Celebrating great food and drink in Wales
Spring 2022
FLYING THE FLAG
Wales celebrates its great food and drink
THE SHOW GOES ON The Royal Welsh is back
ON TOP OF THE WORLD
Snowdonia’s best foodie destinations
GIN IT TO WIN IT
Top flavoured gins
PORK OF THE TOWN
Wales’ best rare breed pig farmers
MILKING IT
With Welsh dairy farms
PLUS FOOD AND DRINK REVIEWS, NEWS, COOKING TIPS AND RECIPES GALORE
Publisher’s Letter
Buy Welsh! And we thought the worst of the last few years was behind us. Having got through Covid and started the process of adjusting to the new reality of a post Brexit economy many of our producers and hospitality businesses had grand plans for 2022 and were back in the saddle with renewed vigour and ambition. Welsh government, and society more generally, have been shifting opinion to make sustainability a core part of our thinking, encouraging us to look carefully at where and how our food and drink is made, placing Wales in a strong position. It was all looking so good, and still does fundamentally. Then from nowhere comes the crisis in Ukraine. The tragedy unfolding in eastern Europe bears no comparison in its heart-breaking sorrow to anything we’re facing in Wales but we need to be mindful of the impact it may have on our food and drink community. Significantly increased costs, supply issues, constricted access to export markets and staff shortages mean that it’s far harder to produce the amazing food and drink Wales is increasingly renowned for. For these reasons we need to go out of our way to support the Welsh food and drink community, now
more than ever. The benefits to doing so are clear. We’re helping our rural communities, providing jobs for our young people, supporting the Welsh economy, encouraging sustainable and ethical practices by keeping food miles low, reducing CO2 and environmental impact and looking after our land, livestock and way of life. We’re also ensuring a secure food supply. Brexit, Covid and now the war in Ukraine have exposed the vulnerabilities of having food and drink supply chains that span the world. If it’s produced locally, there’s far less to go wrong. And last, but not least, Welsh food and drink tastes great. Lush pastures and soil, nutrient rich waters, a culture of low intensity, high quality farming and production means that our produce tastes amazing and is as healthy as it can be. This alone justifies making a special effort to buy Welsh. Taken alongside food security and supporting local businesses in their hour of need and the case is insurmountable – so buy Welsh!
Paul Mulligan Publisher
taste.blas is brought to you by EDITORIAL Contributors: Jon Gower, Myfanwy
Alexander, Portia Jones, Jonno Mack, Ella
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taste.blas Magazine is published by Conroy Media Ltd, PO Box 607, Cardiff CF24 1ZR ©Conroy Media 2019. 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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PRODUCTION
Front cover Image - HCC Asset Bank
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Contents Features Cow’s That? Welsh dairy hits for six
Gin – the best possible taste The Principality’s best flavoured gins
Celebration Day A look back at the foodie events that shaped St David’s Day
Pork to fork We meet rare breed producers
Snowdon’s Peaks Take a look at some of Snowdonia’s best foodie destinations
Out on the Trail Get Jerky take us up the Devil’s Staircase
Sweet Dreams Are Made of This The health benefits of local honey
The Road to Success How Cywain helps our food and drink producers
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Regulars
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Mixing It Up Jon Gower enjoys a cocktail or several
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Profile - A Royal Welcome The Royal Welsh Show is back
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Hold the Front Page The latest news hot off the press
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Recipes If you want to lose weight, look away now
Finger Lickin’ Treats Let our food and drink reviews tickle your taste buds
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Reasons to be Beerful Myfanwy enjoys some fine ales
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©Marian Delyth
Jon Gower Signature cocktails In one of his earliest poems T.S. Eliot’s character Prufrock says ‘I have measured out my life with coffee spoons’. Mine, on the other hand, has been measured out in, well, cocktail glasses. In particular I have this thing about signature cocktails. I’ll freely admit to this rather specialist addiction which I’ve had for years. I spent one summer in the Bay Area in California going out every night for a late night trawl of the bars and never paid for a single one. How so? What is your special gift, I hear you chorus? Well I’d always take a gander at the cocktail list before starting a conversation with the mixologist, suggesting ways they could improve the descriptions. Nothing too critical, mind. it was just me having fun, although there was a serious point. It was a bit like those branding experts M&S employ to sharpen the descriptions of food products, such as adding “luscious” before black cherries to make them, well, more luscious. “Young” coconut always worked. As a reward for my barfly suggestions I’d always have my drinks for free. It was good for the bank balance just as it was punishing for my liver. Since then I’ve stepped up a notch. I’ve perfected a margarita which my American wife loves: I’d even go so far as to say that it has consolidated our happy marriage. We grow Meyer lemons in pots to make perfect Lemon Drops. We even have a signature cocktail in our house, which keep up the citrus theme. It’s called Gwaed y Gwan, the blood of the weak and involves elderflower liqueur, blood oranges in season, fresh lime and ginger ale. After enjoying a sanguine few an inebriate guest left the outline of his body in our viburnum bush as he fell in. I do tend to make drinks using industrial measures and sometimes forget to warn people. That’s a consequence, perhaps of drinking with my father-in-law who mixed his drinks using US Naval measures. He used to make ‘Vitamin Vs’ in which the “V” stood for vodka. I’m not sure there were any vitamins but what was certain is that they would be served at four, on the dot. His signature drink.
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I was somewhat dismayed when I recently had a guided tour of a swanky new hotel in Cardiff to find they hadn’t even thought of creating a signature drink, not realising how it could put them on the map. Think Singapore Sling, London Fog, Boston Rum Punch, Moscow Mule. Even individual boroughs of New York have their own. There’s the Queens, the Bronx – which is basically a martini with a splash of orange – and the Brooklyn. Why not concoct The ‘Diff, a stiff drink with a difference? But some people totally get it. I cite Matt Williams, who manages the bar at the Boathouse Hotel overlooking Newry Beach in Holyhead, with whom I had a very pleasant chat recently. It’s run by an environmental charity, Wild Elements, who took it over during the pandemic: the opening months were very testing. Our conversation turned to, you guessed it, signature cocktails and he told me they didn’t have one. But by the time we’d finished shooting the breeze he’d invented the Holyhead Hot Toddy. It uses spirits from the Anglesey Rum Company at Gaerwen. It’s sweetened using honey from the charity’s hives and features a secret ingredient sourced by a local forager called Jules. They’re having a launch party soon and I’ve been invited. Wild horses couldn’t hold me back. Which got me thinking about other Welsh possibilities. ‘The Swansea’ might be a seaweed-inflected gin enlivened with a single hand-picked cockle from the Carol Watts stall in the market, decorated maybe with a small drape of samphire. Simple but utterly marine. Llanidloes might have The Lani, using rowan sap from surrounding mid Wales hills. Ebbw Vale’s Hard Steel would be made, of course with hard liquor and be so much better than a Rusty Nail. Cariad ar y Traeth, Love on the Beach, might be a sexy one to sip watching the sun set over Porthcawl sands. The Penderyn would be simple – ice or no ice. The possibilities are endless. Chin chin.
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 Extra Mature Cheddar apart.
THE GREAT TASTE OF WALES collierscheese
Fayrefield Foods
Dairy delights Smooth, velvety and flavoursome are just some of the descriptions that come to mind when thinking of the vast range of dairy products available from Welsh producers. Read on to discover some the best of the batch on offer that will surely awaken your taste buds. Not only very tasty but many also pushing the boundaries of sustainability.
Milk Cotteswold (Gloucestershire / Conwy) On the 1st May 1938, a 20-year-old Harry Workman purchased a 30 gallon per day milk round, a Morris 8 van, milk churns and bottles to deliver milk door-todoor using a bucket and ladle. By 1943 the growing business had relocated to Cotteswold Road in Tewkesbury (a suitable name), and before long Harry’s passion for quality milk saw his business spread to Wales. Cotteswold Welsh is sourced from traditional Welsh family farms that practice traditional farming methods and are Red Tractor Assured. Their Welsh Farms take pride in the cows having the freedom to graze on the lush countryside, with the best quality product and great tasting milk coming from happy cows. 2 litres of Welsh Milk for £2.32 (Whole, SemiSkimmed, or Skimmed)
Calon Wen Organic Milk (Pembrokeshire)
All these years on, the Harrises and the team at Daioni are still committed to maintaining the highest standards of ‘goodness’ in what they do – and this where the name Daioni comes from. That means ensuring that their land, animals, and products live up to the very best practices of organic farming. No chemical pesticides, herbicides, or fertilisers are used on the farm, and nor are hormones or antibiotics. Daioni Organic milk products are all-natural, and completely free from preservatives, colourings and flavourings. Did we mention that they taste exceptional? Whole, semi-skimmed, or skimmed organic milk is available for £2.10 per litre. Daioni also produces naturally flavoured milk and chilled coffee products.
Cream Ty Tanglwyst (Bridgend)
Dairy farmers have always wanted to sell their own milk to local people through their own company, so in 2000 that is exactly what Calon Wen did. Initially there were four members, now there are a total of 25 family farms. Calon Wen pays farmers for the quality as well as the quantity of milk they produce, meaning farmers are not pushed towards high yielding systems.
Farmed by the Lougher family for the last four generations, Ty Tanglwyst is a traditional Welsh family dairy farm. The effective traceability (each cow’s milk is individually quality tested every month) of their pedigree Holstein cows makes milk and cream that has won awards at The Royal Welsh Show, The Great Taste Awards and Wales True Taste.
Calon Wen believes in providing exceptional organic milk, cheese and butter that taste great and are sustainably produced. Its dedicated farmers like to keep things simple, ensuring the cows are properly looked after and graze on the fresh, clover rich pastures which have not been treated with sprays or chemicals. 1 litre of Organic Milk for £1.10 or 2 litre for £2.00 (both Whole or Semi-Skimmed)
Ty Tanglwyst comprises 25 acres of ancient oak woodland which is under a conservation management scheme. The remaining 125 acres is lush green pastureland. This grassland is largely divided by ancient hedgerows to create a patchwork of paddocks, which are grazed by these same cows and young calves. Double, Whipping and Single Cream all available in 2 litre bottles. Double cream is also available in 250ml.
Daioni Organic (Pembrokeshire) Ffosyficer Farm in Pembrokeshire has been in the Harris family for over seventy years. When Laurence Harris took over from his parents in 1970, the seed was planted that would become Daioni Organic. Laurence,
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who has over fifty years of farming experience, now runs Daioni alongside a small team including his eldest son, Tom, who is now Head Farmer. Together they care for 1,000 dairy cows and over 2,000 acres of land, and are counted among the foremost names in Welsh organic farming.
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Totally Welsh (Pembrokeshire) Since 1990, Totally Welsh have been on a mission to keep Welsh dairy produce here in Wales. By keeping things local and reducing food miles, they offer milk that is fresher for their consumers and better for the
environment too - and Totally Welsh cream is no exception to this rule! Before the cream comes the milk though, and Totally Welsh milk comes direct from the farm – Welsh milk, from Welsh cows, bottled and packaged in Wales. Sourced in Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion, all Totally Welsh dairy produce is produced within a forty-mile radius of their packaging plant in Haverfordwest. Double Cream 284ml and Single Cream 284ml, Double Cream 2.27 litre bottle
Mead Farm Foods (Newport) The Hembrows are another success story putting the family in ‘family farm’, with Lawrence and Izabela on site with their two young children as a sixth(!) generation of dairy producers. Their Mead Farm adventure began in September 2016, with this deeprooted understanding of farming as a family seeing their venture nurture and grow. Mead Farm Foods is a dairy dynamo, pasteurising and bottling not only fresh milk and double cream, but also butter - all from milk produced on the farm. They also source free range eggs and traditionally cured bacon from local farmers. Mead Farm Foods delivers all its range of fresh produce three times a week early in the morning ready for a perfect breakfast. 250 ml Double Cream in Glass Jar for £1.99, Double Cream 250ml for £1.60
Butter Shirgar (Carmarthenshire) This traditional Welsh powerhouse brand of butter was almost lost in the past due to changes in the dairy industry, but Gower View Foods was successful in bringing Shirgar back to Carmarthenshire. Subtly salted with Welsh sea salt and churned to a creamy, tasty consistency, we’re glad Shirgar is still going strong! But don’t just take our word for it, here’s what the Great Taste Awards had to say when Shirgar was awarded 3 Gold Stars in 2015: “Butter doesn’t get much better than this. The butter’s balance of sweet notes and saltiness was likened to alchemy with judges identifying notes of malt and caramel.” Salted Welsh Butter 250g
Dragon (Gwynedd) The award-winning cheese and butter of Dragon is sourced entirely using 100% Welsh milk from their 154 farm co-operative. Some of these members have been supplying Dragon with milk for generations, while all of them are red tractor assured and work to conserve the Welsh countryside. Dragon’s Welsh churned butter is made to an original recipe with a distinctive salty flavour. Coming from
cows that graze on lush grass and enjoy some of the most spectacular views that Wales has to offer – including the Llŷn Peninsula and Snowdonia National Park – we’re not surprised it tastes so scrumptious! Salted Welsh Butter 250g
Castle Dairies (Caerphilly) Castle Dairies is a family run business and if there’s one thing that the Lloyd family understands, it’s cream. John Emyr Lloyd has been churning cream for over 40 years – his first job was on a dairy farm where he worked his way up from churn cleaner to wagon driver. After years of mastering every aspect of the process, John eventually bought Castle Dairies in 1986. However, the cream and butter obsession doesn’t end there. Having learnt his trade in New Zealand and Australia, John’s son Nigel has now brought all his experience to the family business too. It’s little wonder Castle Dairies produces only the finest range of Welsh and British butters. Welsh Spreadable Butter 500g
Yoghurt Llaeth Y Llan (Conwy) Since 1985, Llaeth Y Llan has been perfecting the art of making great yoghurt – with every pot packed full of live cultures and wholesome Welsh cow’s milk. The yoghurt is still produced on site, right next to the old farmhouse where Llaeth Y Llan started its dairy journey over 30 years ago. Tal Y Bryn farm has been home to the Roberts family going on four generations, with the milk used to create Llaeth Y Llan yoghurt sourced from neighbouring farms all within a 20km radius. This ensures traceability and high welfare standards to comply with Red Tractor Assurance Schemes. Small pots 125g and big pots 450g
Rachel’s Organic (Ceredigion) For three generations since 1952, the Rachel’s family believed the tastiest dairy produce could only come from the best that nature has to offer. From day one, Rachel’s Organic yoghurts have been made on site in West Wales, inspired by original family recipes and using only local British milk. In 2016 Rachel’s Organic won the Good Dairy Award, which celebrates companies that demonstrate a firm commitment to higher welfare standards for dairy cows. And a year later, Rachel’s used thinner plastic for their 450g pots – saving over 113 tonnes of plastic since. Recycled cardboard sleeves are also now in use across all their products. Greek Style, Luscious, and Natural Yoghurts 450g; Cream Top Yoghurts 150g; Multipack Yoghurts 4x100g or 4x110g; Breakfast Pots 135g; and Rice Puddings 150g, 500g, or 2x150g
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Event Profile
Jewel in the Crown The Royal Welsh Show is often regarded as the jewel in the crown of the UK when it comes to agricultural events, but what is it that makes the July extravaganza quite so special? We spoke to Assistant Honorary Director of the Food Hall, Clive Alexander, for a food-centric brief history and roundup of this most famous of Welsh shows. Along with the obvious fantastic livestock, the show aims to provide something to interest everyone through its wide range of activities including forestry, horticulture, crafts, countryside sports, food and drink and a 12-hour programme each day of exciting entertainment, attractions and displays. When and where was the first Royal Welsh Show held and why do you think it’s remained popular for the people of Wales? “The first Royal Welsh Show was held in Aberystwyth in 1904 and it remained in the Ceredigion town until 1910. The event then moved between a number of different venues before settling on its permanent site in Llanelwedd in 1963. It is evident from the large numbers of people who attend the show annually that there is a great pride amongst them and they regard it as "their show". It's the highlight of the agricultural calendar and has become an integral part of Welsh culture. Of course its central location helps enormously with the logistics, with Llanelwedd being easily reached from most parts of Wales, and having plenty of nearby accommodation. Today, the role of the modern Royal Welsh Show is a rounded one. As well as its principal function of showcasing the cream of Welsh livestock and the high quality food and drink produced in Wales, it encompasses the wider spectrum of farming and rural life and successfully bridges the gap between town and country.” What makes the relationship between the Welsh people and their food and drink industry so special? “Welsh people are passionate about their country and this also extends to the food/drink it produces. Consumers in Wales value the quality, sustainability and provenance of Welsh food and drink, and increasingly have come to appreciate the importance of having local suppliers and businesses. The food and drink sector is an integral part of the Welsh economy and its communities, boosting employment and featuring prominently in the travel and tourism industry. The “Welsh identity” has an important role in Welsh food and drink products. It can be used to tell the story of Wales, and enables producers to differentiate their products from those of their competitors.”
