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The Secret Life of Welsh Food

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Factual: Food & Drink

Simon Wright explores the historical and cultural Welsh influences of foods and drinks.

Restaurateur Simon Wright explores the historical, cultural and contemporary Welsh influences of a series of foods and drinks.

The Secret Life of Welsh Food: Series 3

The Secret Life of Welsh Food: Series 3: Honey

21/10/2017

Honey

Series 3

BBC Radio Wales - The Secret Life of Welsh Food, Series 3, Honey

Food writer Simon Wright explores the social history of Welsh food and drink.

Food writer and restaurateur Simon Wright explores the social history of Welsh food and drink, revealing the undiscovered riches of our culinary culture and inspiring others to try it. Taking a single theme in each programme, he journeys from the past to the present, examining how the Welsh have produced, cooked, eaten and related to food and drink and surveys the most interesting developments in the current culinary scene.

This week his focus is honey. He begins his journey through this ancient foodstuff by meeting Dinah Sweet, the queen bee of the Welsh honey-making scene. Dinah - who also makes mead and keeps hives on her smallholding on Caerphilly mountain - explains how bee-keeping is thriving in Wales.

In Carmarthenshire, Simon dons protective gear to get up close and personal with the thousands of bees at work in the 60 hives of Gwenyn Gruffydd. Here Gruffydd Rees takes Simon through the process of making raw honey... once the bees have stopped attempting to sting his microphone.

At Cardiff University, Simon talks to Professor Les Baillie about the ground-breaking work his team are doing in the quest to create "Welsh Manuka" honey with healing properties. And he also finds out how the researchers are working on a honey-based health drink and honey beer.

Finally, Simon puts some of the honey he has gathered on his travels to delicious use as he makes a quick and simple ice-cream flavoured with the finest raw Welsh honey.

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