8 Recipes to Celebrate St. David’s Day

St. David's Day is celebrated annually in Wales on Mar. 1 — today. But who is St. David? He is the patron saint of Wales, born in Pembrokeshire, famed for performing miracles and spreading the word of Christianity around the country.

On Mar. 1, Welsh children dress in traditional costumes; daffodils and leeks (symbols of Wales) are everywhere you look; and many households will have the wonderful aroma of Welsh cakes (small spiced currant cakes) and lamb cawl (a meat and vegetable soup, considered the national dish of Wales) flooding from the kitchens.

My earliest memories of St. David’s day involve a very uncomfortable knitted outfit worn in school with a bonnet on my head, and the enjoyment of warm Welsh cakes fresh off the griddle. Nowadays I am likely to be making my favourite Welsh dish of rarebit or, more specifically, my Welsh rarebit potatoes. Rarebit is similar to a grilled cheese but with beer, butter, and more added into the mix. Sounds a little strange. but tastes incredible.

What foods are typically eaten in Wales? Our diet is similar to that of the rest of the UK, but you will find that ingredients such as cockles, laverbread (a gelatinous paste made from laver seaweed), leeks, and lamb feature heavily in traditional Welsh dishes.

I’ve rounded up a few Welsh recipes from some of the UK’s top food bloggers for you to drool over and perhaps try out to join us in celebrating our special day!

Starting with Welsh Cakes from Thinly Spread:

Next up is Loin of Lamb from Fuss Free Helen:

More lamb in the form of a Lamb Filo Pie from Lovely Appetite:

Bara Brith is a traditional Welsh fruit loaf or tea cake and this is a delicious gluten free version from Natural Kitchen Adventures:

Traditional Welsh Rarebit now from Amuse Your Bouche:

And not quite so traditional but incredibly tasty, these are my Welsh Rarebit Loaded Potatoes:

Welsh Pancakes or Crempogs from Tin & Thyme:

And finishing up with Lavercakes from Natural Kitchen Adventures: