you to become a chef?

CM: My grandmother inspired me to cook. But it was

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t.b: If there was one piece of advice you would give to aspiring chefs/restauranteurs what would it be?

CM: Follow your heart, never compromise on flavour. t.b: What are your favourite Welsh dishes and ingredients?

CM: I’ll answer that question after my visit! t.b: What’s your favourite dish that you have at home?

CM: That I cook at home? My favourite dish? I’d say soup! t.b: In that case, we’d wager a Welsh dish you’ll love is cawl – a hearty traditional Welsh broth with local lamb and leeks at its heart.

Claus Meyer is keynote speaker at this year’s Blas Cymru.Taste Wales which takes place at Celtic Manor, 20-21 March

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Greytrees drip mat 234x434.pdf

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Greytrees drip mat 234x434.pdf

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242 Penarth Road, Cardiff CF11 8TU Tel: 029 2078 7500 Fax: 029 2078 7510 Email: enquiries@finewinesdirectuk.com www.finewinesdirectuk.com C

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CAMRA & SIBA multi award winning brewers All our products are brewed and packaged on site.

We insist on using traditional methods to create intense flavoured Ales whilst injecting a modern twist to produce balanced flavours and highly drinkable beer appealing to all palates.

Gift packs, Mini Kegs, Bottles, Glasses & Merchandise are available at our onsite shop, Open 9-5 every weekday.

Grey Trees Ind Craft Brewers Unit 5&6 Gasworks Road, Aberaman, Aberdare, RCT, Cf44 6RS Twitter @greytreesbrewer Facebook-Grey Trees Brewery Web Greytreesbrewery.com Tel: 01685 267077 www.taste-blas.co.uk

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Restaurant Reviews

Hare & Hounds, Aberthin

For a pre-game treat, it’s hard to beat the Hare & Hounds at Aberthin. And on a day that Wales beat England in the rugby, the savoured memory of our feast will live as long as that splendid sporting feat. The Vale of Glamorgan gourmet-pub was all abuzz with diners clad in country tweeds and rugby shirts. And for an hour or two, the Welsh regional menu fed the flames with hearty flavours.

A seasonal rhubarb prosecco and Pirate Bay IPA from Bridgend’s Cold Black Brewery were the perfect preprandial thirst-quenchers. The feast kicked-off with a tasty offering that highlighted Chef Tom WattsJones’ take on nose-to-tail eating. A skewered lamb heart separates the men from the boys and displayed a clinical execution; roasted slowly in balsamic vinegar, rosemary and thyme, it was a masterclass in food seduction. Following the home-made sourdough and focaccia breads, the mushroom soup amûse bouche was as light as a chocolate mousse. Sprinkled with black Welsh truffles and a whisper of cep powder, the umami confection was gone in seconds flat.

The choir of flavours gradually rose in fervour with a Jerusalem artichoke tart starter. The rich vegetable foam floated on an indulgent truffle base, encased in a buttery shortcrust pastry. My partner’s mussel and laverbread risotto was a terrific Swansea seafood starter and had us humming ‘Hymns and Arias, Land of My Fathers, Ar Hyd y Nos’.

But as with the Welsh rugby team, the best was yet to come – the second half of the lunchtime feast was a outright belter. Having learnt my lesson from an autumn visit to The Heathcock - H&H’s new sisterrestaurant in Llandaf, Cardiff - I plumped for the rump of Torgelly lamb, sourced a few miles away in Llanhari. I cannot sing the praises of this classic enough; between the to-die-for crispy fat, and mellow sweetness of the meat, it is a marriage of Glamorgan flavours made in heaven. The Chateau Marais (a Syrah Grenache blend), was a gloriously jammy red wine, that wonderfully offset the rich potato Dauphinoise.

How on earth do you follow that? With a signature soufflé that brought our meal to a close with a thunderous ovation. Light as air, the ravishing rhubarb affair was paired with a home-made vanilla ice cream.

As we sped to the city, past hundreds of red shirts, I was filled to the brim with Welsh pride. ‘To be born Welsh is to be born priveleged’, indeed, and with flavours like these, you cannot help but belt out, ‘Gwlad, gwlad!’.

Lowri Haf Cooke Hare & Hounds, Maindy Road, Aberthin, Vale of Glamorgan CF71 7LG; tel: 01446 774892

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The Midland, Conwy The brand new head chef at Conwy’s Midland tapas restaurant is Andrew Tabberner, poached from The Loft at the Bull Inn at Beaumaris. While on Anglesey, Andrew worked with local producers such as gardener Medwyn Williams, and Felin Honey Farm, to develop a true taste of Wales.

The meatballs were warming and homely, like mini Sunday roasts, and when halved revealed a rumour of pink at the centre, but might have tasted a little lambier. The peas gave a satisfying al dente pop which accentuated the sometimes elusive flavour of this staple veg.

Now he’s brought his expertise to the medieval walled town of Conwy, currently enjoying a dining renaissance with the arrival of The Erskine Arms gastro-pub and Johnny Dough’s wood-fired pizzas.

