July is usually the most reliable month for fine weather in the year. It's the time when everything has benefited from the long days of sunshine of mid summer. The land and the sea have warmed up and it's a time to capture the bounty of the harvest

Gardens are full of vegetables as runner beans, courgettes, green fine beans, fennel, lettuces, while tomatoes and cucumbers ripen in the greenhouse. Farm shops have the first onions, with the green tops still vibrant and firm. Savoy cabbage, marrows, beans, tomatoes and lettuces are all at their best.

Grazing has been plentiful for several months and all livestock have been well-fed. Dairy herds are highly productive, and lamb can graze on every part of the country and coast.

Salt Marsh lamb

There's a vast acreage of land in Wales in the estuaries that have rampant growth of grasses and marsh succulents as samphire and sea beet. The tides do not flood these areas until the equinox springs, and hence they are safe grazing. Lambs roam freely in these areas and ingest a most varied diet. The flavour of the meat is quite different from animals grazed high on mountains, and in recent years this has become another delicacy, to many equally distinctive as Welsh mountain lamb from Snowdonia.

Pre sale lamb is highly prized in France. The great master Paul Bocuse said in his first book thirty years ago that the finest lamb was from the sea meadows on the French coastline of the English Channel. In Wales the Severn Estuary, the river estuaries of Carmarthen Bay from the Loughour to Laugharne, the Teifi - all around to the Dee taking in the Mawddach, Traeth and Conwy are areas for grazing salt marsh lamb. Hence there is a large potential production, little of which has been sold as a distinct style of lamb in the past.

Salt marsh lamb should be treated exactly as other lamb, cooked by the classic techniques according to the cut or joint. It does not have a salty flavour, just a richness of the lean that is deeper than that of hill lamb, and perhaps darker in colour.

The techniques for cooking joints and cuts are:

All techniques require cooking by sealing, in simmering water or in a hot pan, grill, oven or barbecue. Grilled meat can be under a conventional grill, or on an open grill, grillomat or barbecue. Casseroles require wine cider or ale, with stock to give liquid for cooking by exchange of flavours.

One of the best ways to appreciate the true taste of lamb is the shoulder joint, slow cooked to render the fat to crispness keeping the meat ultra succulent beneath. A medium sized shoulder will feed 4 - 6 people and can be prepared in 30 minutes, then cooked, rested and served in two hours. It's a good dish to prepare in advance, then leave in a warm place (low oven or hot cupboard) for at least an hour before serving.

Recipe

Stuffed shoulder of salt marsh lamb

1 shoulder of lamb with neck fillet on approx 1.5 - 2 kilos
500g chopped onions, carrot and celery, mixed
3 sprigs of parsley (or other herbs)
Halen Mon sea salt and freshly milled pepper
6 cloves garlic in its skin
200 ml fruity red wine or medium cider
200 ml vegetable or lamb stock or water to cover
250ml tomato juice or chopped tomatoes
2 teaspoons mustard
50ml dry sherry

Heat oven to Gas Mark 8 or 9, 250C, 450F Ask your butcher to carefully 'tunnel bone' the shoulder, and to chop the bones. Trim around the neck and flank to give about 150 - 200g meat (you can use other parts), then mince this in food processor - not too finely.

Fry 250g chopped onion, carrot, celery (you can add mushrooms, garlic, leeks etc if you wish) until just soft. Chop in food processor, add some fresh herbs - parsley, rosemary, coriander, chop, add the meat to mix together. Season with salt and pepper. Fill cavity in shoulder with this mix, pressing down well to distribute evenly. You can close the open end where blade bone came out with a meat skewer, but do not tie or skewer anything else. Press down flat.

Roast bones on a tray in hot oven, add remaining chopped onions, carrot, celery and some whole garlic cloves, cook for 5 minutes. Place lamb on bones etc, skin up, lightly oil and cook for 1 hour basting a few times and season well half way. Cook for extra time for more well done. Turn heat to minimum, prop door open 1 inch with wooden spoon, allow meat to set for 30 minutes. Remove without skewing at all, and put on serving tray tent-covered with foil, and return to set for further 30 - 60 mins in warm oven propped open as before.

