The following highlights some of the popular Traditional Welsh Foods. If you manage to be in an Welsh restaurant or you are visiting Wales, I recommend the following:
1. Crempogs
They are basically a type of pancake or crepe. Made with flour, buttermilk, vinegar, eggs and butter, they are made like Welsh cakes on a baking sheet rather than in the oven. In fact, they are much thicker than pancakes, stacked and buttered on top, and are often served on special occasions such as birthdays or, more importantly, Shrove Tuesday, the day before Lent begins, or in this part of the world better known as Crepe Tuesday.
2. Laverbread
This traditional Welsh delicacy is often called ‘Welsh caviar’ and is made from locally sourced seaweed. The seaweed is boiled and then ground to a dark green puree with a sea salt flavour. Despite the name, it is not bread and is traditionally baked and served at breakfast with local bacon and mussels.
3. Bara Brith
All countries have some element that makes them special to the same country and this is mostly considered as a characteristic fact. For example, in Wales there is a bread known for the same use, such as Vara Brith. This is usually made by any bakery.
4. Lamb Cawl
Welsh Cawl is widely regarded as the national dish of Wales. This succulent traditional stew is made with meat (usually lamb), leeks and seasonal vegetables and is eaten all over the country. You’ll usually find this delicious soup served with Welsh bread and cheese.
5. Glamorgan Sausage
Glamorgan sausage is a vegetarian sausage made with Welsh cheese (popular in Caerphilly), leeks and breadcrumbs. Glamorgan sausages can be eaten on their own or as a substitute for any dish that includes beef sausage, or rolled in puff pastry to make sausage rolls.
6. Conwy Mussels
Conwy mussels are sustainably harvested mussels known for their striking visual appearance, colourful shells, tasty meat and oval shape with pointed ends. They were hand-picked from the Conwy estuary in North Wales between 1 September and 30 April. It is a fairly large clam that tends to contain more meat than other clams. It has a juicy, rich, salty flavour and a chewy texture.
7. Salt Marsh Lamb
Wales has perfect conditions for raising sheep with plenty of rain and green pastures, which is one of the reasons it produces some of the best lamb in the world. Typical lamb dishes include cawl (lamb soup), lamb shoulder, lamb chops and roasts.
8. Sewin and Samphire
Sewin is a species of trout and Samphire is a European plant that grows on rocks and cliffs by the sea. This dish is all about combining it with Welsh staples and is a year-round favourite with the Welsh. The starter stitch is particularly good with wild samphire, which grows in abundance along the coast of Carmarthen Bay.
9. Welsh Rarebit
The world’s most extravagant cheese toast. Welsh Rarebit is a delicious cheese spread usually made with cheddar cheese, flour, butter, beer, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Despite the name, there is no rabbit or meat in this sauce. The creamy cheese sauce is delicious and is served warm on toasted crusty bread.
10. Leeks
The leek is the symbol of Wales on national sporting events, St. David’s Day and on the British £1 coin. There are many theories as to why the leek became such an important symbol for the Welsh, the most famous of which dates back to the 6th century AD. Legend has it that St David made his soldiers wear leeks on their helmets to distinguish them from their enemies in battle. Despite these theories, leeks remain a staple of Welsh cuisine and are used in many national recipes, such as the famous Welsh stew.
If you found this list useful, here are some more Traditional European Foods to try out on my Pinterest channel.