As we now welcome warmer temperatures and lighter days, some of you might also celebrate Beltane, which is one of the four main Celtic seasonal festivals, and marks the beginning of Summer. Also known as Calan Mai here in Wales, after a cold and barren winter, the community would gather to dance, sing, feast and light bonfires to celebrate the coming of warmth, abundance and light. Someone who knows these ancient holidays and traditions like the back of her hand is owner and creator of Welsh Witch, Jade Garston. The Wild Moon Distillery sits on the outskirts of Wrexham, where the unique an ..read more

In 1997, when Alison and David Lea-Wilson left a saucepan of seawater boiling on their Aga they could never have guessed how this most basic of kitchen chores would transform their lives. “As the salt crystals started to form, we knew we’d struck culinary gold,” the Anglesey-based couple, whose family business is one of the Welsh food and drink industry’s biggest success stories, recall. Fast forward a quarter of a century and Halen Môn / Anglesey Sea Salt is enjoyed by chefs and food lovers alike. The product is among a growing list from Wales to attain coveted GI status that enables con ..read more

Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 15 mins Serves 2   Ingredients ·    2 PGI Welsh Beef sirloin steaks (can use other steaks) ·    1 tbsp oil ·    Knob of butter ·    Seasoning   For the sauce: ·    1 tbsp oil ·    25g butter ·    6 medium mushrooms ·    1 onion, finely chopped ·    1 tbsp plain flour ·    1 glass red wine ·    2 tbsp brandy ·    200ml rich beef stock ·    3 tomatoes, chopped ·&n ..read more

Now that the golden hosts of daffodils are gracing parks and gardens we can properly celebrate spring and, as the days lengthen, anticipate brighter days to come. And if you can’t wait for summer itself I have a way of foretasting its sunny pleasures. Have an early ice-cream or two. This obviously calorie-laden plan came to me after my youngest daughter Onwy insisted we should check out this place on Cardiff Bay’s Mermaid Quay. All her friends had been raving about it and then raving some more. So, on a gloomy day of pewter clouds and pelting rain we went down to Llanfaes Dairy’s outlet and ..read more

Connoisseurs of food and drink are waking up to the fact Welsh produce has come a long way since the period when hardy perennials of Bara Brith, Caerphilly Cheese, and Welsh Lamb and Cawl dominated our national menu. And while Covid threatened to throw an almighty spanner in the works, businesses are now adapting to the post-pandemic market to ensure Welsh food and drink offers a broader range of quality food products with a wider reach than ever before – both at home and abroad. If ‘Together Stronger’ was the slogan that helped transform the Wales men’s football team from plucky under-achiev ..read more

AS Wales continues to meet the challenges following the twin storms of Brexit and Covid, the fact our food and drink exports are netting a bigger percentage increase than the whole of the UK proves a thriving economy will overcome significant hurdles. And just as the Wales rugby squad confounded the doom-mongers with a record to be proud of in their Rugby World Cup campaign, the Wales food and drink industry continues to go from strength to strength. A key catalyst for success has been the Welsh Government’s current Export Action Plan. Launched in 2020 as part of its economic strategy, it cat ..read more

When it comes to spirits, gin is undoubtedly having more than a moment in the spotlight. And while you may be familiar with classic London Dry or juniper-forward gins, there’s a hidden gem in the world of craft spirits. Let us take you on a flavourful journey through the lush landscapes of Wales to discover unique, small batch Welsh gins. 1. Dyfi Distillery - Hibernation Gin Tucked away in the heart of the UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve in Dyfi Valley, Dyfi Distillery has been making waves in the world of craft gin. Their Hibernation Gin is a testament to their commitment to local and seasona ..read more

From the mountains to the sea, Wales has long been known as a land abundant with beautiful food. And in today’s food scene - with its focus on artisanship, sustainability and provenance - the nation is showing it can compete with the best in the world in terms of quality and taste. With support from the Welsh Government, Welsh food firms have flourished in their communities, as well as on a national and global scale. Nothing could demonstrate this more clearly than this year’s best-ever crop of Great Taste award-winners, with the nation taking home a record number of wins across the one-, two ..read more

New social awareness paves surefire path to success By Mike Lewis “IT was never – and still isn’t – about money.” Richard Jones, co-owner of an award-winning Carmarthenshire bee farm, is busy explaining the sustainability ethos behind a thriving rural business that produces five tonnes of raw Welsh carbon neutral honey per year from different parts of the country – all from a disused coal mine in Llangennech. Having taken up beekeeping in 2004, Richard developed Fferm Cilgwenyn Bee Farm with fellow beekeeper Rhodri Owen driven by ‘a steadfast belief in helping the environment and providing th ..read more

Following a two year hiatus, the popular Pembrokeshire Street Food Festival will return this year, and will be held on Tenby’s South Beach over the third weekend of June (17th – 19th). Serving up street food dishes from around the globe, this event is a perfect fit for those who love to try new flavours, as well as indulging in some familiar favourites. Food stalls already announced as part of this year’s line up include an Afghan food stand, wood-fired pizza, gourmet brownies and artisanal cheesecake – with many more are yet to be announced. With such a broad range of traders attending the e ..read more