Friends, Romans, Cymry Fach, lend me your ears. Clustiau, nawr.

I'm here to discuss the great national dish of Wales, Cawl. Cawl Potch, Cawl Pys, Cawl Cennin.

'Some like it hot, some like it cold andsome like it in the pot, nine days' old'. Ugh. (Nursery Rhyme).

Apparently, some 'Cardis' developed a form of scurvy because they ateCawl too often.Oranges were prescribed to cure the condition. Could be lemons, ifyou're a Royal Navytype and you like them.

The main ingredients needed for Cawl are a ham bone,best end of neck or scrag, if you can get it.(Mutton is difficult to obtain, apparently). Then leeks, parsley, carrots, potatoes, parsnips, whatever you can glean, seasoning and water. Sir Gar butter, bread and cheese, to accompany the cawl, wrth gwrs.

We cooked cawl, when I was a child, in a large blue enamelled saucepan, the inside of which was white. The handle was very long so thecook didn't burn her wrists on the flameswhen lifting the saucepan onto the fender-('Sospan Fawr, Yn Berwi ar y Llawr').

Thesaucepan should be large enough to contain all the ingredients. Some people like a lot of liquid, to dip their bread in, which can betrickyif the saucepan is notbig. A large iron casseroleis a good choice, if you arms are strong enough to manoeuvre it. Just bring to the boil andsimmer for a few hours.

Some people add the leeks and parsley five minutes before the end of cooking time. I don't like leeks squeaking between my teeth, so I give them ten minutes. You could add dumplings to the stew (nice, Ithink) and they thicken, it, too.

There are two schools of thought on thickening: I like it, Peter doesn't.

Just take your pick, or your cawl spoon, rather.