28.12.06 Medrwn. 'All Weather Breakfast'. 16 Nov
Medrwn called upon Nerys to demonstrate to B&B owners on how best to prepare hearty and healthy breakfasts for mountain bikers based on local Welsh produce.
28.12.06 True Taste Awards 2006, Cardiff. 23 Nov
There was call for celebration this month as November saw the return of the True Taste Awards. The Glamorgan Cricket Club was home to the awards this year and accommodated an audience of nearly 500 guests, studded with True Taste award winners and key players of the agri-food industry in Wales. The standard of this year's entries were higher than previous years and the awards are now recognised as a major event in the food and drink industry calendar. Guests enjoyed Welsh tapas served on slate including Spiced Halen Mon cured salmon, Romy Cuisine pate, Black Mountain smoked duck - to name a few, followed by melt-in-the-mouth Dolaucothi Lamb. Dessert featured Penderyn Whisky and Rachel's Organic creme fraiche. The menu created by Nerys Howell of Howel Food Consultancy and Colin Gray, ensured that the True Taste of Wales was captured in every dish.
28.12.06 True Taste Food Photography. Sep 2006
Preparations for the True Taste Awards 2006 were underway and Jo and top food photographer, Phil Boorman were busy in the studio styling shots, capturing the quality and excellence of the award-winning produce, resulting in mouth-watering images. From pasta to pates and mutton to mushrooms - all featured in the True Taste magazine and awards related literature.
28.12.06 BBC Good Food Show, Birmingham.22-26 Nov
Blas restaurant featured in this year's BBC Good Food Show for the third year running and proved to be a great success with 20,000 visitors attending each day. Blas restaurant, managed by the Welsh Assembly Government promotes and showcases True Taste award winning produce. Nerys developed the menu with the NEC caterers which left a lasting impression of fine food and drink produced in Wales.
28.12.06 Wales YFC, Cardiff. 3, 4, 5 Nov
This year the Wales Young Farmers Clubs celebrated their 70th anniversary and held a three day event, 'Bringing the Country to Town', outside the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff Bay on the 3rd, 4th and 5th of November. Howel Food Consultancy worked closely as event managers in partnership with other organisations. The event included livestock, food producers, cooking demonstrations, craft stalls and organisations working in rural areas as well as educational activities for all the family. The event offered a unique opportunity for city dwellers to experience all the countryside has to offer.
28.12.06 Sial, Paris. 22 - 27 Oct
While Nerys was busy in Latvia, Jo and Rachel were in Paris at one of the world's largest food and drink trade exhibitions, Sial, representing Wales on the IBW stand. Rachel attracted visitors to the stand by preparing and cooking Welsh cakes while Jo prepared delicious canapes for an IBW reception (in conjunction with Hybu Cig Cymru/Meat Promotion Wales). Guests were offered a selection of Welsh cheeses, Welsh lamb, Welsh Beef and Romy Cuisine pate.
28.12.06 Riga, Latvia - Trade Mission. 24-27 Oct
This was quite a unique opportunity to showcase Welsh food and drink in an Eastern European country. A trade mission, again organised by International Business Wales led Nerys to explore new territories in Riga. Award winning Welsh food and drink was showcased at an evening reception co-arranged by the British Embassy and reflected the high standard of produce that Wales has to offer.
28.12.06 Celtic Fayre, Highlands. 12 - 15 Oct
The Highlands hosted this year's Celtic Fayre (an annual showcase of food and drink from Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales). This year Nerys was accompanied by producers from Wales namely Cheeses from Wales, Rachel's Organic, Trioni and The Authentic Curry Company. Food and drink from Monmouthshire featured in Welsh TV chef, Dudley Newbery's cooking demonstrations. He captured the taste of Monmouthshire using pork, lamb, vegetables and dairy produce from the region. The cooking demonstrations were sponsored by Adventa.
28.12.06 Cape Town, South Africa. 9th - 13th Sept
Jo visited Cape Town as part of a trade mission organised by International Business Wales (IBW). In a reception held at the British High Commissioner's Residence, guests experienced a 'taste of Wales' with award winning cheeses, homemade oatcakes and chutneys, all washed down with Cariad Wines and Ty Nant Welsh water.
17.11.06 National Eisteddfod of Wales 2006
This year’s National Eisteddfod in Swansea was a busy week for Howel Food Consultancy. The mornings were spent preparing Welsh cakes ‘with a twist’ with the Welsh Language Board. A cutter in the shape of the Welsh Language Board’s logo was commissioned especially which created a flurry of excitement as people came to taste the variety of Welsh cakes on offer. Then as part of the Welsh Assembly Government’s drive to encourage healthy eating, Nerys prepared daily themed menus. A celebrity guest was invited each day to assist Nerys as she demonstrated how easy it is to prepare fresh and healthy meals. The sessions proved extremely successful, and audience members left inspired with new ideas. Blas was once again a roaring success at this year’s National Eisteddfod. Visitors had the opportunity to enjoy the wide variety of True Taste Award winning food and drink that was on offer at the café. Nerys and the team worked hard to guarantee that everyone was able to experience the very best of Welsh products in a vibrant and lively atmosphere.
