Searching for inspiration for something to pep up your after dinner cheese and crackers, spice up a dull lunchtime sandwich, slather over a warm crumpet or add to your favourite curry? Look no further as Isabelle Wells takes us on a romp through some of the finest Welsh- produced pickles and preserves..
Pleasantly Pickled Piccalilli
Based in the historic town of Pembroke, Pleasantly Pickled started out by making gifts for friends and family.They then moved on to making a whole range of pickles and preserves which leads us to our pick of pickles, the Piccalilli (now that’s a mouthful!). Known as mustard pickle, piccalilli is a British interpretation of South Asian pickles.The Piccalilli can accompany many things such as toast, sausage, bacon, eggs or even a ploughman’s lunch. They pride themselves on using high quality ingredients and bringing that homemade feel to the table. Piccalilli £4.00 (375g)
Pembrokeshire Chilli Farm Aji Lemon Jam
A premium chilli farm based in the Pembroke countryside, Pembrokeshire Chilli Farm knows how to pack the perfect kick into their chillies. With a range of different heats and colours you can find the perfect temperature that suits your needs. A highlight of their preserves is the Aji Lemon Jam which has a burst of citrusy goodness; the sour lemon combines with the subtle chilli heat to give that beautiful combination of flavours. You can use this jam with seafood and serves especially well with cod or scampi. Perfect for if you want to put a spin on traditional Fish & Chips. Aji Lemon Jam, £4.00
Samosa Co Spicy Keralan Aubergine Pickle
Samosa Co started out on the other side of the pond in Canada. They started dishing out samosas to the city of Toronto. After coming back to the UK in the 80s they’ve gone from making samosas for friends to having their own factory. They pride their products on being 100% natural and use a ‘no added anything’ philosophy. Our favourite preserve is their Spicy Keralan Aubergine Pickle. It happens to have won a Great Taste Award and is perfect to accompany curries, naans & popadoms. You can even pop it on a bit of cheese and toast to make your breakfast snack special. Spicy Keralan Aubergine Pickle £3.50
Little Grandma’s Kitchen Cherry Bakewell Preserve
Known as a one-stop-shop for Welsh preserves, Little Grandma’s Kitchen is a 5 star rated company in St Clears who produce artisan goods. Born out of the love of preserving it all started when making their daughter Claire’s wedding hamper, people kept asking where they had bought the items from! The recipes have been passed down from generation to generation within the family whilst adapting flavours to cater to the modern palate. They are continually adding new varieties and flavours to deliver your perfect pairing. Paired with a splendidly toasted hot cross bun their Cherry Bakewell preserve melts magically into the dough. Made with 50% cherries you can guarantee to taste the sweetness! £4.00 for 300g
Goch & Co Sweet Pepper & Orange Chilli Chutney
Goch & Co have been producing award winning chilli sauces since 2012 and have won a number of Great Taste Awards. A recipe between generations, this sauce has some serious heritage. Stan’s grandfather travelled from Portugal to Mozambique with his chilli sauce in the 1900’s and fell in love with a local girl. Passing the recipe on to his only son the chilli made its way to Zimbabwe, eventually Stan’s father passed on the recipe to him and he just so happened to be in the lovely land of North Wales. Stan and his wife Val knew the secret sauce needed to be shared with the world and that’s how Goch & Co was founded. We tried their Sweet Pepper & Orange Chilli Chutney and we can confirm that the proof is in the sauce. With a sweet starting citrus, it then leaves a pleasant tingly kick which develops the flavour even more! Serve with some local cheese and crackers to put the pep back in pepper! £3.74 for 130g
Preservation Society Scrumpy Butter with Calvados
Lord Lambourne’s Scrumpy Butter with Calvados won a Great Taste Award so it’s no surprise this preserve is on our list! Picked from a family owned tree, the heritage swap cropped apples are then cooked in local Three Saints Cider Vinegar and cider until soft. With some added steps we are then introduced to the gorgeously curated Scrumpy Butter. The Preservation Society is known for producing award winning preserves all originating from the Wye Valley. The Scrumpy Butter is a perfect addition to roast potatoes, buttered crumpets and slow roast goose. A sumptuous slather on ice cream would not go amiss too! £3.95 per jar
A Bit Of A Pickle Garlic Pickles (Lahsun Ka Achaar)
After four years in the making... the greatly anticipated Garlic Pickles (Lahsun Ka Achaar) is finally available to pop in the pantry! A Bit Of A Pickle is a small family run business which started in 2013 after Christmas gifts were exchanged amongst family. The preserves were loved so dearly they decided to jar their produce and sell it. They use the freshest ingredients and the recipe is mostly made up of produce from within a mile of the kitchen. Some being as close as the back garden! Their Garlic Pickles are classed as a mild to medium heat with homemade Kashmiri chillies. They are perfect for adding into curries or to spruce up your lunchtime sandwich. Garlic Pickles £3.50
Bim’s Kitchen African Baobab Chilli Jam
Bim’s Kitchen fuses the perfect mix of African inspired food whilst being produced in South Wales. The exotic taste of their products is their signature. Bim’s African Baobab Chilli Jam is an excellent addition to a chilli or to brush over roasted pork to give it that extra kick. All of their products are Gluten Free, Vegetarian & Vegan. This versatility allows all your recipes to have that mouth-watering tasty heat whilst also being an easy to use pantry item. bimskitchen.co.uk/products
Radnor Preserves Welsh Cider & Leek Chutney
The alchemists of preserves made our list with their delicious Welsh Cider & Leek Chutney that was first thought of during the Glanusk Horse Trials Fair in 2011. After having a stall in a food festival next to Hallet’s cider they considered using it in one of the chutneys in the future and when realising there were hardly any leek chutneys on the market it was the perfect combination of flavours. This patriotic chutney is the epitome of Wales and it mixes tradition with new ideas. Fabulous to serve with Welsh Rarebit or a pork pie this chutney has a hidden fire of chillies and mustard to ignite your taste buds. £5.79 for 222g
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