Irish Soda Bread—Spring is almost here!

Greetings to all food lovers,

Can you believe that Spring is just about here. Of course our love for satisfying, flavorful comfort food has not decreased. That can only mean that we look forward to the next prospective sampling and tasting. As I look at the calendar, I can see the mouth-watering flavors ready to be experienced for St. Patrick's Day. Even though I'm not Irish, I'd be just as likely to dive into a steaming bowl of Irish Stew or savor a hunk of hot, Irish Soda Bread.

That brings me to Our Best Food's new recipe-of-the-week, Irish Soda Bread, the history of which is quite fascinating. In the early 1800's, bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) was introduced to Ireland and it's natural leavening characteristics quickly became popular in the average household kitchen. Traditionally made with just flour, salt, baking soda and buttermilk, this basic recipe for soda bread has become a staple of the Irish diet. Over the years, other ingredients such as eggs, butter, currents or raisins have been added to some recipes for additional flavoring.

Here is an interesting bit of folklore/scientific theory. Before baking, a cross was cut into the dough to “bless the bread” or “let the fairies out”. Today, we understand that cutting into the dough before baking actually enables air circulation which allows the bread to rise. And the buttermilk, which contains lactic acid, reacts with the baking soda to form carbon dioxide, the leavening agent in the dough. The buttermilk ingredient used for this traditional staple, was the slightly-sour liquid left after the butter was churned. So it was always available in abundant supply. Another useful tip is to use cake flour, which is made from soft wheat, and has lower levels of gluten than all-purpose flour.

Folklore and scientific theory aside, get into the kitchen and experience the joy and wonder of baking something that will become a tradition in your own home. With Irish Soda Bread, you get a simple, yet satisfying way to start.

As we fondly say in PA,
Good Appetite