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Cawl, or Welsh cawl is a Welsh word, also known as ‘lobscows’ in north Wales, and is recognised as a Welsh National dish. It is used to describe a hearty stew of meat and vegetables - the nearest English translation of the word is a soup or a broth. However, cawl is a meal rather than a soup. When accompanied by freshly made bread and Caerphilly cheese, it is a definitely a meal and not a just a ‘starter’!
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As a National dish, cawl has been in existence for many hundreds of years. Recipes have been handed down from generation to generation and this has naturally led to variations in the recipes throughout Wales. It is often said that there are as many varieties of cawl as there are households where it was cooked.
Cawl was traditionally eaten during the winter months. Today it describes a dish dish containing lamb and leeks but historically it was made with either salted bacon or beef, along with swedes, carrots and other seasonal vegetables. With the introduction of potatoes into the European diet in the latter half of the 16th century, this too would become a core ingredient in the recipe.
Cawl is pronounced in a similar way to the English word "cowl" as in a chimney cowl or as in wolf "howl". It is also similar to the English “ow” as in expressing a sudden pain, as in “ow, that hurts”!
It is also used in everyday Welsh language when describing making a mess of anything. So the phrase “gwneud cawl (or cawlach) o bethau means to make a mess of something. This mess can mean a physical mess of something but it is also used, for example in sport, top describe a situation when a player has messed something up!
As explained above, there are a multitude of different cawl recipes. But here is a traditional version, using lamb, bacon/ham and suede to try...
It is often better to use a cheaper cut of meat on the bone so that maximum flavour is obtained.
Lastly, make sure you have some freshly made or bought crusty bread and Caerphilly cheese - together this will make a fantastic, hearty and healthy winter meal.
Our company, FelinFach Natural Textiles is located in the heart of the Preseli area of Pembrokeshire near to Boncath. We design Welsh blankets and the iconic Welsh Tapestry blankets which are traditionally woven at Welsh mills. We also design and make natural hand dyed yarn, cotton, silk and wool scarves and other handmade products. We are a proud supporter of the Campaign for Wool and Global Welsh.
Last update 27th September 2020
St David is the Patron Saint of Wales and on 1st March each year commemorating the anniversary of his death in 589 AD. St David’s is the smallest UK city with an estimated population of 1,800. Celebrations are not done by half and not just on one day but are usually spread over a two-week period!!
When is St. Davids day? Here in Wales we commemorate the anniversary of Saint Davids death on the 1st of March of each year. St David was the Patron Saint of Wales who died on 1st March 589 AD. However, it wasn’t until the 18th century that St Davids Day became a national day of celebration in Wales.
Here in Wales on the 1st of March we celebrate St David’s Day, which commemorates the anniversary of Saint David's death in 589 AD. Interestingly, a survey made available by CADW suggests that a surprisingly high number of adults in Wales are not familiar why the country celebrates St David’s Day each 1st March
