In December winter days are at their shortest, with long, dark, cold nights. The sun is low in the sky if it does appear through the blanket of grey clouds, and gives little warmth. The food of winter has to be warming to raise the spirits, and this is the time of the year for feasting leading up to the traditional celebration of Christmas when all the winter blues are forgotten.
In the middle ages in Wales the great houses were hosts to great feasts and the noblemen gathered to be entertained by the travelling bards with music and poetry. These meals became known as food of the bards, at which tables were laden with venison, mutton, beef, goose, heron and other wild birds. Lavish, colourful, sauces and sweet puddings were accompanied by an alcoholic drink from fermented honey flavoured with wild berries. The rich, sweet food and drink was the ideal thing for the cold winter days.
At Christmas the great feast was roast goose. This hardy farmyard bird could survive the harshest weather after foraging the fields in the summer and autumn. It was not until the late nineteenth century that the turkey began to feature on Christmas menus. It was introduced from North America and soon it was bred on a large scale on farms in Britain. In Pembrokeshire the winter days are milder than the rest of Britain due to its westerly location and the warming influence of the Gulf Stream, and this area is particularly suitable for rearing turkeys.
Turkey farming has become big business and it is now an everyday inexpensive food found every day on every supermarket shelf. But a quality niche market has developed for the traditional Christmas turkey that is bred and fed on a free range and even organic diet. Good quality turkeys can command a fair market price alongside the mass-produced ones.
A free-range turkey has firm, close-grained flesh, with a distinctive rich slightly gamy flavour. Cooked in the normal way with and served with all the traditional garnishes of savoury stuffing, bacon and chipolata rolls, bread sauce and cranberry jelly it makes a very fine festive meal.
In recent years goose has become popular again, even though the yield from a bird is far less than a turkey. The wonderful, rich, dark flesh of a goose has a most distinctive flavour and with its traditional garnishes of herb stuffing and apple sauce this is a real festive treat.
Suppliers of quality free range poultry in Wales
Turkeys
Caermelyn Turkeys
Henllan Amgoed
Whitland
Carmarthenshire
SA34 0SJ
Tel/fax:01994 240260
www.caermelyn.co.uk
Cardi Turkeys
Tyn Parc Llandre
Bow Street
Aberystwyth
SY24 5BU
Tel/fax: 01970 828375
S G Davies and Sons
Cuckoo Mill farm
Pelcomb Bridge
Haverfordwest
Pembrokeshire
SA62 6EA
Tel: 01457762139
Rhug Organics
Corwen
Denbighshire LL21 0EH
Tel: 01490 413000
www.rhugorganicfarm.co.uk
A D Holt Wilson
Cefn Maen Raglan
Monmouthshire
NP15 2HR
Tel/fax: 01291 690428
e-mail: cefn-maen@email.msn.com
The Old Butchers
Maen Clochog
Clunderwen Pembrokeshire SA66 7LE
Tel: 01437 532202
Welsh Haven Products
Whitegates
Little Haven
Pembrokeshire
SA62 3LA
Tel: 01437 781552
Fax: 01437 781386
e-mail: welshhaven@aol.com
Geese
B G Carey and Sons
Coedwynog Felindre Fachog
Cymych
Pembrokeshire
SA41 3XW
T Herdman and Son
Cefn Betws Bungalow, Clyro
Tel/fax: 01497 851255
Recipe
The stuffing with a turkey or goose can transform the flavour of the meat and the enjoyment of the meal. There are several brands of ready-made stuffing on the market that have all the traditional flavours and herbs that enhance the meat. But a few extra ingredients can give a range of aromas to enliven the meat.
The cavity of the bird can be partially filled with aromats as diced carrots, celery, and onions or shallots, and roughly chopped herbs as tarragon, thyme, coriander, sage or parsley depending on the flavour required, plus seasoning.
The neck of the bird makes a good housing for traditional stuffing. This can be pushed over the breast by separating the skin from the meat to form a pocket over the breast, and hence the flavour will impart into the meat.
The cavity of the bird can also be stuffed with another type of stuffing, but do not overfill the space as the meat cooks better if some air can circulate through the cavity.
