This post was last updated on May 30th, 2025 at 02:05 pm
What is Welsh stuff? Welsh stuff includes just about all topics related to Wales. It especially refers to food, recipes, gifts, and traditional things from Cymru, like customs, holidays, dress, and symbolism.
Wales is a small country that packs an enormous amount of culture and history into a little over 8,000 square miles. Its history traces back to antiquity, even before the time of the ancient Celts—although these tribal people did have a great deal to do with shaping the modern Welsh into who they are today.
Many legends you’re probably already familiar with come from Wales’ past. The legend of Merlin is one of them. The famous wizard, known as “Myrddin Wyllt” in Welsh, was a great sorcerer and mentor to King Arthur. King Arthur, it turns out, may not have been a king but may, in fact, have been a real person and not a myth at all. It’s doubtful that Merlin existed in the same way he’s portrayed in literature. However, according to the author of The Quest for Merlin, his character might have been based on a real pagan prophet in the sixth century.
This post is all about Welsh stuff.
An Introduction to Welsh Stuff
Wales is also famous for its many castles—over 600! It has more per square mile than any other country in the world. Other popular attractions include its award-winning beaches, incredible scenery, world-renowned hospitality, and Snowdonia National Park. With so much going for it and a beautiful flag to boot, it’s no wonder that fans of this awe-inspiring country need Welsh stuff for their home (and fridge). Speaking of the fridge, did I mention that cawl (soup) tastes even better the day after you’ve cooked it?
Food and Recipes
Welsh food evolved the way it did in times when many people worked long hours out in the fields or down in the mines. That’s why so many Welsh dishes are hearty and filling. Some, like Welsh oggies (meat pie), are also portable. Welsh rarebit is a popular dish enjoyed worldwide. At the same time, other delicacies, like laverbread (patties made with seaweed), are challenging to find outside of Wales. The examples below are by no means a comprehensive list, but they are a great place to start. I’ll be adding to the list in the future.
Welsh Foods and Protected Status
You simply can’t mention the wonders that Wales has to offer without talking about its food and drink. From tender and juicy Gower Salt Marsh Lamb to the traditional Welsh leek used in so many dishes, Wales is home to a smorgasbord of amazing foods and beverages that are innately Welsh. This Welshness is so pronounced that the European Union has granted a special designation, known as “Protected Geographical Indication” status, to certain products.
In total, Wales is home to 19 products with this protected “GI” status. The status indicates that an individual or manufacturer produced the designated product in Wales. It also shows that only products produced here, made in a specific manner, can be given a specific title. For example, with Gower Salt Marsh Lamb, the lambs must have spent at least half of their lives grazing on the salt marshes located on the Northern Gower Peninsula.
GI protection helps ensure that the high quality of the product is recognized. That also includes ensuring that the correct artisans or farmers receive the credit for the exceptional food and drink they provide. GI protection is divided into three sub-categories, which are:
PDO (Protected Designation of Origin)
PDO essentially indicates that a specific product has been processed, produced, or prepared in a designated region (such as the Gower Peninsula), which contributes to the food or drink’s unique flavors and characteristics.
PGI (Protected Geographical Indication)
Protected Geographical Indication emphasizes a connection between a food or drink product and a specific geographical location, which contributes to imparting unique flavors and characteristics. Typically, producers conduct at least one stage of production in this region.
TSG (Traditional Specialties Guaranteed)
Finally, we have Traditional Specialties Guaranteed, or TSG for short. This protection is put in place to help protect unique and traditional methods of production in making a food or drink product. This protection does not have to be linked to a specific geographical location. However, there are often strong connections between them.
As you can see, these levels of protection are vitally important for the Welsh economy, each individual involved in the production of said products, and, of course, for the country in general.
Conwy mussels, for example, are considered to be some of the best in the world. The mussels get their distinctive qualities from the environment of the Conwy Estuary in North Wales. They grow in deep waters, which means there is more plankton available for them to feed upon. This abundance of food helps Conwy mussels develop their large size and delicious flavor and texture.
