Hiraeth At Felin Fach Griffin

An intriguing tweet, from Julie at the Felin Fach Griffin, meant a slight adjustment to our planned morning at Brecon Farmers Market. Instead of meeting fellow blogger Gomez Adams (Corpulent Capers Blog) to shop and then head for coffee we headed straight to The Hours café to meet Julie who “might have a little something to tell you”

Arriving first we grabbed fortifying double espressos and waited for the others.

Mark (Gomez) had barely settled into his cappuccino – despite it being after 11 and therefore not acceptable in Italy – when Julie and Max the Felin Fach Dog arrived.

The little something that Julie had mentioned turned out to be a big and very exciting something indeed and we were the first to learn of it!

The Felin Fach Griffin are planning a one evening food and music festival on 7^th September from 6 till late!

Entitled “Hiraeth” which has no direct Welsh-English translation but means longing, homesickness, nostalgia and yearning has a very direct context of place, and it is place that lies at the heart of this one evening festival.

Most exciting was that it would be a "Field to Fork Production with a Musical Finale"

All of the activities, foods and drinks will have a direct connection to the Felin Fach Griffin and the garden in particular.

First the drinks that you would expect to be associated with a pub. Wines will come from Ancre Hill the Monmouthshire vineyard famed for their award winning sparkling whites made by the method champaignoise. Pip’s Cider will be available as it is every day in the pub and beers will come from Brecon Brewing and Waen.

Both Brewers have a good range of beers with Brecon having some seasonal ales including Six Nations – only available during the International Rugby tournament, and Merry Cwrw-istmas a cunning bilingual pun!

So where’s the link to the garden?

Both brewers will be making special festival beers incorporating ingredients from the garden in their flavouring. A Brew Off  between the ales will take place on the night with drinkers voting for their favourite! Just to ensure that you try both the admission price will include a voucher for ½ pint of each and you drop the voucher into a box of your preference.

Food on the night will come from the pub’s award winning chefs and incorporate ingredient from both the garden and Penpont Organics who supply vegetables to the kitchen. Meats will come from the regular suppliers and there could well be a butchery demonstration to boot, whilst there will be a large input from Black Mountain Smokery.

The award winning Talgarth Mill are also involved and may be producing a festival flour especially, but will certainly be providing the basis for rolls, tarts and cakes.

All of the foods on the evening will be cooked over either wood or charcoal and are all included in the admission price.

And if you are feeling full of good food and drink you can work off some of it by dancing! Several bands and artists are lined up including Johnny Crow’s Garden band led by the Griffin’s own Head Gardener!

A full range of demonstrations and talks are planned and for children there will be a wild life nature trail (adults can forage) and vegetable art.

Admission will be by ticket only at £20 for adults and £12.50 for children but with the food and some drinks included that looks an absolute bargain.

To get your ticket ring  01874 620 111.

See you at the Felin Fach Griffin on Friday 7^th September!

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