Recipe for local economic success: New Gower on Your Plate booklet published

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Swansea University’s School of Management has published the first in a new series of booklets – the first booklet highlights the importance of stimulating and supporting the local economy by encouraging people to buy their produce locally.

Simon WrightThe ‘Gower on Your Plate’ recipe booklet, has been produced in collaboration with restaurateur, food writer, and broadcaster Simon Wright (pictured), one of Wales’ leading champions of local food and owner of Wright’s Food Emporium in Llanarthne, Carmarthen, and Swansea University’s Banqueting and Hospitality Team.

The booklet contains a welcome from Professor Marc Clement, Head of Swansea University’s School of Management; an article entitled ‘Gower – A Welsh Larder’ by Simon Wright, whose series ‘The Secret Life of Welsh Food’ is broadcast by BBC Radio Wales; and the featured recipes include Lamb Boulangere, Mussels Mouclade, Wild Garlic, Potato and Cider Soup, Warm Cauliflower Salad, and Baked Whole Mackerel with Beetroot Salad.

The free 'Gower on Your Plate' recipe booklet can be downloaded here Gower on Your Plate

Explaining the thinking behind this business support initiative, Professor Marc Clement said: “Food and drink is one of the rising stars of the Welsh economy. Each year it generates over £5.7bn and supports some 200,000 jobs and 40,000 businesses across our country.

“The Welsh Government plans to increase this contribution to our economy by 30% in the next few years. At the same time, the value of tourism is set to grow by 10% by 2020 with tourists from all over the world, increasingly, wanting to experience a true taste of Wales.

“Great local produce not only supports local jobs for local people, but it is also a wonderful expression of a sense of place: about our soils, our climate, the craft of farming and the art and innovation that turns these local products into a very appealing ‘taste of Wales’.

“This is an innovative collaboration and the School of Management is proud to be working with one of Wales’ leading champions of food and drink, Simon Wright.  We are also rightly proud of the contribution our colleagues in the University’s Banqueting and Hospitality Team are making to promoting local food through their creative recipes and procurement policies.”

Simon Wright said: “Wales as a whole is increasingly known for the quality and diversity of its food offering, but even in that context Gower stands out for the astonishing range of produce available from its roughly 70 square miles of peninsula.

“Partly this is a simple product of its geography – wrapped in miles of coastline with sandy beaches to the south and salt marshes to the north, an interior dominated by farmland and common land, coupled with a microclimate that offers some of the nation’s most benign conditions for the growing of fruit and veg.

“The richness of the food culture can also be traced to the historical limitations of transport links with the surrounding region – the self-sufficiency that this engendered is still evident in the varied basket of produce that Gower offers today.

“It all adds up to an amazing larder on our doorstep and with such riches at hand, cooking up a great meal doesn’t have to be difficult. The recipes in our new booklet demonstrate just that.”

For more information on Swansea University’s School of Management visit http://www.swansea.ac.uk/som/