Dear Readers,
October 2023 sees the release of my dark fantasy novel, The Wolf and the Favour. The story is set in Wales UK and features a young girl named Hannah who has Down syndrome. As a former primary school teacher I wanted to write a story from the point of view of a neurodivergent character, as sadly few books can be found that depict such a character as a hero. The Wolf and the Favour is my attempt to redress the balance in some small way.
As a Welsh author I also wanted to include aspects of my heritage in the story: Welsh folklore, ancient places, as well as references to Hannah’s favourite foods.
Hannah is estranged from her real grandparents, but a supporting character, Anwen, who lives at Mynydd Lleuad Farm (Moon Mountain Farm) becomes a surrogate grandmother to Hannah, teaching her how to bake delicious Welsh treats such as Welsh cakes and bara brith (a rich fruit loaf).
Traditionally, Welsh cakes were cooked on what we call a bake stone, over an open fire. An uncle of mine once worked in a foundry. He cast the bake stone you see in the photograph especially for my mother to cook her Welsh cakes on. It’s around sixty years old and so heavy that it takes two strong arms to lift it. I inherited the bake stone, and regard it as an irreplaceable heirloom.
I thought I’d share the recipe for Welsh cakes with you, as well as a short extract from The Wolf and the Favour for context.
P.S. The teapot you see in the photo has the word ‘cwtch’ printed on it. In Welsh, cwtch means cuddle or hug, but it can also mean a cupboard or hidey-hole.
I hope you enjoy reading this, and perhaps you might even try the recipe yourself.
P.S. If you dislike dried fruit, bake plain, and once cool split and fill with jam.
Recipe for Welsh Cakes:
Ingredients
Makes 10-12 cakes | Prep 10 minutes | Cook 4-5 minutes each side
8oz/ 220g self raising flour
2oz/ 55g caster sugar
4oz/ 110g margarine or butter
1 or 2 handfuls of sultanas
1 or 2 free-range eggs, depending on mixture
Method
1 Sieve flour into bowl, then add margarine or butter. Rub in finely together.
2 Add sugar and sultanas and mix.
3 Add 1 egg and mix. The consistency needs to be bound together, so if too dry add another egg.
4 Roll out on a floured board, to about a quarter inch thick.
5 Cut using a 2 inch (5cm approx) cutter, then cook on a greased pan, or bake stone, on a medium heat for about 4 to 5 minutes each side.
6 The exact cooking time will depend on what you are cooking your Welsh cakes on, but keep a close eye – too short a period and they won’t be cooked in middle, too long and they will be dry. When touched during cooking they should feel springy, but not wet to the touch (no mixture should come out of the middle).
7 Once cooked, dust with caster sugar and enjoy.
Catherine’s latest release THE WOLF AND THE FAVOUR releases TODAY!! Here’s a peek……
Ten-year-old Hannah has Down syndrome and oodles of courage, but should she trust the beautiful tree creature who smells of Mamma’s perfume or the blue-eyed wolf who warns her not to enter the wood under any circumstance?
The Wolf and the Favour is a tale of love, trust, and courage. A tale that champions the neurodivergent voice and proves that the true power of a person’s strength lies within themselves.
Extract from The Wolf and the Favour:
Anwen’s kitchen was warm and welcoming, the way he’d imagined it would be, with a big old cooking range set into the chimney breast. A heap of Welsh cakes perched on a red and white china plate, and a matching teapot, the size of which Bleddyn had never seen before, sat beside it. If he didn’t know better, he’d have sworn he’d been transported back to the 1950’s.
“Come in, come in.” Anwen stood at the table, oven glove resting on her shoulder like an extra helping hand. “Now, do you like currants, Hannah? Because if you don’t, I’ve made a few plain ones and split them with home-made raspberry jam.”
“Ooh, yummy!” She ran her tongue around her lips. “I like currants and jam.”
More from Catherine McCarthy here: https://www.catherine-mccarthy-author.com
