Today is the 1st March - Happy St David's Day!

....or as a fluent Welsh speaker I should say - Dydd Gwyl Dewi Hapus!

The sun is actually shining for a change, and I'm feeling the love for all things Welsh today.  I thought I'd share some of my very favourite things about Wales...

1)  Daffodil - the national flower of Wales.  Look at how pretty it is...

it just reminds me of happy spring days filled with sunshine!

2)  Beaches - now I might be a bit biased, but I think we have some of the most beautiful beaches in the UK....especially the ones you find on the Gower coastline

                                                                   image via the-gower

3)  Bara brith - this is something you can find in cafe's all over Wales, and is a real Welsh treat I think!  Best served with loads of butter and a lovely warm cuppa tea.  Here is list of ingredients and a recipe taken from Celtnet 

450g self-raising flour225g butter225g sugar¼ tsp freshly-grated nutmeg¼ tsp mixed spicepinch of salt60g mixed peel120g currants180g sultanas3 eggs300ml hot tea6 tbsp milk1 tbsp marmalade1 golden syrup

 

Bara Brith Preparation:

Method:

First prepare 300ml of strong tea. Pour the hot tea over the fruit in a bowl, cover and leave to stand over night. The following day sift the flour into a bowl, add the spice and nutmeg and a pinch of salt. Cut the butter into small cubes, add to the flour and rub this in with the tips of your fingers until the flour and butter are thoroughly mixed. Remove the fruit from the tea and add them to the butter and flour mixture. Tip in the sugar and mix well. Beat the eggs and milk together and add this to the mixture. Finally, add the marmalade and golden syrup and mix thoroughly. Grease a 500g bread or baking tin with butter, line with baking parchment and pour in the cake mixture. Bake in an oven pre-heated to 170°C for fifteen minutes. At the end of this time take the cake out, line the top with baking parchment (to prevent the top burning) and return to the oven for a further twenty minutes (at this point check the cake occasionally; it is ready when set in the middle and golden brown in colour). Bara brith is usually served at tea time spread with butter but it can be eaten as it. It may even be toasted and served buttered.

4) And last but not least - Tenby!

Now Tenby holds a special place in my heart.  I've spent many a summer down there with my family and friends, and have so many great memories that I will treasure forever.  I wish I was there right now having a walk on the beach and eating fish and chips by the harbour!

xx