Cawl Recipes
Cawl is the Welsh word for “broth” or “soup,” and it is also the national dish of Wales. This hearty dish is one of the recipes that many people are familiar with. It’s pronounced like the word “owl” with a hard “c” in front (as in “cat”). What we’d recognize as cawl today was invented in the 14th century. However, its history goes even further back than that.
The History of Cawl
The Beaker People of Neolithic Britain are believed to have cooked the earliest cawl around 2500 BC. They made it with lamb, leeks, cabbage, and broth, and cooked their soup by boiling it directly on fire-heated stones.
The cawl we know today generally contains the staples of lamb, onions, leeks, potatoes, carrots, broth, and seasoning. Potatoes are the newest addition from the 1800s, thanks to the American colonies. You can substitute beef or pork in your cawl if you don’t prefer lamb. This wholesome soup came about because hungry people needed to cook a pot of food with what they had on hand (or could find). Therefore, there’s technically no right or wrong way to make cawl. There is, of course, what is considered “traditional cawl.” The main thing to know is that cawl prepared with lamb and leeks and served with bread and cheese has a Welshness factor like Guinness Beef is an Irish dish.
Here, you’ll find a slow cooker cawl recipe. I’ve also included instructions for chicken, leek, and potato soup. The latter is a variation of cawl cennin, which traditionally only contains broth and vegetables. This soup is for those searching for a chicken cawl recipe.
Welsh Onion Recipes
While there is something called a “Welsh onion,” this slender green vegetable isn’t from Wales but from Asia. Here, when we speak of Welsh onion recipes, we mean dishes from Cymru that are prepared with white or yellow onions.
Welsh onion cake is an uncomplicated comfort food made by layering onions and sliced potatoes with butter in a dish and baking it. What’s so wonderful about this recipe is that it takes just a few ingredients besides your choice of seasonings. A pie pan of this will make about six servings.
Welsh Leek Recipes
And now we come to the noble leek whose Welshness is undeniable. Although not native to Wales, it has become a national emblem, like the daffodil, and an inextricable component of Welsh cuisine.
Like cawl, Welsh rarebit is another recipe many people outside of Cymru have heard of. While it hasn’t been around for quite as long, its invention in 1725 (the more or less agreed-upon date of its birth) has given it plenty of time to become a part of the culture and be enjoyed by thousands. Welsh rarebit is a dish of cheese, like Caerphilly cheddar, over bread baked to perfection.
Cawl also falls under Welsh leek recipes (you can’t make real cawl without leeks!), and I’ve included a traditional cawl recipe here. This one has you do it the old-fashioned way by making your own stock the day before.
Welsh pies are another meal that frequently incorporates leeks. Oggies are a traditional meat pie made with lamb, leeks, and potatoes wrapped in a pastry shell called a “coffin.” They’re super filling, easily portable, and can be eaten with the hands. Welsh chicken and leek pie is another such recipe. It includes several types of meat depending on your taste, and also contains cheese and plenty of savory spices. It’s absolutely delicious!
A Bite of Welsh Cakes History
Welsh cakes, also known as “griddle cakes,” may not have been around as long as some of the other traditional dishes from Wales. Nonetheless, they still have a fascinating history, and they’re just as delicious.
People make traditional Welsh cakes with flour, lard, currants, sugar, eggs, milk, water, and a few warming baking spices, including cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice. They’re almost a hybrid of scones, cookies, and pancakes, especially since they’re often cooked on a griddle or frying pan, just like a pancake.
The cakes are fluffy, rich, buttery, fruity, sweet, and dangerously moreish—so yummy that you’ll want more. But how did they come about? The history of Welsh cakes dates back to the 19th and 20th centuries, when mining was a prominent industry. Interestingly, the background of this sweet treat is very similar to that of the Cornish pasty.
