Cherry on the top

If MrsM and I visit a café, we usually share a cake. The convention often gets broken in Wales. Most Welsh cafés are proud of their 'bara brith', something of a national symbol that, like the language, has been subject to focussed efforts to ensure its survival and revival. I like it; MrsM generally avoids food with dried fruit in (with certain illogical exceptions - there is a lot more to the likes and dislikes of all of us than logic)

Bara brith means 'speckled bread' - bread with fruit in (and sugar and egg). The dried fruit should be soaked overnight, with the sugar, in strong tea. 'Bread', to me, implies fermented - some recipies include yeast but a lot rely on self raising flour. Now it's me who is being illogical: 'soda bread' (also with strong Celtic connections) has no yeast, just sodium bicarbonate. I'm guessing there is much dispute about the authentic version

Almost always, it is served with butter and often one portion comprises two slices - as you might expect if you ordered a side-serving of bread and butter, but not if you ordered fruit cake. This is a long way from our shared-cake standard! Our hot journey home provoked several stops, including a farewell bara brith, one slice of which will be a memento tomorrow!

We have only been away for ten days, but the changes are marked. There might be enough cherries to take a harvest and make something. I'm sure cherry jam on bara brith is not out of the question