A warm welcome awaits visitors to the Welsh Assembly Government stand at this year’s Royal Welsh Winter Fair, taking place next Monday and Tuesday, 26-27 November 2007.
Assembly staff at the stand, in the Glamorgan Hall, will be on hand throughout the Fair to answer any queries visitors may have. The importance of biosecurity is the main theme for the stand, a particularly relevant topic given the high profile of animal diseases during 2007.
Rural Affairs Minister Elin Jones is attending the Winter Fair on Tuesday.
One of the highlights of the Winter Fair is the Food Hall, which has become one of ‘the’ places to stock up on food and drink for the festive season, and the Food Hall at this year’s Royal Welsh Winter Fair will be no exception.
The Welsh Assembly Government managed Food Hall will feature over 40 food and drink producers under the True Taste banner and showcase some of the best products from across Wales.
Visitors can taste and buy a whole host of produce as well as learn more about Welsh food and drink.
The benefits of having such a high profile ‘shop window’ at such a renowned two-day event - which last year attracted just under 27,000 visitors - cannot be underestimated.
Elin Jones said: “Wales is most often associated with its famous lamb and beef, but in recent years the food scene here has really taken off. A huge variety of food and drink is now made in Wales, and this is evident from the selection available in the Food Hall.
“I urge everyone in Wales to buy as much Welsh produce as possible this Christmas. By doing so, you are getting fresh, seasonal produce that has not had to travel hundreds or thousands of miles to your plate.
“You are also supporting the Welsh economy, and Welsh farmers who have had a tough year because of restrictions imposed due to Foot and Mouth Disease, Bluetongue and Avian Flu outbreaks in England.
“Visiting the Winter Fair, or another Christmas festival or farmers’ market is a fun way to do your Christmas shopping and get into the spirit. The Welsh Assembly Government is supporting 42 food festivals this year and has provided £400,000 towards their promotion.”
Among exhibitors at the Winter Fair is The Blaenafon Cheddar Company with its new Christmas pudding cheddar made with luxury fruit and Black Mountain liqueur along with slate cheese boards from the Berwyn Slate company.
Mini ice-cream Christmas puddings dipped in chocolate will be on offer courtesy of Llanfaes Dairy, and a new festive take on the Glamorgan Sausage with chestnuts and cranberries will be available from the Unusual Food Company along with a wild boar and wild mushroom pasty in a cream and Dijon mustard sauce made only for the Winter Fair.
Meanwhile The Patchwork Traditional Food Company has a host of seasonal flavours with their limited editions festive pates and dishes such as partridge and pear pate with sloe gin.
New to the Food Hall is Whitland-based Cow Pots Ice Cream which makes delicious ice cream from the farm’s own Jersey herd.
Also making its first appearance - not just in the Food Hall but to the public - will be The Pudding Compartment Ltd from Conwy which is being launched at the Winter Fair. Visitors will be able to try and buy the company’s fruity Christmas pudding, and hear about its plans to offer soon a further range of puddings to suit to all seasons and occasions.
Liqueur company, Condessa will be showing its new chocolate liqueur truffles, while Elan Valley Mutton will provide some winter warmth with its mutton cawl. While Adwell Foods will have a new range of fruit teas.
A new Cadog Triple Cheddar pack will be available from Dairy Farmers of Britain, and Evan Rees Butter will be showing its new Hollybush spreadable and Hollybush Welsh butters.
Goats milk confectionary company, Kid Me Not, will be launching its chocolate - including festive shapes and fresh goats cream champagne truffles - at the Fair, while Organic Aran Lamb showing its new lamb and mint sausages and lamb faggots.
South Caernarfon Creameries will be launching Old Shire with Leek and showcasing its Welsh Rarebit Cheese, and confectionary company Pembertons will have a giant Christmas tree shaped box containing 198 chocolates.
The Welsh Mustard Company has a new Welsh honey mint sauce, and Penlon Cottage Brewery will be launching its new beer, Torwen.
The new Penderyn Peated Single Malt Whisky will be featured by The Welsh Whisky Company, and the Tipyn Bach Chocolate Company will be showing its new small chocolate bars featuring their own blend of dark chocolate - Aur Du.
A list of Christmas food events and producers can be found at:
www.walesthetruetaste.com
Events include:
The Llandudno Celtic Winter Fair, 21-25 November
Aberystwyth Arts Centre Christmas Fair, 24 November
Brecon Beacons Chrismtas Fair, Brecon town centre, 24 November
Llandysul Christmas Fair, 30 November
Caerphilly Christmas Market, 8-9 December
Carmarthen Journal Buy Local Food and Drink Festival, 15 December
Aberystwyth Christmas Food and Drink Fair, 15 December
Companies exhibiting in the Royal Welsh Winter Fair Food Hall
For more details about products please contact:
Adwell Foods Ltd/Welsh Brew Tea
Tel: 01792 3663391
The Authentic Curry Company
Tel: 01685 810044
Black Mountains Smokery Ltd
Tel: 01873 811566
The Blaenafon Cheddar Company
Tel: 01495 793123
Caws Nantybwla Farmhouse Cheese
Tel: 01267 237905
Celtic Country Wines
Tel: 01239 85 8888
Celtic Spirit Co Ltd
Tel: 01873 735770
Cheeses From Wales Ltd
Tel: 01974 282 572
Condessa
Tel: 01407 730021
Cow Pots Ice Cream
Tel: 01994 240434
Dairy Farmers of Britain
Tel: 08700 108191
Dewi Roberts Butchers
Tel: 01558 822566
Elan Valley Mutton
Tel: 01597 811240
Evan Rees Butter Ltd
Tel: 01792 310567
The Farmhouse Pantry
Tel: 01982 551070
Gwinllan Ffynnon Las Vineyard
Tel: 01545 570234
Gwynt Y Ddraig Cider Ltd
Tel: 07966 535026
Homemade Country Preserves
Tel: 01437 731553
In a Pickle
Tel:01656 729305
Kid Me Not
Tel: 01558 685935
Llanfaes Dairy
Tel: 01874 625892
Maeth o Faldwyn
Tel: 01654 700397
Mosmar Liqueur & Spirits
Tel: 029 2070 7102
Organic Aran Lamb
Tel: 01678 540 603
The Original Welsh Oggie Company
Tel: 01295 713930
The Patchwork Traditional Food Company
Tel: 01824 705832
Pemberton's Victorian Chocolates & Confectionery
Tel: 01994 448800
Penlon Cottage Brewery
Tel: 01545 580022
Pigs Folly
Tel: 01597 860211
Popty Bach y Wlad
Tel: 01559 362335
Popty Pen Uchaf
Tel: 01690 770342
Premier Welsh Hampers Ltd
Tel: 01994 230202
Ralph's Cider
Tel: 01544 350304
Romy Cuisine
Tel: 07855 531550
Snowdonia Cheese Company Ltd
Tel: 01745 813388
South Caernarfon Creameries Ltd
Tel: 01766 810251
The Pudding Compartment Ltd
Tel:01745 832441
The Welsh Sausage Company
Tel: 01938 553365
The Welsh Mustard Company
Tel: 01570 471497
The Welsh Whisky Company Limited
Tel: 01685 813300
Tipyn Bach Chocolate Company
Tel: 01492 650046
Toffoc Ltd.
Tel: 01248 852921
Tregroes Waffle Bakery
Tel: 01559 363468
The Unusual Food Company
Tel: 01639 849999
Welsh Venison Centre
Tel: 01874 730929
