Irish Soda Bread

I grew up in California where a bad weather day is a few clouds hiding the sun for more than a few minutes. So imagine my amazement when I felt the absolute strongest wind of my life in Ireland. The gale force winds (I think they must have been stronger than gale force) smashed the waves against the Cliffs of Moher spewing ocean spray everywhere. It wasn't hard to imagine our little blue rental car being whipped into the winds and being dumped into the Atlantic.

We ventured all over the lower Shannon making sure to take the roads less traveled. Here we had to pull over and wait for a little while when the locals were moving pasture.

We finally made it to this unmarked stone structure, right at the edge of a cliff. It had obviously been abandoned for some time and something unexplainably mystical about it.

The only food we had that stuck out in my mind after the trip was a small loaf of Irish soda bread Nate procured one morning on a much needed coffee run. It had just arrived to the store from the baker and steamed a little when we pulled it apart. It was so simple and misshapen, but hit the spot.

It's not the most prettiest bread, but it does the trick. The major difference between Irish soda bread and most other breads is that it uses no yeast. The key ingredient to this quick bread is, of course, baking soda. Yogurt or soured milk (buttermilk), is used because the lactic acid in the yogurt or milk reacts with the baking soda to make carbon dioxide, leavening the bread. In my recipe baking powder is included because where I use all-purpose flour the folks on this side of the pond tend to use self-raising flour.

This recipe makes a fairly small loaf because Irish soda bread tastes the best straight from the oven and drys out pretty quickly so it needs to be eaten no later than the day after it was baked. It's delicious warm from the oven and slathered with butter and jam. Nate had some today with a little mustard and Irish cheddar. This bread would also be great torn into chunks to dip in soup. The bread takes less than 5 minutes to put together (excluding baking time).

IRISH SODA BREAD

• 1 c all-purpose flour
• 1 c whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 c plain, full-fat yogurt

METHOD

Preheat oven to 325°Fahrenheit/ 180°C. Whisk together drys. Add yogurt and stir in with a wooden spoon. I usually get my hands in it for a few seconds, just to make sure everything is incorporated, but there is no need to work the dough at all. Put dough in a sprayed loaf pan or you can leave it free form in a round shape and bake on a greased baking sheet. Bake for about 35-40 minutes (test with a skewer). If you double the recipe it will need to cook for an approximately 20 more minutes.

Comments

[Tangled Noodle]

Wonderful pictures and excellent recipe! Ireland is so beautiful - for a small country that's recently experienced economic boom times, it's amazing that so much of the land is still so natural and untouched by development. And I agree with you about the wind gusts. My husband and I visited the Rock of Cashel but I had to stay inside the walls b/c I thought I'd be blown off the hilltop!

[Daily Spud]

Of course, living where I do, I'm very familiar with Irish Soda Bread :)

If I have it to hand, I use Abbey Stoneground wholewheat flour from Tipperary to make soda bread - it gives it the most wonderful nutty flavour and (as you said) is wonderful when warm from the oven and slathered with butter and jam. I'd love some right now!

[OysterCulture]

I'm going to be asking for tips on this one. I'm taking my mom to Ireland in September and would love any suggestions you might have.

[Gastroanthropologist]

Oyster - Ireland...a place I must return too. My husband's childhood friend lives in County Clare and is a professional fiddle player! Visiting a pub and listening to the traditional Irish jigs are a must. I've also been to Dublin and the Guinness Factory. I hear (though I haven't been myself) the Dingle Peninsula is a must.

Tangled and my mutual blogging buddy - Daily Spud - can probably offer you some good advice too...Ireland is his stomping ground.

[OysterCulture]

Tangled has offered some great suggestions, but she did not get as far as County Clare, which is where I suspect we'll be spending a good deal of time, as my Mom's family is from there. Here's one of those fun parts to traveling, planning on where to eat!

[Gastroanthropologist]

Oyster - Check out the Gallery Cafe in Gort which is near (in?) County Clare for a casual lunch. It's not traditional Irish, but it was the most delicious find.