wales love + welsh things

because stuart is welsh, i'm always trying to find little things for our home that are from, well, his home, so he doesn't feel too homesick. have you even been to wales? it's gorgeously green, quiet, sheep on every corner (and very rainy)

i would obviously love a huge + gorgeous welsh kitchen cupboard, but since that is next-to-impossible, here are some sweet finds that we may try to incorporate...

the welsh alphabet print so nia can learn allllll of her letters

the perfect razor, hand made in wales, for a welsh gentleman

a vintage map of the south of wales to put on a nice large frame

the sweetest little hand stamped vintage teaspoon for sugar, tea or ice cream. stuart calls nia 'cariad' all of the time. ("cariad" means love)

a beautiful yet simple painting of the welsh countryside. (yup, this is pretty much what it looks like; hilly and tons of green)

or a more whimsical map, perfect to tell you where to go for an adventure

pastie magic

pastie: a staple in the welsh diet. a basic creation of potatoes and canned (yes, canned) corned beef within a pastry shell.

my challenge was to make the best darn pastie a welsh-man has ever tasted.

the american (although haphazard and completely unhealthy) perfected version of a traditional welsh meal.

6 small potatoes - peeled if desired, cut and boiled until soft

1 small yellow onion - diced

2 cloves garlic - minced

5 TBSP olive oil/butter

2 tins corned beef (beware - looks v.gross)

1 cup milk (i used whole - more fattening ingredients usually make for a better meal)

salt & pepper to taste

2 packages sainsbury's pastry mix

1 egg - beaten

- saute garlic & onion in small amount olive oil/butter until soft. about 2-3 minutes on medium heat.

- add cooked potatoes. add milk as needed.

- add corned beef and remaining tablespoons of butter.

- mix ingredients well. you may need to add more milk here; mixture should be very creamy (which means inevitably fattening) thicker than a stew, not runny at all. reduce heat to low.

- add salt & pepper to taste.

- while mixture is simmering, follow instructions for pastry mix (very easy, just add water)and form 12 big, flat, round discs with pastry dough.

- place large spoonful of corned beef/potato mixture on one side of pastry disc. fold over other side. pinch around edge to create seam.

- brush pastry parcels with egg wash.

bake @ 350 for 25 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown. makes 12 small pasties, or in my case 7 small ones and 1 mammoth pastie.

*this recipe was tasted, tested and approved by a certified welshman. mmm! mmm! good!