Cuisine of the Vale of Glamorgan

Thecuisineof theVale of Glamorgan(Welsh:Bro Morgannwg), Wales, is noted for its high-quality food produced from the fertile farmland, river valleys and coast that make up the region. The area has a long history of agriculture that has developed fromthe Roman era.
The Vale is not avalleyin the geographical sense, but aplateau. It lies at between 50 and 2,000 feet abovesea leveland rises to 4,000 feet at MynyddMargamandGarth Hill. This makes it a homogeneous region with distinct characteristics which set it apart from the adjacent regions.
Most of the Vale is made up of prime agricultural land due to its fertile, rich soil which is light and easily worked. As a result, the area has developed amixed farmingeconomy. It produceswheatand othercereals, growshayforpastureand is good foranimal husbandry.
The Vale has many small villages andmarket townswhich are relatively evenly distributed and are often hidden in secluded river valleys and connected bycountry lanes. The rivers are relatively short in length and have their source in the adjacentuplands, known as the Blaenau Morgannwg, which consists of a line of hills to the north of the Vale and which form thefoothillsto the higher mountains ofBrecknockshire.The southern boundary of the Vale is made up of the coastline of theBristol Channel, which has atidal rangeof up to 40 ft. There are few good harbours, other thanAberthawwhich was a popular location forsmugglingin the eighteenth century.
Arterial roadsrun through the Vale and connect the more populated nearby areas of theSouth Wales Valleysto the north,Cardiffto the east, andNeathandSwanseato the west. Since theIndustrial Revolutionthese more densely populated areas have provided markets for the sale of the Vale'sbeef,lambanddairy products.
Glamorgan cattleis a Welsh traditional cattlebreedwith achestnutcoloured coat and a broad white stripe which runs along thebackboneto the tail and under theabdomen. Morgan Evans comments that the breed was once highly prized and belongs to a class of cattle called middle-horns. In character and antiquity of descent they rank withHereford cattle,South Devon cattle,North Devon cattle, andWelsh Black cattle.
The breed originated from an ancient variety which, according to Freeman, has an identical counterpart in thePinzgauer cattleofAustria. It is believed that theCeltsbrought them to Wales during their migration westward. The Norman lordRobert Fitzhamon, who took control of Glamorgan,cross bredthese with cattle fromNormandyto give the present breed of Glamorgan cattle. According toWilliam Youattthe influence of Devon cattle can also be seen in thebloodlinebecause they were introduced into the Vale byRichard de Grenville, one of theTwelve Knights of Glamorgan.
Glamorgan cattle continued as a distinct breed because farmers were careful to maintain the purity of thebloodstock. They would be fattened in England at six or seven years old and then sent to London and other English cities to supply beef. Evans comments as follows:
Before mechanisation a strongoxwas required to plough the land and if the breed could also providemilkthen this was considered the best combination. Glamorgan cattle were recognised for these qualities and also yielded up to 800 to 1,200poundsof beef. Consequently, the breed was popular in thegrazingcounties ofNorthamptonshire,Warwickshire,WiltshireandLeicestershire.George IIIalso had aherdat his farm atWindsor Great Park. However, during the nineteenth century the move towardstallandgrainfeeding made it more profitable to feedshorthorncattle which were more productive and by 1872 theAmerican Agriculturalistcommented that:
Morgan Evans explains that the breed declined because of the high price ofcornduring theFrench Revolutionand theNapoleonic Wars. This led to the replacement of old grazing pastures by larger fields devoted to growing corn. After the price of corn stabilised Glamorgan farmers reverted to shorthorn varieties which had advanced throughselective breedingand were good for beef and milk.
It was believed that Glamorgan cattle had becomeextinctin the 1920s, but a herd was discovered inSussexin 1979 and the entire herd was purchased byWest Glamorgan County Council. These cattle are now kept atMargam Country Parkand this saved the breed from extinction.
During the twentieth centuryHereford cattlebecame the main beef breed, whileHolstein Friesiancattle were popular as a dual beef and milk producer. In more exposed areasGalloway cattleand Welsh Black cattle were preferred.
Colin Pressdeecomments that the Vale produces exceptional quality beef and recommends that when buying it the flesh should be dark “with speckles of fat in the lean” which is calledmarbling. This keeps the meat moist during cooking. He comments that a roast ofrib steakis the best way to eat beef, as smaller pieces can become overcooked.Traditionally, for smaller pieces of beef, astewwould be made and this would produce two meals, the first of meat and vegetables and the second abroth.
Manymixed farmsalso raisesheep. The Glamorgan Welsh is a local breed and is the largest of theWelsh Mountain Sheepbreeds. According to the South Wales Mountain Sheep Society it shares the same primitive ancestry but has been “bred to a definite local type”. It is also known as theNelsonor South Wales Mountain Sheep and is found in the hill districts of Glamorgan,Gwentand south of theBrecon Beacons. Other sheep breeds in the Vale include theHill Radnor,Suffolk sheepandClun Forest sheep, which are often cross bred.
