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Top Suffolk chef Gemma Simmonite says Welsh cakes have the flavour of home




Growing up in Cardiff, no St David’s day on March 1st was complete without being sent to school with a proud daffodil pinned to my blazer, and a Welsh cake wrapped up with love in my packed lunch. Just the sight of these simple little griddle cakes can give me an overwhelming feeling of Hiraeth*.

And because I knew no different, I just assumed that everyone in the UK celebrated St David’s day, and I really thought that daffodils appeared ‘only’ for this special Welsh saint’s day, and not because they are little proud heralds of Spring!

In fact, when I told old tales of my school’s annual eisteddfods, I swear my children used to think I was making it up – stories of arduous months preparing choral singing, conducting, creative writing, poetry reading, dancing, painting and crafts did seem somewhat like a creative luxury in today’s hothouse schedule that schools have to follow.

Welsh cakes evoke memories of home for Gemma Simmonite
Welsh cakes evoke memories of home for Gemma Simmonite

We would enthusiastically compete in our house teams, mine was called Llandaff and our colour was yellow, more affinity with daffodils which us Llandiffians were sure was a good luck sign!

Then all our artistic endeavours would culminate in various performances and displays in our large draughty assembly hall.

Carefully and very seriously each turn was judged by a panel teachers and then awarded important points.

Welsh dragon
Welsh dragon

Lasting a good couple of days; such was the size of the competition it meant no formal schoolwork was in sight for ages, and for me that was bliss.

Because I was an all singing, writing dancing kinda kid, sports days would leave me cold, and don’t even come at me with science fairs!

No, this entirely artistic Welsh festival felt like it was mine, a big ol’ palooza of creativity, and I just loved it!

And of course, it was more than a perfect time for showing off, which I was always more than ready to do at the drop of a top hat!

Eventually when it was time for the festival to come to a close, all points were anxiously totted up (sometimes with tense recounts) and an overall house was declared the winner!

If your house won, we celebrated fervently and earnt us bragging rights for the rest of the year!

The Eisteddfod’s roots can be traced all the way back to 1176, and the official festival has been held every year other than in 1914 with the outbreak of the first world war, where it was postponed for a year. In world war two for fear of the gathering being bombed, it was broadcast instead to keep morale up.

Traditionally held in August, in different Welsh locations it attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors, and is a visual showcase of music, dance, literature and arts. Since 1950 it was decided that all activities must be performed in the Welsh language, but it is an inclusive festival, and someone is always keen to translate if you join in with the spirit of things.

March 1st though is the date that schools across Wales create their own versions of the festival to commemorate St David, the patron saint of Wales. Children wear traditional dress, boys in white shirts, waistcoats and black trousers, and girls in petticoats, shawls, and bonnets, and of course all donning their daffodils, or even our national vegetable the leek!

It was believed that this pungent versatile vegetable protected soldiers from injury, treat wounds and even ward off evil spirits!

St David was apparently the greatest figure in the 6th century Welsh Age of Saints, and the founder of scores of religious communities including one in Glastonbury. And he was the only native-born patron saint of the countries of Britain and Ireland.

Legend has it that his mother, Saint Non, gave birth to him on a Pembrokeshire cliff top in the midst of a wild storm, and in her most painful desperate moments gripped onto a nearby rock and such was her strength she split it in two, and a well appeared. Legend also has it that as soon as her son was born, she was bathed in glorious sunshine, no doubt a happy portentous sign of St David’s arrival into the world.

He was educated in Cardiganshire, before going on a pilgrimage through South Wales and the West of England.

He also embarked on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, where it’s believed he was actually made an archbishop.

It was said in his lifetime he performed miracles, once making the ground rise up under him so he was able to preach to a large gathering at the Synod of Llanddewibrefi.

I’m not sure any of this really resonated with me on March 1st, but what really did, was the chance to eat warm sugar dusted Welsh cakes for days!

Pretty much in the same way that pancake day delights kids and adults alike on Shrove Tuesday, St David’s day was always a treat day.

But that’s not to say you can’t have them at any other time, in fact in Cardiff’s fabulous historical food market you can watch women making them from scratch – rolling, patting, cutting out and then sizzling them on the griddle or bakestone as it would have been cooked on traditionally, and then of course the all-important dusting of sugar before being sold in mini piles.

Even though March the 1st was a few days ago, I really hope you decide to give these easy peasy little teatime treats a go and embrace the land of my fathers.

DyddGwylDewi Hapus! Happy St David’s Day

Daffodowndilly

She wore her yellow sun-bonnet,

She wore her greenest gown;

She turned to the south wind

And curtsied up and down.

She turned to the sunlight

And shook her yellow head,

And whispered to her neighbour:

“Winter is dead.”

A.A Milne

*Noun: Hiraeth (Especially in the context of Wales or Welsh culture) a feeling of nostalgia, or homesickness for a place you can no longer return to, a deep yearning for something that no longer exists.

Welsh cakes

Ingredients

225g self-raising flour

110g baking spread

50g caster sugar

50g currents/raisins or sultanas

1 large free-range egg

1-2 tbsp of milk

Directions

Rub the flour, spread, and caster sugar just as you would a crumble, when it looks like breadcrumbs add the dried fruits of choice.

Beat your egg with the milk and add it to the flour mixture.

With a knife bring the mixture together, you are looking for a soft dough, if too dry add a tiny splash more of milk – but you don’t want it to be too sticky.

Flour your surface, and gently roll out the dough with a rolling pin to the depth of ¼ inch thick.

With a fluted pastry cutter cut out rounds, rerolling when needed.

Heat you griddle or frying pan until medium hot, then rub some butter into the pan until well-greased.

Carefully cook the Welsh cakes on each side for about three minutes each or until they are golden brown.

Pour some caster sugar into a bowl and when each cake comes off the griddle coat it in the sugar, then put on a plate to cool fully.

Gemma is executive chef and co-creator of Gastrono-me, Abbeygate Street, Bury St Edmunds and Bridge Street, Cambridge (01284 277980/01223 651325).