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BBC News
4 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Did Welsh Rarebit start out as a joke by the English?
It's a beloved national dish of Wales and is found on restaurant menus across the country, but did Welsh rarebit actually start life as a joke played by the English?Toasted bread smothered in a rich, cheesy sauce - what's not to love? But the origin stories of this nostalgic comfort food are as varied as the recipes you can use to make credit poor farmers using a clever substitute for meat while others think English pubs coined the name as a joke, mocking the Welsh for not affording real which of these cheesy tales cuts the mustard? Welsh food historian and author Carwyn Graves said rarebit was "clearly associated with cultural and ethnic Welshness", with cheese being a vital part of European diets for a long time, especially in regions like Wales, where the dairy industry the Middle Ages, before refrigeration, cheese and butter were essential for preserving milk from the spring and summer for use during the colder was also a vital source of protein for poorer communities, particularly in areas like Wales and the Alps, where meat was scarce. In Wales, melted or roasted cheese became popular across all social classes, eventually evolving into Welsh 1536 Act of Union, incorporating Wales into England, saw Welsh migrants bringing melted cheese dishes to English Graves said the English saw it as an ethnic curiosity, even joking about 16th Century tale sees Saint Peter trick Welshmen with the call caws bobi - Welsh for roasted cheese - which he said reflected the dish's cultural ties to name Welsh rarebit appeared much later, with early English cookbooks, such as Hannah Glasse's in 1747, using terms including Welsh rabbit and Scotch rabbit for similar cheese on toast Mr Graves said there was no historical evidence linking the name to actual rabbits and he said the theory that poor people couldn't afford rabbit meat and used cheese instead was unproven. Kacie, from The Rare Welsh Bit food blog said Welsh rarebit, also known as Welsh rabbit, originated in the 1500s as a popular dish among Welsh working-class families who couldn't afford meat like rabbit, using cheese on toast as a substitute. According to her, the dish was first recorded in 1725 and over time, the name shifted from Welsh rabbit to Welsh rarebit, possibly to move away "from patronising connotations associated with the nature of the dish as a poor man's supper". Katrina from Real Girls Travel explained "nobody's quite sure how the name came about", but it's generally believed "Welsh rarebit" likely began as a joke about the poor people of south Wales, who were thought to live on rabbit and ale. She added that many mistakenly think Welsh rarebit contains rabbit because the dish was originally called "Welsh rabbit" in 1725. According to Katrina, the name probably changed because, in the late 17th and early 18th centuries, the English often gave humorous or fanciful names to regional foods, making the change "an attempt to make it a more fitting dish"."I personally think it was a language barrier or a strong Welsh accent that gave the dish its name," she added. In Sarah Fritsche's blog the Cheese Professor, she explained the word "Welsh" was used as an insult in 1700s Britain, similar to how "welch" functioned as a pejorative. According to Ms Fritsche, "rabbit" was used humorously because only the wealthy could afford real rabbit, making the cheesy toast a "poor person's substitute".She added "rarebit" was a corruption of "rabbit" and is unique to this dish, first appearing as "rare bit". Rose Geraedts, originally from the Netherlands, has lived in Brecon, Powys, for 20 years and runs the International Welsh Rarebit opened the business eight years ago after noticing cafes and pubs in the area were not serving it, despite high demand from tourists. "I thought it was crazy that a national dish wasn't on the menu. I think many saw it as old-fashioned," she took over a disused Victorian school building, renovated it and made Welsh rarebit the star of the show."It seemed mad not to do it - but a lot of people think I'm nuts," she cafe now offers six varieties and Ms Geraedts said customers loved the dish's rich, comforting flavour, seasoned with cayenne pepper, nutmeg, paprika and Worcestershire sauce. Ms Geraedts said she had welcomed visitors from around the world, from Australia to America, and even served celebrities including Jonathan Ross and rugby legend Gareth added: "People love it because it's nostalgic. They remember their mother or grandmother making it."It's much more than just dry cheese on toast."Ms Geraedts believes rarebit became popular due to Wales' connection to cheese-making, despite its name being a sarcastic "patronising" English joke. University lecturer, dietician, cook and food writer Beca Lyne-Pirkis said she first learned to make Welsh rarebit with her grandparents so it brings back "nostalgic memories".The 43-year-old, from Cardiff, said it was a great first dish to learn as it's "more complicated than cheese on toast" but not too Lyne-Pirkis said she has two versions - a rich, roux-based recipe with cheddar, beer, mustard and Worcestershire sauce and a quicker one mixing egg, cheese, and seasoning to spread on toast. The dish stayed with her through her university years and is now a favourite with her children."I fell in love with the flavour," she said."When I eat it I get the nostalgic childhood feeling as I have so many fond memories of eating it. That's where my love of food came from."Whatever the roots, Ms Lyne-Pirkis said rarebit was now a timeless, adaptable national dish rooted in family stories and experimentation."Every recipe has its own story, which helps keep the recipe alive."