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How have you seen the show evolve over the years in the time that you’ve been involved in the running? “During this period the show has made great strides forward and continues to go from strength to strength implementing change and developing new concepts. Keeping pace with new technologies has been a key driver and continues to be a challenge. Major improvements have also been made to the infrastructure and facilities for members. The Food Hall has established a reputation for showcasing the very best of Welsh food and drink products and this never fails to attract huge numbers of visitors throughout the show period. We have also been very keen to encourage new and emerging Welsh businesses to exhibit in the Food Hall and in this regard we are indebted to Cywain who have encouraged and supported these on their journey.” The last couple of years have been difficult for many - how much of a challenge has it been to bounce back from the pandemic? “Like all other organisations and businesses, the Society has not been immune from the effects of the pandemic, having to cancel two Royal Welsh Shows, and the Smallholding and Countryside Festival and Winter Fair, so effectively cutting off all our income streams. This was a significant loss and would have been even more disastrous were it not for the considerable economic assistance provided by the Welsh Government through the various support measures. That has meant that the Society is in good heart going forward and planning is well under way for what will hopefully be a bumper 2022 show, and the return of all the other activities and events which take place on the showground.” Give us a taste of what’s to come at this year’s show - what are some examples of the food and drink on offer? “We would normally expect to have about 60 exhibitors in the Food Hall and this year will be no exception. We are extremely fortunate in Wales that we have a huge number of food and drink businesses who produce excellent quality foodstuffs, many of whom are renowned award winners.
Event Profile All the exhibitors either produce, process or manufacture their products in Wales and priority is given to those who utilise Welsh agricultural products in their process. The public can therefore expect to see some of the finest cheeses, mouth-watering confectionery, a range of ice creams and dairy products, succulent meat products and pies, and drinks both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, together with other speciality foods.” What other sorts of things are there to see and do at this year’s show – are there activities for all the family to enjoy? “The Show is an action-packed four-day event of exciting competitions, livestock, forestry, horticulture, crafts, countryside sports, shopping, food and drink, a 12-hour programme of non-stop entertainment, attractions, displays and much more. This year the show highlights the hugely popular King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery team who will return to the main ring to perform their Musical Drive. Also performing are the Falcons Parachute Display Team with their exciting free fall display at speeds up to 120mph, and Paul Hannam returns with his thrilling and popular Quad Bike Stunt Show.”
What are your hopes for this year’s show and those for future events – are you trying to perfect an existing formula or looking to expand further? “Our main focus for this year's show is to ensure that we can return to normality whereby the show public can experience the same quality of exhibitors which they have become accustomed to seeing when they enter the Food Hall. That said however, we are always on the lookout for new and exciting innovative producers and I am confident we will have a good number of those displaying their products. Although it’s not accessible to the general public, the first floor area of the Food Hall is a dedicated Business Lounge, which houses a display of over 1000 Welsh food and drink products. The Lounge is sponsored and hosted by the Welsh Government who invite buyers from across the UK to come and meet the producers, see and sample the products with a view to establishing commercial arrangements. This has proven to be very successful in the past with a considerable amount of new business being generated. We will build on this to ensure that we maximise the opportunity for Welsh products to become even more widely available to a larger number of consumers.” The Royal Welsh Show will be held on 18-21 July 2022 at the showground in Llanelwedd.
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Beyond
Wales’ Best
From sloe to seaweed, citrus, and more – here are a few of the very best flavour-packed botanical gin blends currently being produced in Wales. Some represent a distillery’s own take on familiar flavour combinations, whilst others contain ingredients which may come as a bit of a surprise...
A variety of different botanicals go into crafting the perfect gin. The central ingredient is always juniper, to which citrus peel, angelica root, and coriander seeds are then usually added to give gin the herbal and fruity qualities that distinguish it from other spirits. From this foundation, distillers will often experiment with additional flavours, botanicals, and post-distillation techniques in an effort to make their spirit stand out from the ever-growing variety of options already available to gin-drinkers today.
Aber Falls — Orange Marmalade Gin (Abergwyngregyn, Gwynedd) Heading west from gin distillery Foragers (see below), on the other side of Snowdonia National Park in Abergwyngregyn you’ll find the Aber Falls distillery. Another producer of both whisky and gin, the team at Aber Falls are not afraid to mix tradition with innovation. Working in collaboration with Gwynedd botanical gardens and sourcing local ingredients from North Wales, they offer Welsh Dry and small batch gins as well as flavoured offerings including Rhubarb & Ginger and our pick for today, Orange Marmalade. Tasting notes: Expect bold and fresh orange, marmalade tartness, and a punchy juniper presence to finish off. Serving suggestion: Marmalade Negroni… Mix a double shot of the gin with equal parts Campari and sweet vermouth, plus a twist of orange, plenty of ice, and stir. Where to buy: www.aberfallsdistillery.com (£26)
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Juniper
Flavoured Gins Brecon — Rhubarb & Cranberry Gin (Penderyn) Like Dà Mhìle, Penderyn made its name in whisky before expanding its operation to include gins under the Brecon label, named in honour of the distillery’s breath-taking mountainous surroundings. Brecon Rhubarb & Cranberry is perfect for those seeking a refreshing and subtly sweet gin to sip on as we move into those long-awaited warmer months. Tasting notes: Bittersweet cranberry and tart rhubarb are at the fore here, with notes of strawberry, grapefruit and juniper hidden just beneath. Serving suggestion: Rhubarb & Cranberry Gin Fizz… Shake with a splash of sugar syrup, lemon juice and one egg white, and top off with soda water and ice for a sweet gin fizz. Where to buy: www.penderyn.wales (£25)
Forager’s — Soulful Sloe Gin (Mochdre, Conwy) Winner of best Welsh sloe gin at this year’s World Gin Awards, Forager’s Soulful Sloe uses hand-foraged native botanicals, late harvest sloe berries, and fresh mountain water to bring you a taste of Snowdonia. Forager’s pride themselves on using locally gathered ingredients for all of their spirits, which means that each batch of gin produced by them possesses its own slightly distinct character. The natural rhythms and variations in nature are translated into the spirit through the botanicals, meaning that your bottle of Soulful Sloe – like all Forager’s gin – distils and encapsulates the very essence of the Welsh countryside
from which it is derived. Tasting notes: Berries, juniper, with a crisp aftertaste. Serving suggestion: As it comes… This one really is best enjoyed either neat or just with ice. Where to buy: foragers.co.uk (£33)
Dà Mhìle — Organic Seaweed Gin (Llandysul, Ceredigion) Dà Mhìle commissioned its first bottle of all organic whisky from Springbank distillery in 1992, which would be bottled eight years later to mark the turn of the millennium. It is from this milestone that the brand takes its name, the Scottish Gaelic for ‘two thousand’. Since 2012, all production has been conducted inhouse on Dà Mhìle’s own Glynhynod Farm distillery in Ceredigion, and they now produce gins and others spirits in addition to whisky. Tasting notes: Dà Mhìle’s organic seaweed gin has to be one of the brand’s most interesting offerings. Fennel, dill, mint and eucalyptus are all present; this is a distinctly savoury gin with a herbal flavour profile, due to the blend of garden botanicals used in its creation. Following distillation the spirit is infused with organic seaweed, to give this tipple a complex and slightly salty palate. Best enjoyed alongside seafood. Serving suggestion: Seaweed G&T… Add tonic and garnish with a spring of rosemary, or; Seaweed Martini… Add a shot of dry vermouth to a double shot of the Seaweed Gin, stir with ice, strain into a coupe or martini glass and garnish with an olive. Less vermouth will give you a drier martini, if that is your preference. Where to buy: www.damhile.co.uk (£36)
Hensol Castle — Blood Orange Zest Gin (Hensol, Vale of Glamorgan) Located within the Grade 1 listed Hensol Castle in the Vale of Glamorgan, this distillery produces a range of craft and small batch gins, in addition to offering guided tours of the distillery and cocktail masterclasses. Our pick of the bunch is their Blood Orange Zest Gin, which builds upon their wellbalanced Welsh Dry to provide a lovely synthesis of citrus and juniper flavours. Tasting notes: Juniper and blood orange to begin, accompanying citrus and floral notes throughout with cassia bark and a sour finish. Serving suggestion: Blood Orange Gin Sour… Shake 2 parts gin with ice, one part lemon juice and an egg white, strain and add a few dashes of Angostura bitters. Where to buy: www.hensolcastledistillery.com (£30)
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Benjamin Hall — Blackberry Gin (Hensol, Vale of Glamorgan)
Monmouth Gin Co. — Pink Gin (Monmouth)
Benjamin Hall is another brand of gins being produced at Hensol Castle Distillery, and are offered in Sicilian Lemon, Strawberry, and Blackberry varieties, as well as their London Dry (which serves as the basis for the flavoured offerings). Our pick here is the Blackberry, since it offers a brilliant base for making refreshing and fruity spring and summer cocktails. Tasting notes: Ripe, sweet blackberries on the nose with a touch of citrus, followed by juniper, cinnamon and vanilla. Serving suggestion: Blackberry Gin Bramble… Muddle 2 blackberries in a glass, add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, half a shot of sugar syrup, and a double shot of blackberry gin. Add ice and soda water to taste, and stir. Where to buy: www.hensolcastledistillery.com (£23)
This gin company started when the owners’ interest was piqued following a gin tasting event given to them as a birthday gift. A few years on, they can count themselves amongst the award winners at The International Wine & Spirit Competition, London Spirits Competition, and World Gin Awards. Taking their London Dry as a base and infusing it with chuckleberries and cranberries, their Pink Gin has now also received critical recognition. Tasting notes: Citrus, herbs, rhubarb and juniper, with a spicy finish. Serving suggestion: Pink French 75… Celebrating? Combine one shot of pink gin, half a shot of sugar syrup, half a shot of lemon juice, and top off sparkling wine. Et voila. A French 75, en rose. Where to buy: www.monmouthgin.wales (£30)
Welsh Sisters — Portside Gin (New Quay, Ceredigion) On the Ceredigion coastline you will find Welsh Sisters, whose Portside gin sees their award-winning Captain’s Wife dry imbued with port and aged in oak port casks following distillation. This results in the gin adopting a pink blush along with a complex, vibrant, and sweet flavour profile. Tasting notes: Fruity and aromatic, with a strong juniper presence, along with pomegranate and fig. Serving suggestion: Portside G&T… Best enjoyed alongside your favourite tonic, so as not to cover up the port and other interesting flavours on offer here. Where to buy: welshsisters.co.uk (£45)
Eccentric Spirit Co. — Pembrokeshire Pinky (Tan-y-groes, Ceredigion) Produced at the In The Welsh Wind distillery in Ceredigion under the Eccentric Gins label, Pembrokeshire Pinky is another fantastic pink gin, this time flavoured with cherry and lemongrass. Named after the flower of Pembrokeshire, the Pink Thrift, this gin has a rosy hue and tastes especially good garnished with fresh berries for a light and refreshing serve. Tasting notes: Crisp and fresh, with a bold juniper and citrus presence and subtle cherry sweetness. Serving suggestion: Follow the above Gin Bramble or Pink French 75 recipes, or simply enjoy with your favourite tonic, a berry garnish, and ice. Where to buy: inthewelshwind.co.uk (£32)
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A Celebration of Welsh Food and Drink
A look back at the food and drink that shaped this year’s Wales Week and St. David’s Day celebrations, as well as the producers, organisations, chefs, and food-lovers who made it all possible. Aside from being an excellent opportunity to celebrate the beautiful nation that is Wales, St. David’s Day and Wales Week take place during something of a turning point in the year. As the cold and dark days of winter draw to a close and we look forward to the longer days of spring and summer that lie just ahead, we enter into one of the most exciting and busy times in the seasonal calendar for Welsh food and drink. Maybe you spent St. David’s Day weekend enjoying a walk along a Gower beach, or among the rolling hills and fields in your very own favourite corner of Wales. Quite possibly, you went in high spirits to your local pub to watch the rugby – or maybe you simply enjoyed a good meal surrounded by those who are most special to you. Whatever you did on and around St. David’s Day this year, we hope you had a chance to enjoy some of the
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world-class food and drink that Wales has to offer. Be it a Sunday lunch with PGI Welsh Lamb, rarebit on bakery bread, a traditional cawl, or a modern take on a classic recipe. You might also have enjoyed some local wine, a bottle of craft beer, a gin and tonic, or any of the other offerings available from Wales’ many exceptional breweries and distilleries. The possibilities offered by Wales’ natural larder – from its fertile soil to its vital waters, and from pasture to valley – are truly endless. The many skilled farmers and producers who draw upon what Wales offers in this respect are among the very best in the world. This St. David’s Day, the food and drink of Wales was enjoyed by many, from those who have grown up surrounded by it, to those who may never have had the chance to try it before. Here are some of the ways that people and businesses marked the occasion.
Offering British consumers a taste of Wales
“The opportunity to meet people and share our products with them over the St. David’s weekend was extremely valuable – within our first year of trading, too.”
During this year’s Wales Week, those seeking delicious, sustainable Welsh food and drink were spoilt for choice, whether at home or abroad. At events across the UK (from London to Liverpool, Bristol, Berkshire and Gloucester) visitors were treated to traditional delicacies including Glamorgan sausage, laverbread, and Welsh cakes, as well as some of the nation’s finest organic dairy produce, artisan cheeses, fresh coffee, honey, sea salt, craft beer, wine, spirits, and much more.
Hedgerow Honey (based in Penyffordd, Flintshire) were also in attendance at the Roadshow. As a familyrun business with four generations of experience in beekeeping and honey production, Hedgerow Honey is committed to creating sustainable honey from the local flora of North Wales and Shropshire, where their hives are kept. Director of Hedgerow, Wendy Cooper, said that when the opportunity arose for the brand to participate in the St. David’s Day event, it was one that they ‘grabbed with both hands’.
One such event was The Welsh Food Roadshow, organised by Welsh Government’s Food & Drink Wales, which visited three locations across England to showcase products from Welsh brands. Producers in attendance included Hedgerow Honey, Do Goodly Dips, Samosaco, Calon Wen, Craddocks Biscuits, Radnor Preserves, Coconut Kitchen, Pen Y Bryn Apiary, Wrexham Lager, and The Spirit of Wales. The event was a hit with producers and consumers alike, with participants quick to praise the diverse range of top-quality food and drink on offer.
“It was a really positive event to attend for us as producers. We are used to selling to our stockists, on local markets and at food and drink events, but to sell in London was a new experience. We felt proud taking our Welsh honey to the capital to show people what we can do and produce. It was great to talk to other Welsh producers and learn about how they operate.
James Gibbons, Head Distiller at The Spirit of Wales attended the London leg of the event – which took place at Ely’s Yard just off of Brick Lane – in order to showcase the brand’s Newport-distilled vodka, rum, and gin products: “A weekend on the other side of a market stall in London’s Spitalfields district was a truly brilliant experience, especially standing alongside such an excellent selection of food and drinks manufacturers from Wales…
“Our brand was well received by the customers and visitors to the roadshow… We are delighted to have picked up several sales via our website because of this event.” In addition to producers creating traditional Welsh products, the event was also an opportunity for Welsh businesses selling internationally inspired food and drink to showcase their wares. When asked to name which products you are most likely to encounter at a Welsh food and drink market, you would be forgiven for not placing Thai curry pastes, samosas, bhajis, guacamole and salsa near the top of that list. However,
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those who attended the event at Ely’s Yard were able to enjoy a wide variety of tastes from around the globe, all produced domestically in Wales. “We produce Thai sauces and curry pastes but they are all made in Wales,” says Paul Witherington, Director of Coconut Kitchen. “The idea of having an authentic Thai brand but without the food miles of being shipped from Asia seems to resonate with the customers we met.” Each of the producers that we spoke with were eager to express their thanks to Welsh Government for making the event possible. Another pop-up market organised by Welsh Government at the Gloucester Services provided a further opportunity for consumers on the other side of the border to try some of Wales’ best food and drink. Those who visited the pop-up market were able to sample and purchase goods from a wide array of Welsh producers, such as vegetarian and vegan specialist the Parsnipship, as well as the makers of what BBC Good Food labelled ‘the best brownies they have ever eaten’ – Gower Cottage Brownies. Also in attendance was the award-winning Drop Bear Beer Co., a Welsh craft beer company specialising in low- and no-alcohol beers who became Wales first B-Corp™ certified brewery in 2021, and also hold the title for the best-rated alcoholfree brewery in the UK. Another Welsh company shaking up the drinks industry at the moment is Wye Valley Meadery, who were also at the Gloucester event. A family run business started by brothers Matt and Kit Newell, WVM makes ales and porters imbued with honey from their own beehives, as well as having created a contemporary take on traditional mead. Their
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modern iteration of one of the world’s oldest alcoholic beverages is a session-strength, lightly sparkling and semi-sweet drink, which is bottled at 4% ABV (significantly lower than many traditional meads) and is made to be enjoyed in the same way as a beer, cider or sparkling wine. Also present were Caws Cenarth Cheese, Trailhead, Barti Rum, Coaltown Kitchen, Dylans, Halen Môn, Daioni, Peterston Tea, Tregroes Waffles, and Coco Pzazz. Back in London for the big day itself, on March 1st the celebrated Denbighshire-born chef Bryn Williams put together a special St. David’s Day menu, based around some of the best produce Wales has to offer. Diners at Odette’s in Primrose Hill – where Williams is Chef Patron – were treated to a menu including smoked haddock tart, leek fondue with crispy cockles and laverbread, PGI Welsh Beef sirloin and braised leeks, Caws Cenarth’s Perl Las cheese with Welsh cakes and fruit chutney, and for dessert – one of Williams’ specialities – bara brith custard. Restaurant Manager of Odette’s, Guillaume Mornet, shared the following: “St. David’s Day was a huge success at Odette’s. A lot of people who have been coming to Odette’s for years joined us to celebrate. Fully booked – as it should be for a restaurant with a strong Welsh influence. Bryn & the head chef, Tom Dixon made a special menu for the occasion using mostly Welsh produce… We also had daffodils everywhere in the restaurant.” Meanwhile the London Welsh Centre also ran several celebratory events supported by Food & Drink Wales through the Fine Food and Drinks Cluster.
Flying the Welsh flag abroad Two weeks before St. David’s Day, a number of Welsh brands visited Gulfood in Dubai, one of the world’s largest annual trade exhibitions for food and drink businesses. We spoke to a Welsh Government representative who was at the event, in order to get some more information about how things went for the Welsh producers present. The Welsh Government representative was happy to report that any previously held concerns over how the event would fare in the wake of the pandemic were quickly allayed on the first day, when it became clear that there was a flood of interest directed towards the various food and drink businesses waving the Welsh flag in Dubai. These included the Powys-based Hilltop Honey, oat producer Morning Foods, Tŷ Nant Natural Mineral Water and the Old Coach House Distillery. Being the world’s first alcohol-free distillery, The Old Coach House is currently attempting to launch its products into Middle Eastern markets, thereby providing the region’s non-drinkers with a compelling alternative to conventional soft drinks. These include Old Coach House’s Celtic Myst botanical spirit, containing juniper, citrus and rosemary notes for those seeking a 0% alternative to gin, as well as their aromatic and spiced Silk Roots blend, which mixes elements of clove, cardamom, citrus and cinnamon. The Old Coach House stand garnered a great deal of interest at Gulfood, and it is hoped that this will have laid a solid foundation for their expansion into the region. When asked which Welsh product tends to attract the most international interest and recognition for unrivalled quality, the Welsh Government representative appeared spoilt for choice, but did say Welsh Lamb is a product with a global profile. With the protected ‘PGI Welsh’ designation ensuring the quality, proper husbandry and animal welfare, and full traceability of all PGI Welsh Lamb and PGI Welsh Beef, world-class red meat has long been one of Wales’ most celebrated contributions to the global food market.
Yet, the growing success of Welsh producers abroad, and the reputation of Wales as a key player in the international food and drink trade evidences that fact that Wales has much more to offer than only lamb. One further class of products that Wales is renowned for is its dairy, and as such, a number of the nation’s best milk, cheese, cream and yoghurt producers were also in attendance at the five-day event in Dubai – including Dairy Partners, Rachel’s Dairy, Mario’s Ice Cream, and Calon Wen. Those who attended the event were quick to acknowledge the diverse and varied range of Welsh goods on offer at Gulfood, all unified by one common denominator – quality. The event was a great success for those involved, with a number of deals underway in the wake of the exhibition. The St. David’s Day celebrations reached out all across the globe this year, with Welsh societies on six continents holding events to mark the occasion. Grassroots groups held both online and in-person parties and meet-ups on and around March 1st in locations from Patagonia to Western Australia, Kansai in Japan, Beijing, Singapore, New England, Florida, Minnesota, and the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Alberta, to name but a few. Many of the societies gathered in pubs and community spaces to share food, watch the Six Nations, sing songs, read poetry, and reconnect with their Welsh roots. Wales Week Worldwide also saw a range of international events taking place, often hosted by local community groups with the support of the Welsh Government. These included Wales Week New York hosting a virtual gala and sing-along event, as well as dinners hosted in Tokyo by the St. David’s Society Japan and in Thailand by the St. David’s Society of Bangkok. Many more Wales Week Worldwide events are already being planned for 2023, with possible locations including Patagonia, South Africa, Norway, L.A., Geneva, Chicago, Toronto and Hong Kong, amongst others.
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#CaruCymruCaruBlas / #LoveWalesLoveTaste Another initiative of Welsh Government’s Food & Drink Wales which sought to connect Welsh brand with consumers over the Wales Week period was the social media and online campaign #CaruCymruCaruBlas. The hashtag has offered a great way for businesses, customers, and organisations to share their favourite Welsh products, and demonstrate pride in Wales’ local food and drink culture. In an online video carrying the #CaruCymruCaruBlas hashtag posted by the Welsh Government during Wales Week, the people behind some of Wales’ top food and drink brands showcased their goods and shared their sentiments about capturing ‘the best of Wales’ in their products. Brands who participated in the video campaign included Aber Falls Distillery, Halen Môn sea salt, Blas Y Tir produce, Radnor Hills water, SamosaCo, and the Welsh Butcher. #CaruCymruCaruBlas and #LoveWalesLoveTaste were also prominent messages on the airwaves in late February and early March, with television and digital campaigns including adverts on ITV Wales and Channel 4’s on demand service, All 4. At the core of the digital campaign was a celebration of the ‘people, place, and taste’ which makes Welsh food and drink so unique. The adverts were filmed across Wales, including at some iconic locations such as Pen-yFan in the Brecon Beacons, Pembroke Castle, Devil’s Bridge, Conwy Castle and the Menai Strait. A range of producers and their products were also featured on a grand total of 300 digital posters at locations across Wales. Meanwhile on social media, the hashtag was also being used to draw attention to the various events going on
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around the UK and abroad in celebration of Wales Week and St. David’s Day. Hannah Turner of Brooke’s Wye Valley Dairy Co. was in attendance at one of the London-based events and expressed her excitement about being involved: “We are really looking forward to being part of the #CaruCymruCaruBlas / #LoveWalesLoveTaste Producers Market in London. It’s great that the Welsh Government is supporting and promoting Welsh produce and giving us this opportunity to do so in London.”
Advocates of Welsh food and drink Many of this year’s Wales Week celebrations and St. David’s Day food and drink events were organised by and received funding from the Welsh Government. The Government has played a vital role in championing the people and businesses that are at the heart of Wales’ food and drink industry this year. Members of the Senedd as well as the Welsh Office at Westminster brought to fruition a host of activities and initiatives aimed at providing Welsh businesses with platforms to share their food and drink and providing consumers with opportunities to enjoy these products and dishes. Some of these celebrations happened on the very same day that the Welsh rugby team were in London to face England at Twickenham for Round 3 of this year’s Six Nations, and the momentous sporting occasion helped to bring even more anticipation and excitement to the celebrations. Lesley Griffiths, Trefnydd and Welsh Government Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, had the following to say in the run up to St. David’s Day: “Welsh food and drink have always played a central role in St. David’s Day celebrations, and coupled with Wales being in London today to take on England, I am delighted our fantastic producers are once again able to show and share their wonderful produce.”
Huw Edwards hosting a HCCMPW event at Westminster In particular, Minister Lesley Griffiths was enthusiastic about the earlier-mentioned food market event at Ely’s Yard in Brick Lane, and the exciting range of food and drink being offered there: “This is a great opportunity for people to head along to Ely’s Yard […] and sample the very best of food and drink from Wales. Further events are taking place to mark St. David’s Day and I encourage everyone to take the time to meet our producers, try their produce and enjoy a very special day in the Welsh calendar.” Other government events included a reception showcasing PGI Welsh Lamb and Beef at Parliament in Westminster, plus the ‘Taste of Wales’ event at Whitehall, hosted by the Office of the Secretary of State for Wales, which allowed international guests an opportunity to interact with a number of Welsh producers and suppliers, as well as to sample a range of products representing the Welsh food and drink landscape.
The Welsh Way: fostering sustainability in the agri-food industry Hybu Cig Cymru (Meat Promotion Wales) acted as a sponsor for this year’s Wales Week London and Wales Week Worldwide. The funding provided by HCC helped to make possible the mutual goal of raising the profile of Welsh food and drink at events around the world. In particular, HCC utilised the Wales Week events as a means of connecting consumers with PGI Welsh Lamb and PGI Welsh Beef, and spreading awareness about Wales’ livestock farming practices – particularly relating to the sustainability of red meat reared in Wales.
Owen Roberts of HCC had the following to say: “Our message that Welsh food and farming has a great story of sustainability is one we want to shout loud and clear. Partnering with Wales Week London and Wales Week Worldwide will help us to achieve that.”
Minister Lesley Griffiths
HCC has published information about its vision for the future of Welsh livestock farming, entitled ‘Perfecting the Welsh Way’. They have also been eager to convey that Wales already boasts one of the world’s best track records for livestock sustainability due to the non-intensive farming methods employed by Welsh farmers.
Cymru am Byth: celebrating Welsh food and drink all year round Every day, we make decisions about the products and produce we consume. Whether we are doing the weekly shop or ordering a bottle of wine at dinner, we are surrounded by great opportunities to enjoy the spoils of Wales’ natural larder and its vibrant food and drink culture. With sustainability and the provenance of what is on our plates and in our glasses being more important than ever, eating local and thereby supporting Welsh food and drink businesses is something that we can all do which makes a real difference. Just as importantly, with the abundance of world-class food and drink that our nation has to offer, it’s something we can all enjoy. As we move through spring and towards summer, we hope that you will continue to celebrate and support the excellent people – from the farmers and fishermen, to the chefs, suppliers, small businesses owners, and so many more – who work day-in and day-out to make Wales a truly global name when it comes to food and drink.
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Ben Lake MP
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This is Food and Drink. This is Wales. This is proper food: made with skill and care, by people who love what they do, in a beautiful place. Real food, real drink, real Wales.
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Pretty in Pink Small-hold pig farming is an old Welsh tradition that is still being upheld by many porc producers in Wales today. A number of farmers in Wales have managed to produce the best quality of flavour by becoming experts on the breeds they care for on their farms. Some specialize in rare Welsh and British breeds, working to ensure that the tradition of producing porc from these breeds is not lost. taste.blas take a look at a few different farms and their different approaches to farming porc in Wales The Welsh countryside provides an ideal natural environment for free-range grazing, as the fields and woodlands allow for pigs to forage for their own food and live a more authentic and wild existence– one that also proves to be sustainable. This lifestyle, combined with good husbandry and care of pigs tends to result in top tier flavour in their porc products. However, every farm approaches their craft in a different way to produce the happiest and highest quality pig….
them back out again. Mary believes that the natural Welsh environment is key to the amazing flavour in the porc she produces. In particular, the sea-side climate results in a darker meat that is stronger in flavor, and their customers often say they’ve never tasted porc like what is produced at the farm. The farm sells whole pigs to a local farm shop, Bondant, and also sends the porc to be prepared and packaged off the premises to be sold locally.
Piggin Good Pork - Mary Benfield
Rhosyn Farm – Niel and Emma Rose
Located by the Northern coastal town of Colwyn Bay, Piggin Good Pork is a pig farm run by Mary Benfield since 1979. Mary follows simple and traditional farming methods, ensuring to prioritize the happiness and well-being of her animals. She notes that “Being from a farming family myself, I am keen not to forget the practices and experience handed down from my grandfather and his forefathers.” It is thanks to farmers like Mary that traditional farming methods can be carried forward into future generations.
Emma and her husband Niel own a traditional, smallscale 100 acre farm in Camarthenshire named Rhosyn Farm. They own a herd of Gloucestershire Old Spot pigs, a native breed which produces a great bacon and porc. The pigs are free to roam on the rich woodlands on the farm, allowing them to graze on a wide variety of minerals and nutrients. Piglets are also encouraged to wean naturally. Emma and Niel believe that the natural conditions and clean air provided by the Welsh countryside is key to delicious porc with strong flavour, along with ensuring that the pigs lead stress-free lives under their meticulous care. The proof is in the sausage, as their flavoured sausages have won six gold awards at the Royal Welsh Winter Fair.
Piggin Good Pork is home to around 90 pigs, all of which are cared for with close attention to the pig’s needs. The pigs reared on the farm are all rare British breeds, including Oxford Sandy and Black, Gloucestershire Old Spot and British Lop pigs. Mary is passionate about supporting the farming of these breeds, as they produce a particularly juicy and delectable porc that is loved by locals. They even have some boar-crosses that have a greatly unique flavour to them. Mary holds great affection for her pigs, commenting that the “pigs are brilliant to work with”. The farm has been very successful with breeding of pedigree Oxford Sandy and Black pigs, and now have their pigs all over the UK– including in Scotland, other parts of Wales, and scattered throughout England. Mary noted: “We bred an Oxford Sandy and Black boar who was exported to Holland to start a herd of the breed there. You may imagine we are very proud.” The great success of this farm shows the value in traditional good husbandry. While the farm is working towards having the pigs roam and forage freely on the 105 acre farm yearround, they have faced some difficulties due to environmental circumstances. The farm is located in a hollow, meaning that water can come in from different areas when it rains making the terrain very muddy. This has made it too difficult to keep the pigs out in the winter. Mary and her family have built yards so that the pigs can be outside, and are currently doing work in the woods to clear space to work towards getting
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Cwm Farm - Ruth Davies Ruth Davies and her Husband are pig and highland cattle farmers based at Cwm farm in Rhyd-y-fro, near Pontardawe in South Wales. At Cwm farm, they are intent on using traditional farming practices that have been in use for hundreds of years. They raise their Gloucestershire Old Spot pigs free-range in the outdoors, where they have access to fresh running water, fields, and woodlands where they can forage on acorns and other foods. This old and natural approach to pig farming is also incredibly sustainable, something which Ruth is very passionate about. They want to be able to give their pigs the most natural surroundings and lifestyle possible. She also believes that this life-style is key to a great-tasting porc, as the pigs are happy, well-looked after, and are eating a varied, yet native, diet. Ruth also likes to experiment with what sorts of porc products they can produce at the farm, like artisan salami crisps and biltong, and always uses local ingredients in her products. She loves seeing the process of creating the porc product from beginning to end, and seeing how customers react to trying new ways of enjoying porc. It is great to see that farmers
using such traditional methods are still experimenting with how their product can be processed in a unique and interesting way.
Ty Siriol - Suzy Williams Suzy Williams and her Husband Martyn own a 5 acre plot in Swansea that is home to 50 pure breed Pedigree Welsh pigs – a herd that is continuing to grow. While the farm is very new, at Ty Siriol they are passionate about using traditional farming practices. They believe that happy pigs that are well-cared for are the source of great-tasting porc, and they pride themselves in being attentive to all of their animals and sourcing everything on the farm locally. They ensure to put their pigs through as little stress and change as possible, and even keep them in their sibling groups! Suzy and Martyn are very aware of how the natural climate in Wales can impact the flavour of their porc, so they move their herd inside for the winter months to limit the fat content in their pigs. While they are new to farming, they absolutely love the hard work and high reward offered by this profession.
Red Valley Farm (Cwm Coch) Graeme and Andy Graeme and Andy are business partners who run Cwm Coch farm, otherwise known as Red Valley Farm. They have a great passion for their pigs, and have managed to raise a total herd of 76 pigs, having only started with three pigs and two Wild Boars (Minnie and Mouse!). All their pigs are mixed from wild boar and are crossed with Saddleback and Welsh White pigs. They care deeply about their pigs and how they are kept. Andy noted: “we get satisfaction from seeing the animals born, raised, growing and just enjoying the natural environment we have provided for them.” The pigs are kept in large grass and soil plots, in which they are free to roam and potter around as much as they please. Having such a small herd in large pens is a great advantage, as it makes it easier for Graeme and Andy to keep an eye on the welfare of the pigs, ensuring that each individual pig is cared for in order to produce the highest quality of porc. The pigs at Cwm Coch are fed well with local grains and hay. The grain is supplied by two local breweries, and Graeme and Andy have recently managed to become self-sufficient in the production of hay and haylage for their pigs. This is a great achievement, and ensures that the pigs only eat the best and most local food. Graeme even remarked that “they eat better than us sometimes!” At Cwm Coch they always prioritize the pigs, as they are what keep the business going so that they can continue to provide for their families and be able to pass it down the generations. They also have a great deal of affection for their pigs, and are able to tell their customers who is who in the herd, how all the pigs are related, and exactly which pig they are eating. At the farm, they produce mainly sausages and hamburgers from the pigs. These are very popular, as they infuse the porc with a range of flavours – from mustard to leek. Their most popular product, the boar and apple burgers, is an “outrageous seller”. They also
supply pretty much every other part of the animal, including bacon, belly porc, gammons, and leg and shoulder joints. As a small business and small-scale producer, they are able to take special requests from their customers and prepare whatever specific porcrelated product they would like. The passion that small-scale pig farmers in Wales hold for ensuring that their pigs are treated with care using traditional methods is incredibly admirable. It is this passion and love for the animal and its product that allows for tradition to be maintained and carried forward into the next generations. It is clear that happy herds and good husbandry and knowledge of how different factors affect the animal are the key to sustainably producing porc with great flavour.
The Baker’s Pig – Andrew and Liz Baker Andrew and Liz Baker run a Welsh Charcuterie and Smokehouse, the Baker’s Pig, where they sell a range of smoked, fermented, and air-dried porc products. All of the proc that they process and sell at their shop comes directly from their very own farm, which is located nearby Brecon Beacons National Park. They clearly hold a great deal of commitment to producing the finest porc, as they are involved in every step of the process– from caring for their pigs, to processing and selling their porc. The Baker’s Pig truly represents an authentic farm-to-table business. Liz and Andrew were first drawn to Wales and pigkeeping because they wanted a better quality of life that was more estranged from the hustle and bustle of the city. Andrew and Liz bought their farm, Ty’r Cwm, in 2011. Ty’r Cwm, which sits on the base of the Black Mountain, had not been farmed since the mid1970s. It was somewhat of a local institution, and Liz and Andrew have worked to reinstate the traditional farmhouse, revive the farmland whilst prioritising the use of sustainable farming methods. On the farm, the Bakers have acquired herds of rare-breed and national heritage livestock. Not only are these breeds great in flavour, but Liz and Andrew are keen on contributing to the continuation of the survival of these breeds. Andrew noted: “The use of rare-breed, free-range meats provides us with the highest quality primary produce from which we create our traditionally crafted, artisan foods. Knowing where your food comes from is becoming increasingly important to consumers, as is the demand for quality over quantity”. Liz and Andrew first started experimenting with charcuterie as a hobby, drying and fermenting sausages in their own home. Seeing as they were successful, they buckled down to research how to create health-grade charcuterie that was 100% safe to eat and sell. Andrew even enrolled in a curing and smoking course at the School of Artisan Food in Nottinghamshire. Now, they have upgraded from DIY domestic curing to building a proper production facility on their farm. They now sell their products at their farm as well as at their local farmers market.
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Destination Southern Snowdonia
Whilst Southern Snowdonia has a stellar reputation for rugged landscapes, epic hiking trails and adventure activities, less is known about its southern fringe - home to a surprising bounty of local produce, craft gin, wild foraging opportunities and even Michelin star dining. Here lies also the only UNESCO Biosphere in Wales with its nature reserves, lowland wet grassland and salt marshes providing a variety of sustainably sourced produce. Take a gastro-journey through Southern Snowdonia and feast on succulent venison loin, local samphire infused seafood dishes and cym dyfi lamb.
Palé Hall Pale Hall
Victorian splendour, luxurious suites and fine dining awaits at the distinctive and refurbished Palé Hall. It’s an exquisite and rather remote Victorian mansion, located near pristine Lake Bala. It’s easy to see why this majestic property persuaded Queen Victoria to turn what was meant to be a fleeting visit, into a 10-day retreat.
If you’re visiting on a Sunday, call in for their popular Sunday lunch. Head Chef Gareth Johns uses local, Welsh produce where possible, including tender cym dyfi lamb with capers and parsley sauce.
Palé Hall also has an excellent reputation for culinary excellence with innovative dishes, full of seasonal ingredients. Gareth Stevenson is the Head Chef at the helm and has earned Palé Hall a coveted Michelin Green Star award.
Heol Maengwyn, Machynlleth SY20 8AE; tel: 01654 702941 www.wynnstay.wales
Their upscale AA 3 rosette rated dining is led by their 5 and 8 course tasting menus that promise diners a culinary journey with a focus on local produce with international influences.
The Wynnstay
Delectable dishes such as the Coed-Y-Brenin venison loin and Hafod cheddar, with pickled walnut, apple and honey glazed brioche superbly showcase regional specialities. Palé Estate, Llandderfel, Bala LL23 7PS; tel: 01678 530285 www.palehall.co.uk
The Wynnstay The Wynnstay is a rather charming and expansive coaching inn in the Market town of Machynlleth, with open fireplaces, country-style furnishing and antiques and the kind of eclectic pub decor you might expect from a historic Welsh inn. Here, you’ll find a firm commitment to regional produce, real ales, fine wines and dishes with an Italian accent due to the owner Charles’s love of all things Italia.
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Dishes make use of local specialities including lamb, beef, foraged samphire, brown trout, crab, lobster and Welsh cheeses. Their high-quality wines are also imported from Italy and you can also have a more local taste with their range of Welsh ales and ciders.
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Foraging for wild marsh samphire at Dyfi Estuary Dyfi Estuary, with the expansive and golden sands of Ynyslas Beach at the estuary’s mouth, provides a unique habitat for wildlife and plants. The River Dyfi catchment area is unique in Wales having been designated a Biosphere by the United Nations ‘Man and Biosphere’ programme. In the spring, the salt marshes are awash with sea pink whilst marsh samphire and sea aster can also be seen in summer. It’s a rather serene place for a spot of foraging for wild marsh samphire, that has a crisp texture and salty taste that works well with seafood and pasta dishes. Several cafes and restaurants in Southern Snowdonia utilise this bright green sea bounty in their fish dishes to add colour and crunch. To forage the samphire yourself, pinch or use scissors to snip the tips of the stems, leaving the tough, yellow lower stalks intact. Clean and then lightly steam the samphire before serving with butter atop seafood dishes.
