Fresh Herrings

Description

Ingredients

• fresh herring


• bacon fat

Method

• Clean the herring in the usual way, and fry in bacon fat until crisp on both sides.

Usually, herrings were served with potatoes, boiled in their jackets, for a mid-day meal.

Nefyn, Lleyn.

Fried fresh herrings and onions were served for tea or supper.

Nefyn, Lleyn.

Bwdram a sgadan (thin flummery and fresh herrings) was a favourite dish in parts of south Cardiganshire, e.g. Brynhoffnant, Cardiganshire.

Sgadenyn is the Welsh equivalent of ‘herring’ in the counties of south Wales, but pennog is the equivalent used in the counties of north Wales. Catching and selling herrings was a major industry in most seaside villages during the autumn months. Fresh herrings would be sold from door to door in the villages themselves and also they would be carried by horse and cart to the adjacent rural areas. Selling them for about a penny each or seven for sixpence, the seller would announce his arrival by crying out a slogan, e.g.

‘Sgadan Aberporth

Dau fola ac un corf.’

(Aberporth herrings,

two bellies in one body)

‘Sgadan Aberporth

Dau enaid mewn un corff’

(Aberporth herrings,

two souls in one body)

‘Penwaig Nefyn, penwaig Nefyn

‘U cefna fel cefna hen ffarmwrs

A’u bolia fel bolia tafarnwrs – penwaig ffres!’

(Nefyn herrings, Nefyn herrings,

Backs like backs of old farmers

Bellies like the bellies of inn-keepers – fresh herrings!)