HAPPY HEDGEHOG
A one-time fire eater, Rave DJ and knife juggler, founder Apra Ames Roberts' career paths have taken many turns. After studying history and archaeology in her early years, she immersed herself in historical re-enactments across the United Kingdom. After years of extensive training she became a sword master and fight choreographer for Film & theatre as well as large re enactment events. As she became older she stepped back from the fight aspect of history, concentrating on the history of foods and the flavours that created it. From these events, she developed a love for cooking using age-old ingredients to create delicious modern days twists on long-forgotten recipes.
Her inspirations come from a rich family history that she wanted to highlight. Her father was a fisherman and his family are direct descendants of the original cave dwellers from the Great orme Llandudno. A great many of Apra’s recipes are inspired by her rich family’s’ history which goes back hundreds of years. After years of creating preserves, balsamic and apple cider vinegars as gifts for friends and family, she decided the time had come to create for the wider marketplace.
Apra’s main inspirations for her vinegars and preserves come from her 3rd times Great Grandmother Miriam Yr Ogof. She was the last cave dweller of the Great Orme, Llandudno, North Wales.
For centuries the Yr Ogof’s, who are one of the oldest fishing families, had lived on the Great Orme, farming the land as well as fishing. When Miriam was evicted from her cave to make way for the new road around the Orme, she had to find a new income, for her invalid husband Isaac and her fourteen children. So she started selling from her cottage aerated waters, fruit cordials and preserves to the Victorian tourists, who came to Llandudno to take the sea air. Her preserves became so popular that people would order in advance from her.
Using the same techniques her grandmother used, Apra has successfully recreated forgotten flavours with delicious results. Because of this, every product made at Happy Hedgehog Foods possesses it own personal story and fascinating history.
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