And for our non Welsh and overseas readers this will take a little explaining. Sadly old customs are fading out, but traditionally in Wales today, always the 1st of March several things should occur. Businesses normally display freshly cut daffodils.
These can flower on the 1st of March if planted on a south facing raised bank of earth, as their biggest killer is wet soil and trust me it rains a lot here !
Parents also encourage their children to wear national dress, but normally these days it is only the youngest children who do.
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| Sheep modeling Welsh National Dress. |
This has the consistency of broth and is in fact a very thin white stew, cooked hopefully with the lamb bones still in. Lancashire has its Hotpot and Ireland has its Irish Stew, but in Wales we serve Cawl. It is seldom served in restaurants these days, but the odd public house may sell it. And of course it is normally served in Welsh pubs at half time free of charge, when Wales are playing rugby in the annual 6 Nations tournament.
There are various recipes on the internet to cook cawl but to put it simply this is a traditional thin stew containing lamb, onions, carrots, swede, potatoes, parsnips and leeks. With plenty of pepper added to the stock, a little salt and fresh parsley.
This can be cooked the night before and reheated to bring out the flavour. When this first comes to the boil try to skim off any scum that has risen to the surface and then simmer nice and slow. If you decide to attempt this dish, the cheaper cuts of meat are traditionally used. I would then play some old Tom Jones Albums while you prepare the veg followed by more recent TV footage of some Welsh Grand Slam Wins !!
Alternatively, go the whole hog and try to download Keith Floyd cooking cawl with Ray Gravell at Kidwelly Rugby Club. Good Luck !
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