For me, September feels like a reset. In many ways it’s my New Year. Firstly, the school calendar is still too much engrained in me – not least because these days I lecture at the university in Cardiff. Term started this week and I welcomed my new trainee journalists to the MA in Magazine Journalism course. It’s also a leftover from days of school, when the seemingly always sunny summers faded and the first day back loomed. On the whole, I adored school – save my debilitating shyness as an infant – and so September was also exciting as I got to go back to classes and my routine. I haven’t quite bought myself a new pencil case this year, but I have treated myself to some new shoes, and a new notebook ready to make sure I put the right foot forward.
Over the past month, I’ve been busy with traveling for work, but I also managed to have a holiday too. It’s a rare occurrence for a travel writer, as you can never really get your brain out of work mode. But, I was determined to have some sort of a reset and headed to Switzerland for a few days to hike some mountains, take deep chest-expanding gulps of fresh air, and tentatively submerge myself in some glacial lake waters. Naturally, my trip also included plenty of eating and drinking and as a balance to all that healthy exertion, I consumed an inordinate amount of fondue. Had I been a week later, I’d have witnessed the Alpabzug or Züglete September ritual, where farmers drive their cows and cattle down from the mountains back to the valley pastures for winter. It’s quite the event with cows adorned with flowers and bells. This process of transhumance is akin to the hafod and hendre tradition in Wales. I wrote about that a while back if you want to know more.
Anyway, back to September and rituals. When the last days of summer peter out and the harvest season kicks in, food becomes a comforting joy. September is possibly the most exciting time for fruit and veg in the UK. Windfall apples, deep juicy late blackberries, rich figs. It’s a time I remember fondly as when I was a child, it meant Sunday dinners at Nannie Gwen’s house would be followed by her homemade apple and blackberry tart. Crisp, light pastry dusted with crunchy sugar, and then bathed in Bird’s custard. My personal preference is still to have the pie cold out of the fridge with the hot custard in top. You’ll find that recipe here.
Traditionally in Wales, September marked the start of harvest and threshing season, where grain was separated from the stalks. September in Welsh is Medi, meaning reap or harvest. Before machinery made this sort of work quick and easy, farmers relied on cymorth or the cymortha. This was a community effort where each farm agreed to cut on different days so everyone could help each other. In the fields, workers would be plied with threshing cake for energy and sustenance. Most often, each threshing day would end with a big meal at the farmhouse.
For me, September also marks the start of soup season, as the days get a fresh chill and I need the comforting nourishment of a warm lunch. The Spanish have the word friolero to describe someone who is always cold. Time to get my woolly jumpers out. It’s also time for squash and pumpkin and runner beans and pears. The perfect moment for Welsh pear-bit. Here’s a recipe I wrote for Ocado Life magazine in March.
Do you have any September rituals? Let me know.
The Recipe
Welsh Apple Cake
My dear friend Janet gifted me a whole sack of windfall Bramleys from her apple trees recently, and it gave me a good excuse to try out a recipe that appears in many older Welsh cookbooks: Welsh apple cake. I didn’t know how this one would turn out, but the result is a moist crumble-like cake, ideal with a cuppa or served with custard or a dollop of clotted cream.
Ingredients
500g cooking apples
A little lemon juice
150g demerara sugar
150g Welsh butter
250g flour
1tsp mixed spice
A little milk (2tbsp)
Welsh honey (optional)
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/ Gas Mark 4. Line a cake tin with baking paper or grease with butter.
Prepare the apples by peeling, coring and chopping into small thumbnail pieces and splash with a little lemon juice to stop them going brown. Sprinkle on the sugar and give it a good mix.
In a large mixing bowl, rub together the butter and flour until you have breadcrumbs. Add in the mixed spice and stir.
Tip in the apple mix and combine.
Add a little milk and mix thoroughly to form a relatively stiff dough.
Transfer it to the prepared tin and bake in the oven for about an hour until golden.
You might want to glaze the top with honey to give it a nice shine.
If you try the recipe out, don’t forget to tag any photos with #mywelshkitchen.
The Playlist
To me, cooking and music go hand in hand, whether that’s singing at the top of your voice using a wooden spoon as a microphone while waiting for pasta to boil, or dancing around with the oven gloves on as the oven timer counts down. Here are some ideas for your Welsh Kitchen playlist.
As autumn is upon us, this issue I’ve gone for three very different versions of the song Autumn Leaves. First up is Welsh soprano Beverley Humphreys and then Bronwen Lewis, followed by Côr Meibion Cymru De Affrig, the Welsh Male Voice Choir of South Africa.
Autumn Leaves by Beverley Humphreys
Hydref Ddail by Bronwen
Autumn Leaves by Côr Meibion Cymru De Affrig
Ross recommends
Snowdonia Cheese Co. Ruby Mist
I’ve always been a big fan of Snowdonia Cheese Co. While the cave-aged Rock Star and extra-mature Black Bomber are my usual go-tos, I was delighted to discover that they have a new recipe for their Ruby Mist. Infused with Graham’s Late Bottled Vintage Port, this mature Cheddar has a wonderful depth and elegance to it. Ideal for a cheese board or with a little drop of port.
Fancy a bit of Wales in London?
Côr Y Boro Autumn Concert
In London next Friday and fancy a spot of Welsh music, singing and poetry – plus a nibble and tipple afterwards? I’ll be hosting (and singing) at the Côr Y Boro Autumn concert.
Marchnad Gymreig
Also coming up in London is the Autumn Market at the London Welsh Centre. It’s a great place to stock up on goodies and gifts for Christmas.
Welsh Connections Walk
The fabulous Caroline James will be hosting another of her wonderful Welsh walks of London on 18 October. They are always fascinating and fun and a bargain at just £12.
From the archive
A love letter to tins
I was 18 before I realised that salmon didn't taste of Sarson's malt vinegar. That's because until that point, the only salmon I'd eaten (or had wanted to eat) came from a tin, which my Nannie Gwen (or any other member of my large extended South Wales family happening to have a buffet) would douse liberally in vinegar and white pepper. It used to fascin…
"One more for the road" and other food sayings to live by
I'm not sure you'd call it a family motto exactly, but it's a saying that I've grown up living by. There's a joke that I come from a drinking family, and in answer to anyone's querying of my weirdly high alcohol tolerance, I do put it down to my genes. It's just that my rather large Welsh family likes a drink, to celebrate or commiserate (I have recolle…
The bard and the black chair
Every year, Wales hosts the largest festival of music and poetry in Europe. The Eisteddfod Genedlaethol takes place each August and celebrates the very best of Welsh culture through song, dance, music and the spoken word. I’ve written about it a bit before in the newsletter. Perhaps the most important part of the whole event is the chairing of the bard,…