17.11.06 Royal Welsh Show - True Taste Promotion
Once again Nerys and the team were busy promoting the True Taste Award winners at this year’s Royal Welsh Show. The public had an opportunity to taste the wealth of produce which is on offer in Wales, whilst also enjoying ‘Meet the Producer’ cookery demonstrations. These sessions gave Award winning producers the chance to promote their produce in an informative environment. In addition to this, for the first time members of the public were invited to judge one of the True Taste Awards 2006 categories, which will be held in Cardiff in November.
16.05.06 Queen's Birthday Party in Rome
On behalf of FMDD (Welsh Assembly Goverment) Howelfood are currently working on an exciting project - arranging a Welsh themed party to be held for 850 guests in Rome this Summer. We are sourcing Welsh food and drink in Rome and working with the Italian catering company to provide a truly Welsh eating experience. A key member of the Howel team is fluent in both Italian and Welsh and she will be playing an important part in the negotiations!
16.05.06 True Taste Tees Off!
For the first time the True Taste Cafe will be at the 2006Celtic Manor Wales Open golf tournament. From the 1st to the 4th of June the cafe will be serving the very best of Welsh produce to the general public, in the newly designed True Taste Cafe. Howelfood are working on behalf of FMDD the new division of the Welsh Assembly Government to ensure that the menus, service and eating environment are all representative of the True Taste brand.
16.05.06 Blas at Hay Festival
The Hay Festival starts on Friday 26th May and Blas Cafe and Food to Go will be as busy as ever serving the very best True Taste Award winning food and drink. Nerys and the team will be working hard during the 9 day festival, ensuring that everyone has a good experience and leaves with positive memories of Wales and its first class produce.
12.04.06 Nerys launches new website
Nerys will be visiting the Farmers Market in Aberystwyth on Saturday - April 15th, to launch a new website of Ceredigion Product Support Service 2, www.bwydceredigion.co.uk. If you are in the area, why not pop in and see the wealth of food and drink that Ceredigion has to offer.
12.04.06 The book
At long last Nerys is finally committing her creative recipes to paper! As you would expect, the recipes are based on Welsh regional cookery, with modern twists on traditional recipes featuring our superb produce. The book, currently in development, is planned to hit the shelves in 2006. We’ll keep you posted…..
12.04.06 On the road with the WalesTourist Board
This year’s Wales Tourist Board Roadshows, which were held during March, were championing Welsh produce across the country. Nerys and her team worked closely with the catering staff at all venues to guarantee that delegates attending the roadshows received a truly Welsh experience at lunchtime! Some of the regional dishes on offer included Steak & Felinfoel Ale pie topped with puff pastry (Welsh Black Beef from Llandrindod Hall Farm), Penclawdd Cockle & Bacon Quiche and Valley Farm Rainbow Trout served on a tartare & leek potato cake. The sweet toothed were treated to Dark Chocolate and Merlyn Liqueur Tort with Caramelised Mango – delicious!
12.04.06 Fast food toolkits
We have recently completed two brand new toolkits for the True Taste Guide for Fast Food Suppliers and The True Taste Guide for Event and Hospitality Providers. The specialist toolkits are aimed at the fast food and hospitality/events operations. They contain practical advice for caterers on areas such as sourcing local foods, themed special events, menus and maximizing sales. For a copy please phone 0845 0103300.
12.04.06 True Taste Cafe at the RHS Spring Show
This year's event was even bigger and better than last year! Over the Easter weekend for the first time the True Taste café served a superb range of hot and cold foods featuring Wales’ finest award winning produce. The team at Howel Food Consultancy worked hard to ensure that the menu really delivers fresh, local food which is full of flavour. There was also a host of food producers present so people had a chance stock up on their favourite food and drink.
12.04.06 Supermarket Success
Whilst Nerys was flying the flag in Asia, the rest of the team were working hard at home on a special St. David’s Day week long supermarket tour, organized by the WDA Food Directorate. Three teams of demonstrators were out on the road all week at various Sainsbury, Asda and Tesco locations in South Wales. Our in-store cookery demonstrations – featuring Welsh produce were extremely successful, with extra deliveries being organized by supermarket staff as customers were clearing the shelves of their favourite Welsh products!
12.04.06 ‘This is Wales’ Showcase, Hong Kong
Nerys has just returned from a successful week promoting Welsh food and drink in Hong Kong. The showcase, which was organized by the Welsh Assembly Government, aimed to raise awareness and understanding of Wales as a World Nation, during the week of St. David’s day. In addition to food and drink, the showcase featured tourism, trade and economic development, lifestyle, music and crafts. Several Welsh food and drink products are already exported to the Chinese market and the positive feedback received during the visit will hopefully see the trend increase. Nerys worked closely with restaurants and bars in Hong Kong were enthusiastic to offer St David’s day menus, even arranging for Anthony Stuart Lloyd the well respected Welsh baritone to add a unique Welsh flavour to a jazz evening at Grappas Cellar restaurant, on St David’s Day.
