How’s that for a summer. It’s flown by here at Tŷ Paned. There’s been foraging, feasting, fun, family, food, village shows, baking days, family baking days and there’s been a foray into cheese making and meat curing!
One of the highlights of the early summer was the invasion of the Canadians to West Wales. There are a troop of my in-laws who hail from Canada for whom a trip to Pembrokeshire is an occasion for celebration. In fact it was a 40th wedding anniversary celebration that brought them over. It wouldn’t have been right to send them home without a Tŷ Paned feast and boy, did they feast. 20 people can get through a lot of food. I was tasked with producing a side of foraged goods, bread for all and sea bass prep, caught not a few miles from where we were staying.
The salad of sea beet, seaweed and Japanese rose petals looked the part, but was met with some trepidation (“Really? Seaweed??”). Having been convinced to try it everyone was wishing I’d made some more!
Later in August was the Croesgoch Garden Show. Being in the area we set about entering several categories! Results as follows:
White bread 1st
Wine 1st
Welsh cakes 2nd (Well done Rhian Hughes!)
Scones 1st and Winner of the Ann and Granville Perpetual Cup
A massive result all round!
Here’s the recipe for the winning scones:
225g plain flour
½ tsp salt
3 tsp baking powder
45g margarine
a little milk
crushed seeds from 8 cardamom pods
2 dried figs chopped to the size of raisins
Preheat oven to 220°C.
Mix flour, salt, baking powder and cardamom seeds in a bowl. Rub in the margarine until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the figs. Mix. Add enough milk to make a soft dough. Be careful. Don’t overdo it. Roll out the mixture and cut into 8 small scones. Or, alternatively make 4 large balls to make big misshaped ones (my preference!).
Serve with butter or, even better than that, clotted cream and half the hedgerow jam.
Here’s Dad picking up my cup!
