Welsh Food Bites

It’s quite some time since I have been to Mumbles Local Produce market, but couldn’t resist going when I was told of the plans for their Christmas festival celebration. Santa and his sleigh, courtesy of the Round Table were on parade and how the children enjoyed that along with face painting, balloon modelling and the stilt walker, there was plenty to keep the amused. The Ariosa Singers were in fine choral voice and treated us to some splendid music along with festive carols. The Morris Dancers had no problem in keeping warm as they danced through their hectic repertoire – often persuading an unsuspecting member of the audience to join them too! It created a wonderful festive atmosphere, along with cookery demonstrations and some superb produce to taste and purchase. It really made the trek to Mumbles really worth the effort.

 Now I am not sure that the traders who actually sold out were delighted or cross that they hadn’t brought more stock with them!! Too much, too little, it’s impossible to work out, it really is.

 Robin Bonham and his hard-working team must be congratulated not only from continuing to put on their Local Market, but for working so hard on Saturday’s event. Parking is always an issue in Mumbles and I have no idea where everybody did manage to park, but the local shops that I spoke to wished Robin ran his market every week, not once a month.

Miller Research were there too, continuing their survey on behalf of WAG Food. As always they had on their stand the latest True Taste book available for people to take away, free of charge. It was sad therefore when I eventually left the festival, that the first waste bin I walked passed had a True Taste book in it. I have no idea how many of these are printed, or the cost or the wastage, but if WAG wishes to continue to fund this give-away, why does it not consider printing a Welsh version and English version instead of forcing us to take a bi-lingual tilt-and-turn copy? As WAG Food budgets, like all others are squeezed, can we not look to reduce this obvious wastage? I cannot see any problem of having two versions, one Welsh, one English providing both are available, can you?