Winter really begins in November as the evenings are dark following the end of British summer time. Following immediately after Halloween fireworks and bonfire parties bring a cheer to the evenings, and it's really the last al fresco party of the year. Around the bonfire hot punch and warming food are required and there's nothing better than delicious hot dogs for such a party. It's a good idea to have a separate barbecue on which both sausages can be cooked and rolls warmed up to make a first class hot dog.
The class of the hot dog depends on the quality of the sausages, good bread rolls, crispy fried onions and tasty sauces and relishes. It's good to know that best quality bangers can now be purchased from many butchers in Wales
Edwards of Conwy, winners of the Country Store Gold True Taste/Gwir Flas Award 2002, have a purpose built factory on Anglesey producing their range of sausages, black puddings, and curing bacon. Their retail shop in High Street Conwy is worthy of a detour when travelling through North Wales, for food of the highest quality, ranging from home baked bread to finest Welsh Black beef. Online shopping is also possible by visiting their website and delivery is within 24 hours
www.edwardsofconwy.co.uk
Tel: 01492 592443
In Mid Wales Welshpool's answer to Harrods Food Hall is Langfords Food Hall that has been the project of enterprising butcher John Langford. This magnificent food emporium stocks every food and is particularly renowned for highest quality Welsh meats, local poultry, bacon and ham - even cheeses and smoked products - and most of all for its quality sausages. His Montgomery Lamb Mint and garlic sausage was 1999 champion, but he's equally known for finest quality traditional pork sausages that also come in a wide range of flavours.
www.langfordsfoodhall.co.uk
Tel: 01938 552331
In South Wales a magnificent country store is found in the heart of Carmarthenshire in the dissected village of St Clairs. Eynons of St Clairs has a wonderful range of meats particularly specialising in salt marsh lamb. They have a selection of cooked meals from their own kitchens that include many meat and game dishes. They cure their own bacon and all their prepared meats and sausages are of highest quality. The large shop has a wide range of foods and luxuries ideal for Christmas presents.
www.eynons.co.uk
Free call 0800 731 5816
High quality organic meats and sausages are available from two of the most enterprising business in Wales, both of whom are organic specialists. Meat and sausages have a truly natural flavour as the pastures that the livestock grazes is totally unblemished by pesticides and artificial fertilisers. The development of the meat is slower, but the intensity of flavour is far greater, and the meat is more textured.
The House of Rhug, winner of a Bronze True Taste/Gwir Flas Award in 2002, is the largest organic estate in Britain. They now have a very successful estate shop selling their own organic products and others, plus a snack bar and coffee shop. Organic beef, lamb and pork is reared on the estate, and also the finest quality turkeys for the Christmas market. It is advisable to book one of these now. Visit their farm shop near Corwen on the A5 in the beautiful Dee Valley, or their website.
www.rhugorganic.com
Tel: 01490 413000
Graig Farm Organics won the Gold True Taste/Gwir Flas Organic Award in 2002. They are based at Dolau near Llandrindod Wells, in Powys. Their website is well worth a visit.
www.graigfarm.co.uk
01597 851655
Recipe
Welsh sausage hot dog
Will feed a party of 6 - 8
1 kilo prime quality sausages of choice
250g onions, sliced
1 teaspoon Anglesey sea salt
2 dessertspoons oil
a few sage leaves or a pinch dried
freshly milled pepper
6 ciabatta bread 'slippers'
6 teaspoons mild mustard
Chutneys and relishes of choice
Heat the barbecue, or a large pan or grill if cooking inside, to medium, not too hot. Grill or fry the sausages turning them to colour evenly for about 10 minutes until golden brown. Put on a tray to keep warm lightly covered with foil. Meantime fry the onions in a large pan in the oil sprinkled with sea salt over a medium heat for 15 - 20 minutes, stirring regularly adding the chopped sage until golden brown. Halve the ciabatta laterally, cutting three quarters of the way through, then open slightly to give a good pocket, then cut in half or three (depending on size of ciabatta) so each will make two or three parcels. Heat the ciabatta on the grill or in the oven for a short while, just to slightly crispen. Spread a little mustard onto the bottom of the pocket of the ciabatta, and spread on a little fried onion. Halve the sausages lengthways and put two pieces onto the onion, topping with a little more. Then add the relishes of choice, close the pocket pressing down lightly, and enjoy eating these with your hands.
These can be kept warm on a tray lightly covered with foil either on the barbecue, under a low grill or in a low oven.
Cheese of the Month
Nantybwla
Nantybwla Farm on the outskirts of Carmarthen is a family business headed by Edward and Eiddwen Morgan. They make cheese in several styles from their herd of Erie Holsteins. The two basic cheeses are a Caerphilly and Cheddar, both are pressed cheeses made in traditional 4 kilo rounds. The style is a younger medium mature cheese with an easy, natural flavour. The Cheddar is slightly crumbly and Caerphilly has the typical astringency but backed by rich creaminess.
Mini cheeses weighing 400g in traditional truckle shape, some wax dipped to retain freshness. They also make flavoured cheeses in a limited number of styles that include laverbread, garlic and chives, and a particularly flavoursome smoked Caerphilly. These are available in both sizes.
Their latest cheese launched this year is a fresh, unpressed curd cheese, set in 200g flat rounds the size of a camembert. This is a natural, fresh young cheese for those who prefer less-strong flavours. It is particularly good diced in salads, or served with fruits, and for making cheesecakes. It's also flavoured with laverbread or garlic and chives just to give a, extra savoury tang that is so good with starter and vegetarian dishes.
Nantybwla cheeses are widely available throughout Wales from Castell Howell, Vin Sullivan, and Caws Cymru, and in Carmarthen Market
Caws Nantybwla Farmhouse Cheese
Nantybwla Farm
College Road
Carmarthen SA31 3QS
01267 237905
Recipe
Laverbread cheese salad
Serves 4
Preparation time 15 minutes
200g round curd cheese with laverbread
1 pack mixed salad leaves
1 pack rocket
4 sun dried tomatoes in oil
1 dessertspoon capers
100g Carmarthen ham
Chopped fresh parsley
Sauce
1 teaspoon mustard
20 ml teaspoons cider vinegar
10 ml oil from tomatoes
30 ml olive oil
seasoning
Put all sauce ingredients into a jar with well fitting lid and shake well to emulsify. Wash and dry leaves if necessary and put in a large bowl. Pour over a little of the sauce and gently toss the salad to lightly coat the leaves. Arrange on four plates. Cube or crumble the cheese and sprinkle over the salad. Snip the tomatoes evenly over the top, and top with snipped ham capers and parsley. Serve remaining sauce separately. Note: the ham can be grilled crispy to give a crunch, and the capers deep fried crisp for extra flavour. Omit the ham for a vegetarian dish.