A very acceptable way to make stuffing is to use a bought variety and add extra vegetables and herbs to elevate the flavour.
Basic stuffing: for six portions
200g breadcrumbs
200g diced carrots, celery, shallots or onions
100g diced white of leek
25g butter
six fresh sage leaves chopped or 1 teaspoon dried
2 large sprigs parsley chopped roughly
50g cooked chestnuts (or tinned) diced
zest of half a lemon (optional)
Seasoning - Halen Mon sea salt and freshly milled black pepper
1 egg and hot water to moisten
Double the quantities for a larger party
To fill the cavity
200g chopped onion, carrot, celery and seasoning
500g best quality sausages or chipolatas
Fry the vegetables in butter to just soften and begin to colour. Add the leeks and cook for a minute. Allow to cool and chop quite finely - this can be done in a food processor. Add the chopped herbs and breadcrumbs and chestnuts and mix together well, then add the seasoning and zest. Then mix in egg and warm water to form a firm stuffing.
Push your finger tips between the skin and the breast of the bird to make a good pocket, then spread the stuffing inside the pocket and fill the neck to make a good pouch. Secure with a cocktail stick or skewer. Put some roughly diced onion, carrot and celery into the cavity and seasoning and herbs, then put 500g best quality sausages into the cavity, spreading out well to allow space for air to circulate.
Roast turkey or goose as normal and then serve with the stuffing and sausages.
Cheese of the month
Blue cheese from Caws Cenarth
Stilton has always been the traditional cheese for Christmas. After the festive lunch a glass of port a few nuts and some ripe Stilton finishes the meal in style. The last two decades has seen a big increase in the range of cheese available, both from the continent and British producers, and there are now many alternatives to Stilton including Roquefort, Bleu de Bresse, Cashel Blue and Shropshire Blue.
The first really successful Welsh blue cheese has come onto the market from Caws Cenarth, well known for their award winning Caerphilly and soft cheese Perl Wen.
The project to make a blue cheese was a challenge to Carwyn Adams, son of Thelma Adams who started Caws Cenarth.
Perl Las is a semi hard blue cheese, similar in texture to Stilton. It uses the roqueforti blue mould to colour and give flavour to the cheese that is matured for a few months. It has a melt-in-the-mouth texture and rich flavour that will make a fine cheese to finish a festive meal.
It is available from delicatessens throughout Wales and Howells Food hall, St Mary Street, Cardiff.
Caws Cenarth, Boncarth, Dyfed SA37 0LH
Tel: 01239 710432
www.cawscenarth.co.uk
Guy and Romy Simon settled in Wales and now produce traditional preserved pates and terrines from Welsh ingredients. Sealed in jars they have a long shelf life and make ideal Christmas presents. The range includes Farmer Terrine, a mixture of meats and liver, Rabbit Terrine, Duck Rillettes, Pheasant Pate and many more. For a real Christmas indulgence they import foie gras and make the distinctive terrine de foie gras flavoured with Sauternes.
Guy and Romy were hoteliers in the Lot valley in central France and spent several winters working in hotels throughout Wales over the winter season. They started Romy Cuisine two years ago and this year won a Gold in the True Taste/Gwir Flas Wales Food and Drink Awards for their range of pates.
Romy Cuisine
P O Box 106
Hay on Wye
HR3 5YH
Tel: 07855 531550
www.romycuisine.co.uk
Christmas shopping
Shopping for Christmas food is more fun at smaller independent shops.
In North Wales visit Edwards of Conwy (Tel: 01492 592443).
In Mid Wales Langfords Food Hall in Welshpool has an amazing range of produce (Tel: 01938 552331).
In South Wales at the Museum of Welsh Life at St Fagans, Nr Cardiff - The Gwalia Stores run by Cegin Cymru (Tel: 029 2057 7018) specialises in Welsh produce including cheeses, pickles and preserves, biscuits, Welsh cakes and a host of other Welsh produce.
Also visit Blas at The Old Library, Cardiff for a mouth watering selection of speciality Welsh food and drink.