BBC News
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Wales' book of the year 2025 shortlist highlights 'incredible talent'
Wales' book of the year shortlist for 2025 highlights the nation's "incredible talent, expertise, knowledge, and craft", according to one of the competition includes poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction, and children and young people categories in both English and and Children's Laureate Wales, Eloise Williams, said the shortlist showed it was "an exciting time to be a Welsh writer sending words from Wales to the world".The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in July. English language shortlist Poetry award: Girls etc, Rhian Elizabeth (Broken Sleep Books); Little Universe, Natalie Ann Holborow (Parthian Books); Portrait of a Young Girl Falling, Katrina Moinet (Hedgehog Poetry Press)Fiction award: Earthly Creatures, Stevie Davies (Honno), Clear, Carys Davies (Granta), Glass Houses, Francesca Reece (Headline Publishing Group, Tinder Press)Creative non-fiction award: Tir: The Story of the Welsh Landscape, Carwyn Graves (Calon Books); Nightshade Mother: A Disentangling, Gwyneth Lewis (Calon Books); Nature's Ghosts: The world we lost and how to bring it back, Sophie Yeo (HarperNorth)Children and young people award: A History of My Weird, Chloe Heuch (Firefly Press), Fallout, Lesley Parr (Bloomsbury), Why Did My Brain Make Me Say It?, Sarah Ziman (Troika) Welsh language shortlist Poetry award: Rhuo ei distawrwydd hi, Meleri Davies (Cyhoeddiadau'r Stamp), Pethau sy'n Digwydd, Siôn Tomos Owen (Barddas); O'r Rhuddin, Sioned Erin Hughes (Y Lolfa)Creative non-fiction award: Oedolyn (ish!), Melanie Owen (Y Lolfa); Camu, Iola Ynyr (Y Lolfa); Casglu Llwch, Georgia Ruth (Y Lolfa)Fiction award: Nelan a Bo, Angharad Price (Y Lolfa); Madws, Sioned Wyn Roberts (Gwasg y Bwthyn); V + Fo, Gwenno Gwilym (Gwasg y Bwthyn)Children and young people award: Cymry. Balch. Ifanc., edited by Llŷr Titus and Megan Angharad Hunter (Rily Publications LTD); Arwana Swtan a'r Sgodyn Od, Angie Roberts and Dyfan Roberts (Gwasg y Bwthyn); Rhedyn, Myrddin ap Dafydd (Gwasg Carreg Gwalch) The competition is judged by two separate panels focusing on each language and it has been run by national charity Literature Wales since awards ceremony takes place at Cardiff's Sherman Theatre on 17 July with a total of £14,000 shared amongst the writers, with £1,000 each for the category winners and an additional £3,000 for the overall winners in both languages.