The highlight was the cod, perfectly cooked to flake on the fork, and worked surprisingly well with the yoghurt’s lip-smacking tang. This brand new special, making its debut the day I visited, deserves a permanent place on the menu.

Not being a seasoned tapas diner, I asked waiter Anton for guidance. He recommended three to four plates per person – ‘you can always order more if you want’ – so I opted for a mix of carne and pescado.

Anton recommended customer favourite Peeking Pig (belly pork stacks drizzled with Peking sauce). I also opted for albondigas a la jardinera (lamb meatballs in a rich tomato sauce), and from the specials menu, roast cod loin with Welsh yoghurt, burnt onion powder and chive oil. It sounded suitably haute cuisine.

The plates arrive when they’re ready, which isn’t always at the same time, but this allows for relaxed grazing. As a dedicated belly pork fan, the Peeking Pig was a treat.

The meat was tender and moist, topped with a layer of crackling perfectly balanced between chewable and crunchy.

Restaurant Reviews

And then I spied The Midland Eton Mess: fresh strawberries, meringue, Chantilly and ice cream.

Now, I’ve had more Eton Messes in my time than I’m comfortable admitting, but this was spot on.

Served sundae style, it had the perfect distribution of strawberries and meringue all the way down, making it a sustained journey of discovery to the very bottom!

Whether you know your albondigas from your alioli or not, the Midland is the perfect place to discover classic and fresh flavours mixing Welsh ingredients with Spanish tradition.

Steve Stratford The Midland, 16 Castle Street, Conwy, LL32 8AY; 01492 573065

Stradey Park Hotel, Llanelli With the recent sudden closure of Sosban Llanelli, the town is down a dining MVP. Could the chefs at Stradey Park Hotel and Restaurant raise their game – and pots and pans - to paint Llanelli scarlet once more?

The attractive spa hotel is a long-established draw for locals and visitors. Indeed, having previously visited the venue for weddings and conferences, I was familiar with its offerings. But a weeknight stay was a first for me, on a Monday eve in February. By the time we arrived, seventy guests had enjoyed afternoon tea, and the central Copperplate Bar & Grill retained a buzzing atmosphere.

Following a revamp last year, the copper-accented dining room offered a warm welcome in ‘Tinopolis’ town. Tables are close enough to savour a variety of accents – from business guests to lively groups of local diners. We were offered two different menus; the ‘bar & grill’ selection offers familiar bar fare for a very reasonable price. The second, however, was the 3-course dinner menu, with daily specials that showed a touch of flair. As a nod to the local area, I chose a Stradey Park signature as a starter – the Mature Cheddar Cheese & Felinfoel Bitter Rarebit was delicious. My friend chose the creamy parsnip soup and enjoyed its comforting earthiness.

As a main, I opted for a dish that flies off the menu the lamb tagine did not disappoint. The lightly spiced meat was rich and tangy, and balanced nicely with the salad and lemon cous cous. My friend’s pork belly, herb mash and red wine jus, on the whole, was a perfect winter warmer. With a wide choice of desserts we opted to share; the moreish chocolate brownie was a feast of gooey goodness, whilst the lemon panacotta tart paired with salted caramel ice cream had a pleasing zing in its tail.

Our recently refurbished room brightened our cosy Monday night; I only wish we had the time to indulge at the spa, before returning to ‘real life’. A hearty buffet breakfast raised the spirits on Tuesday morning, as did the panoramic view of the Carmarthenshire coast. The Sosban fach of this rugby town might have recently lost a game, but this hearty Sosban Fawr is definitely worth a ‘try’ for a super supper and an overnight stay.

Catrin Rowlands Stradey Park Hotel and Spa, Llanelli SA15 4HA, 01554 758171

www.taste-blas.co.uk

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Restaurant Reviews

Anna-Loka, Cardiff Anna-Loka opened its doors four years ago; and is very much at the top of its vegan game. The restaurant has gone from strength to strength since its launch in 2015 – and with vegan Joe Calzaghe at the launch – this timely kick-off started the thinking person’s philosophy that if premium athletes were following a plant-based diet – then the rest of us could too.

Anna-Loka is hands down my favourite vegan restaurant in Cardiff – so it was with a spring in my step I headed over to a taster session – of some old favourites – and some brand spanking new dishes.

Try the cracking Cali Breakfast, one of owner Adam El Tagoury’s top choices: with homemade sausage, bacon rashers, avocado, grilled tomato, scrambled tofu, toasted seeds, agave mustard dressing and wholemeal toast. The Rodeo Seitan Burger rocks: Juicy, meaty, satisfying. Or the new Laska dish, which is simply, outstanding. Beautifully fresh vegetables that are bursting with natural, organic and local flavour, cooked in a dreamy peanut and coconut sauce; a victory of comfort food heaven, served with crispy fried tofu, rice noodles, Bali sauce and chili peanuts. This might just be my next go-to dish.

The Crispy Seafood Cakes are a true testament to the imagination and creativity of Adam’s chefs; and I would happily eat the Muhammara of roasted red pepper and walnut dip, with toasted seeds; served with an awesome airy sourdough, all day long.

