The Valleys and South Welsh Foodways

Y Cymoedd

Regional

The south-east coalfield — RHONDDA, Cynon, Taf, Ebbw, Merthyr, Caerphilly — which drew people from rural Wales, from England, Ireland, Italy and Spain and made one of the densest industrial populations in the world. Its foodways are working foodways: the tommy box and the miner’s packed snap; CAWL and stews that cook unattended; bread, cheese and tea; faggots and peas; corned beef; the ITALIAN BRACCHI cafés that served the coalfield from the 1890s; and the Co-op and the company shop.