A NEW Cawl Crawl food trail across Carmarthenshire is being launched just in time for St David’s Day.

The trail, which has been developed by Discover Carmarthenshire, aims to tempt people to try out the many creative takes that have been developed from the traditional lamb broth recipe, from switching to local ham and infusing with beer to serving with Welshman’s caviar.

There is a total of 17 eateries featured on the crawl, ranging from cosy pubs to gourmet delis, where customers can enjoy stories behind each bowl and experience the different recipes, secret ingredients and twists on the old favourite.

The Cawl Crawl was first launched in 2015 and is returning due to popular demand, bigger than ever with lots of new establishments on board.

Each business taking part will be serving steaming hot bowls between March 1 and April 30 2018.

Choices include taking away a steaming pot of Welsh Ham Cawl served with Y Fenni cheese and Welshman’s Caviar (dried and toasted laver seaweed) from the Ginhaus Deli in Llandeilo to make a picnic of it. Or hunker down fireside at one of the oldest thatched inns in Wales, The White Hart, for a signature Cawl infused with beer and pearl barley.

In Llanelli, Sosban is serving Cawl with potato terrine and goats curd, while the Cawl at Wright’s Food Emporium is a firm favourite, made using ham hock, shoulder of lamb, plenty of veggies and served alongside Hafod Cheddar and homemade granary bread.

Another great stop is Maddocks General Store, in Upper Tumble which offers a hearty Cawl made from tender Welsh beef with parsley, peas and its secret seasoning, while The Forest Arms, a village pub with open fires in the Cothi Valley, serves slow-cooked lamb Cawl with rustic torn bread and mature Welsh Cheddar. The Plash Inn near Whitland is even offering free Cawl during all Welsh Six Nations games!

Carmarthenshire’s rich food history is perfectly represented through the dish, having been a staple on the county’s foodie map for centuries. Simon Wright from Wright’s Food Emporium said: “While Cawl is traditionally made to a recipe using local mutton or lamb it is always open to interpretation, and that’s what makes sampling it across the county so special. With slow-cooked meat and a delicious stock, crammed full of root veggies, leeks and wild garlic, it’s perfect fuel for the winter months and really showcases slow food at its best.”

For full details of all eateries included in the Cawl Crawl, as well as a map visualising how to follow it, visit discovercarmarthenshire.com/explore/carmarthenshire-cawl-crawl