Some farms in the Vale have been in the same family ownership for many generations and many use a traditionalrotational grazingsystem producing lamb, beef, and pork.Farms nearer the coast specialise in rearing and fattening cattle with a focus on fat lamb and beef.
Farmers in Glamorgan used to trade their livestock at themartatCowbridge, which was granted acharterin 1254. The mart allowed stock to be sold directly to buyers and this led to Cowbridge developing as a centre for food shops,delicatessensand restaurants. However, the Cowbridge mart closed on 1 September 2020, leaving the closest marts atRaglan,CarmarthenandBrecon.
In 2014, a group of Glamorgan farmers established “Cows on Tour” to educate children about the story of food and farming. They visited schools and gave workshops on how to milk a cow and how to make butter with the aim to teach pupils where food comes from and how it is used in common brands of food.
The pig is often a subsidiary part of the mixed farm.In 1918, Glamorgan farmers established The Old Glamorgan Pig Society. This was in response to the restriction on imports of pork andbacondue toWorld War I. This was the first pig breeding society in Wales and its first herd book was published in 1919. In 1920 the society amalgamated to form the Welsh Pig Society because similar breed types were also being raised inCeredigion,PembrokeshireandCarmarthenshire. This created the breed known as theWelsh pigwhich has had its own herd book with theNational Pig Associationsince 1953.
Black Pudding(Pending Gwaed) is a traditional recipe made with the pig's blood on the day the pig is killed. Tibbot refers to a recipe fromNantgarwand notes that the blood is poured into a large bowl and stirred while warm to avoidclotting. It is then diluted with water, salt is added and it is left to stand overnight. The pig'ssmall intestineis thoroughly washed and left in salt water overnight. Choppedonionsare coated with fat from the intestine.Oatmealandherbsare added and then mixed in the blood. The mixture is then added to the intestine which is tied with string at both ends, leaving room for expansion when boiled. The pudding is then boiled in water and hung to dry. Slices of the pudding are then fried with bacon.
The Glamorgan coastline extends to about 90 miles in length, with the eastern shore formed by low-lying flats made up of alluvial deposits which continue until the estuary of theRiver Taff. BetweenPenarthandLavernockthe coast forms cliffs and then continues as a low rocky shore until it reachesBarry. From there, the coast leads to extensive sand dunes and then toSwansea Bayand theGower Peninsula.
Fish caught along the coast of Glamorgan includecod,sole,haddock,bream,hake,skate,common ling,conger eelandwhitingin their respective seasons. However,halibutis rare andhaddockandplaicenot very abundant.
The rivers of the Vale are relatively small and include theEwenny,Ogmore,ElyandThaw. They holdgame fishsuch asbrown trout,graylingandsea trout. Pressdee notes thatsalmonare known torunup the Ely and Ogmore. However, there is littlecommercial fishing, because the geography of the Vale means that the rivers are short in length. This means that fish are caught for domestic consumption and are usually baked or grilled.
Welsh dishes for trout tend to be simple. Baked Trout with Oatmeal is a dish where the trout is cleaned,guttedand rolled in oatmeal, bacon fat is added and the fish is then baked.Trout with Bacon involves wrapping the trout in bacon which lubricates the fish and to which lemon andparsleymay be added.
The most important agricultural activity of the Vale isdairy farming. During the nineteenth centuryindustrialisationled to an increased demand for milk and dairy produce from towns such asBarryandCardiff. This led to an increase in the amount of pasture and a decrease in the amount of arable land in Glamorgan. This led to an extensive industry in the production of butter and cheese.Distribution was helped by the growth ofrail transportand this, combined with risingwages, meant that milk became moreprofitablethan butter or cheese production.
Until their disappearance, Glamorgan Cattle supplied milk which was used in cheese making. Glamorgan cheese had a distinctive flavour from this milk. Freeman writes that it was a fine, hard white cheese which was similar toCaerphilly cheese.
TheAmerican Agriculturalistcommented on this as follows:
Freeman writes as follows:
One of the best-known recipes from Glamorgan is theGlamorgan sausage. The sausage got its name from Glamorgan cheese which was a key ingredient. However, with the disappearance of Glamorgan cheese, contemporary recipes use Caerphilly cheese. The sausage mix is kept intact by thecasing. Freeman preferred to use half white and half brownbread crumbsfor the casing and comments that the onions must be finely chopped to keep the sausage mixture together. Theegg yolkis divided from the egg white and the dry ingredients of chopped onion, herbs,mustard, andgrated cheeseare bound together with the egg yolk. The small sausages are then rolled in flour, dipped in the egg white, rolled in bread crumbs and fried.
