It’s a truth universally acknowledged that Welsh mothers will add pouring cream onto any dessert – even if the dessert already has cream as one of its constituent parts. A slice of gateau? You’ll want a spot of cream on that. Fruit cocktail? That’d taste nicer with a drop of cream. In fact – and perhaps oddly – the only time that this doesn’t happen at home for me is on Christmas Day, when custard is slathered over Christmas pudding, and the jelly, custard and whipped cream (or Dream Topping) layers of the trifle are sufficient.
About 18 years ago, my Nanna Lena was in hospital over Christmas, which was particularly tough for her, not just because she was in hospital, but because she loved Christmas. For her, the festive season meant visitors (my Nan loved to chat to people) and children – she was mother to five, grandmother to 13, and great-grandmother to many more, which she would proudly tell anyone who would listen – and they did. Anyway, because she couldn’t celebrate Christmas properly that year, my Mum decided to host Christmas the following July.
The day before, we put up the Christmas tree, ornaments and decorations, laid the table, cut crosses into the bottoms of Brussels sprouts (not sure how we found them at that time of year). Our neighbour at the time saw my Dad in the garden and asked if he’d genuinely seen me and my Mum putting up a Christmas tree. My Dad explained the situation and a few hours later, a Christmas card ‘from all at 58’ appeared on the doormat.
The next day we had a full turkey dinner for 10 people, Christmas pudding (just as well they keep forever) with custard, trifle, mince pies, crackers, Christmas carols, and my Mum bought us all different old-fashioned boiled sweets (rhubarb and custards, humbugs, sarsaparillas, pear drops and coconut limes) as gifts. It was the hottest day of the year, so after stuffing ourselves with roast potatoes and five kinds of veg, we all sat in the garden in the sunshine to digest.
It was such a fun day and made up in some small way for my Nanna not being around in December. In fact it was so popular, that we did it all again the following year.
Last weekend, I popped home and my Mum decided that of all the years, this was the one to resurrect our summer Christmas tradition. Sadly, many of the original Christmas in July guests are no longer with us including Nanna, but we had a toast in their memory. We couldn’t find sprouts this time, and the pudding came from the back of my brother’s kitchen cupboard and was dated best before June 2014, and yet it tasted great. We ate it for several days after, liberally doused in runny cream.
The Recipe
Dragon’s Breath Cocktail
As it’s Christmas (in July), I thought this week’s recipe should be a bit celebratory, and what better than a cheeky Welsh-inspired festive cocktail? I’ve called this one Dragon’s Breath as it’s icy cold, smoky, looks and tastes as if it’s been touched by fire, and appears mysteriously misty in the glass – oh yes, and it’s lethal!
Ingredients (serves 1)
Ice
50ml Steeltown Gin
25ml tequila
Juice of half a clementine (about 5ml)
5ml Halen Mon Oak Smoked Water
Clementine peel
Method
Into a cocktail shaker, tip a handful of a few ice cubes (about 4), the Steeltown Gin, tequila, clementine juice, and Oak Smoked Water. Shake vigorously.
Tip into a chilled martini glass or coupe and garnish with slivers of clementine peel.
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 this week’s ideas for your Welsh Kitchen playlist.
This week we have an absolute belter of a song from the late great Brian Hibbard from Ebbw Vale and the rest of The Flying Pickets. The second is an ethereal little number from Ifan Dafydd and vocalist Thallo.
Only You by The Flying Pickets
Aderyn Llwyd by Ifan Dafydd and Thallo
The Pantry
Good food is nothing without good ingredients and thankfully there are plenty of fantastic Welsh products on the market. Here is where you’ll find recommendations to stock up your cupboard, fridge or fruit bowl.
Welsh Brew Hot Chocolate
My friends always make fun of me that after a big night out, I always have a hot chocolate. They laugh and yet I am never the one with the ranging hangover. Whether that is because of the hot chocolate, I don’t know but why take the chance of finding out. With that in mind (and after quite a heavy weekend of celebratory drinking) we have this luxury hot chocolate from Welsh Brew. My Nannie Gwen always called it drinking chocolate and I like that this is how it’s described. Rich and instant (you just add hot water), it’s ideal for the rather chilly summer weather we’re having – or as a preventative hangover measures (possibly).