Dining Y Sospan In southern Snowdonia, sandwiched between Cader Idris and the head of the Mawddach estuary, stands the beautiful and historic market town of Dolgellau. At its centre stands one of the town’s oldest surviving buildings, a courthouse and gaol of 1606. This characterful building is home to Y Sospan a family owned café and restaurant. By day Y Sospan offers breakfasts, lunches, quality coffee and cakes and by night a seasonal menu of home cooked dishes accompanied with a great range of drinks including Welsh wines, beers, spirits and cider. Y Sospan offers a warm and relaxed place to enjoy a meal or a drink at any time of the day. Cafe open every day from 8AM until 5:30PM. Evening menu served from 6-9PM (9:30PM at weekends). Queen’s Square, Dolgellau LL40 1AW; tel: 01341 423174 www.ysospan.co.uk
Siop Coffi T.H. Meg at Siop Coffi T.H. on Porthmadog’s High Street has been making cakes her whole life and that experience is showcased in the ever changing selection of homemade delights. From Meg’s famous Lemon Meringue to real coffee and Walnut and everything in between.
Relax with a glass of wine or a coffee in one of the lovely rooms (which date back as far as the 17th century) or enjoy a tutored tasting before you browse the shop for wines or luxury food items. If you can’t get there in person, visit the online shop for UK wide delivery. Liverpool House, Porth Marchnad, Dolgellau LL40 1ET; tel: 01341 422870 dylanwad.co.uk
Indiana Cuisine Raj and Noorie are a well-known couple who have been very successfully running Indiana Cuisine for over the last 15 years! Anyone with a taste for perfect Indian Provender, could not do better than to stumble across this gem of a restaurant that exemplifies the art of Indian home cooking. Rich aromatic spices, mild flavours, and a temple of hospitality abound in this unexpected spot. Delicious, individually prepared food in intimate and beautifully decorated surroundings makes for a welcoming restaurant with amazing hosts and service.
3 Beach Rd, Fairbourne LL38 2PZ; tel: 01341 250891 www.indianacuisinewales.uk
98 High St, Porthmadog LL49 9NW; tel: 01766 513381
CAFFI’R Ceunant, in Abergynolwyn, at the southern end of Snowdonia National Park at the base of Cader Idris, is more than just a small village cafe. This small, community based cafe provides one of the tastiest, freshest, and most interesting menus we know.
Dylan and Llinos import wine from Europe and own a specialist wine shop in the historic town of Dolgellau. Along with their treasured staff, Terri and Emma they take pride in a personal and specialist service to help you to choose the right wine for you. They all have Wset wine qualifications so are well equipped to help you to experiment with different grape varieties and styles.
Siop Coffi T.H.
The restaurant’s interior has been lovingly put together and a range of North Indian style artefacts added to give it a sense of authenticity. Takeaways are of equally high quality as each dish is prepared individually . A Google search on Indiana Cuisine showcases the high praises and reputation it has built with diners travelling into Wales from around the World! Booking is a must.
Even the coffee on offer at Siop is a family affair, with perfect roasts from Carvetii - where Meg’s older son Gareth and his wife Angharad are founders. Sit back and enjoy your choice of brew with a slice in this rustic and cosy ironmonger’s building.
Dylanwad
Dylanwad
CAFFI’R Ceunant
Catering to all tastes and suitable for vegetarian, vegan and gluten free diets, with CAFFI’R Ceunant you know you’re getting good value for money. Book well in advance, especially for Sunday lunch. A really simple, honest place with just fantastic food. Fresh ingredients, well cooked. Y Ganolfan, Abergynolwyn, Gwynedd, LL36 9UU; tel: 01654 782372
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CAFFI’R Ceunant
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Tickets available online NOW
Sioe Frenhinol Cymru Royal Welsh Show 18 - 21 Gorffennaf
Royal Welsh Showground Llanelwedd LD2 3SY
cafc.cymru rwas.wales
July 2022
Trail of the Month
Devil’s Staircase Trailheads’ Get Jerky began on an adventure which took their founder through the Yellowstone National Park, where a love for jerky was discovered. It’s power to refuel, re-energize and recover is why it is the ultimate adventure snack. Which is why Get Jerky want to share with you some of their favourite adventures, with their Trail of the Issue! This issue we’re looking at the epic Devil’s Staircase, which is located in the heart of the Cambrian Mountains. However, this is definitely not for the faint hearted! While the area is very remote and the views are stunning, the terrain is tough and unforgiving – in particular the 25% climb of the Devil’s Staircase itself. This year saw the inaugural running of the Trailhead Get Jerky Devils Staircase Ultra Race a 31.5 mile suffer fest with a total ascent of 1,585m THE TRAIL The Ultra Trail run is largely run on private land, but for keen cyclists, the Devil’s Staircase is one of those icon climbs to tick off your list. You will begin your adventure at Llandovery, following the A483, before turning off at Cynghordy, where the road will become much quieter & steeper. At the top, head through Crychan Forest towards Tirabad, and onto Llanwrtyd Wells. Llanwrtyd Wells, known as one of the smallest towns in the UK, is also famous for its unique games and festivals, including Bog Snorkelling & Man V Horse! From here, head upstream along the Irfon River to
Abergorlech, which will give you a breath-taking tour of the valley. The Irfon Valley holds particular meaning to Trailheads’ MD, saying “this is where my family & our forefathers have worked the land in the beautiful Irfon Valley for centuries!” As your journey through the valley continues, you will soon see the challenge that lies ahead… the Staircase itself. Welcoming you in with a steady 5% gradient, the staircase then kicks up to an unrelenting gradient of up to 25% and a distance of 1.3km, with very few respites, this part of the trail will test your endurance & stamina climbing 151m at an average gradient of 12%. Once you have reached the top, take a breathe & absorb the surroundings. When you’re ready, the descent down the equally steep other side, follow the road towards Llyn Brianne. Here you will spot the Llyn Brianne reservoir – if you still have the legs, you can take a short excursion to see the spectacular dam! The final part of your journey takes you on a fast descent following the river Towy to Cilycwm, and on to return to Llandovery! THE CHALLENGE Looking for a challenge? This year Trailhead supported the launch of the brand new, Devil’s Staircase Ultra Trail Race. The 50km on & off-road journey saw runners face the unforgiving Devil’s Staircase, tour the beautiful Abergwesyn Valley and pass the most isolated chapel in Wales. Think you’ve got what it takes to take on the Devil? The race will return in April 2023.
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Delicious and nutritious
The health benefits of eating local honey Natural, delicious, and sweet – who doesn’t enjoy a bit of honey? But whether you like to slather it on your morning toast, cook with it, or simply add a drizzle to your cup of tea, honey is so much more than just a natural sweetener. The saccharine golden substance has long been used to combat certain conditions and allergies as a folk remedy passed down across generations and more recently vindicated by academic research demonstrating many of honey’s therapeutic properties. taste.blas spoke to beekeeper Wendy Cooper of Hedgerow Honey in North Wales to get a bit more information on the topic. From soothing coughs and sore throats, to skincare applications, to easing the symptoms of hay fever – the health benefits of local, minimally-processed honey are numerous. As Wendy Cooper explains, “The most common use in health for local honey is for hay fever. As I write this, I am surrounded by fields of bright yellow oil seed rape which have left me with streaming eyes, coughing, and running to the honey pot!” This particular use for honey has been researched in a number of different scientific studies. One study from 2011 demonstrated that, as a treatment for birch pollen allergy, honey offered participants 60% more effective relief than conventional medicine (i.e. antihistamines). The symptoms of the group who ate local honey were less severe than those who used over-the-counter medicines, and honey group also enjoyed a higher number of completely asymptomatic days over the course of the study. But to get the full benefits, Wendy says, you would be well-advised to steer clear of the cheapest squeezy bottles of honey that you find on supermarket shelves. These are often made up of a blend of EU and non-EU honeys, and may contain little or none of the type of pollen common in your area. By contrast, eating local honey introduces small amounts of local pollen into your system, helping your body to build up a certain level of immunity to it. Wendy says: “It is believed that the least processed honey that you can get, ideally cut comb which includes the wax cappings, is the best for hay fever treatment. It is also thought that local honey is needed all year round so that pollen immunity is built up ready for the hay fever season.”
The treatment of minor coughs and sore throats is another common health application for honey. Often combined with lemon in a hot drink, honey has long been used as a natural remedy to relieve the irritation of the throat and larynx caused by the common cold and other similar illnesses. Wendy pointed us in the direction of a 2007 study conducted by researchers at Penn State University, which demonstrated honey to be more effective at relieving the symptoms of upper respiratory infection in children than dextromethorphan – a cough suppressant commonly found in over-the-counter cold and flu medicines. Now for some of lesser-known uses for honey. Wendy explains that honey possesses antibacterial properties due to its ability to attract water molecules: “The honey molecules join with the water and leave no water for the microorganisms to attach to, giving them nothing to survive on.” Whilst perhaps not the most widely known of honey’s medicinal qualities, the antibacterial properties of the substance have been scientifically established for well over a century. Honey’s antibiotic properties were demonstrated by Dutch scientist Bernardus Adrianus van Ketel as far back as the 1890s. Research into honey’s usefulness in treating bacterial infections has gained renewed interest from researchers in recent years, following the rise in antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria such as MRSA. Due its microbe fighting capabilities, honey is thought to be useful as a topical application for certain skin conditions, and may play a role in easing the symptoms of certain digestive and gastrointestinal upsets. Another often overlooked benefit that comes with indulging your sweet tooth with a spoonful of honey is its ability to soothe hangovers. Wendy explains: “Honey provides the body with sodium, potassium, and fructose which all help hangover recovery. It acts as a sobering agent because the fructose speeds up the alcohol oxidation in the liver.”
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So, next time you are in the mood for a sweet treat, why not add a jar of local honey or some honeycomb to your shopping list? In addition to Hedgerow Honey’s various honeys, which utilise the pollen of different types of flower and wildflower, they also sell bee pollen granules which can be taken as a supplement or added to food, plus various balms, creams and moisturisers utilising beeswax from their own hives.
www.taste-blas.co.uk
Bar 44 Tapas y Copas Owen and Tom Morgan T he must-have Spanish cookbook
welsh lamb with poor man’s potatoes and romesco sauce, page 200
over 100 mouthwatering recipes for Spanish food and drink “a great read as well as a great go-to recipe book.” – Matt Tebbutt, Saturday Kitchen
Use the code BAR44BOOK to get 20% off when ordering through www.serenbooks.com
News
Hold the front page It’s Gold for Penderyn Distillery
Penderyn Distillery
The modern home of Welsh whisky, Penderyn was the first distillery in Wales for over 100 years when they started distilling in 2000. Indeed, they were pioneers in World Whisky, as only a handful of countries had whisky distilleries. And Penderyn Distillery have just had a remarkable series of results in the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Celt from their Dragon range and Rich Oak from their Gold range won Double Golds. And Madeira and Port Wood (from their Gold Range) and Myth (from their Dragon Range) won Golds. Stephen Davies, Penderyn’s CEO said, ‘We’d like to congratulate our US importers, ImpexBev for their hard work representing Penderyn in the US. They have done a wonderful job, and these awards will only reinforce our sales in the US, as well as the rest of the world.’ Sam Filmus, President of Penderyn’s US importer, Impex Bev said, “It is a true testament to the quality and care that goes into each bottle they produce. As the US importer it gives us great pleasure to see the numbers of loyal fans of Penderyn here in the US growing and we are confident these well-deserved awards will continue to grow along with them.” Penderyn are based in Penderyn, near the Brecon Beacons but have also opened a new distillery in a handsome former school in Lloyd St, in the centre of Llandudno last May. They have already picked up a Go North Wales 2021 Tourism Award. On top of this, Trip Advisor has ranked them ‘#1 tour to do in Llandudno’. Both Penderyn Distilleries are open 7 days a week, and you can visit the shop or take an award-winning Tour, which includes the exhibition area, the distilling hall, before finishing in the tasting bar, where you’ll have the chance to sample a drink or two. And for those who want to indulge further, Masterclasses are available. Book via www.penderyn.wales/visit With its large carpark, Penderyn’s Llandudno visitors can park their car for the day to explore the wonderful coastal resort. Penderyn Distillery continues to go from strength to strength and now with their award-winning North Wales distillery, you can see for yourself why Penderyn is the home of Welsh whisky. www.penderyn.wales
Brecon burger wins best plantbased burger in the UK
Brecon burger
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The burger towering almost as high as the beacons themselves, Welsh chef Cai Williams from Hill, a restaurant in Brecon renowned for its extravagant beef burgers, wins the vegan burger of the year award at the National Burger Awards held in London. The delicious plant-based burger winning top spot has not even made it to the restaurant’s menu yet. The burger in question was cheffed up by Cai’s current love for East Asian food. The Asian inspired burger
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combines pickled red slaw, and spring onions mixed with a delicious plant-based patty. It may come as a surprise to learn the restaurant famed for its innovative beef burgers brings home gold for one of its only plant-based inventions. Hills menu is famous for its wide range of imaginative burgers, from Biscoff beef to gravy and chips and a burger encrusted in gold. The restaurant owners of Hill have congratulated Cai and are looking forward to bringing more plant-based burgers to the menu in the future. www.hillsbrecon.co.uk
New World Butchers’ Challenge date announced Post Covid, the 2022 World Butchers’ Challenge resumes in Sacramento, California, USA on 2-3 September 2022. A Welsh team, captained by Peter Rushforth, made up of a talented group of Wales’ finest young butchery talent, is taking part this year. Pete, a butcher from North Wales, who has won Welsh Butcher of the Year, represented GB in the International Young Butcher of the year, is a gold medallist at World Skills UK Butchery Final and was Meat Trade Journals Young Butcher of the Year is joined by Dan Allen-Raftery, Matthew Edwards, Liam Lewis, Tomi Jones, Craig Holly and Benjamin Roberts in their bid to bring the World crown to Wales. The concept of the World Butchers’ Challenge is to encourage butchers to exceed current industry practice in the areas of general workmanship, meat cutting, displaying and the creative usage of beef, lamb, pork and chicken product. The competition fosters a global community and life-long friendships, with business opportunities and overall trade benefiting from an injection of creativity and innovation. Competing teams are given a side of beef, a side of pork, a whole lamb and five chickens which they must then transform into a themed display of value-added products using their own seasonings, spices, marinades and garnish to finish products that inspire and push boundaries. They must also be easily cookable and sell in a retail setting. Independent judges score each team based on technique, skill, workmanship, product innovation, overall finish and presentation. Arwyn Watkins, President of the Culinary Association of Wales says ‘I firmly believe this is the perfect platform for some of Wales’ top butchers to showcase their skills on the World stage. As you can imagine we are wanting to give our team the best possible chance and we firmly believe we have a team of Butchers who have the skills to go all the way.’ To show your support for the team and get involved as a sponsor for the team please visit www.culinaryassociation.wales to find out more
News
Another big win and new bar for Welsh gin The Craft Gin Club, the largest gin subscription service in the UK, with over 100,000 members, has announced that ‘In the Welsh Wind’ was its gin of the month for April 2022. With its humble beginnings in a refurbished cowshed, the distillery now occupies a site on the idyllic Welsh west coast at Tanygroes. Here it offers immersive visitor experiences as it produces its award-winning spirits. Founded by Ellen Wakelam and Alex Jungmayr, in January 2018, the company has grown steadily ever since, now employing 16 members of staff. Initially, crafting gin for brands, the distillery launched its very own, award-winning, ‘In the Welsh Wind’ Signature Style gin during the pandemic. In early 2021, the Craft Gin Club approached ‘In The Welsh Wind’ to formulate one of its 12 bespoke craft gins for the 2022 clubbers. The distillery has been brewing up ideas in secret ever since. Welsh Wind had to keep everything hush-hush so that when Craft Gin Clubbers received their box in April, it was a complete surprise. Ellen commented, “This has been an incredible project to work on, from distilling enough gin to send out to over 100,000 Craft Gin Clubbers, to working on the content for the magazine that is sent out in the monthly box. And of course, keeping such an exciting opportunity secret has been hard too! We’re delighted to be able to share what we’ve been doing.” Jon Hulme, co-founder and CEO of the Craft Gin Club added, “We’re incredibly excited to share this multi-award-winning gin from west Wales with our members! ‘In The Welsh Wind’, Signature Style Gin manages to be full of flavour yet exceptionally light and fresh.” Building on recent successes ‘In The Welsh Wind’ have also now opened Bar 45, Cardigan’s first and only craft gin bar. Located at 45 St Mary Street and stocking the full range of Welsh Wind and Eccentric gins, as well as a curated selection of wines and local beers guests can try their hand at gin-making and take home their very own unique bottle, with regular gin blending sessions available to book. Huge congratulations to Welsh Wind, daliwch ati! inthewelshwind.co.uk
Alex Gooch Kneads His Way to Success With the recent opening of his bakery and coffee shop, which saw queues forming down Cardiff ’s bustling Whitchurch Road, and the ongoing success of his small bakery, in Pontcanna’s King’s Yard, Britain’s Baker of the Year has set his sights on opening yet another bakery in Cardiff ’s suburbs, Radyr. With 14 years of success, with his first bakery rising in the quaint Welsh town of Hay on Wye, Gooch has continued expanding his vision. Providing products
for over 120 different wholesalers including Waitrose and Waterloo tea. He sees this new branch as an opportunity to develop his brand even further.
