If asked what they think of when Wales is mentioned, older people and traditionalists will mention male voice choirs, great rugby players of the past and coal. Movie buffs (especially males) will think of Catherine Zeta Jones, while soccer fans will cite Ryan Giggs, who is likely to end his career as one of the greatest players of all time never to participate in a World Cup, or even European Championship, because the Welsh never make it past the qualifiers. The subject of haute cuisine is unlikely to crop up.
Some may remember the old Monty Python sketch where one of the dreadful fictitious Australian wines – I think it was either Chateau Chunder or Hobart Muddy – was said “to compare favourably with a Welsh claret”. To my knowledge nothing remotely approaching, a claret has ever materialised from Wales, but having said that, next week’s readers’ letters page will doubtless be bursting with protestations to the contrary.
Despite the fact that one of my Aunties is Welsh, and I visited the place on numerous occasions while growing up, I must confess to experiencing some difficulty in bringing to mind very many examples of Welsh culinary artistry. There was, though, one staple dish in our house which might be served up for just about any meal if my Mum was short of time.
Vegetarians and animal rights activists will be most gratified to learn that Welsh “rabbit” actually contains not a smidgen of cute cuddly bunny flesh. The word “rabbit” in this connection is actually an adaptation of the word “rarebit” which is a direct translation of the Welsh “caws pobi”. This was doubtless meant to convey a sense of anticipation and delicacy to something as apparently simple and mundane as melted cheese on toast. The difference is that this cheese is melted in beer and spiced up with pepper and hot mustard. If preparing for kids or teetotallers substitute milk for beer. The gooey melt will then be poured over toast and grilled before being consumed with possibly more beer or some brewed coffee.
It is quite obvious from just looking at the ingredients that there is a bit more to it than slapping a couple of cheese slices between two slices of bread and sticking it in the electric sandwich maker. The adventurous might be tempted to add slices of skinned tomato or thinly sliced mushrooms, though purists would probably advise against it.
If perchance your rarebit has indeed turned to liquid you can save the day by adding an egg, which will thicken it up again without detracting from the flavour.
In fact there are a number of other wholesome dishes unique to Wales. One of these is Snowdon Pudding, which will provide admirable ballast for the innards if you are trekking around the fabulously picturesque mountain range from which the pudding takes its name. Personally, I always preferred to enjoy the scenery from inside one of the carriages of the legendary Snowdon mountain rack and pinion railway. A brisk walk at either end of the line is usually sufficient to work off the effects of that sticky pudding and work up an appetite for some Welsh griddle scones.
Finally, lets not forget that from Llandudno in the north to Tenby in the south, all the coastal resorts of Wales boast a plethora of cheap restaurants where you can sample a whole range of delicious fresh North Sea fish cooked in a variety of guises. It’s hard to go past the chips but in the summer you really have to go for Pembroke new potatoes. These are sheer ecstasy with simple butter and parsley, and I’m afraid I have to say that none of the somewhat uniform spuds produced in our beloved land of Oz come close.
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