Let's make Irish soda bread for all of our friends on St. Patrick's Day!

I've wanted to bake Irish soda bread for some time now. I'm half Irish and I make a corned beef and cabbage dinner every year in honor of my mothers' birthday. I want my kids to know who their Irish-American grandma was, even though they never met her. She was born, luck would have it, in Boston, Mass. on St. Patrick's Day. So let's all be Irish for one day a year, wear something green and get started on our bread.



pan de agua for a different taste...

I turned to "The Complete Book of Baking" edited by Deborah Gray. This is one great book, with hundreds of recipes from 15 different source cookbooks.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Sift together 4 cups flour, 1 tsp salt, 2 tsp baking soda and 1 1/2 tsp creme of tartar. Then cut in 2 Tbsp shortening and finish by mixing in 1 1/4 cups of buttermilk. Knead the dough on a floured board for a minute and form into a round. Place on a baking sheet and cut a cross on top of the loaf. Into the oven for 40-50 minutes until lightly browned and firm. who's ready for honey muffins?



Irish Soda Bread and more recipes at Amazon

So what did our Irish ancestors enjoy at dinner? Potatoes, to be sure, mutton and griddle cakes as well, according to John Thorne in his book "Pot on the Fire". But what did they enjoy most?

Here's what 18th century writer John Stevens had to say... "The Irish are the greatest lovers of milk I have ever met, which they drink in about twenty different ways, and what is strangest - they love it best when is is sourest."

God Bless the Irish! Happy St. Patrick's Day to all!