A Practical Lunch for Miners
As the miners were underground for such long hours each day, they couldn’t just pop round to the local chip shop or café for their lunch. They needed something portable, non-perishable, and substantial to get them through their shifts. The lady of the house, be that a wife, sister, mother, aunt, grandmother, or anybody else, would whip up some Welsh cakes using kitchen staples.
Most kitchens would have all the ingredients needed to make these delicious cakes. Additionally, making them required little skill or effort. The cook mixed the ingredients in a bowl. She then ladled the resulting dough or batter onto a griddle or bakestone and thoroughly cooked the rounds on both sides. They were dense and soft on the inside and firm and sturdy on the outside. This consistency ensured that they kept their shape and didn’t crumble to pieces in the miner’s pockets as they worked.
Possible Origins in Y Wladfa (The Colony)
As to where the first Welsh cake originated, we cannot be certain. However, one story tells of a group of Welsh people sailing to Argentina to escape religious persecution. While there, they established a Welsh colony in Patagonia by the name of “Y Wladfa,” which meant “The Colony” in Welsh. Of course, building a colony is a lot of work. Much like with the miners, ladies created these cakes as a way to utilize common ingredients and provide sustenance in a convenient, handheld form.
Relationship to Flatbread
The cakes may even have roots in African and Middle Eastern cultures. Flatbreads, which people prepared similarly, may have inspired early Welsh cakes. These dense breads didn’t require the use of yeast, baking powder, or other raising agents.
The Welsh cakes we know and love today, however, are much more sophisticated and decadent. You can make them with a wide variety of fruity, sweet, or savory ingredients. If you haven’t sampled a Welsh Cake, you must. Just don’t be surprised when you’re unable to resist going back for a second and maybe even a third. You’ll have no trouble burning off the extra calories with a brisk hike around the Brecon Beacons. Click below for a simple and customizable recipe.
Gifts That Speak of Wales
No matter how someone comes by their affinity and interest, anyone with a love of Cymru is bound to look for Welsh gifts at some point. The traditions and holidays of the Welsh people have lent themselves to rather unique and exciting ways of gift-giving. The pride in the land, Y Ddraig Goch (the red dragon on the flag, a symbol of Wales, and what the flag itself is called) is undeniable. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a gift that doesn’t embody this love of the land and symbols of Wales in some way.
Traditional Welsh Gifts
Traditional Welsh gifts include objects that have been customary to give on certain occasions throughout history. Gifts that embody the Welsh way of life also fall under this heading.
Woolen Gifts
Take, for example, the wool and textile industry. It was a vital part of the economy for a long time. Even today, there’s a demand for woolen products from Wales. Welsh wool blankets are a perfect example of a traditional Welsh gift.
Welsh Love Spoons
Love spoons are another traditional gift. The custom of giving a love spoon dates back to 1667. Around that time, a gentleman suitor would take a wooden spoon and carve various symbols and patterns onto it as a token of his affection for the lady he intended to court. The symbols themselves were, of course, representative. An angel signifies protection, and Celtic knotwork is proof of an everlasting bond. There is no beginning or end to the links; they are continuous. However, the technical skill and detail that went into carving the love spoon—a unique work—was also in itself a physical attestation of the man’s love for the woman. You can find a list of many of the meanings of the symbols here, in the section called Love Spoon Symbols and Their Meanings.
Over time, people began giving love spoons as gifts on other occasions. Today, anyone can give a Welsh love spoon to anyone they care about. There are many ways to personalize a love spoon and make it a special, once-in-a-lifetime gift. If you don’t live in Cymru, don’t worry. You can get a personalized love spoon from Amazon, made in Wales, so it’s still the real thing.
Unique Welsh Gifts
People love unique Welsh gifts because they make both the giver and the receiver feel closer to Wales. When someone creates every part of a gift in Cymru, it’s uniquely Welsh.
