Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Happy Saint David's Day - Dydd Dewi Sant Hapus

I seem to have two themes on this blog. One is food. The other is Welshiness. I guess there is a third theme-stuff that happens. So, I guess this blog is about whatever I want. This blog post will be awesome because it combines the the first two - food and Welshiness, Foolshiness?
St. David (Dewi Sant) died on March 1, 588? He was most known during his life for founding a Celtic monastic community at Glyn Rhosin. He was also the patron saint of Wales during their resistance against the Normans (around 1066). St David's Day is a big deal in Wales. It's a national holiday. Men wear leeks, women wear daffodils, children sing and put on plays, fountain water is dyed red. Also, people eat things. That's my favorite part.

In David's monastery, monks could only eat bread with salt & herbs and could only drink water. Meat and beer were strictly forbidden. I decided I wasn't doing that. Instead I made a bunch of food and invited a bunch of family to partake.

Cawl Cennin (leek soup)
I made this last year and a few times since them. It's a simple kind of tasty.



Swper Mam (Mom's supper)
So simple, so brilliant. There are three ingredients: bacon, cheese and onion. They are put in layers and baked. I highly recommend it.




Wyau ynys mon (Anglesey Eggs)
It's kind of like funeral potatoes meets potato salad. A mixture of mashed potatoes and leeks is placed in the bottom of the pan.



The potatoes are topped with hard boiled eggs.



The eggs are topped with a cheese sauce and cheese and then baked.



Picau ar y maen (Welsh cakes)
I really hate making things that require the rolling of dough, but these were pretty good. the dough is rolled out and cut like a sugar cookie, but cooked like a pancake. Currants give it a nice tangy flavor.