St David’s Day 2022 – Five must try Welsh dishes

Perhaps controversially, it is not a public holiday here, and as a result, we find ourselves having to celebrate the occasion in different ways.

In schools, traditional Eisteddfod events often take place on this day, with music and poetry taking centre stage.

But for most of us, the day largely passes by without any real celebration – save for perhaps wearing a daffodil on our lapel.

That though, could easily change, even if you might be stuck working a 9-5 on March 1.

We’re not suggesting hosting a full blown Eisteddfod in your workplace – though that would be pretty epic in of itself.

Instead, we’re talking about heading into the kitchen, and rustling up a Welsh classic.

Granted, Wales, as a nation, is not renowned for its cuisine, but there is definitely a tasty treat or two that you could cook, with little effort.

Below, you can check out five must try Welsh dishes.

Welsh cakes

There was only ever going to be one thing in pole position here, realistically speaking.

The Welsh cake is arguably Wales’s greatest food export – and while critics may well argue that they can be on the dry side, that usually suggests poor baking skills, rather than a flaw in the recipe.

Traditionally cooked on a bakestone, they can be pan fried in a pinch.

A recipe for Welsh cakes can be found here.

Cawl

While cawl is also the Welsh word for soup, traditional cawl is next level.

The beauty of cawl is that virtually anything goes with it – which opens up a whole world of possibilities.

But, traditional mainstays are either lamb or beef, with leeks, potatoes, swede, carrots, and other seasonal vegetables.

Widely considered the national dish of Wales, a decent recipe can be found here.

Glamorgan sausage

The Marmite of Welsh foods – you will either love it or hate it.

It is a traditional vegetarian sausage, which contains Caerphilly cheese, and leeks, and is covered in breadcrumbs.

The sausage was first thought up in the historic county of Glamorgan – hence the name.

Not everyone is a fan, but a recipe for this one can be found right here.

Bara brith

From the questionable, to the unquestionably delicious, we move on to bara brith.

A traditional sweet bread, it is made with dried fruit and spices.

We’re not going to be the ones to tell you how to live your life, but it is a sweet treat which goes perfectly with a cup of tea.

You can find a recipe for this one right here.

Rarebit

Finally, we have Welsh rarebit – and before you ask, it isn’t cheese on toast, and it is nothing to do with rabbits.

That being said, it does consist of a hot cheese sauce served over toasted bread.

Technically, the only difference is that it is a sauce, rather than slices of cheese placed on bread.

We have to admit that we aren’t experts on this one – but we are reliably informed that the Welsh version is superior.

A recipe can be found here.

We've almost certainly missed out on some top Welsh snacks and foodstuffs - but if you can think of any Welsh foods that need mentioning, let us know in the comments, or on the South Wales Argus social media channels.