Author: Joe Russell

The Welsh larder is phenomenal. Quintessentially Welsh ingredients such as lamb and leeks define its farming landscape, while its shores (especially those surrounding Anglesey) are pregnant with salty water fit for the production of arguably the world’s most revered sea salt – Halen Môn – and sea bass. The Menai Strait is home to plump mussels and the glowing hue of rapeseed buds now lights up the fields of Conwy. The list of amazing produce doesn’t stop there. Glamorgan sausages are rich with Caerphilly cheese and its history; each time you eat a sausage, its sour tang resonates its past.…

It’s a wee bit nippy outside and the walk home from lectures and seminars can be a wearisome exercise of tired steps accompanied by tasking sniffs. At times like this, being greeted by a pallid bowl of noodles isn’t an attractive proposition. Instead, inspire your nose by the scent of these hot, spicy dishes. This is an inexpensive and wholesome meal. Be resourceful and use whatever spices you have and think will work; the ones listed are a guideline, though I would recommend getting some turmeric and mustard seeds for the Tarka dal. Tarka dal is made up of two…

Though it probably should be, the first thought when you eat out isn’t how hygienic the kitchen is. Instead, cost, value and taste understandably occupy our minds. It’s difficult to entertain the cleanliness of the kitchen when you eat somewhere: more often than not, if it’s out of sight, it’s out of mind. Unless there are visible signs of distress with the kitchen’s efforts to serve you food prepared under the  correct conditions, it’s hard to force yourself to consider whether you’d be happy to eat in a restaurant if you could see the state of the kitchen. Short of…

The image accompanying this page’s header is one of a bird whose ability to resist the inexhaustible apathy towards has seen it firmly placed at the heart of any traditional Christmas dinner. I’ve yet to meet anyone whose favourite element of a Christmas dinner is turkey. Often lamented for its propensity to overcook easily, resulting in a dry, chalky and bland meat (especially the breast) that is made just about palatable by copious ladles of gravy, the turkey should be overshadowed by superior complementary side dishes. Cooking a turkey is a laborious task that inevitably disappoints. I’d be perfectly contented…

The Welsh University Pool Championships took place on the 24th and 25th November at Kiss Shot Pool Club in Pontypridd, featuring three teams from Bangor, six from Cardiff University and four from Glamorgan University. Bangor’s geographical positioning left us in the unfortunate position of starting our journey at 4am on Fri- day morning. Fortunately, our driver, James Richards, expertly navigated his way through mid-Wales’ roads and, in spite of their post-apocalyptic appear- ance, got us there incident free. Immediately after our arrival, the singles competition started. Of our nine players’, five made it through the preliminary stage, the highlight com-…

Before his recent gig in Bangor University’s PJ Hall, Frank Turner took some time out to talk to Joe Russell. Here’s what he had to say: So, how was the main tour? Good, yeah. I mean, tonight’s day two of the solo leg so I’m still changing gear but prior to now the tour’s been amazing. The vibe was to do venues that weren’t Manchester, Glasgow, Birmingham, Bristol and obvious cities. It’s been good to play in different places. You last came to Bangor two years ago… Yeah, the last time I came here I played in a guy called Ian’s kitchen…

The Queen’s Head, Glanwydden 01492 546570, Conwy, LL31 9JP, North Wales The Queen’s Head is in Glanwydden, a village that acts as the perfect microcosm of North Wales – idyllic, surrounded by rolling hills and inextricably related to its heritage. To reach Glanwydden, you have to pass Conwy Castle and could be forgiven for feeling trepidation due to the village’s isolated location. Each road is narrower than the last and there is a palpable sense that the last person to have travelled here was a 19th century drover with cattle in tow. This isn’t true, of course, because Glanwydden…

The most anticipated food event of the year has arrived unexpectedly early due to a PR stunt clumsily disguised as a technical error. The Michelin guide, whose history dates back to the advent of the 20th century, is generally revered as the most important arbiter of good places to eat throughout the world. Despite persistent claims that the guide is flawed and has glaring omissions in its roll honour of starred restaurants, there are few within the industry who can say they pay no attention to the guide’s recommendations with any real sincerity. (N.B. Marco Pierre White gave back his three…

