Hello and welcome to the May edition of TheBAY magazine. Our cover this month features the Swansea Uplands under 16s who triumphed against Abercrave in the final of the Ospreys cup at St Helens last month. We’ve been sponsors of the under 16s for the past two years and have followed them through their high points and their lows so watching this match in the stadium was a very proud moment for us. Congratulations to all the boys!
As usual we have a magazine packed full of interesting stuff - a competition to win a pair of tickets to meet best-selling author Victoria Hislop in conversation with yours truly at the Langland Bay Golf Club early next month. And a reader offer for dinner, bed and breakfast at the beautiful Llangoed Hall - £159 for two people – normally £190 for just bed and breakfast.
Culinary Causerie
Every month we have new eateries opening up in Swansea – and last month saw one in Uplands and another in Sketty. Both quite different from each other but the one thing they do have in common is the use of locally sourced produce and an eco friendly slant. Dilly’s Kitchen in Dillwyn Road is reducing its contribution to landfill by using recyclable packaging and The Gower Kitchen in Uplands is using vintage china which is the ultimate in recycling.
Another new-comer this month is the Bay Shop and Deli in Rhossili, adjoining the Bay Bistro. I was invited along to the opening of this delightful little shop last month and now have the perfect shopping, eating and walking destination for my rare afternoons off.
May Blooms
Angela’s column this month focuses on the period when the bulbs have died back and the herbaceous perennials are yet to start to bloom. She recommends Sweet William and Poppies but Carrie Thomas of Touchwood would probably suggest she plants Aquilegias as they will be in bloom from mid-May right through to mid-June. I have long been a lover of these archetypal cottage-garden flowers and I will certainly be paying Carrie a visit next month to see her National Collections.
Antiques or Old Junk?
PJ Vanston has a passion for collecting. He spends his leisure time getting up at the crack of dawn and visiting the local car boot fairs or the more civilised Antiques Fairs that take place locally. I recently visited The Works in Llandeilo and was amazed at the warren of interconnecting rooms that held all manner of antiques and collectables. It really is worth a visit and of course you don’t have to set the alarm at some ungodly hour!
Pussy Beware
Cats Protection has provided us with a very interesting article on the plants and other substances that can prove fatal if eaten by your cat. I knew how annoying it was to get the yellow pollen of the lily on your favourite blouse but I had no idea that the same pollen-laden stamens were deadly if ingested by a moggy. You may want to cut the offending stamens off your lilies if you have a resident cat.
Worth the Effort
Sometimes I’m in the mood to potter in the kitchen listening to the radio just to produce a batch of scones or a loaf of bread. Tatiana Bento of the Marmalade Cookery School certainly thinks it’s worth all the time and effort to produce good food. Her recipe for croissants is certainly not fast food, quite the opposite. It will take you about 12 hours to produce a batch of delicious buttery croissants but of course that includes a lot of resting time when you can do something productive or just put your feet up and read a book – sounds like a perfect Sunday to me.
Happy Birthday
May heralds TheBAY magazine’s 3rd Birthday – doesn’t time fly when you’re having fun! See you next month for another issue of TheBAY