Ellen Wakelam and Alex Jungmayr
“Wholesale is great, but it ebbs and flows, you never really know what’s happening from one day to the next. Whereas with this, you can plan what you’re doing a bit more, and it’s also a great chance to be really creative every day,” commented Gooch. Gooch is focused on artisan baking, with all his products just happening to be Vegan and all of his ingredients organically grown. Expect only the finest sourdoughs, focaccia, pastries and many more specialities at the new branch set to open in May on Park Road in Radyr. www.alexgoochbaker.com
Local app providing a helping hand in Swansea A takeaway delivery app started by a Swansea couple is giving established names like Just Eat and Deliveroo a run for their money, whilst also aiming to help small local businesses to keep costs down. Swansea Eats was founded in 2021 with the intention of providing Swansea restaurants and takeaways with an alternative platform for reaching customers and taking orders online. Sophie Heneberry and Rory Edwards, who founded Swansea Eats alongside two friends, recognised that many local dining spots were struggling to afford the fees incurred by using third party delivery apps, and decided there was a gap in the market for a local alternative. Whereas the cut taken by larger platforms can be more than 20%, the commission for using Swansea Eats is 7.5%.
Alex Gooch
In addition to reducing costs and increasing profits for Swansea businesses, the app also ensures that more of the customers’ money remains within the local economy. With more than 12,000 people already using the app, Swansea Eats is making its mark on both the food scene of the city and has even inspired a similar venture in Rhondda Cynon Taf, called RCT Eats. www.swansea-eats.co.uk
Tipi Top Dining experience Serving up a gorgeous view, overlooking the Preseli hills, Wild Lakes is the perfect Tipi dining spot for families to eat delicious locally sourced food and enjoy some of the best tourist hotspots Wales offers. Hosting large tables bringing the whole family together under its fairy-lit Tipis. Adapting their menus seasonally to stay in tune with what’s fresh and available locally, their award-winning chef Ian Willson who previously worked at Slebech Park, as head chef boasts a very impressive menu. Offering mouth-watering Pembrokeshire beef brisket, chargrilled seafood and “mountains of cakes that almost rival the Preseli.” Bringing delicious locally sourced food to the idyllic Welsh countryside, Wild Lakes is making the most of the beautiful landscapes we are so blessed to have here in Wales. www.wildlakeswales.com
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News
Renowned ramen pop up finds permanent home in Cardiff
to release in June. ‘Barrique’ 6% whisky barrel-aged amber ale is currently maturing in the Untapped cold stores until it’s aged perfectly and ready for release. Fans won’t be disappointed.
Matsudai Ramen finally finds a permanent residence as it opens its doors to its cult following with its first restaurant on Clare Road in Grangetown claiming the space of the former NatWest Bank. Hosting pop-ups for the last few years across Wales and the UK with great success James Chant, Matsudai Ramen’s founder can finally lay down his foundations. Continuously adapting his business in the trialling lockdown period, James created a renowned brand, establishing the business’s success through its popular pop-ups and the selling of its innovative DIY Ramen kits online to different households across the UK, all eager to get their hands on a bowl of Matsudai Ramen.
As pub trade recovers after the harsh hit of the pandemic, Untapped is stocked up high with bottles and casks. After a great decision to purchase a bottling line last year the brewery has been bottling at double the speed and are now excited to see more pubs streaming kegs of Untapped beer this summer.
James spent most of his life working in the music industry and had no previous experience working in kitchens professionally. Feeling a sense of disillusionment within the industry he was in, James was offered the chance to run a food pop up. He took the shot and put his all into this new venture, and from one pop up, Matsudai Ramen was born. We are anticipating long queues and fully booked tables when the restaurant opens this summer. matsudai.co.uk
All change at Dragon It’s been a busy few months at South Caernarfon Creameries home of Dragon cheese. Their Slate Aged hand-crafted cheddar is now aged in Llanfair caverns, an even more amenable environment than previously with better and more stable humidity levels that produce an even better cheese.
The Gourmet Butcher’s
Project Dragon is the plan set out to develop South Caernarfon Creameries, the oldest cooperative of farmers in Wales, for decades to come. The project is focused on expansion and redevelopment and aims to move the Welsh dairy industry into a more sustainably focused future. Having seen great success with their turnover going up by 100% over the last 5 years. South Caernarfon Creameries are investing £15 million to almost double production from 15,000 tons to 23,000 tons, an increase that will see a huge boost to the local economy and a huge rise for Welsh dairy in general. Proof that Wales can compete on any level. sccwales.co.uk www.dragonwales.co.uk
Brewing up their Untapped potential Starting off as two guys who began brewing from someone else’s kit, Untapped brewing has gone from strength to strength seeing its best-ever year of sales. Brewing from its permanent residency in Monmouthshire, Untapped is expanding its line and is continuing to experiment with even more new flavours, opening its doors to tours and starting a new kegging line. After deciding to drop the popular but expensive to produce Crystal wheat beer from its range, Untapped is replacing it with a brand new Premium beer set
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www.taste-blas.co.uk
Teaming up with some other local producers, the shop will be expanding, opening once again 6 days a week Monday to Saturday, reopening its doors for tasting and tours after a long 2 year enforced absence. Setting out tables and chairs Untapped are planning on running a brewery tap for people to come and enjoy their Saturday at the site. www.untappedbrew.com
Welsh Butchers scoop top UK honours A strong representation of quality Welsh butchers were on hand at the prestigious UK-wide annual Butcher’s Shop of the Year awards held at the Farm and Deli Show at the NEC Birmingham. The Gourmet Butcher, a family business who have shops in Cardiff, Llantrisant and Porth, won the coveted title of the UK’s New Butcher’s Business of the Year as well as beating off competition from Prendergast of Haverfordwest and N S James of Raglan to be crowned Welsh Butcher Shop of the Year. But Prendergast’s 20-year-old Mark Wolsey won a highly commended prize in the Young Butcher of the Year category, while another Welsh leading light, Swans Farm Shop, near Mold, was among the finalists for Innovation of the Year. The Gourmet Butcher’s commercial maxim is “price, quality and service”. Gerwyn Harries, with wife Angela, runs the shop in Park Road, Whitchurch, Cardiff, alongside two sister outlets, having only entered the industry in October 2019, they have quickly increased their sales and provided meat for some of the best restaurants and hotels in South Wales. Adding a modern touch to the local butcher shop. Offering cuts curated to customers’ sports and fitness goals. Offering ‘Mean and Lean’ or ‘Slim and Trim’ protein packs. Prendergast Butchers, run by Mark’s mother and father Chris and Rachael Wolsey, is a story of successful farm diversification. “The farm supplies the shop and our customers love to know where their meat comes from. They don’t mind paying a bit more for quality,” said Mark. He’s planning a fact-finding tour of the top UK butchers to bring in the best possible practices to improve and expand the business. A final Welsh success came in the UK and Ireland ‘Champion of Champions’ sausage competition, where F.R. Kennedy and Son of Holywell in Flintshire scooped the top prize. the-gourmet-butcher.wales prendergastbutchers.co.uk Instagram @the_gourmet_butcher_wales
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Real Ale. True Quality... Raglan’s award winning brewery - We offer a wide range of superb beers made on site, including pale ales, bitters, stout and wheat beer. Available in bottle, 5 litre party pin, 36 pint pin and 72 pint firkin for both trade and public to collect from the brewery, free local delivery or couriered anywhere in the country.
Monday-Friday 10am-5pm • Saturday 10am-3pm AP NT P
Unit 6, Little Castle Business Park, Raglan, NP15 2BX
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Take the Clytha exit at the Raglan roundabout on the A40, then take the next right signposted Llantilio/Crossenny
enquiries@untappedbrew.com • www.untappedbrew.com 36
www.taste-blas.co.uk
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Telephone: 01291 690074 W I N G CS H IR E
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MONMOUTH
Boxing Clever When it comes to its food and drink industry, Wales continues to punch far above its own weight when compared with bigger nations. Jonno Mack spoke to Rhiain Williams (Marketing Officer) and Manon Llwyd Rowlands (Director) at Cywain to find out how they are coaching Wales’ food and drink producers to success. For both businesses and consumers alike, much of their success comes down to being able to sample the best of Welsh produce as easily as possible. Think marketing and business strategy advice, from branding and social media to supply chain management and business plans - all are necessary, and all are provided by Cywain. This team of Welsh experts work with industry and consumers in mind. When did Cywain start trading and in what ways do you help Welsh industry and consumers? RW: Cywain is a Menter a Busnes project dedicated to supporting new and existing food and drink producers in Wales. Often, we come across individuals who are passionate about an idea they have and need help to steer that idea in the right direction in order to develop it further. There are so many things to think about when setting up a business and over the years, Cywain have been led by these businesses and have delivered the support they need to get their products to the consumer. Cywain have provided business support in areas such as marketing strategy, branding and social media as well as business planning and finance via group webinars and one to one sessions - all with the aim of reaching new markets and helping food and drink businesses in Wales to grow. We recently launched the Cywain Producer Map on our website (cywain.cymru) with the main aim of gathering all our producer clients in one online directory. This formed part of our #SupportLocalSupportWales campaign, encouraging consumers to discover the array of quality food and drink available on their doorstep. Needless to say, the past couple of years have been challenging for us all, but we pride ourselves on the fact that we were able to adapt our services rapidly in order to support our resilient producers throughout
this pandemic. We are now at the point of returning to live events again and are so excited to be able to do so. This gives us the chance to showcase the incredible talent of Wales’ food and drink producers both in Wales and further afield at destinations such as the Farm Shop and Deli Show in Birmingham and the Northern Restaurant & Bar Show in Manchester. These are just a few of the exciting opportunities coming up this year for producers to meet new buyers and showcase some of the best produce Wales has to offer.
Rhiain Williams
What do you think makes the Welsh food and drink industry so unique? RW: Wales and Wales’ brand is recognised globally and is gaining momentum on an international stage for its green pastures, castles, songs, sportsmen and food and drink. Welsh producers battle with the elements to bring fresh ingredients to their produce. Our winters are long and our summers short and yet the quality of the food and drink producer never wavers. Our passion defines us in Wales and that translates into our produce. How has Cywain evolved over the years and what range of producer clients are you now working with?
Manon Llwyd Rowlands
RW: The Cywain project has grown considerably over the years and has evolved in response to the needs of the food and drink producers here in Wales. Since 2018 Cywain have supported over 1000 food and drink businesses in Wales to grow. We have supported 432 business start-ups and specialise in helping clients to maximise their potential, enabling them to bring their world class products to market both here in the UK and internationally. Collaboration is key in driving growth and Cywain leads on the Food and Drink Wales’ Fine Food, Seafood and Honey Clusters here in Wales. They play a
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key role in bringing like-minded businesses together to share knowledge, increase productivity and stimulate new business. With restrictions easing, does that make your mission statement easier to achieve? RW: It certainly does. Cywain has a fantastic working relationship with our clients based on years of productive and invaluable face to face interactions. We’ve been to their premises, met their staff, sometimes even met their families. We passionately support their businesses and products and it is a huge bonus for us, now that restrictions are easing, that we can continue with the one-to-one mentoring that Cywain prides itself on. Being able to attend Food and Drink festivals, shows and exhibitions again is another bonus. It’s been a long two years for many Welsh producers and these events are a fantastic opportunity for them to reach new audiences and showcase their product. What are the long-term benefits of Welsh businesses working with Cywain? RW: Cywain has a team of dedicated staff who work directly with food and drink producers here in Wales. This gives our staff an opportunity to really get to know the people behind the products and support them on their journeys. Having this close relationship, we see how extremely passionate the producers are and how dedicated and hard-working they are. Through our Development Managers and Cluster Managers, the food and drink producers we work with gain consistent support and a direct, personal service - something that we feel has been hugely appreciated within the industry in particular throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Their progress is monitored and we endeavour to fill any gaps in knowledge or expertise that the client may experience, with our bespoke one to one sessions with industry experts as well as a schedule of group workshops and webinars. Cywain works with businesses at all different stages of growth - from start-ups to well-established and
Alfie’s Coffee Co. is one of the successful businesses benefiting from working with Cywain. Paul Cammock (founder of Alfie’s) had the following to say in charting where he started from, to how his coffee company has evolved with the help of Cywain: Alfie’s Coffee Co. began during the start of the pandemic in March 2020. I was roasting coffee for my mobile coffee van, Alfie’s Coffee Bus, but since I was unable to go out in the coffee van due to lockdown restrictions, I started the coffee company and began selling my coffee online.
For those interested in finding out more about Cywain support, please contact cywain@menterabusnes.co.uk
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profitable brands. Producers may connect with Cywain at any point - no matter how small or developed the business is. The internal Cluster projects are a great example of like-minded businesses and those at a similar, advanced level of operations who are ready and capable of attending networking events with industry buyers and who are effectively collaborating to enter new markets together. How is Cywain planning for the future of the Welsh food and drink industry? MLR: With Welsh food and drink continuing to demand a great reputation for being high quality, wholesome and expertly made, Cywain undoubtedly plans for the future with absolute positivity. Despite two extraordinary years for the food and drink industry, the demand for Cywain’s support package has not faltered. We have been astounded with the pure resilience seen from food and drink businesses of all shapes and sizes and their eagerness to tap into the support to ensure both their survival and their business’ sustainable growth. Cywain has fully demonstrated its ability to adapt and develop innovative initiatives at an unprecedented rate. With this in mind, this is a good time to both take stock and look forward, to plan how we can grow the programme to suit the new working world as well as increase the return on investment from our clients in terms of productivity, growth and sustainability on a national and international stage. We are looking at how we can strengthen the support package and build on recent initiatives such as our Scale-up, Sustainability and Employment bootcamps as well as further facilitate true clustering and collaboration projects for the benefit of our clients and indeed, the wider society. For the immediate future, we are in full planning mode for a full calendar of national and international events where the team, as well as the clients, will undoubtedly relish the opportunity to engage face-to-face once more with customers.
Cywain has always been supportive. I started working with them in 2019 when I built the coffee van, but more so now because I am manufacturing a product myself. Cywain always has the answer. Whatever I ask of them, regardless of the uniqueness of my query they will always be able to find an expert who can help. They have such an array of high quality tools at their disposal which are freely available to you. If you are a food and drink business in Wales and aren’t working with Cywain, then you’re at a disadvantage straight away!
Find Cywain News, events, webinars www.menterabusnes.cymru/cywain/en/home
UNIQULY WELSH. FREE TO GR AZE... Welsh livestock farmers know that if you look after the environment, the environment will look after you. For centuries, they have played a pivotal role in creating and maintaining the spectacularly beautiful rural landscapes that we know and love, and their sustainable management has helped create a diverse rural environment that is rich in wildlife and visitor-friendly, thanks to a network of footpaths maintained by farmers. While the impact of agriculture on climate change is currently a very hot topic, it’s important to remember that there are huge variations in the environmental impact of different farming systems across the world, with Wales being especially suited for rearing cattle and sheep. Here are some key differences between the Welsh way of agriculture and that found in other parts of the world…
The vast majority (80%) of Welsh farmland is unsuitable for growing crops, therefore raising cattle and sheep is the most efficient way to turn marginal land into high quality food. The Welsh way of farming is largely non-intensive: unlike other parts of the world, where water resources are depleted or significant land is used to grow feed, Welsh sheep and cattle are overwhelmingly reared on our natural resources – grass and rainwater. Grassland in the Welsh hills captures carbon from the atmosphere, and Welsh farmers make a positive contribution to mitigating climate change; managing this grassland by combining traditional practices with new innovation.
The Welsh way of farming has a very different story to tell compared with some of the intensive and industrial systems found in other parts of the world. With high standards of animal husbandry and pasture land management, our family-run farms have helped preserve our unique landscape for generations, and will continue to do so for generations to come.
Recipes
BBQ Season, The Art of Marinades
by Chris Price,Training Officer, Cambrian Training
As we enter the summer months and you start planning your BBQ parties, why not impress your guests by making your very own meat marinades that will leave them wanting more of your delicious food. Here is a guide for a good technique to use to help maintain flavour and keep your meats tender by using one of my favourite marinades using Welsh Honey, Lime and Coriander suitable for everyone’s taste.
Ingredients • • • • •
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60g lime juice and zested limes if using fresh ( should be 5 limes ) 70g Welsh Runny honey 2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce 1 Tablespoon olive oil 2 garlic cloves, minced
• • •
1 bunch fresh coriander, finely chopped ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon pepper
4.
You could also make a spare mix and brush each side of the protein each time you turn it over to add some extra punch.
1.
So simply mix all the ingredients together in a bowl.
2.
Place your meat/poultry into a zip sealed bag and pour over the marinade, zip the top and mix all over. Leave in the fridge for 12hrs or until you need them.
Top tips - If you marinade your meats/ poultry the day before you are giving them extra time to soak up those lovely herb flavours and help tenderize those tougher cuts of meats. If you’re short on time and can’t marinade your meats, then you can simply rub around your protein and put them straight onto a hot grill or BBQ. The art of marinating & grilling develops skills learnt by apprentices when working towards an Apprenticeship Level 3 in Craft Cuisine and covers preparing and cooking of a range of meat and poultry.
3.
Remove from the bag and place straight onto the hot BBQ or grill. You are looking for nice grill marks on either side with a nice golden brown colour.
For more information about Apprenticeships contact Cambrian Training Company at cambriantraining.com or Tel: 01938 555893.
Method Making your marinade; For a good marinade, you need a balance of acid, oil and spice.
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Penderyn Llandudno Lloyd St. Dissllery Shop open days a week. To book a tour, go to www.penderyn.wales
Recipes
Welsh Beef Calzone Ingredients • •
• • • • • • • • • • • • • •
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300g lean PGI Welsh Beef mince 1 pack of pizza dough mix, made up according to the instructions or shop bought pizza dough or you could make your own pizza dough. You will need enough pizza dough to make 2 x 20cm circles Seasoning 1 onion, sliced or chopped 1 small red pepper, cut into strips 1 small yellow pepper, cut into strips 25g mushrooms Handful of spinach Handful of cherry tomatoes, halved 1 garlic clove, crushed 2 tbsp tomato purée 1 tbsp tomato ketchup 1 tsp dried oregano 50g grated mozzarella cheese 50g Cheddar cheese, grated Few slices of salami (optional)
Method 1.
Preheat the oven to 220°C / 200°C fan / Gas 6.
2.
Dry fry the beef mince until nice and brown, leaving it in clumps.
3.
Add the onion, peppers and mushrooms and fry gently to soften.
4.
Add all the remaining ingredients other than the cheese. Stir through to mix and leave the mixture to cool.
5.
On a floured board, roll out the pizza dough into 2 circles approximately 20cm each.
6.
Place the pizza dough circles on baking paper.
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7.
Stir the cheese into the beef mixture. Halve the beef mixture and spoon onto one half of each pizza dough circle, leaving 3cms around the edge.
8.
Lightly dampen the edges with water and fold the pizza dough over the half of the circle to form the calzone.
9.
Press to seal the edges. Using your fingers, crimp or fold in the dough to form a pattern around the edge of the calzone.
10. Carefully lift the calzone onto a baking sheet and place in the oven for approximately 20 minutes until the dough is golden and crisp.
Recipes
Porc shoulder ramen Ingredients • • • •
1kg porc shoulder joint 1 tbsp oil 1 tbsp sesame oil seasoning
For the broth: • • • • • • • •
2 litres of chicken or vegetable stock 1 large onion, cut into wedges 2 carrots, roughly sliced 1 stick of celery, roughly chopped 3 garlic cloves, sliced 1 red chilli, halved a 3cm piece of piece root ginger, roughly chopped 4 tbsp reduced salt light soy sauce
To finish: •
250g pack of ramen noodles, cooked as instructed on pack
•
• • •
vegetables, choose from: spinach or pak choi, carrots cut into thin matchsticks, thinly chopped spring onions, beansprouts, chopped bamboo shoots, leeks boiled egg (semi soft) sesame seeds, toasted red chilli, thinly sliced, or chilli flakes
Method The porc shoulder is cooked slowly, producing a delicious broth packed with flavour – a great recipe for slow cookers or simply on the hob. The tender meat is then pulled and combined with crunchy vegetables over steaming noodles. 1.
Season the porc shoulder with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a frying pan and sear the meat until browned. Place in a large pan or if you have one, a slow cooker.
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2.
Add the broth ingredients, bring to the boil and simmer gently for 3-4 hours in a pan (or 6 hours on low in a slow cooker).
3.
When the porc is cooked through and tender, remove from the broth and allow to cool slightly before pulling apart into smaller pieces. Directly before serving fry the porc pieces in 1 tbsp sesame oil to crisp up slightly.
4.
Strain the broth to remove any solids (the liquid can be topped up with chicken or vegetable stock if required).
5.
To serve, place the cooked noodles in bowls, ladle over the hot broth and porc pieces and top with vegetables of your choice. Finally, sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and red chilli.
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Recipes
Welsh Lamb cutlets with ginger and lime butter Ingredients
Method
•
1.
• • •
4 lean PGI Welsh Lamb cutlets or loin chops 50g softened butter ½ lime, juice and grated rind 1 tbsp stem ginger in syrup, finely chopped
Cocktail of the month
2.
Take the lamb cutlets and cook under a preheated grill or on a hot barbecue for 8-12 minutes. Meanwhile make the butter: mix together the softened butter with zest of lime and
Devil’s Advocate Made with Devil’s Bridge Bara Brith Spiced Rum, this short, sweet & punchy drink is perfect for that sitting-around-a-camp-fire kinda weather. Soaking up the evening sun, and spending time in good company with even better booze. This little number, garnished with a banana bread crisp, perfect for dunking, is light, complex, tropical and refreshing . The perfect summer banger. To make this delicious banana crisp you want to pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees. Then in a sauce pan mix together 60g butter, 60g sugar, 30g finely mashed banana, the smoother the banana the better and 50g golden syrup. place on the stove on lowest heat for 3 minutes mixing together until all sugars have disolved
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juice, and finely chopped stem ginger. Place a spoonful of butter onto the lamb cutlets and allow to melt slightly before serving. 3.
Serve with a new potato salad and seasonal vegetables.
and at a good consistency. Then add 80g of plain flour and mix once again. On a baking mat spread a thin layer of the mixture across, place into oven for 10 minutes or until golden brown. While hot slice the crisp into strips and leave to cool. To make this cocktail you’ll only need a couple ingredients. Pour into a boston tin (if you don’t have one of these anything like a kilner jar, a coffee flask or anything you can close and shake) 30ml of Devil’s Bridge spiced rum, 15ml Creme de Banane, 15ml Aperol and 20ml fresh lemon juice, fill the tin up with ice and give it a hard and sharp shake for about 10 seconds. You want to strain this out into a Nick and Nora glass and squeeze a lemon zest over the drink and garnish with the banana crisp. Pour yourself one, play some frisbee, pour another. Enjoy
Recipes
Txoko Hake Serves 4–6 We will never forget cooking our version of this classic Basque dish in Txoko, an underground food club in San Sebastian. The combination of hake, clams, local teardrop peas (lágrima) and Txakoli white wine is very indulgent, and one that never fails to transport us back to that place and time. As teardrop peas can fetch a few hundred pounds per kilo in the UK, this recipe uses ordinary peas instead. Apart from that swap, we do everything else by the book, simply cooking each element as best we can to preserve the integrity of the dish.
Ingredients • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
1 bunch of green asparagus (8–10 spears) 1kg fresh thick hake fillet, trimmed, pin-boned and cut into 6 pieces 100g jamón butter (see page 262) 1 large banana shallot, finely diced 3 large garlic cloves, sliced 750g palourde clams, rinsed and cleaned 150ml Txakoli white wine (available in good independent wine shops) Extra virgin olive oil, for frying and sprinkling 2 tsp capers, from a jar Flour, for dusting Zest of 1 lemon 200g freshly podded peas or frozen peas Large handful of flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked and finely chopped
Method Trim the woody ends off the asparagus. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and cook the spears for 2 minutes. Drain and refresh in iced water, then chop into 3cm pieces. Set aside. Score the skin side of the hake fillets at 2cm intervals, then set aside. Heat the jamón butter in a sauté pan or saucepan over a medium heat until melted. Add the shallot and garlic, and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring until softened. When translucent and with the smell of cured ham in the air, turn the heat up to maximum for 20 seconds, then add the clams and wine. Stir, cover with a lid, and cook for 2 minutes. In the meantime, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a separate non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Season the hake with salt on each side, then place in the pan, skin-side down, and press with a spatula for the first 10
seconds. Cook for 4 minutes, then turn and cook for another 2 minutes. If you have a probe thermometer, the centre of the fish should register 50ºC. Transfer to a plate to rest.
warm the vegetables through and reduce the liquor even more. The clams should be fully open now. Discard any that aren’t. Turn the heat off and stir in the parsley.
Toss the capers in some flour, add them to the empty frying pan and cook for 2 minutes, until crispy. Drain on kitchen paper, then place in a bowl and mix in the lemon zest. Set aside. Remove the lid of the clam pan and keep the heat on high to evaporate the wine and clam liquor. After 2 minutes, add the peas and asparagus, then cook for another minute to
Dress with a little olive oil. Arrange the clams and vegetables on plates, then top with the hake fillets. Add a small spoonful of the caper and lemon zest mix to finish.