South Wales Guardian
07-05-2025
- General
- South Wales Guardian
National Trust announces launch of Welsh apple register
The National Trust Cymru announced the National Register of Welsh Apple Varieties, which identifies 29 types of Welsh apples to safeguard the country's apple heritage. This includes apples from the National Botanic Garden of Wales and Llanerchaeron. The register is the culmination of three years of collaborative effort, involving workshops and contributions from apple enthusiasts, including Welsh author and apple identification expert Carwyn Graves, the National Botanic Gardens of Wales, and the Marcher Apple Network. Apples have been grown in Wales for more than a thousand years, featuring prominently in myth, poetry, folk music, and place names. However, research by the National Trust in 2022 revealed that more than half of the orchards in England and Wales have disappeared since 1900, with the rate of loss likely higher in Wales over the past 50 years. This decline has led to a loss of apple trees, local fruit, and natural habitats. Mr Graves said: "Wales' unique apple heritage was almost entirely forgotten about a decade or two ago, but it has enormous cultural value – reflected in everything from well-known folk songs based on apples and orchards to a fascinating farmhouse cider tradition extending back to the Middle Ages." The National Register of Welsh Apple Varieties categorises apples into three groups: 'Historic' (pre-1950), 'Modern' (post-1950), and 'Associated' (apples not bred in Wales but culturally significant). Alex Summers, National Trust Cymru's head gardener at Llanerchaeron, said: "At Llanerchaeron we are lucky enough to have six out of the 29 varieties of apples on the National Register thanks in part to the sympathetic management of the garden that dates back nearly two centuries."
Pembrokeshire Herald
06-05-2025
- General
- Pembrokeshire Herald
Kurtz: ‘We must back our farmers with fair and workable policies'
A NEW National Register of Welsh Apple Varieties has been unveiled by National Trust Cymru to safeguard the future of the nation's rich apple-growing tradition. The register identifies 29 distinct varieties of Welsh apples, the result of a three-year collaboration between experts and enthusiasts including author and apple identification specialist Carwyn Graves, the National Botanic Garden of Wales, and the Marcher Apple Network. Unveiled as apple trees across the country burst into bloom for spring, the announcement coincides with the National Trust's annual #BlossomWatch and #GwleddYGwanwyn campaigns, which encourage the public to enjoy the spectacle of spring blossoms. Apples have been cultivated in Wales for over a thousand years, and references to orchards and fruit appear throughout Welsh mythology, poetry, folk music and place names – from the Mabinogi tales and early mentions of Merlin to the traditional carving of apple-wood love spoons. However, the tradition is under threat. Research by the National Trust in 2022 found that more than half of orchards in England and Wales have vanished since 1900, largely due to changes in land use. The rate of loss is thought to be even higher in Wales, with significant implications for local fruit varieties, wildlife habitats and the seasonal beauty of orchard blossom. To reverse this decline, members of the Marcher Apple Network have spent over 40 years searching for lost and heritage varieties in old orchards and gardens across Wales and the English border counties. Together with collections held by the National Trust and the National Fruit Collection at Brogdale, this work has formed the basis for the new National Register and the beginnings of a Welsh National Collection. The register categorises apple varieties into three groups: 'historic' (pre-1950), 'modern' (post-1950), and 'associated' – apples not bred in Wales but which have strong cultural ties to Welsh communities. 'This is the first register of its kind to group varieties this way,' said Carwyn Graves, author of Apples of Wales. 'Wales' unique apple heritage was almost entirely forgotten a generation ago, but it has enormous cultural value – from folk songs to a farmhouse cider tradition dating back to the Middle Ages.' Work on the register began in 2022 with a list of over 120 potential varieties supplied by the Marcher Apple Network. Today, all 29 named varieties can be seen flowering in orchards and gardens cared for by the National Trust and its partners – including Erddig near Wrexham, Penrhyn Castle near Bangor, Llanerchaeron in Ceredigion, and the National Botanic Garden of Wales, home to the Plant Heritage National Collection of Welsh Heritage Apples. At Llanerchaeron, six of the 29 varieties are cultivated, including Baker's Delicious, Bardsey, King of the Pippins (known in Welsh as Gwell na Mil), and Llanerchaeron Peach. 