Anticipating the Arrival of Irish Brown Soda Bread
The country bread of Ireland emerges soon from Bakehouse ovens
As we enter the final weeks of winter—still cold, with days growing longer but not yet as bright as they will be soon—I wait eagerly for the annual March arrival of the Bakehouse’s delicious Irish Brown Soda Bread.
As you can almost certainly tell from what I’ve written below, I love this bread, its history, and the fact that we make such a fine, great-tasting, traditional version of it. I have such an affinity that I’m always anxious for it to arrive from the Bakehouse ovens in the 10 days prior to St. Patrick’s Day. Some folks get excited about baseball season; I’m on the edge of my seat about the impending arrival of Irish Brown Soda Bread. While we have it, I’m gonna eat as much of it as I can! With that Vermont Creamery Cultured Butter spread thickly, it’s over the top.
Although many Americans have heard of Irish soda bread, few know it well, and fewer still have experienced a well-made loaf of traditional brown soda bread like this. The Society for the Preservation of Irish Soda Bread says that the first recipe in Ireland was published in 1836, a few years after the farmhouse at Cornman Farms was built. The Society proclaims proudly: “Flour, Salt, Baking Soda, Buttermilk. Anything else added makes it a ‘Tea Cake!’”
Every loaf has steel-cut oats, loads of rich local buttermilk from Guernsey farms, and specially milled flours from the stone mills at the Bakehouse. Baker and author David Lebovitz says, “Because the wheat is milled in such a way … it remains very coarse, giving the breads their special hardy texture and flavor. Bread made with coarse-milled flour actually crunches when you bite into it. I love it!” Co-managing partner Amy Emberling adds, “We are milling grain ourselves for each loaf—soft white wheat from Kischnick and hard red spring wheat from Janie’s mill—both of these are included as a coarse grind and a fine grind to get that crunchy texture.”
The Brown Eyed Baker blog says, “It doesn’t get better than a warm slice of Irish Brown Bread served with a slather of butter.” I’m inclined to agree. Which is one of the reasons that this year I’m even more excited than I usually am with that Vermont Creamery Cultured Butter on hand at the Roadhouse, Deli, and Bakeshop. I stand by what the late Ivan Allen of Ballymaloe taught me 30 years ago on my first trip to Ireland: “When your teeth hit the bread, your gums better be hittin’ the butter!”
If you’re at the Roadhouse or your house, add some slices of smoked salmon! It’s delicious with Zingerman’s Cream Cheese, with eggs and bacon for breakfast, or with jam and butter for afternoon tea. And, I should also say, the Irish Brown Soda Bread is a delicious treat when lightly toasted too—in fact, it might be my favorite.
The Irish Brown Soda bread is available from March 9 through the 17th of the month at the Bakehouse.
Order yours in advance
