The Accidental Chef: In Wales, food is magic

A few weeks ago, I found myself standing seaside in the small, medieval town of Conwy in North Wales. As the seabirds cackled and the tide began to pull away, I couldn't help but reflect on the magic that the Welsh coastline evokes.

Perhaps it was the town of Conwy itself, with its mighty castle and fortressed walls, or maybe it was the way the light breeze off the bay carried the aroma of the Irish Sea, only a few miles away.

Whatever it was, I could feel the mystery of this place, redolent with stories of monarchs, sieges and rebellions, along with an ongoing resistance to its English neighbors. Yet, while relishing the magical history of Wales is one thing, tasting it is another.

The enchantment that is Wales is most clearly defined in its food. It boasts locally produced meats, vegetables and fruits. But don't try to apply current foodie catchphrases, such as "locavore," "sustainable" or "organic," to its cuisine. It's not that these words aren't appropriate, it's just that for Welsh fishermen, farmers and chefs, culling products locally is not considered a movement, but rather a way of life, as it has been for hundreds of years.

On one balmy afternoon, I enjoyed a nap-inducing 13-course lunch prepared by Chef Graham Tinsley of The Castle Hotel in downtown Conwy that highlighted (from amuse-bouche to dessert) some of the best Wales offers.

From homemade chicken-liver parfait with damson chutney, made with plums from the chef's personal garden, to a classic Welsh rarebit (a cheese-and-beer sauce served over toast), made with locally produced cheddar, our lunch was a veritable tour of dairy farmers, butchers, mills, sausage makers and sea-salt producers.

Local salt marsh-raised lamb, a common specialty, was served on a pile of minty baba ghanouj, while a treacle tart (treacle is similar to molasses in flavor) was offset by a heaping spoon of house-made fig ice cream.

Yet, one of the biggest highlights of that afternoon of gluttony was a straightforward dish of local Conwy mussels pulled straight from the waters outside our door. It was simply accented with shallots, white wine and just enough heavy cream to give it richness and depth.

The mussels of Conwy are a special breed, and much of the local seafaring industry relies on the cultivation of these briny gems. Many of the mussels of Conwy are caught the old-fashioned way, by raking the mussel beds by hand, which not only is considered by many to be a lost art but also is as tough as it sounds.

Affectionately referred to as "mussel men," the fishermen of Conwy brave the harsh weather of the Menai Strait and even harsher fishing restrictions (because of recent bans) to cull only the juiciest and tastiest mussels from the swirling, brackish waters.

If you can't make it across the pond to visit Wales, you can taste the magic of Wales at home with Tinsley's classic Conwy mussel recipe. You probably won't have access to mussels from Conwy, but you can go local and hunt down some of our Chesapeake Bay mussels, which are perfect substitutes.

Kendra Bailey Morris is a Richmond-based food writer, culinary instructor and author of "White Trash Gatherings: From-Scratch Cooking for Down-Home Entertaining" (Ten Speed Press). Send ideas, tips or culinary questions to or visit http://www.theaccidentalchef.net.