Pour fat off tray, deglaze pan with wine, and reduce, then add water or stock to cover and cook rapidly to make a good stock, transfer into a pan and reduce to half, then pour off stock, check seasoning, add fresh tomato juice, or finely chopped tomato, mustard diluted with wine or sherry, simmer sauce for 5 minutes, check seasoning and flavours.

Remove skewer if used. Carve meat vertically into 1cm slices starting at the open end so the meat surrounds the stuffing and holds together in one good slice - the ends are obviously less tidy, but still have all flavour. You should get 6 good slices at least. Put lamb onto hot dinner plates and surround with a little sauce. Serve with new potatoes cooked in their skins, and a green vegetable as Savoy cabbage, runner beans, peas, broad beans or courgettes.

Where to buy salt marsh lamb - retail, wholesale, mail order

Retail
Many butchers now make a speciality of salt marsh lamb and will supply by mail order.

Dewi Roberts Butchers, Ffair-fach, Llandeilo
(Lamb grazed on the heron-priested estuary at Laugharne)
Tel: 01558 822566

Eynons of St Clears
St Clears
Carmarthen
Tel: 0800 731 5816 (sales and enquiries UK only)
Tel: +44 (0) 1994 230226 (sales and enquiries outside UK)
e-mail: enquiries@eynons.co.uk

Edwards of Conwy
18 High Street
Conwy
Tel: 01492 592443
e-mail: sales@edwardsofconwy.co.uk
www.edwardsofconwy.co.uk

Wholesale

Cwmni Cig Arfon, Cibyn Industrial Estate, Caernarfon
Tel: 01268 673201
E mail: melfynellis@hotmail.co.uk
www.cigarfon.co.uk

Welsh Quality Meats
Neyland, Pembrokeshire
01646 601816
e mail: wqm@btinternet.com

Oriel Jones
Teifi Park,
Llanybydder Carmarthenshire
Tel: 01570 480284
E mail: ojonline@hotmail.com
www.oriel-jones.co.uk

The Royal Welsh Show
Builth Wells July 21 - 24

July is the time when country and agricultural shows are staged. The Royal Welsh Show is one of the longest established events in Britain. Sited close to the tiny spa town of Builth Wells, the Royal Welsh Showground is the showpiece of the Welsh farming industry. At this event the whole panoply of produce from the land is proudly displayed. From the smallest cottage producers to the giants in the machinery world - all come to this show. There is entertainment for all the family including lumber jacking, tree climbing, fly fishing, horse jumping, sheep shearing and lots more.

The Welsh Food Pavilion in the north west area will have numerous small and large companies from every sector of the food business. A full list follows:-

Royal Welsh Show 2003
List of Exhibitors

SPECIALITY

Patchwork Fine Food Company
Llys Parcwr
Ruthin
Denbighshire
LL15 1NJ
Contact: Marcus Carter
Tel: 01974 202906

Tregroes Waffle Bakery
Unit 2
Pencader Road
Llandysul
Carmarthenshire
SA44 4AE
Contact: Kees Huysmans
Tel: 01559 363468

The Authentic Curry Company
Units 46/47 Hirwaun Industrial Estate
Hirwaun
CF44 9UP
Contact: Paul Trotman
Tel: 01685 810044

La Belle Rouge
Ty Mawr
Llanon
Aberystwyth
SY23 5L2
Contact: Duncan Aitkenhead
Tel: 01974 202906

French Flavour in Wales - Romy Cuisine
PO Box 106
Hay On Wye
HR3 5YH
Contact: Ms Romy Simon
Tel: 07855 531550

MEAT

Welsh Venison Centre
Middlewood
Bwlch, Brecon
Powys
Contact: Elaine Morgan
Tel: 01874 730929

Pigs Folly The Welsh Sausage Experience
Irfon Valley Mill
Garth,
Llangammarch Wells
LD4
Contact: Dave Lang
Tel: 01591 620572

The Welsh Sausage Company
4 Berriew Street
Welshpool
Powys
SY21 7AD
Contact: John Langford
Tel: 01938 552331