Welsh Gold Jewellery
One example of a uniquely Welsh product is Welsh gold jewellery. This rare gold is mined in only a few places in the country. These include parts of North Wales, such as Snowdonia, and South Wales, near the River Cothi valley. Because it’s not widely available, it’s considered extremely rare and valuable—the rarest gold in the world.
Cawl Crocks
If you’re shopping for a friend or loved one who can’t get enough of Welsh food, you can’t go wrong with giving them unique Welsh gifts that revolve around Cymru’s cuisine. One such gift is a cawl crock. A cawl crock is a traditional Welsh pottery piece specifically designed to serve cawl. It’s typically a ceramic pot or bowl, often handmade. By serving cawl, Wales’ national dish, in deep cawl bowls, the food retains the heat. You’ll also be presenting the meal authentically. Artisans may also make the bowls from wood or stoneware. You can find all sorts of cawl bowls available, decorated with various Welsh themes to suit every taste.
Where to find cawl crocks or cawl bowls: Ewenny Pottery makes them. Merchants also sell them at the exhibits in Crafts in the Bay (Cardiff). You can also find cawl crocks online on Etsy and Welsh gift shops.
Welsh Slate Kitchenware
Welsh slate has been used for hundreds of years and is considered by many to be the finest available slate you can come by. It occurs in different colors, ranging from grey to green and purple. Welsh slate coasters and cheeseboards are the perfect way to give a unique Welsh gift made of stone quarried in Cymru.
Ideas for Welsh Mother’s Day Gifts
We might be several months away from Mother’s Day (depending on when you’re reading this). However, that’s okay because it’s never too early to start looking for gift ideas for your mam next year.
Welsh-Themed Artwork
Wales is home to a diverse range of charming villages, historic towns, bustling cities, and seaside resorts. Because of this, you’re never too far from an art gallery or photography studio where you can pick up a selection of posters, paintings, prints, drawings, cross-stitches, and photographs of Wales.
Welsh-themed artwork is hugely popular, not only with admirers of Wales but also with art enthusiasts and creative souls in general. Considering Wales is home to some amazing countryside, landmarks, National Parks, coastlines, and mountains, it’s hardly surprising. If you’re looking for a piece of Welsh-themed artwork for your mother to hang proudly on her wall, there’s certainly plenty of choice.
Daffodils
Nothing shows a warm connection to Wales quite like vibrant daffodils in the springtime. For at least a hundred and fifty years now, the daffodil has been the chosen flower of Cymru. Its popularity dates back to the 19th century. Though daffodils are a new addition compared to the noble leek, people still consider them to be a special Welsh symbol in every way.
Interestingly, there is no clear answer as to why daffodils came to be associated with Wales and have been adopted as its national flower. One possible theory has to do with the fact that St. David’s (The Patron Saint of Wales) Day is celebrated on March 1st. The daffodils are just starting to come into full bloom around this time. So, it makes sense that the Welsh people associate the flower with their saint.
Whatever the reasons, you can’t help but love their natural beauty. For many, daffodils are a symbol of hope. As soon as they begin to sprout in late winter, they serve as a reminder that spring is right around the corner. They hint at the warm sunshine and brighter days ahead. A basket of daffodils is always the perfect gift for Mother’s Day.
Welsh Terrier Stuffed Animal
Small yet mighty Welsh terriers were initially bred to hunt down vermin such as rats. They’re fearless, intelligent, and very affectionate. They are notoriously “game,” which is a term that describes their eagerness and spirit.
While buying your mother a new dog for Sul y Mamau (Mother’s Day) may not be a good fit in every case, you could still bring a smile to her face with an adorable Welsh Terrier stuffed animal instead. These cuddly toys are ridiculously cute. Plus, they come with the bonus of not needing any looking after, so mam gets the best of both worlds. Perfect!
You can find all posts on the above topics and more on the Welsh Things page.
This post was all about Welsh stuff from Wales, the land of the daffodil and dragon.
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