About the Book
Colin Pressdee revisits Wales to find the best places to eat, taste and buy local produce and find the rich diversity of foods from the coutryside, coastline and sea. He seeks out those who are committed to preserving the environment using ethical farming and fishing methods to sustain the produce of the countryside and stocks from the sea.He finds a host of natural and organic foods, and many new local and farmers' markets and companies selling online. He meets genuine producers committed to sustainability, and chefs using naturally farmed, fished and foraged food in their true season.
Table of Contents:
Page 6 - Introduction Page 10 - North Wales Page 12 - About the area Page 18 - Food of the area Page 24 - Where to eat Page 34 - Where to buy and producers Page 46 - Mid Wales Page 48 - About the area Page 54 - Food of the area Page 58 - Where to eat Page 64 - Where to buy and producers Page 72 - South West Wales Page 74 - About the area Page 80 - Food of the area Page 86 - Where to eat Page 94 - Where to buy and producers Page 108 - South East Wales Page 110 - About the area Page 114 - Food of the area Page 118 - Where to eat Page 126 - Where to buy and producers Page 134 - Seasonal timeline Page 136 - A-Z of Welsh food Page 152 - Recipes Page 184 - Farmers markets Page 186 - Food festivals Page 188 - Index
About the Author :
Colin Pressdee is a writer and broadcaster, regularly presenting on Great Food Live, UKTV Food Channel and BBC Radio Wales. He has written several articles for national press such as the Observer, The Times and BBC Good Food Magazine. He has also been a member of the judging panel at the 'Wales the True Taste Food and Drink Awards' for several years. This fresh take on traditional restaurant guides follows on from the success of his latest cookery book, Food Wales - a second helping.
Review :
Revised edition of the popular Food Wales book, Colin Pressdee revisits the best places to eat, taste and buy local produce. In his journey he explores the rich diversity of foodstuffs available from the countryside, coastline and sea such as artisan cheeses from Pembrokeshire, mussels from Bangor, Welsh Black beef from mid Wales and salmon from the River Wye. More Food Wales features producers, farmers’ markets, shops and places to eat where local foods are available throughout Wales, the UK and online. The book includes an index of contact details for all those featured. More Food Wales is an excellent guide to the best food and dining Wales has to offer.
Three years after the first edition of Food Wales, accomplished food writer Colin Pressdee offers us a sumptuous ‘second helping’ from a country whose food industry is flourishing; where organic farming is blossoming; primary production, particularly dairy, increasing; and where people are more aware of supporting local food, growers and producers.
As well as being a visual feast, with the high quality photography and design which are a distinctive feature of Graffeg publications, it is a practical and useful reference guide for anyone interested in producers, retailers and, of course, where to eat all this wonderful food. The book is helpfully divided into four regions with their own specialities – each section giving a description of the area and its countryside; the food of the region; where to eat and buy produce and where producers are located.
In north Wales, the author takes us on a culinary journey from the mussel beds of the Menai Straits; to lobster and crab fishing on the Llŷn Peninsula; blue cheese from Gorau Glas, Halen sea salt and beef from Anglesey, and back on the mainland – Snowdonia lamb, delicacies such as Harvies pies from Nercwys, top quality meat from Edwards the butcher in Conwy, and the Conwy brewery.
Mid-Wales is distinguished for the trawlers and potting boats catching lobster, crab, scallops as well as fishing for bass, mackerel and, in season, the delicate tasting sewin. It is also rich in beef, lamb, pork and dairy production – with a keen interest in cheese production including Teifi farmhouse cheeses; Trethowan’s dairy, and newcomer Caws Mynydd Du based near Talgarth at the foot of the Black mountains and developing a distinctive taste from using ewe’s milk.
South-west Wales boasts sustainable fisheries as well as lamb, beef and dairy products from its rich pastures. Specialities mentioned here include laverbread and cockles from the producers at Penclawdd; Calon Wen organic dairy produce; cheeses from a growing list of small scale and artisan cheese makers, and numerous farms specializing in beef production from a range of British and continental breeds.
Finally we reach south-east Wales with the highest density of food manufacturing and places to consume the food of Wales, but also with its own primary production in Monmouthsire and the Vale of Glamorgan. As well as the large scale food manufacturing companies, the author brings smaller companies such as The Authentic Curry Company, Abergavenny fine foods and Castle Dairies of Caerphilly to our attention, all of which make a point of utilizing Welsh primary produce such as Welsh Black beef and Welsh dairy produce. In this region too are the rivers heading towards the Bristol Channel and running with salmon in season. Sadly, Pressdee notes, healthy salmon stocks have been on the decline – due to lack of water quality on spawning rivers, poaching on the Wye and other rivers, and general over-exploitation. Strict restrictions on fishing are in place in an attempt to regenerate stocks.
Each section rounds off with a varied list of places to eat in all of the four regions of Wales as well as full information on its markets, shops and producers. It concludes with an A–Z of Welsh food, a tantalizing selection of recipes, a seasonal timeline so you know what to look for when, a calendar of food festivals throughout the year and dates for farmers’ markets throughout the country.
This is an excellent guide which maintains a sensitive balance between indulging in the best and finest food in Wales and enjoying its simplicity. From haute cuisine to small organic cafe, the emphasis is always on natural quality produce, care for the environment in which it is grown, fished, reared and sold, and supporting the local and small-scale businesses.
