Why do we celebrate St. David's Day?
Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus or Happy St. David’s Day!
St. David’s Day is the celebration of the patron saint of Wales, St. David. Patron saints are chosen to be special protectors of an area or country. England, Ireland and Scotland all have their own patron saints, and each have their own national day to celebrate them too.
St. David was born in south-west Wales, near to a small city that is named after him today. Although no one knows exactly when he was born, many people guess that it was around the year 520 AD – however, some people believe that it was before this and that he lived for over 100 years!
It was a time where the Welsh kings had their own little kingdoms and most people lived on their own farmland. They were mostly Christian, and there were lots of monasteries built where people would learn and pray.
Nowadays, St. David’s Day is important to remember the life of St. David and everything he did for the country of Wales.
People wear a daffodil or a leek around this day, as they are two important symbols of Wales. This is because the daffodil begins to bloom early in the year around this time, and the symbol of the leek is thought to have come from a group of Welsh soldiers many years ago who would wear leeks to be able to tell each other apart from the English soldiers. It is also believed that when St. David was alive, one of the only things he ate was leeks too.
Why not make your own Traditional Welsh Cakes using our handy Recipe!!!
Ingredients
- 225g plain flour
- 85g caster sugar
- ½ tsp mixed spice
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 50g butter, cut into small pieces
- 50g lard, cut into small pieces, plus extra for frying
- 50g currant
- 1 egg, beaten
- splash milk
Method
- STEP 1
Tip the flour, sugar, mixed spice, baking powder and a pinch of salt into a bowl. Then, with your fingers, rub in the butter and lard until crumbly. Mix in the currants. Work the egg into the mixture until you have soft dough, adding a splash of milk if it seems a little dry – it should be the same consistency as shortcrust pastry.
- STEP 2
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured work surface to the thickness of your little finger. Cut out rounds using a 6cm cutter, re-rolling any trimmings. Grease a flat griddle pan or heavy frying pan with lard, and place over a medium heat. Cook the Welsh cakes in batches, for about 3 mins each side, until golden brown, crisp and cooked through. Delicious served warm with butter and jam, or simply sprinkled with caster sugar. Cakes will stay fresh in a tin for 1 week.