Glamorgan sausages are mentioned byGeorge Borrowin his bookWild Wales:
The recipe was popular duringWorld War IIbecause it does not require meat, which was subject to rationing during this period. It has since become a popular component ofvegetarian cuisine.
The Vale has some of the most fertile agricultural land of Glamorgan with the soils mainlyclayloamderived from theLias Groupoflimestoneandshaleswhich form abrown earthwhich is high incalciumand which has good drainage. This means the soil makes very productivearable landalthoughmixed farmingpredominates.
One of the Vale's most famous characters wasIolo Morgannwgwho wrote a poem called The Happy Farmer which celebrates the traditional mixed farming of the Vale during his time:
Slade Farm, nearSt Brides Major, is an example of a Glamorgan farm that has aCommunity supported agriculturescheme (CSA). Under this scheme the farm grows vegetables throughout the year for local families that have enrolled on to the CSA scheme. The aim of the scheme is to offer sustainable food to families who live around the farm with a view to developingsupply-chain sustainability. The farm is also an example of anorganic farmthat does not usepesticidesorherbicidesand actively develops the farmland fornative speciesof farmland birds,wildflowersand animals. The farm also allows visits atlambing time, farm walks, andopen days. It is a member of the Nature Friendly Farming Network.
Soft fruitis grown at a number of Vale farms and a number of these havepick your ownfacilities. Iolo Morgannwg refers to soft fruit in his poem:
Freeman comments that the Vale is one of the few areas in Wales wherecrab applesgrow.Crab Apple Jellyis used in a Glamorgan recipe known as Crab Cake (Teisen Afalau Surion Bach). This is a type ofbakestonecake made from adoughmade from flour, butter, sugar, salt andnutmeg. This is then filled with the crab apple jelly.
Until the end of the eighteenth century, bread was baked frombarley flour. This gave the old Glamorgan ploughman's saying:
Barley bread was relatively heavy because it did not contain muchgluten. It was used to make thin, flat loaves on the bakestone. These would sometimes be used as ‘plates’ for food and be eaten as well as the food on top.
According to Freeman, making the old breads of Wales fromwhole wheatflour, barley meal, oatmeal andryeflour:
In Wales, corn was ground at small mills on the banks of fast flowing rivers and streams, although the Vale andAngleseywere also noted for theirwindmills.
According to a letter in theGentleman's Magazineof 1785, Glamorgan was known for the quality of its wheat
The growth ofcoal miningandmetallurgical activitiesin the county led to an increase in the local population which stimulated arable production. The erection ofblast furnacesin places such asMerthyr TydfilandNeathmeant that the county did not grow sufficient corn for its own consumption. The result was a large increase in the quantity of land which was put to arable use. Before this, Glamorgan used annually to export a large quantity of corn to Bristol.
Walter Davies, in his survey of the general economy of Glamorgan commented on the Vale as follows:
There are severalcakerecipes from this area, Round Cakes (Teisennau Crwn) were baked in a shallow tin under a hot grill or in aDutch oven. Tibbot refers to a recipe fromNorth Cornellymade by rubbing butter andlardinto flour to which is addedcurrants, sugar, nutmeg and salt. A mixture of beaten egg and some milk is then added and is kneaded into a dough which is rolled out and cut into small rounds.
On Welsh cakes Tibbott comments:
Tibbott gives a recipe for Welsh Cakes from North Cornelly where the flour, salt, and spice are sifted together, the butter rubbed in, sugar is added and a beaten egg is mixed in and the dough is kneaded until it is soft and dry. Currants are then worked into half of the dough and both halves are rolled out and cut into small rounds and baked on a bakestone. The plain cakes are split open and spread withjam. Alternatively the dough is rolled out into one large round to which is baked on both sides, split open and spread with stewed apple andbrown sugarand covered with the other half and cut into squares.
Tibbott mentions recipes for Bakestone Cake (Teisen Lechwan), Bakestone Pie (Teisen ar y Maen) and Bakestone Turnover (Teisen ar y Maen). The dough for Bakestone Turnover and Bakestone Cake is prepared in the same way, although the former uses less fat and sugar. The butter and lard are added to flour, sugar and currants and then beaten eggs and some milk are added to make a soft dough. In the case of a Bakestone Cake, this is rolled out on to a floured board and cut into small rounds which are baked on a bakestone. In the case of a Bakestone Turnover the dough is rolled out to the size of a dinner plate half of which is covered with fruit, such as sliced apple,blackberriesorgooseberries. The other half is folded over the fruit and the edges are pressed together and sealed. The pie is also baked on a hot bakestone and the top layer of the pie is split open to add sugar and then re-covered. Tibbott mentions that the Bakestone Turnover was prepared on farms duringharvesttime.
