On March 1st every year, the people of Wales – and those of Welsh origin – celebrate the life of their patron saint, St David, and the Welsh culture. Leeks and daffodils are pinned to clothing and many children wear traditional clothes in celebration and commemoration.

Yet in comparison to St Patrick's Day, the day usually goes pretty much un-noticed for the rest of the world. Why is this? Why do we celebrate the patron saint of Northern Ireland with such gusto but virtually ignore the Welsh, Scottish and English equivalents?

There are a few reasons. One is that the Irish culture can be found across much of the world. Mass emigration took place in the 19th century as impoverished Irish travelled to America and beyond to start a new life, and often created their own version of Ireland in their new homes. The second, more obvious reason is that St Patrick's Day celebrations are usually accompanied by lots of noise, music, dancing and of course, alcohol! For a lot of people, it's nothing to do with celebrating the Irish culture and remembering their forefathers – it's a great excuse for a drunken night out!

So how can St David compete with green Guiness, shamrocks and ceilidh dancing? Well, it is true that the day tends to be a lot more understated than the noisy revelry of St Patrick's Day, but there is plenty to enjoy. Traditional choirs, parades and some fantastic food that you can try out without having to leave your house!

St David's Day food

The traditional meal on St David's Day is cawl (pronounced kowl), a traditional Welsh soup or broth, which commonly uses salted bacon, beef or lamb with potatoes, swedes, leeks, carrots and other seasonal vegetable dish.

Dating back to the 14th century, cawl is considered by most to be the national dish of Wales.

Soup not really getting you interested? Well, there are plenty of other Welsh favourites that may get those tastebuds going...

*Welsh cakes – a Welsh teatime treat with mixed spices and currents
*Cheesy leeks with ham
*Welsh rarebit
*Braised or roast lamb
*Welsh goat's cheese and leek tart
*Sugar-crusted bara brith (speckled tea bread)
*Laverbread
*Caerphilly cheese
*Cider

Why not create your own Welsh celebratory dinner?

March 1st 2014 falls on a Saturday, so rather than opting for your usual takeaway, how about trying out a few Welsh recipes?

If you are opting for a lamb roast or hotpot, or fancy trying to make your own cawl, complete with beef or bacon, take a trip to Eric Tennant Quality Butchers; located in The Guineas, Newmarket, the traditional butchers will help you select the perfect cut of meat for your needs.

Meat is sourced from top quality local farms, ensuring traceability and the highest standards of taste and texture. There is also a selection of cheeses available, and we're willing to bet that at least one of them will be Welsh!

Please click here to find out more about Eric Tennant Quality Butchers in Newmarket.

In need of fresh vegetables for that hearty broth or to accompany your roast? Pop along to Manchett's Budgens in Burwell, Newmarket, for a massive range of groceries under one roof. Potatoes, leeks, carrots – no problem!

Please click here for further details about Manchett's Budgens near Newmarket.

So don't ignore St David's Day this year – celebrate with your Welsh neighbours and introduce the family to some new taste sensations at the same time (and there's no reason not to mark the occasion with a couple of cheeky ciders!)