Welsh Quality Meats
Ty Sir Benfro
Brunel Quay
Neyland
Pembrokeshire
SA73 1PY
Contact: David Coy
Tel: 01646 601816

Dewi Roberts Butchers
16 Towy Terrace
Ffair-fach
Llandeilo
SA19 6ST
Contact: Dewi Roberts
Tel: 01558 822 566

Hughes Butchers of Fishguard
Anchor House
40 High Street
Fishguard
Pembrokeshire
SA65 9AR
Contact: Peter or Beverly Hughes
Tel: 01348 872394

ORGANIC

The Creative Cooking Company
Unit 4 Brynmenyn Business Centre
St Theodore Way
Brynmenyn Ind Estate
CF32 9TE
Contact: Michael Hutchings
Tel: 01656 722535

Knobbly Carrot Company
Unit 18 Llambed Enterprise park
Lampeter
SA48 8LT
Contact: Julian Evans
Tel: 01570 422064

Graig Farm Organics
Dolau
Llandrindod Wells
LD1 5TL
Contact: Carolyn Kennard
Tel: 01597 851 655

Welsh Farm Organics
Tyn y Fron
Mochdre, Newtown
SY16 4JW
Contact: Jonathan Rees
Tel: 01686 627979

DAIRY

Aeron Valley Cheese Ltd
Felinfach
Lampeter, Ceredigion
SA48 8AG
Contact: Annette Lambert
Tel: 01570 470241

Franks Icecream Ltd
Capel Hendre Industrial Estate
Ammanford
SA18 3SJ
Contact: Gulio Dallavalle
Tel: 01269 832400

Llaeth-y-Llan
Tal-y-Bryn Farm
Llannefydd, Denbigh
LL16 5DR
Contact: Falmai Roberts
Tel: 01745 540256

Teifi Farmhouse Cheese
Glynhynod Ffostrasol
Llandysul
Ceredigion
SA44 5JY
Contact: John Savage
Tel: 01239 851 528

Caws Nantybwla Farmhouse Cheese
Nantybwla
College Road
Carmarthen
SA31 3QS
Contact: Eiddwen or Edward Morgan
Tel: 01267 237905

Minoli's
Gelli Wastad Farm
Machen, Caerphilly
NP1 8NJ
Contact: Susan Richards
Tel: 01633 440551

Mr Creemy
Ely Industrial Estate
Williamstown
CF40 1RA
Contact: Kevin Jenkins
Tel: 01443 441159

Merlin Cheeses
Pontrhydygroes
Ystrad Meurig
Ceredigion
SY25 6DP
Contact: Gill Pateman
Tel: 01974 282636

Llanboidy Cheese
Cilowen Uchaf
Login, Whitland
Carmarthenshire
SA34 0TJ
Contact: Sue Jones
Tel: 01994 448303

DRINKS

The Celtic Spirit Company
Celtic Court
Limekiln Road
Abersychan
Pontypool
Gwent
NP4 6TF
Contact: Gwyneth Edgar
Tel: 01495 773337

Ty-Nant
Ty Nant Spring Water Ltd
Bethania, Llanon
Ceredigion
SY23 5LS
Contact: Catherine Henley
Tel: 01974 272111

Celtic Country Wines
Penrhiw-llan
Llandysul
SA44 5NR
Contact: Neal Shipp
Tel: 01559 370105

Welsh Whisky Company
Gwalia Distillery
Penderyn
Rhondda Cynon Taff
CF44 O5X
Contact: Edwina Clarke
Tel: 01685 813300

Dragon Wines
Draig-Y-Mor
Beach Road, Harlech
Gwynedd
LL46 2UG
Contact: Cathy Evans
Tel: 01766 780 268

Hebridean Whisky Liqueur Company
6 Erw'r Delyn Close
Penarth, Vale of GLamorgan
CF64 2TU
Contact: Mostyn Davies
Tel: 029 2070 7102

Adwell Foods/Welsh Brew Tea
57 Higher Lane
Langland
Swansea
SA3 4PD
Contact: Alan Wenden
Tel: 01792 363391

