‘Good job Wales’: Cook’s Glamorgan sausages win over half a million followers

Nation.Cymru Staff

A home cook has introduced Glamorgan sausages to her half a million followers as part of a series celebrating traditional recipes from across the British Isles.

Annie Mae Herring, better known across social media as theculinarybee, is a home cook and food content creator from Norwich.

Alongside sharing recipes from her new cookbook, ‘A Home-Cooked Year’, her popular series ‘The Isles’ Kitchen’ explores food from England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and the Channel Islands.

Starting in 2023, Annie Mae sought to shine a light on little-known and forgotten recipes, as well as more popular foods and staples in British households.

Having featured over 120 recipes, The Isles’ Kitchen is now in its ‘4th series’, and recently featured the Welsh classic, Glamorgan sausages.

In the video, Annie explains: “Despite the name, there’s never been any meat involved. These are thought to be one of Britain’s oldest surviving vegetarian dishes, created in south Wales where good cheese was plentiful and the meat wasn’t always affordable.

“Welsh cooks combine carefully cheese, leeks and breadcrumbs to create something so delicious it has survived for generations. Honestly, these would be absolutely perfect packed into a picnic basket.”

Though there are some local stories that date Glamorgan sausages to the 12th century, the first documented evidence appeared in 1850 in a Victorian travel book titled ‘Wild Wales’.

However, the sausage did not become the fully vegetarian version loved today until World War II, when meat was in short supply and was particularly expensive. The recipe evolved instead to incorporate cheese and leeks, as well as breadcrumbs, and egg or water to combine.

Glamorgan sausages still use these ingredients today, often formed into croquettes and pan-fried. Annie Mae recommended her viewers try them with chutney.

“This has been making the entire house smell just incredible,” the creator shared in her video. “Good job Wales. This is delicious.”

 

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A post shared by Annie Mae Herring (@theculinarybee)

Other Welsh classics have also featured on Annie Mae’s social media, including bara brith and rarebit, as well as lesser known dishes like amber tart.

Commenters from Wales shared their appreciation, writing “Being Welsh l can definitely say that they are tasty. We love our leeks”, and “Bravo! Love a Glamorgan sausage, an often overlooked Welsh delicacy!”

Viewers from elsewhere also expressed their interest in the recipe, with one writing: “I will be trying this as soon as the heatwave passes. They look difficult to share”.

More of theculinarybee’s recipes are available on her Instagram and TikTok. Her cookbook, A Home-Cooked Year, is available to preorder now.