Adam tells me he loves the Southern Fried Seitan Burger of crispy coated seitan, panisse bacon, cheese, garlic mayo, and Frank’s burger sauce. Served with a choice of triple cooked chips and ketchup or sweet potato fries with garlic mayo; and I agree that it’s lipsmackingly good.

After all that umami full-on flavour, it’s time to discover something sweet. We dig into a plateful of fluffy, crispy, gluten-free pancakes, with chocolate sauce, fresh raspberries and vanilla ice cream. If there was a scanner showing my brain, you can be sure that all of the pleasure zones would be lit.

As I roll homeward-bound, stuffed to the limit; and on a definite food-high, I reflect on the genuinely exciting menu that Anna-Loka offers. The clue is really in the Sanksrit name, with Anna meaning food, health or earth, and Loka meaning world or planet in India’s ancient language. It effectively represents what Adam and his team offer: an eclectic, authentic, healthy experience that facilitates principled, conscious choices but does not compromise on quality or taste.

Meryl Cubley © Anna-Loka, 114 Albany Road, Roath, CF24 3RU. Tel: 029 2049 7703; www.anna-loka.com - Booking highly recommended.

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Great cider is a timeless joy to us at Apple County. We make real cider and perry from 100% freshly pressed juice. Each cider is made from a single variety of bitter-sweet apples all grown in local orchards.

We approach cider-making with all the skills and reverence of a traditional winemaker, allowing the distinctive �avours of each variety to develop through a slow, cool fermentation.

Our ciders have won acclaim from chefs, critics, writers, and foodies alike. Valentine Warner, Oz Clarke and Pete Brown have all expressed their appreciation for Apple County Cider.

www.applecountycider.co.uk

Our cider is made on Whitehouse Farm near Skenfrith in Monmouthshire. This lush county is nestled between the Brecon Beacons National Park and the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and is peppered with historic castles. From the farm, we enjoy stunning views across the Monnow valley where the river marks the Welsh border.

If you are visiting, enjoy a tasting at our cellar door or soak up the view on our 3 mile orchard walk. If you are staying at one of the Welsh Rarebits Hotels then ask for an Apple County Cider at the bar.

Whitehouse Farm, Newcastle, Monmouthshire NP25 5NS 01600 750835

www.taste-blas.co.uk

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Restaurant Reviews

Restaurant at Hotel Portmeirion For a Welsh getaway, it’s hard to beat the world-class resort of Portmeirion. The Italian-style village offers an escape from it all and a hallucinatory, multi-coloured trip. Get lost in the Ghost Garden past the Dancing Tree, then experience an explosion of flavours at the Hotel Portmeirion dining room.

The art-deco style restaurant is the jewel in the crown of Clough Williams-Ellis’ grand vision for the estate.

Reminiscent of an elegant cruise liner, you half expect Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot to appear at the table next to you. However, it’s the warm Welsh welcome, and magnificent view of the Dwyryd estuary that soothe the soul and ‘bring you back to your trees’.

Criccieth-born Head Chef Mark Threadgill began his career at Portmeirion, before a stint at Hibiscus in Ludlow and Aix-en-Provence, then made a hero’s return back home. He’s brought his adventurous nature and verve to the plate, combining a keen local sensibility with inspiration from overseas.

With a selection of tasting menus, there’s an emphasis on Snowdonian spring produce, including Penllyn lamb shoulder, wild garlic emulsion and tangy asparagus. A perennial signature dish that is popular all year, is a starter that’s an ‘old’ favourite of mine.

On a recent visit, the crispy Duck Egg with rich truffle ‘soldiers’ – as always – had me quacking for more. But the main, for me, was a highlight indeed – the memory lingered for days! It was a Monkfish Thai Green Curry, and the flavours were off the scale; balancing warm nutty textures with citrussy notes that hit you straight on the nose.

To finish, a spring twist on the house soufflé; mint choc chip, with a scoop of white chocolate ice cream. This featherlight treat reminded me of ‘Peppermint Bark’ – that moreish American ‘Holiday’ treat. Or, to bring it back home to Wales, imagine a white chocolate Aero whilst humming the old Gino Ginnelli ad! These are tastes to inspire joy, and delight.

My first thought the next morning was not the heavenly bed, nor the fabulous view from my quirky village suite, but of the multi-coloured flavours still dancing in my head. That got me straight to my feet, for a jog down to base for the best breakfast in Wales (and yes - you can quote me on that). Wild redcurrant compote, with Llaeth y Llan Yoghurt, then a full platter of Meirionnyddshire bacon, sausage, black pudding and eggs. It is a breakfast of champions and, much like the village of Portmeirion, has to be seen to be believed yourself.

Lowri Haf Cooke Restaurant Hotel Portmeirion, Minffordd, Penrhyndeudraeth LL48 6ER, tel: 01766 772440

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www.taste-blas.co.uk

Beach House Restaurant, Oxwich

Restaurant Reviews

Each moment spent at Beach House, Oxwich, is a ravishing, mouth-watering affair. From the drive down from Swansea, through the Gower Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, you’ll be bowled over long before you hit the beach. And the ever-changing micro-climate ensures that the rainbows and sea mists soon pass to reveal a vista that is truly world class.

