Poten bwmpen

The day was a complete wash-out weatherwise but, since my American guest is leaving next week, I busied myself preparing an early Thanksgiving meal - with a difference. In the US the celebration always falls on the fourth Thursday in November (the 22nd this year), but ours was an unconventional Welsh version: instead of turkey we had a brace of local pheasants roasted with bacon, herb butter, shallots and mushrooms and accompanied by damson sauce instead of cranberry. Alongside there were sweet potatoes and cauliflower sautéed with chilli flakes.

To follow was this home-made pumpkin pie/poten bwmpen. The Welsh recipe I always use comes from the book alongside which includes the suggestion that this Thanksgiving classic was introduced to America by Welsh settlers. Pumpkins were grown extensively on the Gower peninsula of South Wales at one time and used in a variety of ways. My pie was probably a little more rustic than that which would usually grace an American table but it was pronounced good.

In fact the whole meal was excellent from start to finish, or as we would say in Wales: ardderchog! Guinea Pig Zero has blipped the rest of the meal and my thanks are due to him for all the work he has put in during his stay here.