'Some are veteran trees, others are more recent plantings, but all play a role in maintaining our orchard heritage,' said Head Gardener Alex Summers. 'By choosing varieties from the register, people can plant trees well-suited to the Welsh climate, while also protecting our cultural legacy.' An additional 35 varieties remain under review, and several lost Welsh apples – such as Forman's Crew, Bassaleg Pippin and Pêr Gwenyn – may yet be rediscovered. The partnership behind the register is now calling on the public to help. Anyone in Wales with an old apple tree linked to an orchard or farmstead is invited to share details, including location coordinates (What3Words, grid reference or GPS), photos, and a description of the tree and its fruit, by emailing: WelshAppleTrees@ and carwyn@ The full list of apple varieties in the register is available at:
Pembrokeshire Herald
05-05-2025
- General
- Pembrokeshire Herald
National Register aims to preserve Wales' unique apple heritage
A NEW National Register of Welsh Apple Varieties has been unveiled by National Trust Cymru to safeguard the future of the nation's rich apple-growing tradition. The register identifies 29 distinct varieties of Welsh apples, the result of a three-year collaboration between experts and enthusiasts including author and apple identification specialist Carwyn Graves, the National Botanic Garden of Wales, and the Marcher Apple Network. Unveiled as apple trees across the country burst into bloom for spring, the announcement coincides with the National Trust's annual #BlossomWatch and #GwleddYGwanwyn campaigns, which encourage the public to enjoy the spectacle of spring blossoms. Apples have been cultivated in Wales for over a thousand years, and references to orchards and fruit appear throughout Welsh mythology, poetry, folk music and place names – from the Mabinogi tales and early mentions of Merlin to the traditional carving of apple-wood love spoons. However, the tradition is under threat. Research by the National Trust in 2022 found that more than half of orchards in England and Wales have vanished since 1900, largely due to changes in land use. The rate of loss is thought to be even higher in Wales, with significant implications for local fruit varieties, wildlife habitats and the seasonal beauty of orchard blossom. To reverse this decline, members of the Marcher Apple Network have spent over 40 years searching for lost and heritage varieties in old orchards and gardens across Wales and the English border counties. Together with collections held by the National Trust and the National Fruit Collection at Brogdale, this work has formed the basis for the new National Register and the beginnings of a Welsh National Collection. The register categorises apple varieties into three groups: 'historic' (pre-1950), 'modern' (post-1950), and 'associated' – apples not bred in Wales but which have strong cultural ties to Welsh communities. 'This is the first register of its kind to group varieties this way,' said Carwyn Graves, author of Apples of Wales. 'Wales' unique apple heritage was almost entirely forgotten a generation ago, but it has enormous cultural value – from folk songs to a farmhouse cider tradition dating back to the Middle Ages.' Work on the register began in 2022 with a list of over 120 potential varieties supplied by the Marcher Apple Network. Today, all 29 named varieties can be seen flowering in orchards and gardens cared for by the National Trust and its partners – including Erddig near Wrexham, Penrhyn Castle near Bangor, Llanerchaeron in Ceredigion, and the National Botanic Garden of Wales, home to the Plant Heritage National Collection of Welsh Heritage Apples. At Llanerchaeron, six of the 29 varieties are cultivated, including Baker's Delicious, Bardsey, King of the Pippins (known in Welsh as Gwell na Mil), and Llanerchaeron Peach. 'Some are veteran trees, others are more recent plantings, but all play a role in maintaining our orchard heritage,' said Head Gardener Alex Summers. 'By choosing varieties from the register, people can plant trees well-suited to the Welsh climate, while also protecting our cultural legacy.' An additional 35 varieties remain under review, and several lost Welsh apples – such as Forman's Crew, Bassaleg Pippin and Pêr Gwenyn – may yet be rediscovered. The partnership behind the register is now calling on the public to help. Anyone in Wales with an old apple tree linked to an orchard or farmstead is invited to share details, including location coordinates (What3Words, grid reference or GPS), photos, and a description of the tree and its fruit, by emailing: WelshAppleTrees@ and carwyn@ The full list of apple varieties in the register is available at:
