Very, Very Tasty

Adam Rees sips and samples the newest food and drink in town

1. Penrhos gins

Border gins attain borderline perfection

Another artisan distillery doing great things to stand out in the gin market. Out of a small copper distillery on a family farm on the Marches, the award-winning Penrhos original and rhubarb gins both exude enough quality to justify their premium status while being smooth and sophisticated enough for newcomers to enjoy. Th e rhubarb variety isn’t as sweet as its competitors, opting instead for a clever infusion of home grown berries, fruit and a peppery aroma. Extremely easy on the pallet, it’s a pleasant complement to a summer fruit dessert. Th e core fl avours of the original combine perfectly for one of the best gins we’ve ever tasted, a classic taste whether neat or with a top-shelf mixer. Hints of rose petal and a full wash of blueberry makes it a perfect all-rounder yet with plenty of its own character.

Buy it at: penrhosspirits.co.uk Price: £34-£38.95

2. Merlin Cheeses

Fictional tales meet real fl avours

Originally founded using goats milk in Pontrhydygroes, Ceredigion, Gill Bateman’s familyrun producers have since expanded to both cow and buff alo milk products, with this Arthurian range made from the former. With 13 varieties based on characters from Britain’s most famous legends, each adorned with a diff erent heraldic sigil already gets our food senses buzzing before we carve into the waxy wheel. However, the nutty, succulent cheddar is the real winner, oozing creamy taste across the board. Some of the most notable are the villainous Sir Mordred living up to its moniker with punchy mustard seed and Sir Galahad’s moreish combination of rosemary and sun-dried tomato. Sir Caradoc meanwhile is the Holy Grail, with its explosion of mint adding a revelatory addition to any cheese board or favourite snack.

Buy it at: merlincheeses.wordpress.com/shop Price: £4 per cheese

3. From Our Farm Biltong

Beef connoisseurs turn curers with outstanding results

Aft er breeding cattle on a self-suffi cient Pembrokeshire farm for four generations, Rachel and Michael George decided to have a go at making biltong just two years ago. Aft er experimenting with a homemade dryer From Our Farm is now turning out exceptional, awardwinning products. Coming in Chilli and Original fl avours, neither relies on the additional seasoning, with the original’s mix in particular barely discernible. Instead the fl avour of the beef is left alone to be the headline act. Chunkier and juicier than much of the competition, they’re more akin to Sunday roast left overs, and will have you scouring the bottom of the pouch for remaining morsels. With such impeccable results aft er just two dozen months, who knows what great things could be achieved in the future.

4. Wye Valley Mead

Intriguing melding of the traditional and modern tastes

An alternative to craft lager or cider this summer, this Meadery from the Wye Valley is putting a refreshing twist on an ancient recipe. Using their own honey and crops for three distinct fl avours of mead that up the levels of sweetness with each. Th e Pale colour and lightly sparkling Honey and Hops is more like a wine than a beer, with the hops giving a fl oral scent as well as grape, grapefruit and pear that linger. Th e Honey and Elderfl ower has a distinct aroma, with more sweetness and honey coming to the fore along with ripe mango. Th e golden Honey and Rhubarb meanwhile has a candy sensation and hint of citrus that’s ideal for a post-dinner summer chill. We really recommend pairing them with goat’s cheese, Manchego and nuts for a real complementary delicacy.

Four curry favourites for home-cooked perfection

Pembrokeshire couple Pete and Cathy Heritage don’t pretend to be chefs, but have turned their passion for delicious home cooking into this handy collection of spices to encourage others to follow their lead. Each pot is enough for 10 servings and comes with instructions for making the most out of the herbs and spices, and once you start using them you’ll see they’re actually excellent value to boot. Naturally the Red and Green Thai spices pack a decent poke, with the former’s cayenne kick coming to the fore and the latter combining with coconut milk for a soulful curry. The Korma has a lot more flavour than you get from your average takeaway or supermarket fare, but it’s the Jalfrezi that tickled our tongues the most with its tangy flavour and lingering heat.

Buy it from: discoverdelicious.wales Price: £12.50 for four pots

7. Cariad Bakery

Gluten-free sweet treats with flavour at their heart

I doubt there’s a more fitting name for Sara Sharpe’s sweet-toothed bakery with its delectable gluten-free treats that are great for the heart and soul. Cariad Bakery is the result of Sara’s personal quest, thanks to gluten and dairy intolerance, for treats that are healthy but taste great. Key are coconut sugar; ewe’s milk (from Anglesey), which contains a form of lactose which humans can digest easily; and the wondersupplement, spirulina. But all this would count for little if they didn’t taste great. And they certainly do. ‘Cariads’, moreish little balls of goodness in strawberry, raspberry and blueberry that are great to graze on; ewe’s milk chocolate and Anglesey chilli fudge that’s as good as any fudge I’ve tasted before; and the coup de grace, a divinely rich Brownie Boule with home-made Salted Caramel centre and Halen Mon salt – a sweet, subtly salty, smooth as silk interior encased in thick dark chocolate. Marvellous.

Buy it from: www.cariadbakery.cymru Price: Six Brownie Boules for £22.50

9. Popty Bakery

Welsh favourites in award-winning hands

Traditional Welsh loafs and cakes made in the shadow of Snowdonia’s peaks for over a century is a quintessentially evocative image of our nation’s cuisine. Popty Bakery has a range of top treats, with the shortcake biscuits a particularly buttery, crumbly version of the British snack. The Welshcakes meanwhile have a delightful texture and aren’t stingy on the fruit, while the similar Jam Splits (plain Welshcakes with jam in the middle) have only a slither of fruity spread, letting the flavourful, chalky cake do the heavy lifting. But it’s the bara brith fruit cake, winner of the Bakery Product of the Year prize at the inaugural Co-op Welsh Supplier Awards last year that stands out. Malty, moist and favouring fruit over spice, it’s more than worthy of its accolade.

Delicious Welsh beer bursting with national pride

With fire-breathing dragons, lines from Cwm Rhondda and a tag as ‘The Pride of the Celts’, Wrexham Lager isn’t subtle in reminding you where its inspiration comes from. Though made in a new micro-brewery in the town centre, the brand was started by 19th-century German immigrants and the modern-day equivalent continues to use the same ingredients and recipe as past generations. The results are the traditional 4 % WXM Lager – that was supposedly sold on board Titanic – and the punchy 5% Export. The former’s crisp, fresh taste is certainly reminiscent of the German origins the original was founded on, and is deserving of its success with gallons of the stuff being sold to date. The latter follows suit, proving a lot easier and refreshing on the palette than much of its competition, opting for smoothness over pungent flavours, with both doing their homeland proud.

Buy it from: chesterbeerandwine.co.uk Price: £1.90 per 330ml bottle

8. Radnor Preserves Pink Gin Marmalade

When breakfast is the most indulgent meal of the day

Boasting a collection of luxurious preserves, the Caersws producers have recently been turning heads and acquiring accolades. To celebrate an awardstrewn 2018 they’ve released a nine-jar box of their most luxurious flavours, and released the decadent Pink Gin variety. Even as you pop the lid the aroma is immediately arresting, while the thick chunks of fruit spread on toast, muffin or whatever takes your fancy make for a sinful breakfast treat. Naturally the pink grapefruit gives an instant sharp kick, while the Brecon Botanicals Gin isn’t overt, balanced out by a splash of Angostura Bitters. A review saying Radnor Preserves’ marmalade was good enough for James Bond must have gone to their heads during its creation, and it’s all the better for it.

10. Celteg Elderflower Wine Vinegar

A light fruity base for those summer salad dressings

With awards aplenty over their brief history, these Ceredigion wine specialists are among our favourite recommendations for those looking for individualistic Welsh products. We’ve tried a few of Celteg’s alcoholic offerings before, including the potent Shipp’s Tipple liqueur and more recently their aromatic Elderflower Wine. The company also has a range of preserves and vinegars, including the Elderflower Wine’s brethren, suited to a fresh salad as you’re enjoying a cool glass of its alcoholic companion. A light alternative to other vinegars or oils used as dressings with its crisp flavour and sweet finish. There’s still plenty of taste from the locally picked fruits packed into each drizzle, making it a versatile addition to other foods, desserts, even cocktails or as a dip for some rustic bread.

Buy it from: celticwines.co.uk Price: £3.95 per 250ml

12. Coco Pzazz Chocolate buttons

Sweet treats live up to their glamorous moniker

We’re spoilt for choice in this land when it comes to top confectionary, with Wickedly Welsh and Nomnom as innovative as they are impressive. Coco Pzazz are another balancing Wonka-esque invention with awardwinning results out of their Powys factory. If you’re looking for simply excellent chocolate, you can pick up the Milk (Valley Blend) and dark (Mountain Blend) bars which you can attempt but probably fail to savour one square at a time, while the divine Coast Blend Sea Salt Caramel Chocolate is awash with favour. However it’s on their range of giant buttons where the shackles have been thrown off, for some wild combinations, from Bucks Fizz to Bara Brith. The salty SpicedOrange takes the classic pairing and assaults it with even more flavour, while the Great Taste-winning Mochaccino’s is as smooth as a barista espresso hit.

Buy it from: cocopzazz.co.uk Price: £3.35 per 96g bags

13. Pembrokeshire Sea Salt Co

Harvesting their product from a quiet cove on the Dinas Island Peninsula, this company’s salt has been commended by award-winning chefs for its quality and purity. While a basic jar of sea salt should be an indispensable item in every kitchen, there are some quirky takes to give your seasoning an extra kick or two. The Sea Salt with Chilli and with Sichuan Pepper add increasing levels of poke, while those looking for a really decadent extra need look no further than the Saffron and Black Truffle varieties. While the vibrant green of the potent, fragrant Wild Garlic brand is an attractive proposition, it’s got nothing on the charcoalblack Squid Ink sat, which adds a really powerful bite to any dish when regular salt just won’t cut it.

11. Blaenavon Cheddar Company

Going underground the key to overground conquest

A mainstay of food fairs in Wales and nearby, anyone who’s tasted a Blaenavon cheese can certainly testify to its renown. The Pwll Mawr mature cheddar forms the cornerstone of the company’s roster, left 300ft underground in Big Pit coal mine to develop its impeccable, rich flavour. For our money it’s one of the best cheddars in Britain, and though you could pair with all manner of chutneys or drinks, we’re more than happy eating half a truckle of it on its own at any time. Teaming up with other prominent Welsh names, the none-more Welsh Pwll Du has the bite of leeks, mustard and Brains beer at its heart, while another of our favourites is the exceptional oak-smoked Pwll Mawr – slightly dearer but more than worth it.

Buy it from: chunkofcheese.co.uk Price: £5 per 200g truckle

14. Morgan’s Brew Tea

Since its inception in Welshpool in 2006 when they were tasked to make a respectable cup of home brew for their customers, Morgan’s has gone on to offer a celebrated 45 different varieties of tea. While the aforementioned Morgan’s Brew attains the classic taste with its East African leaves, we’re keen on mintier and sweeter options. The Spearmint is one of the most brisk cups we’ve tasted in a while, with its penetrating blast of fresh taste and smooth finish. The Blackcurrant and Cherry Rhubarb flavours meanwhile pack a hell of a lot of sweetness and tart qualities even after a short brew, with the latter’s mixture of citrus and apple flavours offering a tantalising array of tastes to pick up on.

Buy it from: morgansbrewtea.co.uk Price: From £5 per 100g bag

15. Two Dogs Coffee

From their roasting house in Treorchy that’s also home to their terriers (hence the name), John and Sian Bowen offer a selection of beans and blends from across the coffee-growing world. For the more casual drinker, the Brazil Santos RFA is a sweet medium roast, with both chocolatey and nutty notes that’s nourishing at any time of the day. Those looking for a bit more of a bite should have a sniff at the Uganda Cherry Robusta that’s both strong and smooth with stiff tones of syrupy sweetness and a creamy finish. Their two house blends, unsurprisingly, are named after the loyal pups Jack and Gelert, with the lighter blend of the former having plenty of vitality while the latter offering a softer, caress of flavours and caffeine. Another excellent Welsh coffee company born out of passion and graft.

Blaenafon Cheddar company is a family business that produces some of Wales’ most awarded handmade cheddar cheeses. Our unique, signature cheese is a Mature Cheddar aged 300ft below ground in Big Pit mining museum for exceptional flavour. By using a selection of ingredients within our flavoured cheeses, from all over Wales we can lead you on a taste experience from south Wales to Cardiff, Swansea, mid Wales, up to the North and a quick delicious hop over to Anglesey. Ales, beer, cider, mustards & chillies, Whisky & Brandy are mixed into our cheeses to give a real tongue tingling experience. Our products are available online from www.chunkofcheese.co.uk. We give talks & cheese presentations to various groups & associations. Coach parties welcomed for a Taste of Wales Event via pre booking only £20pp.

Call in and see us for a Welsh Cheesy Welcome!

The Blaenafon Cheddar Company, 79 -80 Broad Street, Blaenavon NP49NF Tel 01495 793123/ 07886388573. Open Mon to Friday 9-5pm (Sat from Nov) Seasonal Sat 10-2pm

To advertise in the only magazine devoted to food and drink in Wales call Paul on 029 2019 0224.

The guaranteed way to reach lovers of food and drink in Wales