For years Britain was dogged by a bad reputation for beige, boring food that lacked flavor and variety. Fish and chips (although bloody lush) aren’t haute cuisine. Scotland was known of its penchant for deep frying everything including Mars Bars. Ireland was just cabbage and potatoes. And, Wales? I’m not sure anyone outside of Wales would have any idea of a famous Welsh dish, let alone know that its diverse landscape and abundance of natural resources enable the country to produce simple yet delicious food and drink.
So, it was a delight to be invited to the Welsh Producers Trade Development event organized by the Welsh Government in Qatar. It allowed me (Nats) to indulge in a little nostalgia for home, enjoy the warmth of the people, and learn about some products which are going to be available in Qatar. It also enabled me to showcase to Hani why I miss home. After tasting Collier’s Welsh Cheddar (you need to also), I think he definitely gets it.
Welsh food in Qatar, What did we try?
Daioni Organic
This dairy farm produces premium quality organic milk products: including flavoured milk, which we’ve bought from Lulu or MegaMart and iced coffee – which was of real interest to Hani. Fingers crossed, these will be available here soon as to use a phrase from home – they are lush. Not overly sweet and sickly, just refreshing. They taste like proper coffee. I love their fun packaging copy which teaches you how to pronounce their brand name which means ‘goodness’ in Welsh.
Check out more about the history of their dairy here.
Prima Foods UK Ltd – Chef’s Promise Gluten Free Mixes
I hold my hands up, I was a little hesitant to try the brownies, scones, and eclairs out on display. My face can never hide the disappointment. And I didn’t want to show that I wasn’t enjoying the real deal. I mean when have you ever tasted a Gluten-free bread, biscuit or cake that didn’t have a weird texture or aftertaste?
Well, this little eclair (why couldn’t it have been bigger) tasted just like the real thing. When I told Massimo, Head of Innovation at Prima Foods, I couldn’t taste the difference you could tell that’s exactly what he wanted to hear.
The company offers ready blended Gluten-free mixes that enable your restaurant or venue to cater to everyone. You can tell that they’ve been developed by someone who’s passionate about pastries and sweets. What we tried was delicious. You can find out more on their website.
Rhug Organic Farm
I miss Welsh Lamb, and like much of the food you enjoy as a child, you take it for granted. It was a real highlight to tuck into Rhug Organic Farm’s lamb, a superior tasting meat. Cooked simply with some mint and served pink, the meat was lean and tender and made me long for a Sunday roast. This is now available in Monoprix locally.
We found out that the owner, Lord Newborough has been farming organically since 1998 and every animal is fed on feed grown on the farm – leading to an exceptional tasting product.
Fayrefield Foods – Collier’s Welsh Cheddar
We had to pay homage to this powerfully strong fromage. It packs a punch. Yet has a sweet undertone too, so it can be enjoyed alone or added to liven up a dish. I could have eaten a whole pack, but I was on best (ish) behavior which means I’ll just have to take a trip to Lulu Hypermarket and stock up. Yes, it’s already available here. I urge you to try Collier’s today.
Have your pick and try a selection of Welsh food in Qatar and let us know what you think.
Lemon & Mint
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