Olympic Ceremony performer to play gig in Bangor Academi this December It wouldn’t be an unfair slight on Bangor’s recent history with music to suggest that itís struggled to attract notable acts to visit. However, a growing number of caveats have appeared in the last three years that dispute such a contention; in May 2010, Radio One’s Big Weekend was held in Bangor; internationally acclaimed opera singer, Bryn Terfel, performed in the universityís Pritchard-Jones Hall late May of this year and recent Summer Balls have welcomed well-known artists such as Rizzle Kicks, Feeder and Maxïmo Park. Frank Turner has recently…

We’re Bangor University’s snooker and pool club. Though we’re one of the smaller AU clubs, we have a solid base of long standing members who are all happy to play snooker or pool with anyone that fancies giving it a go. All abilities are welcome – missing the ball isn’t a problem, neither’s clearing the table in one visit – and don’t be put off if you don’t have a cue, we’ll be happy to help you out. Our main session is on a Sunday at Bar Uno from 7pm till close. Though the tables aren’t great, they give us…

It’s becoming increasingly common for anyone that’s ever cooked a risotto to publish a cookbook – a quick Waterstones search of ‘cookbook’ brings up 5337 results – making it difficult to work out which ones are worth spending your money on and, with an ever expanding corner of the internet covering most culinary needs, those that just aren’t. So it’s refreshing to see something different, a cookbook that doesn’t just tell you how to make ‘the bestest chicken curry ever’. Helen Ashley is an artist and illustrator whose idea for ‘Kitchen Drawer’ was born when family and friends started to…

Garlic Paste Fresh garlic isn’t especially expensive but as is so often the case, you’re left with the odd clove and decayed garlic skin hanging around your kitchen. Chances are that, unless you’re roasting a whole bulb, you won’t use one in its entirety. There’s a simple way to resolve this – garlic paste. Morrisons sell a large jar of minced garlic (in the Asian Foods section, next to the spices) that costs £1 and will almost certainly serve you all year. And don’t listen to inane drivel about garlic lingering around you; its hot, pungent flavour enhances anything from a spaghetti bolognaise…

Chinese Tai Sing, one of two Chinese takeaways in Upper Bangor, beats its competitor Ying Wah on the sole premise that I one dish eaten at the latter lingers in my memory for the wrong reasons – lemon chicken that had an unpalatable washing up liquid acidity to it (that aside, Ying Wah does offer some good lunch time offers that are worth checking out.) Tai Sing is between the Creperie and health food shop on Holyhead Road. Inside, you’re likely to be greeted by the delightfully cheery woman that takes orders. Though the menu is vast and full of…

Your parents might need convincing that you’re eating healthy food at university so in an effort to quell any worries they might have, it’s a good idea to find a good restaurant to eat in should they visit. It would be remiss of me to suggest that Bangor has lots of great restaurants to eat in. It doesn’t. There just isn’t the demand for really good independent restaurants. Prospective restauranteurs  habitually flock to neighbouring Anglesey, not least because of its inexhaustible natural bounty of amazing ingredients. Notable places within Bangor include Blue Sky Café (just off the high street) Noodle…

Risottos are my favourite comfort food. They have a fantastic ability to carry an almost endless list of ingredients. Invariably, when it comes to risotto, simpicity is best; too many flavours can jar the palate and mask the essense of what a risotto really is.  You can’t make a good risotto without having a great liquid to cook the rice in. Here, instead of stock, beetroot juice and water are used to create a striking colour and taste. The rump steak is an optional extra but the rare beef works brilliantly well with the deep, savoury hit of beetroot. A final addition of mild,…

Blodyn Aur, meaning Golden Flower, is the first Welsh rapeseed oil; Welsh grown; Welsh pressed and Welsh bottled. Blodyn Aur is the brainchild of farmers Llyr Jones, Bryn Jones and Medwyn Roberts, as well as Geraint Hughes, a former student of Bangor. The oil is pressed near Llanfihangel Glyn Myfyr, near Corwen. They sell their bottles in 250ml and 500ml glass bottles, as well as larger 2.5L and 5L plastic bottles. It is currently stocked in all ASDA stores across Wales, but can also be bought online from blodynaur.com. Rapeseed oil is part of the culinary zeitgeist. In the 2003/2004…