The restaurant – a former beach shop and coalhouse works in harmony with its natural surroundings, from Three Cliffs Bay to Oxwich Point. Little details bring to mind Welsh folk song ‘Ar Lan y Môr’, such as rosemary growing in abundance on the terrace. Each step of the menu is a similar experience, with offerings to tempt, to soothe and inspire.

Chef-Director Hywel Griffith, from Bethesda in Snowdonia, designed all aspects of the bilingual menu.

He won the AA award for Wales Restaurant of the Year 2017-18 for his locally sourced, seasonal dishes.

Having visited the restaurant on previous occasions, I leapt for the 3 Course for £29.50 Lunch Menu.

As the designated driver, I requested a non-alcoholic refresher - the cherry and ginger zinger hit the spot.

Sommelier Alexandra promised a rhubarb spitz for Spring, although next time I’ll hope for an Ivy’s or Gŵyr G&T – both distilled nearby at Port Eynon.

Whilst perusing the menu, I devoured a pork and rhubarb bite, which swayed my choice towards the signature Tŷ Siriol pork main course.

But first to arrive was the luscious laver-striped bread encased in an oak and Penrhyn Quarry slate box. In a zen-like daze, I was hit with the fragrance of Wales, as as soon as my Lemon Sole starter hit the table. Poached in brown butter, with leeks and laverbread, it warmed the cockles of my heart.

I’d previously savoured the retro-chic pairing of pork and pineapple (a staple on the tasting menu), but never the joy of pork belly and kimchi. The Pontarddulaisreared pig was elevated to high heaven by the umami tang of Korean-style cabbage. I finished on a note of pure delight, with a blast of Welsh nostalgia. One of the Chef ’s fondest memories is his ‘Nain’s’ custard tart; his tribute to her is his ‘Cacan Cwstad’. A gloriously thickset egg-custard slice, sprinkled with nutmeg on top; it made one wonder, ‘why all the fuss about panacotta?’.

A refreshing ‘dip’ for the senses, and a rememberance of things past. Isn’t that what all seaside visits are made of? Be sure to make your own Beach House dreams come true by savouring the gastronomic grandeur of the Gower.

Lowri Haf Cooke Beach House Restaurant, Oxwich Beach, Swansea SA3 1LS; 01792 390965

www.taste-blas.co.uk

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Seeds, Llanfyllin

Restaurant Reviews

Ceir naws hyfryd o hiraethus ym mwyty Seeds yn Llanfyllin, ac mae’n bleser ei phrofi bob tro. Mae cael clonc gyda’r perchnogion am geginau o fri o’r gorffennol fel cynnal sgwrs â hen gyfeillion sy’n llawn hanesion. Y cogydd Mark Seager sydd wrth y llyw yn y gegin ers 1991, a’i wraig Felicity sy’n gofalu am y bwyty. Mae’r gair ‘gofal’ yn gwbl addas, gan fod Mark yn grediniol mai cysur y mae’r busnes yn ei gynnigyn y bôn.

Magwyd Felicity yn Newlyn yng Nghernyw, mewn cartref o’r enw Pen y Bryn. Roedd ei thad yn bysgotwr, a’i hoff flasau hi hyd heddiw yw pysgod ar yr asgwrn a chranc. Er mai o Yeovil yng Ngwlad yr Haf y daw Mark yn wreiddiol, fe’i magwyd yn Ilfracombe, gogledd Dyfnaint. Aeth i goleg arlwyo lleol yn Barnstaple cyn dechrau gweithio yn Llundain, yn y Café Royal. Wrth deithio i Lundain o’r de-orllewin un tro, dechreuodd sgwrsio â merch dlos yng ngorsaf Caerwysg. Felicity oedd honno – neu Felix iddo ef – ac roedd hi ar ei ffordd i ddechrau swydd newydd yn Kensington.

Tra bu Felicity yn hyfforddi gweithwyr mewn gwestai crand, profodd Mark agoriad llygad mewn cyfres o geginau mawreddog. Bwydodd frenin y byd lletygarwch, Rocco Forte, bob dydd fel prifweinydd y Café Royal. Aeth wedyn yn fwtler i reolwr y BCCI (Bank of Credit and Commerce International), gan olchi llestri ym mwyty Monkey’s yn Chelsea fin nos.

Fe’i hyfforddwyd yn glasurol i weinio’r dde a glanhau o’r chwith; daeth arlwyo i gannoedd o westeion yn ail natur iddo. Ond wedi profi’r wythdegau yn Llundain ysai’r ddau am newid byd, a dyna yn bendant a ganfu’r pâr yn Sir Drefaldwyn.

Mae gwreiddiau hynafol y bwyty yn tarddu o’r flwyddyn 1580, pan adeiladwyd bythynnod Pen-ybryn. Bu carcharorion rhyfel yn byw yno yn ystod y ddeunawfed ganrif, a bu’n siop farbwr cyn troi’n fwyty llwyddiannus. Prynodd Mark a Felicity’r busnes gan Mr a Mrs Seed, cyn mynd ati i adfer yr hen adeilad.

