SOME of the city’s best-loved independent cafés and restaurants will soon be sharing their recipes with customers, as work begins on a Cardiff cookbook.
Sheffield-based Meze Publishing are recruiting local businesses to take part in the Cardiff and South Wales Cookbook, which should reach shelves in summer 2018.
“So far we have a fantastic mix of restaurants, coffee shops, cafés, delis, farm shops and more involved,” said Katie Fisher, a food journalist at Meze Publishing.
Since forming in 2013, the company has released 28 regional cookbooks from across the UK and beyond.
“The books act primarily as a recipe book but also as a guide to the area,” Ms Fisher said.
Eateries pay to have their recipes featured, and in return get copies of the book to sell.
We spoke to a few who have taken part so far to find out what readers can expect from their pages:
Wally’s Kaffeehaus and Delicatessen (38-46 Royal Arcade)
The deli stocks a range of continental European and Mediterranean ingredients. Photo: Hannah Butler
Wally’s was the first business to get involved.
“The team showed me the books from other towns, so I could see it was really good quality,” said Steven Salamon, who took over the reins of the Morgan Quarter deli from his father Wally in 1995.
“I’ve never sold books before, so I thought it would be nice, especially because we’ll be in it.”
The Kaffeehaus opened in 2011 and serves Mediterranean and European lunches and snacks made from products found in the deli.
One of these is the German-themed Eisenstadt open sandwich, which Steven has contributed to the book.
“It’s one of the most popular meals in our café – and there’s a bit of a story behind the name …” he said.
The delicatessen also sells traditional sweets and speciality Welsh gifts. Photo: Hannah Butler
Cocorico Patisserie (35 Whitchurch Road)
Everything is made in-store at this French patisserie. Photo: Hannah Butler
This French patisserie, owned by Bake Off: Creme de la Creme 2017 finalist Laurian Veaudour, has been serving up colourful sweet treats for eight years.
Laurian took part in the recipe book to give something back to customers.
“Part of what we do is pass on knowledge, and hopefully this will inspire people to get baking at home,” he said.
The shop makes its own croissants, cakes and bread in-store, proving bread overnight so it’s ready when doors open at 8.30am.
One of the recipes in the book will be a chocolate and caramel tart, and the other is a lemon meringue tart.
“When we sell them we add a few more elements, but they’re quite simple things to do,” Laurian said.
Owner and GBBO star Laurian Veaudour has provided two sweet tart recipes for the book. Photo: Hannah Butler
Moody Sow (Cefn Mably Farm Park, Began Road, Old St Mellons)
Managing director Anthony Tilbury works in the shop and helps make its award-winning produce. Photo: Moody Sow
For this family-run business, it’s Italian meatballs and award-winning scotch eggs on the menu.
The shop at Cefn Mably Farm Park produces its own sausages and smoked bacon, makes pies and pasties and sells local farm products.
Its scotch eggs won a Great Taste Award in 2014 – and soon customers can make this deli classic at home.
“The good thing about these is that anyone can make them. And we can supply you with the ingredients!” said Anthony Tilbury, managing director.
The Cardiff Cookbook will be a lasting legacy for the city’s independent businesses, he said.
“If you do an interview in a local magazine, it’s only there for however long people have that magazine, whereas this cookbook people can keep for years.”
The farm shop is sharing the recipe for its Good Taste Award-winning scotch eggs. Photo: Moody Sow
Brodies Coffee Co (Gorsedd Gardens)
The mobile coffee business launched in 2013. Photo: Hannah Butler
“This is a unique project that we haven’t seen in Cardiff before, and we’re always happy to help projects that support Cardiff’s independent scene,” said Ian Brodie, owner of the coffee cabin in Gorsedd Gardens.
Brodies spent three years as a mobile business touring markets, festivals and fairs before setting up in the city centre park in 2016.
Now proud to be one of Cardiff’s smallest coffee shops, it serves hot and iced drinks, home-baked treats, ice cream and fresh sandwiches – while the fully-equipped Coffee Camper van is still available to hire for parties and events.
“We’ve shared a cake recipe from our days on the festival scene with the VW camper that we love!” said Ian.
Ian Brodie has been serving in Gorsedd Gardens since 2016. Photo: Hannah Butler
For more information about the cookbook and how to get involved, contact Meze Publishing’s Phil Turner on 0114 275 7709 or 07979 498034 or via email at phil@mezepublishing.co.uk.
