The sad truth is almost every supposedly
Traditional Irish Soda Bread recipe you’re
likely to find only is online or in a
cookbook has about as much Irish authenticity
as a box of Lucky Charms, or the vast
majority of the people wearing “Kiss Me
I’m Irish” buttons and drinking cheap
green beer on St. Patrick’s Day. Raisins,
for example, are not traditional, though
it’s no great surprise to find a few in
your soda bread. The same goes for molasses.
Even orange zest has been known to make
an appearance, and you’d better believe
that’s not traditional. Yeast even makes
and appearance now and again, even thought
the whole reason soda bread exists…okay,
maybe I’m getting ahead of myself.
I know how little tolerance most people
have for history, especially the history
of bread, for Pete’s sake, so I’ll try
and be brief. Soda bread appeared in the
middle of the 19th century when baking
soda 1st became available to the general
Irish public (that’s why it’s Traditional
not Ancient; it’s not like Niall of the
9 Hostages was munching on soda bread
in the 5th century). The soft wheat in
Ireland never got on well with yeast as
a leaving agent, anyway, so yeast was
shown the door and baking soda was given
its room.
“So then, Mr. Hardcore,” you may be asking
right about now, “what is Traditional
Irish Soda Bread made of?” I’m glad you
asked. The only ingredients found in the
basic Irish Soda Bread eaten by the Irish
for the last 150 years are baking soda,
flour, salt and soured milk. That’s it.
These days buttermilk is more common than
soured milk, which is frankly a pain to
purchase and inadvisable to make on you
own, but other than that any substitutions
make the word “Traditional” false advertising.
Not that there’s anything wrong with adding
things to soda bread. Raisins and nuts
and a little processed sugar make for
some tasty soda bread. And it isn’t like
the Irish themselves don’t dress up their
soda bread either. But if you want a taste
of traditional Irish cuisine then butter-up
a farl of the real thing. You’re Irish
ancestors would be proud!
Assuming you had Irish ancestors, of course.
My ancestors might be proud, anyway, unless
there’s been some mistake and my family’s
actually Belgian or something. Well the
point about Irish Soda Bread stands in
any case, so enjoy!
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