Yn addurno’r waliau brics cochion lleol y mae llu o ddarluniau llachar, a chofroddion gwahanol iawn o’r Dwyrain Pell. Mae mwgwd ‘Horace’ o Bali yn hawlio’i le uwchben y llawr llechi, gan wgu ar lun o Aberdyfi.

Yr un mor eclectig yw’r fwydlen ddyddiol sy’n asio’r lleol â’r rhyngwladol. Mor fychan yw’r bwyty, mae sawr y coginio’n taro’r ffroenau ymhell cyn i’r seigiau gyrraedd y bwrdd. Mae’r risoto madarch wystrys a shitake yn ddosbarth meistr mewn cynildeb, a’r cregyn bylchog wedi’u ffrio mewn saws tsili a leim yn clirio’r daflod o’r gwe pry cop. Clasur ar y fwydlen yw’r rhac cig oen a mwstard Dijon neu saws blas cwins. Peidiwch â chefnu ar Sir Drefaldwyn heb ei flasu! Daw swmp helaeth o’r llysiau a’r perlysiau o ardd leol yn Llanfyllin, a ddatblygwyd gan gwsmer ffyddlon iawn. Bob dydd Iau, ar ddiwrnod marchnad, fe ddaw Derek a’i fan bysgod – er mawr bleser i Felicity mae’r sardîns o Gernyw yn boblogaidd ar y fwydlen. Ond daw’r cig i gyd gan y cigydd Pete Tomlinson, sydd â’i ladd-dy ei hun gyferbyn â’r bwyty.

Amhosib yw gadael y bwyty heb bwdin yn y bol, a chlywed rhagor o hanesion Llundain. Os byddwch yn ffodus cewch gwrdd â’r mab, Oscar Indiana – Cymro Cymraeg sydd bellach yn ‘gamer’ adnabyddus, Armadon2000! Ond ymhell o ruthr y rhithfyd, ceir byd o bleser yn Llanfyllin. Wedi gwibdaith o flasau, annisgwyl mewn mannau – fel saws kohlrabi a phomgranadau – paratowch am flas llawn cysur o gegin eich hen neiniau ar ffurf tarten driog a hufen. Tra blasus!

Bwytai Cymru by Lowri Haf Cooke (Gomer Press), £9.99

www.taste-blas.co.uk

59

Wine

The French Connection Proudly displaying the Welsh dragon on its label, Château du Seuil (available exclusively from Fine Wines Direct) produces great wine with a surprising link to Cymru. We speak to owner Nicola Allison to find out more. taste.blas: How did a Welsh family end up owning one of France’s oldest and most illustrious vineyards?

Nicola Allison: My parents, Bob and Sue Watts moved here in 1988, buying Château du Seuil which was a run-down property they fell in love with. It had been making wine for over 200 years but in the last 20 years the owner had leased the vineyards out, so they started a programme of re-planting and expanding. I and my husband Sean took over from my parents in 2001. I was a doctor, having studied in the Welsh National School of Medicine. In fact, all my schooling was done in Wales having grown up in Llancarfan, but in 1989 I moved to New Zealand to work and subsequently met my husband Sean there. t.b: Can you tell us a little about Chateau du Seuil’s history and the wines that come from the region?

NA: Château du Seuil is in a small village called Cerons, about 30 minutes south of Bordeaux city in the Graves appellation. We make Graves red, Graves white, rosé and Cerons à botrytis dessert wine - indeed Cerons is the smallest appellation in Bordeaux. Graves is the birth place of all Bordeaux wines with Haut Brion being one of our most illustrious members. t.b: We understand most of your wines are organic – what exactly does this mean and what are the benefits?

NA: We’ve been organic since 2009. We believe firmly in not using insecticides, fungicides and weed killer for many reasons. Not least for our health and our employees as we live and work in the vineyards but also for the benefit of the environment and our consumers.

As far as the quality of the wine is concerned, we have seen a return to the true expression of the terroir and the vine itself in our wines. t.b: Broadly speaking, what are the types and taste characteristics of Château du Seuil’s wines?

NA: The red wines have aromas of red berries and soft supple tannins and the white stone fruit and citrus with a vibrant finish on the mouth.

t.b: We’ve heard a lot about how climate change has enabled increased and better wine production in the UK and Wales, how has it affected you?

NA: Climate change is a real entity. In Bordeaux a good year is when the Cabernet ripens (Cabernet being the last variety to ripen) and over the last 5 years unlike 20 years ago, we have been able to pick the Cabernet at its full ripeness before the rain sets in. There are also late frosts, drought and severe hail storms in the middle of the summer all of which can damage the vine and its fruit. t.b: How did you get involved with Fine Wines Direct?

NA: I started working with FWD after meeting Nigel at a function. I was looking for a local company and FWD was a perfect match. Although they are like a family, their level of professionalism is outstanding.

They have an outstanding portfolio and Château du Seuil wines are proud to be amongst some of the best wines in the world. I am often over hosting wine dinners that range from gourmet pubs in the mountains to 5 star hotels such is the breadth of their distribution. t.b: How did the connection with the Royal Welsh come about?