Condessa
Bryn Maethlu
Llanfaethlu
Contact: Richard Jones
Tel: 01407 730191

Ralphs Cider
Old Badland Farm
New Radnor
LD8 2TG
Contact: Ralph Owen
Tel: 01544 350304

CONFECTIONERY & BAKED GOODS

BHC Honey Suppliers
Unit 3
Ffrwdgrech Ind Esate
Brecon, Powys
LD3 8LA
Contact: Robin Lewis or Anne Preece
Tel: 01874 622335

Carolines Real Bread Company
The Old Vicarage
Merthyr Cynog
Brecon
Powys
LD3 9SD
Contact: Caroline Frampton
Tel: 01874 690378

Fiona's Fudge
Coed- y - Ceirw
Broad Oak
Carmarthenshire
SA32 8QS
Contact: Fiona Bayliss
Tel: 07977 097957

Popty Cara
Home Farm
Lawrenny
Pembs
SA68 0PN
Contact: Daniel Ives
Tel: 01646 651690

Lewis Fine Foods
8 Well Street
Porthcawl
CF36 3BE
Contact: Brenda Craddock
Tel: 01656 783300

Nice Bites
Unit 12 Granada Park Ind Estate
Llangattog, Powys
Contact: Helen Toddhunter
Tel: 01873 811780

Pembertons
Welsh Chocolate Farm
Llanboidy
Carmarthenshire
SA34 0EX
Contact: Elizabeth Jones
Tel: 01994 448800

Brace's Bread Bakery
Cambrian House
Croespenmaen Ind Estate
Cwmbran, Newport NP11 3AGP
Contact: Carolyn Stanley
Tel: 07976 722861

Megan's Kitchen
The Bishop Trevor
Abbey Road
Llangollen
Denbighshire
Ll20 8SN
Contact: Patricia Bugler
Tel: 01978 860063

CO-OPERATIVE AREA

Cambrian Organics Ltd
Horeb Business Park
Llandysul
Ceredigion
SA44 4JG
Contact: Bill Lawrence
Tel: 01545 580680

Cheeses From Wales Ltd
Tyn-y-Llwyn
Pont-rhyd-y-groes
Ystrad Meurig
SY25 6DP
Contact: David Edwards
Tel: 07787 102044

South Caernarfon Creameries
Rhydygwystl
Pwllheli
Gwynedd
LL53 6SB
Contact: David Edwards
Tel: 01766 810251

Trioni Ltd
Ffosyficer Farm
Abercych
Boncath SA37 0EU
Contact: Laurence Harris
Tel: 01239 682572

Welsh Meat Company
Farmers Stores
Newcastle Emlyn
Carmarthenshire
SA38 9DX
Contact: Jane James
Tel: 01239 711506

Cheese of the month

Llanboidy Farmhouse Cheeses

Llanboidy cheese comes from the heart of Carmarthenshire, an area renowned for dairy farming and cheese making at Whitland. It is made from the unpasteurised milk of Sue Jones' pedigree herd of rare breed Red Poll Cattle. The unique quality of this old breed of cows' milk is derived from the traditional pastures they graze and the waters they drink from the farm's own well. These are essential ingredients for the production of the natural and wholesome cheddar style hard cheese. They are all made by hand in the traditional way, in approximately 4 kilo rounds or truckles, and matured for up to eight months to develop a natural rind.

The Cheeses

Llanboidy - has an exceptionally smooth, almost silky, texture that contrasts with its robust flavour. It is a hard pressed cheese and, as with all farmhouse cheeses its taste develops with maturity, and may vary according to the season.

Llanboidy with laverbread - Laverbread, a traditional Welsh delicacy, is an edible seaweed harvested from the Wales coastline. It is mixed into the Llanboidy Cheese during the making process, giving the cheese an attractive speckled appearance and drawing out interesting and subtle flavours.

Cilowen Organic - A hand-made, hard pressed cheese and its distinctive truckle shape is enhanced by its own natural rind.

Llanboidy Cheeses
Cilowen Uchaf,
Login, Whitland,
Carmarthenshire,
SA34 0TJ
Telephone: 01994 448303
E-mail: sue@llanboidycheese.co.uk