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Recipe from Bar 44 Tapas y Copas, Owen and Tom Morgan. Published by Seren. £25.00 Photo by Matt Inwood.
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Tyfu busnes trwy gydweithio Growing business through collaboration
We’ve supported over
Rydym wedi cefnogi dros
1,000
1,000
food and drink companies in Wales
o gwmniau g bwyd a diod yn Nghymru
Os ydych chi’n gynhyrchydd bwyd neu ddiod - gallwn ni eich helpu chi hefyd!
If you are a food or drink producer we can help you too!
Rydym yn gweithio gyda chynhyrchwyr ledled Cymru yn cynnig cefnogaeth a gwybodaeth i ddatblygu a thyfu busnes.
We work with producers from across Wales giving them support and the knowledge they need to develop and grow their business.
Cysylltwch â ni i weld sut gallwn ni eich helpu chi:
Get in touch with us to see how we can help you too:
cywain@menterabusnes.co.uk
Cronfa Amaethyddol Ewrop ar gyfer Datblygu Gwledig: Ewrop yn Buddsoddi mewn Ardaloedd Gwledig European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development: Europe Investing in Rural Areas
Tasty Morsels
Food and Drink
Food and drink reviews to tantalise your taste buds Do Goodly Dips – a delicious plant-powered addition to meals Llaneli-based Do Goodly Dips are on a mission to bring you healthy and delicious dips, whilst doing a bit of good in the world at the same time. Their range of products includes salsa, houmous, guacamole, and borani – each of which is created in Wales using zero artificial ingredients. 10% of the company’s profits go to the mental health charity Mind. Each of Do Goodly’s products is gluten free and suitable for veggies and vegans, meaning that everyone can enjoy them. We also love to see that their products are 100% plant-based, without any unnecessary additives. Here is what we thought of each of the dips: Superstar Salsa – A rich and intense salsa with a nice depth of flavour. More complex than some other salsas we’ve tried, this product has hints of cumin, cinnamon, and ginger in addition to the familiar zing of chilli, tomato, and citrus. We found that this dip paired especially well with other bold flavours and spicy foods. Mighty Beetroot Borani – This take on an Iranian delicacy has a bold and present beetroot flavour (the fresh kind – not pickled) with zesty lemon. This is followed by cumin, mint, and garlic, and finally a subtle, building heat. This one would be excellent added to a flatbread or wrap. Tasty Tomato and Bean Houmous – A cannellini bean houmous blended with tomato, lemon, and basil for a delicious Middle Eastern and Mediterranean flavour combo. The tomato gives this houmous a sweetish taste, which pairs very well with the citrus and the strong basil aftertaste. Definitely more-ish! Try them all with the variety pack for £10 from dogoodlydips.com (with free delivery).
Gasm Drinks – Wales’ answer to the Aperol spritz Sam and Richard Davies are the couple behind Gasm, a Montgomeryshire drinks company bringing you readymade sparkling wine cocktails infused with Welsh fruits. Inspired by a sloe gin and champagne drink which has been enjoyed for over two-hundred years by those in certain rural circles, Sam and Richard have made their own version of the cocktail – which they think is too good to be ‘confined to the back of Land Rovers and picnic baskets at the races’. Their signature blend is Sloeberry Gasm, a combination of prosecco from the Veneto region of Italy, high-quality spirit, and sloe juice. The
whole blend was created with the help of an expert sommelier, and the result is lovely. The cocktail is a sherry-red in colour, and has a warm, sweet aroma whilst maintaining a pleasingly dry palate. The moderate acidity of the wine combined with the tart sloeberry results in a balanced, easy-drinking cocktail which has notes of blackberry, cherry, and Chardonnay. A light and pleasant drink which combines the best features of sloe gin and prosecco to excellent effect – ideal for picnics or as an aperitif. Quite possibly Wales’ best answer to a Kir Royale or Aperol Spritz. £22.50 for 75cl bottle, available from gasmdrinks.co.uk
Hedgerow Honey – local honey from delectable nectar Hedgerow Honey are a family run bee-farm and honey producer based in North Wales and Shropshire. Wendy and John draw upon four generations of beekeeping experience in order to bring you the very best local Welsh honeys, produced by their bees using nectar from a variety of different flowers and wildflowers, each of which produces a unique flavour. We tried three of Hedgerow’s local honeys and were really impressed with each. First up was the Heather Honey, which is produced from a blend of Ling and Bell heather, creating a unique taste and aroma. This honey is dark in colour and has thicker consistency with some crystallisation. It possesses a strong aroma almost reminiscent of incense, and a heady, intense taste with hints of winter spices. Quite unlike any other honey you might have had, and definitely one to try. Next up was the Borage Honey, which is an all-around lighter and subtler honey than the Heather. This honey is very pale in colour, with a much runnier consistency than the other two, and a more delicate flavour profile. Sweet, subtly floral, and definitely delicious. Finally we tried the Wildflower Honey. This one sits between Borage and Heather both in terms of its colour and its consistency; it is a lovely goldenbrown and of medium viscosity. Unlike the other two products mentioned, Wildflower is derived from a wide range of flora and fauna found in North Wales, rather than one specific plant. The result is honey of medium sweetness with a truly layered and complex flavour profile, complete with floral and herbal notes. All of the Hedgerow Honey products mentioned can be purchased online from www.hedgerow-honey.co.uk (£6-7 per jar).
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Food and Drink
Bay Coffee Roasters – your new favourite blend? Nestled away on the Cardigan coastline you will find one of Wales’ best small-batch coffee companies, Bay Coffee Roasters. They offer a wide range of mediumroast coffees each made with high quality Arabica beans and roasted using renewable electricity. Some people are very specific about how they like their coffee roasted, and we think that Bay Roasters’ coffees strike a lovely balance between light and dark – bringing out the flavour of the coffee, whilst still creating a smooth drink which you can enjoy on a daily basis. We tried two coffees from Bay Roasters, Dawn Patrol and Sea Dog. Dawn Patrol is a bold, chocolatey, and full bodied South American blended coffee which we think would be perfect as a strong morning cup or in an espresso. It has notes of hazelnut and biscuit, but retains a bit of acidity (especially in espresso form). Sea Dog is another blended coffee, this time using Brazilian and Indonesian beans and with a slightly darker profile. A mellow, earthy roast with hints of caramel and a nice nuttiness. Delicious after meals. Both coffees and many, many more are available from baycoffeeroasters.com for approx. £7 per 250g bag.
44 Manzanilla – show-stopping sherry from Spain to Wales Manzanilla is a type of very dry fino sherry from Sanlúcar de Barrameda in southernmost Spain. One of the best respected producers (or ‘bodegas’) in the region is Bodegas Barón, founded in 1895. Tom and Owen Morgan of tapas restaurant group Bar 44 (with venues in Cardiff, Penarth, and Cowbridge) collaborated with Bodegas Barón in 2020 to produce 44 Manzanilla. This is the very first time Bodega Barón have made a bottle in collaboration with another brand, and the result is a fantastic sherry which is perfect for enjoying alongside tapas such as olives, almonds, or cured meat. It has proved very popular over the last couple of years; the first bottling sold out in under a fortnight and it has received ongoing attention and praise from both novices and sherrylovers since its release. 44 Manzanilla is a bone dry sherry – as is typical of this style – made from 100% Palomino grapes with a very clean and fresh palate. Expect fruity, herbal and citric notes including apple and lemon. A very smooth and refreshing drink which pairs excellently with a variety of foods. Available at specialist wine and sherry shops and online at mercado44.grupo44.co.uk – £17 for 75cl.
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Pen Y Bryn – get a loaf of this! Bara brith is one of Wales’ most iconic foods, with documents mentioning the ‘speckled bread’ dating back to at least the 18th century. However, despite its historic significance, bara brith has suffered from waning popularity in recent decades, and was removed from a number of supermarkets in the early 2000s due to poor sales. A recent revival of the tea-infused bread has occurred as a result of chefs and producers such as Bryn Williams incorporating it into their menus and products, often in exciting new ways – such as Williams’ signature bara brith souffle. Pen Y Bryn’s Honey Bara Brith represents another great reimagining of the classic. As a Welsh apiary and honey producer, Pen Y Bryn substitutes the conventional brown sugar used in bara brith for their very own honey. This results in a delicious loaf, slightly lighter and more golden in colour than traditional bara brith, and with a more complex flavour profile and a mellow sweetness. Spiced to perfection, packed full of fruit and so moist it hardly needs the customary layer of butter, this is one of the best examples of bara brith we have tried. Available from www.penybrynhoney.com
Stillers – anyone for a booze-free G&T? The Old Coach House Distillery in Monmouth was the world’s first completely alcohol-free spirits distillery. Now producing their copper pot distilled botanical drinks under the Stillers brand name, the distillery’s two blends, Celtic Myst and Silk Roots, provide compelling alternatives to traditional spirits for nondrinkers, designated drivers, or anyone else looking for a 0% tipple. All with no added flavours, colours, sugar or sweeteners. Stillers Celtic Myst is an excellent gin alternative, packed full of aromatic botanicals. It has strong notes of juniper, citrus, and rosemary on both the nose and palate, and smells very much like a traditional dry gin. Sipping with tonic water, one can also expect light herbs and citrus, for a pleasantly dry yet refreshing G&T experience, minus the alcohol. Stillers Silk Roots is a more robustly flavoured blend focussed around spices such as cardamom, cloves and cinnamon. It is a more punchy drink than Celtic Myst, and less reminiscent of a conventional gin, but those who enjoy the heady and warming qualities of these eastern spices will likely find much to love about it. Also great with a dash of tonic – though this one better suits a garnish of orange as opposed to lemon or lime. Both drinks stand up well either as a substitute for gin, or in their own right as a refined and grown up beverage bursting with complex botanical flavour. Available from stillersdrinks.com – £23.99 for 70cl.
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LEGENDARY | WELSH | HONEY
Award winning honey, delicious honey based jams, sauces and chutneys and honey by products. And new for 2022 – honey Bara Brith. Bees were introduced to the Edwards family when a swarm landed on a plum tree in the front garden of the farm back in the 1930’s and Welsh Black Bees continue to form the nucleus of our hives to this day. Pen Y Bryn Apiary Ty Cerrig, Ganllwyd, Dolgellau, Gwynedd, LL40 2TN Tel 07890512820 www.penybrynhoney.com www.taste-blas.co.uk
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All the beer and no idea Myfanwy Alexander I may have had a bit of an epiphany about beer as I emerged, like a sociable mole, from the hibernation of lockdown. I am of that generation which embraced tasteless lager as a pointless act of Oedipal rebellion: as we sat on the moquette banquettes cradling our gaseous halves of Arctic Light, we knew we were kicking against our fathers standing by the bar with their hoppy pints. Which actually tasted of something. Then, in my early adult life, the converts’ zeal of the whiskery champions of what was then called ‘Real Ale’ had me reaching for a bottle of Black Tower. And so I plodded my beerless way through life, having the odd bottle of Cobra in the Light of Asia or feeling myself on safer ground with a can of Carling when at parties hosted by friends not averse to mixing white wine with lemonade But beer was waiting for me and I recently found myself staring in disbelief at a pump which seemed to say ‘Mango IPA.’ It was indeed a fruit-flavoured ale and it was downright delicious. I have since got my laughing gear round a wide variety of these novel beers and many of my favourites are Welsh. With our water, we are off to a head start in the quest for good ales and as the gloomy spectre of ‘thou shalt not’ retreats and we revive the Welsh culture of our pubs, it is small wonder that so many beers now compete for the title ‘Prince of Ales.’ Given my predilection for a tropical fruit and my absurd local pride, I’ll have to start out with Green Man Growler Last Mango in Powys by Mantle Brewery which not only is fruity and delicious whilst rejoicing in a punning name but reminds us of the great synergy between Welsh beer and events. The National Eisteddfod may be an event with traditions steeped in non-conformity but today, the ability to meet friends over a pint is embedded in the experience. My Eisteddfod pint of choice has to have a Welsh name and what could be more appropriate than a pint of Tomos Watkin’s ‘Cwrw Haf,’ or Summer
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Beer? It’s light but full of flavour and the tangy scent is so evocative that I dare not pour myself a glass until at least October, when I will have recovered from PostEisteddfod Malaise. Of course, you don’t have to be in a field full of poets for the drinking of beer to be an event, a realisation which struck me as I found myself once more able to meet friends outside our own homes, that not only do pubs need beers, but beers need pubs. A well-kept draught beer is factorally different from its bottled cousin and I would almost go so far as to say that the difference is as great as between tinned and fresh peaches. I know great technical strides have been taken to make beer at home taste and have the same mouth feel as draught but there is still something about a freshly-drawn pint which keeps me going back to the pub. Like my fictional detective, I think a pint of Monty’s takes a lot of beating, a mischief most of the year and a seasonal special brew at Christmas. If you can keep your hands off your ales for long enough, they make versatile ingredients, including in our iconic national dish, Welsh Rarebit. I’ve been giving some of the great Welsh beers a culinary run out and Llangollen Brewery’s Twist and Stout makes a super-smooth version of the chocolate cake often made with an Irish brand. Safe as Milk, the Crafty Devil stout with the secret ingredient of Coal Town coffee, can give a sophisticated twist to the icing of a coffee cake, though keep an eye on the consistency. Polly’s Brew Sweet Treasure Sloe Sour turned some rather elderly ducks shot by a friend into a splendid casserole but by the time he called by with another brace, I’d polished off the Polly’s, I’m afraid. So, 2022 is going to be the Year of Beer, as far as I’m concerned, on the sofa, in the pub or rejoicing in returning Welsh events. Iechyd Da!
in Wales...
...DRAGON CAVERN AGED CHEDDAR HAS BEEN MATURING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LLANFAIR SLATE CAVERNS, ADDING A REAL DEPTH OF FLAVOUR TO OUR WELSH CHEESE. Made to a bespoke recipe at our creamery on the Llyn Peninsula, it is then transported to Llanfair Slate Caverns near Harlech and left to age deep within the cavern. This traditional ageing process takes place in the original mining caverns, which have been transformed into cheese caves. Made using only Welsh milk from our farmer cooperative members, our Welsh Cavern Aged Cheddar has true provenance and its story is steeped in Welsh history.
•
w
Deep Underground
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