NA: I met Ben, a captain, at a FWD wine dinner. I have had family in the Welsh Guards and we hit it off immediately. It helped that he loved the wines!

Subsequently, Château du Seuil wines have been served at ceremonial occasions including a private lunch with Her Majesty which was a great honour. t.b: If you could take just one of your wines with you to a desert island, what would it be?

NA: A desert island wine would have to be our top wine Heritage, we only make it in very special years and it is a very small production. I would be a bit worried about storage though on this island!

Fine Wines Direct UK are an independent, vastly experienced, specialist importer of wines offering a range of exciting wines from both leading, as well as exciting, niche producers from across the wine world.

As a 3-time finalist at the prestigious Harpers award for ‘Wine Wholesaler of the Year’, they supply many of the country’s top restaurants, as well as having a fully stocked shop and a tasting room to host events, meeting the producers and tasting the wines.

A unique for Wales on-site bonded warehouse means wines come direct from producers. The majority of wines are exclusive in Wales and cannot be seen in any supermarkets or high street outlets, and include unique family estates such as Allan Scott, Los Picos, Maison Michel Picard and Marques de Caceres - all at great prices.

Fine Wines Direct, 242 Penarth Rd, Cardiff CF11 8TU. 029 2078 7500 www.finewinesdirectuk.com

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Salami / Snacking / Chorizo / Biltong / Nduja Cwm Farm Charcuterie Products www.cwmfarm.co.uk / Twitter @cwmfarmsalami / cwmfarm@hotmail.co.uk

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Stradey Park Hotel & Spa, Llanelli, SA15 4HA T: 01554 758171 www.stradeyparkhotel.com @Copperplatebarandgrill

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News

Here’s what’s happening!

Meryl Cubley has the lowdown on all that’s new in Welsh food and drink Monty’s dark secret

Danny’s Russian Adventure

Did you know that Monty’s Brewery award winning Dark Secret is both vegan and gluten free? This cleverly constructed taste sensation was one of only three to win the coveted Three Gold Stars at the Great Taste Awards. This excellent beer is now available at The Grange pub in Grangetown; the perfect excuse to check out a recently re-opened great Brains pub. www.montysbrewery.co.uk www.facebook.com/thegrangecardiff

Former Culinary Team Wales captain Danny Burke has won the Northern Europe heat of the Global Chefs’ Challenge booking his place at next year’s final in St Petersburg, Russia. Burke was up against the continent’s best chefs at the regional heats held in Rimini, Italy; and was given just three hours to produce a three-course meal for six people. Support was provided by commis chef, Harry Paynter-Roberts and these two truly did the Welsh contingency proud.

Burke wowed the judges with a starter of scallops and seabass, a main course of veal rump and kidney and a chocolate dessert. “I am delighted to have won and taken Wales through to the finals next year,” he said.

“The level of competition was extremely high with some of the best chefs competing from across Europe. I knew it was going to be tough and had prepared well.”

Boxing clever with the brews As a small company Welsh Brew Tea knows that waste is not good for anyone. The family company always reuse their cardboard boxes for shipping anything that is bought on their website – so the box your goods arrive in have an interesting story to tell of their own!

Celtic Manor receive deliveries every week from the company and allows the Welsh Brew team to collect their boxes and reuse them. The bubble wrap too. In fact, any plastic or cellophane based packing will have been used at least once before.

James from Welsh Brew Tea reuses the peppermint Tea Birds teabag two or sometimes three times, because you still get a great cup of peppermint third time round. Same goes for all the Tea Birds range, he says, “OK so we’re plugging here – but it is 100% true!”

We can all recycle the teabags we use every day via composting council schemes too; and in addition, James says the team are in the process of making all Tea Birds with ‘soilon’ biodegradable bags. “It’s a case of making sure they are fit for purpose and don’t break up in the cup...it’s all a learning curve for us!” www.welshbrewtea.co.uk

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Recycle it? We sure can!

The Llanllyr (pronounced “Clan-Clear”) estate is a pristine and magical place, nestled in the ancient glacial valleys of West Wales. The founder’s family has farmed the land sustainably and organically for more than 300 years. With rainfall abundant, the lush landscape of fertile fields and award-winning gardens embody the richness of the soil and the purity of the water, helping to produce premium water and mixers.

Now launching their water in recyclable cans for the first time, the company has renewed their commitment to sustainability and community – whilst continuing their rise as world-class players on the international stage. www.LlanllyrSOURCE.com

News

Lithic beers are back!

Calling all talented Welsh Chefs…

Brecon Brewing has welcomed the Lithic range of beers to its line-up, proudly reviving the excellent range. Head Brewer Buster Grant said “I’ve always been a huge fan of the Lithic beers, and very much respected what David Drabble, [Lithic Brewing’s founder], achieved in such a short time. I was very saddened when he announced that he would be ceasing production, as demand was exceeding his ability to supply without a significant investment.

However, we were delighted when the opportunity arose to work with David to relaunch the beers. The Lithic beers will be a really great fit with what we do.” www.breconbrewing.co.uk

Could you add value to Culinary Team Wales with your expertise as a chef? Nick Davies was recently appointed the new manager of CTW – and he’s now keen to bring gold to Wales once again by building a talented stable of twelve to fifteen committed chefs. He stresses that the team is open to all chefs who have the skills and commitment to compete at the highest level.