In the case of Bakestone Pie the ingredients included lard and flour, which are mixed with salt and water to make a short pastry. This is divided into two parts and rolled into the size of a dinner plate. The fruit is placed over one part and then covered with the other piece of pastry and then sealed. The pie is then baked on the bakestone. The top is removed to add sugar and butter and re-covered with the pastry. Tibbott has recorded a Bakestone Pie recipe fromKenfig Hilland mentions that Teisen ar y Maen is similar to Teisen Blât (Plate Cake) which is baked on a plate in the oven.
Pancakes(Ffroes) are made with plain flour, butter, lard, eggs and milk and currants can also be added. The butter and lard are melted and poured into the flour which is beaten into a batter. Half a cup full of batter is poured on to a hot bakestone and then baked on both sides. When the pancake is ready it is placed on a plate and spread with butter and some sugar. Tibbott gives a recipe for Ffroes fromDowlaisand mentions that it was a general tradition to prepare pancakes for afternoon tea when celebrating the birthday of a family member. In the case of Ffroes Eira (Snow Pancakes) clean snow is used instead of water and gives the Ffroes a lighter consistency.
Tinker’s Cake (Teisen Dinca) is made with flour, butter, brown sugar and shredded apple. The ingredients are mixed with some milk and kneaded into a stiff dough and then rolled out on a floured board to make rounds of up to an inch thick. These are baked on the bakestone and cut into squares. Tibbott mentions a recipe fromGwaelod-y-Garthand another recipe fromPentyrchwhere a beaten egg is added to make a softer dough similar to Teisen Lap. In this case the mixture would be baked in a Dutch oven in front of the fire.
Loaf Cake was a cake made at Christmas, the dough would be prepared in large quantities and carried to the localbakerywhere the baker would be responsible for baking the cakes for a penny or two per loaf. Neighbours would be invited to taste each other's cake. In the district of Margam, the tradition was that if a youngmaidwas given the opportunity to taste thirteen different cakes in one season she would get married before the following Christmas.Boiled Milk Cake (Cacen Llaeth Berw) is a cake made with flour, butter, brown sugar, currants and raisins and mixed with half a pint of boiled milk. The mixture is added to a greased cake tin and baked in a hot oven. Tibbott has collected a recipe fromWhitchurchfor this cake.
Lardy Cake (Cacen Lard) is a popular cake which was usually made on bread-baking day in parts of Glamorgan. It is made from dough, with lard, currants,candied fruitpeel and sugar worked into the mix.Freeman comments thatrhubarband gooseberries are commonplace in Wales and so: "there are a large clutch of recipes for them". Freeman mentions two recipes, as follows:
Rhubarb Shortcake is a Glamorganshire recipe where sticks of rhubarb are cooked in acasserolein the oven with some water and sugar until tender. Ashortcakemixture is rolled and cut into two pieces. An oblong shape is made with one half and placed on a greased baking tin. The rhubarb is spread on top and the other half of the shortcake mix is put on top and then the dish is baked.
Gooseberry Pudding is another Glamorgan recipe where the fruit is stewed until it is turned to a pulp and then sugar, butter, and bread crumbs are added. Once the mix is cool two eggs are added and stirred into the mixture which is then baked for half an hour in a buttered dish.
There are several vineyards in Glamorgan.St HilaryVineyard was planted in 2020 near Cowbridge and growsPinot Noir,Pinot Meunier, andChardonnay, with the aim of producing a high qualitysparkling wine. Croffta Vineyard is located atGroes-faenand produces a sparkling wine usingSeyval blancgrapes and theTraditional method(La Mèthod Traditionnelle) which produces fine bubbles associated with a premium sparkling wine. Glyndwr Vineyard is located atLlanblethianand was established in 1979. Llanerch Vineyard was established in 1986 when aKernervariety was planted and vines of French and German varieties such asTriomphe d’Alsace,Bacchus,ReichensteinerandHuxelrebe.
A few breweries operate in the Vale (seeBeer in Wales). Vale of Glamorgan Brewery is based in Barry and was established in 2005. Glamorgan Brewery which is a family owned brewery based inLlantrisantand was founded in 1994. It produces different types of beer and cider. Tomos & Lilford is a brewery based in Cowbridge and produces beers named after local places:Nash Point(aglutenfreebitter),SoutherndownGold (anIndia pale ale) and Vale Pale (alactosefreepale ale).
Spirit producers in the Vale include Barry Island Spirits Co which produces small batches of gin, rum and vodka and is based inBarry Island. Penarth Gin is a Welsh dry gin made inPenarthby Gin64.Hensol Castlehas its own distillery that produces Hensol Castle Gin and provides tours and tastings.