To qualify, chefs must either work or live in Wales or be Welsh by birth.

“Ideally, I want a squad with different skills and talents and I want selection to be open and transparent. My phone is always on if a chef wants to join the squad.

I shall be travelling around Wales to meet chefs and businesses and shall be scouting at the Welsh International Culinary Championships in February.

“We are going to continue to have practice days but also regional cluster meetings to reduce the amount of travelling. We have quality Welsh food and drink products, the infrastructure through the Culinary Association of Wales and all we need now is the individuals to put their names forward.”

This is exactly what RAF chef Alun Davies did and, after two years with CAW, he has now been appointed Captain. His first task is to help Nick Davies recruit and develop a team ready for the Culinary Olympics in Stuttgart next February. He is keen to help Wales compete with the very best and insists the chefs will be going for gold.

Want to find out more? Call Nick Davies on 07944 747902

Welsh Brew in a B&B near you

Sure is no ordinary plum The Vale of Clwyd Denbigh Plum has been awarded protected food name (PFN) status by the European Commission, joining the ranks of Caerphilly Cheese, Halen Mon and Welsh Lamb.

The fruit, which had its application submitted by the Denbigh Plum Group, boasts the only native variety of plum in Wales and has seen a resurgence of plums being grown in the area over the last decade.

Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths said: “I’m delighted The Vale of Clwyd Denbigh Plum has been honoured with PFN status and hope it will prove a welcome boost for businesses in the area. “… We are determined to support Welsh food and drink businesses and ensure they are given all necessary help in a challenging marketplace. This prestigious title should help strengthen the Vale of Clwyd Denbigh Plum’s identity and allow it to further its brand not only in Wales, but across Europe and other markets too.

“We are proud that so many Welsh food and drink businesses have been successful in their applications for protected food name status. It is testament to the high quality and unique nature of their produce.”

Sarah France, director of product development for Welsh Brew Tea, is big on recognising Welsh brands in a market that is so dependent upon tourism. “Visitors want to taste local quality brands when they visit hotels and restaurants,” and she says that tourists are also keen to take home a specific memento of their holiday experience. So for the hotel and B&B sector there’s now a range of bilingually packaged envelope string and tag teas suitable for bedroom and conference use.

And for trade, Welsh Brew supplies catering tea bags and drinking chocolate to meet the requirements of cafés and fast food outlets. The gift sector remains an important and growing market across Wales and Welsh Brew has also launched two new bilingual tea caddy packs and a new gift caddy for hot chocolate drinkers.

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News

Dusty Knuckle’s new SafeSpace

Apple County’s Cider

Once a month, Dusty Knuckle has decided to open their Printhaus kitchen up to host new chefs, street food traders or anyone who fancies giving professional cooking a go – for free. They’re calling it the SafeSpace.

The idea of the SafeSpace is that the guest chef gets free reign of the kitchen environment to cater for their own crowd of customers, family and friends; the freedom to explore their enthusiasm, and a platform to flourish.

It is hoped the monthly events will attract new talent to the kitchen, but also appeal to customers simply looking to try something new. www.dustyknuckle.co.uk/fancy-taking-over-ourkitchen

Fruit ciders

Edwards Scotch Egg-selence

The West Country may pride itself on its cider heritage but just over the Marches there’s contenders to their claim. Following on from their award-winning apple fare, Monmouthshire’s Apple County’s Cider have successfully expanded into the increasingly colourful fruit cider market. With locally-pressed blackcurrant, rhubarb and raspberry at their heart, Apple County’s creations are the ideal summer spritzer but even gave us a lift during the cold winter months. Very much an adult version of Ribena, the blackcurrant variety beings an intense avalanche of flavour from its deep purple midsts. By comparison the rhubarb and raspberry bottles have a milder fruit flavour but are no less refreshing: the latter bringing oodles of tart tingling from its clean taste; while the latter is dry and crisp, perfectly balancing the acidity and sourness of the fruit.

BUY IT: £42 for a case of 12 x 330ml bottles applecountycider.co.uk

The resurgence of the Scotch Egg trend shows no sign of slowing; with this pub regular favourite now quite the gourmet star. There’s plenty of competition among Welsh producers to be the best too and Edwards of Conwy are hot on the trend. This time the artisan butcher and delicatessen has gone all out with their latest offering – the Country Herb Scotch Egg: handmade on-site, using their own traditional sausage meat. For more information, recipes – and an online shop – check out www.edwardsofconwy.co.uk and get a taste of north Wales delivered to your door. www.edwardsofconwy.co.uk

News just in…

Wild Thing café in Grangetown has had one of the most successful openings in recent years; and it’s no surprise when you take a look at this imaginative and tasty vegan café menu. Loved by the blogging cuisine community in Cardiff, you can expect Spiced Black Beans on Riverside Sourdough or Sweet Potato Toast, Green Pea Pancakes, Whole Food Bowls and Black Polenta Chips; as well as lots of scrummy cakes and great coffee. Mm-mmm. The philosophy here is a vegan café – with goals! Getting more people to eat vegetables, reduce environmental impact and tackle food poverty. There are no single-use coffee cups available here – so bring your own if you’re looking for a caffeine hit on the go. And if you want to take away your tasty meal (a cert to make everyone jealous at the office) bring along those lunchboxes to be satisfyingly filled! www.wildthingcardiff.com Anna Loka is now able to serve alcohol, following owner Adam completing his alcohol license training.

There’ll be a range of great quality vegan wines available there from March, perfect to quaff whilst enjoying the delicious new menu. www.anna-loka.com

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The New Old Havana Old Havana gives you a taste of the original Latin quarter of Cuba in this new bar and restaurant in the freshest cocktail area of Cardiff: High Street. The home to authentic Cuban food and drinks, the team behind the brand also has a location in Swansea – situated on York Street.

Enjoy authentic churros and street pastries on the terrace, or try the sharing platters, light bites, Cuban Mains and a full children’s menu, whilst you admire the bright and funky real Cuban car that also serves as a seating area in the Cardiff location. And when there’s a nip in the air – there’s plenty of heaters, blankets and cosy areas for any time of the year. www.old-havana.co.uk

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Spring is Sprung Myfanwy Alexander ‘How lovely of you to come all this way,’ my mother said to the bemused wedding guests, ‘but do you mind going out now and driving about a bit until you find some primroses? We need to candy them for the cake and there are less than forty-eight hours left.’

A cold Spring nearly robbed me of the delicate flowers for my wedding cake but my resourceful mother’s expedient of sending them out in foraging parties and refusing them so much as a sustaining cup of tea until they had come up with the botanical goods did work and all was well. I often think of that rather fraught occasion because it seems to sum up the potential treachery of a Welsh Spring, with snow more likely in March than December. But the days are lengthening and the coddling sloth of Winter seems a waste so Spring is definitely a time to put the best foot forward.

The most iconic Welsh Spring food must be lamb, that seasonal centrepiece. Some purists may tell you the flavour is better later in the year but the tenderness of the early lamb is exquisite and ideal for those who don’t like their meat too sheepy. Now’s the time to cook your lamb lightly for pink delicacy whereas come the autumn, there’s nearly all mutton to be robustly stewed. Here’s a vital social hint for country-dwellers at this time of year: don’t serve this particular treat to your farming neighbours when they are in the throes of lambing: they will probably be very glad to be distracted by a nice bit of fish or the tail end of the seasonal venison.

It’s the time to go looking for the first of the new season’s vegetables and if you are lucky enough to have a local market garden or veg box, you will be able to really relish the difference freshness makes to quite ordinary ingredients. When my girls were small, we had a wonderful weekly veg box but it didn’t ever contribute to any main meals: the appeal of the tender baby carrots meant they were all filched from the fridge to be eaten surreptitiously. I’ve never had much trouble persuading my children to eat vegetables and I’m sure it was because they were, to coin a phrase, forbidden fruit when stolen from the salad drawer.

Since snowdrops have started to arrive so early that they are out just after Christmas, like the nearly yearround hot cross buns, the primrose is a more reliable

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indicator of Spring, like its woodland contemporary, sorrel. The Welsh name for Wood Sorrel, suran y coed, is closer to the original meaning, because the pale flower is accompanied by leaves with a sharp, almost sour flavour. They can make an al fresco snack but if you’re thinking of something a little more sedate than grazing on wood sorrel, cultivated sorrel gives a subtle but well-defined lift to a green salad before the new season lettuces arrive. I have a charming nephew who is rather outspoken about food and tends to compare all domestic efforts with the provender he is given by his pal who runs The Wolsey, but even he was complimentary about a salad zinging with sorrel.

As we make the most of longer days to relish the reawakening Welsh countryside, we may need to consider refuelling. There are handy apps now which tell you how far you are from the nearest pub or cafe but further off the beaten track, pocket food may come in handy. Spring is not the season for the Wind in the Willows style picnic hamper but for a snack you can eat whilst sheltering from a shower. Sandwiches can become unappetisingly squishy and although a hunk of home-made pizza sounds good, if the wrapping comes loose, you will be seeking the sort of specialist cleaner who makes a good living removing four types of Italian cheese from the poacher’s pocket of an oilskin.

Through trial and error, I began to take calzone as walking fodder: the folded dough keeps things manageable. Liquid refreshment is quite another matter.

Living in picturesque mid-Wales, good places to walk abound but my favourite stomping ground is Dolanog, through which passes the Ann Griffiths Path, a charming route never out of the global ranking; Top Five Paths Named After Female Welsh Hymn-writers.

Before essaying the Ann Griffiths path, I like to arm myself with a few large cucumbers. Several walking companions have mocked my cucumber-rich situation but the laugh was on the other side of their faces when, atop Allt Dolanog, they were stricken by thirst.

Cucumbers are far lighter than any liquid to carry, very thirst-quenching and you don’t have to transport an empty bottle home. So when exploring the glorious hills of Wales, slip a cucumber into your pocket: it’s what Ann Griffiths would have wanted.

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