Here's a lovely, simple recipe to make an Irish classic: brown soda bread. The recipe comes from the Irish television chef and food writer Catherine Fulvio, who got it in turn from her mother, Mary, who got it from her own mother, Kitty.

Catherine has been nominated for a Daytime Emmy for her work and is a friend of CIE Tours. She runs Ballyknocken Cookery School, which you can visit on one of our custom tours.  

INGREDIENTS 

This recipe makes one loaf

- ½ pound (225g / 2 cups) plain white flour

- ½ pound (225g / 2 cups) stone ground whole-meal flour

- Pinch salt

- 1 level teaspoon of bread soda (baking soda)

- 1 dessertspoon oil (a non-scented oil i.e. no olive oil)

- Almost ½ pint (10 fl oz / 275-300ml) sour milk (or buttermilk)

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

- Preheat oven to 425F (Gas mark 7/ 210-220C)

- Oil loaf tin

- Mix dry ingredients well making sure to get air into the flour. Be sure to sieve the bread soda as any lumps will result in green bread, rather than brown bread! Add oil and most of the milk and mix. The texture should that of “medium thick oatmeal”. When lifted up on a wooden spoon, it should plop off – if it doesn’t fall off the spoon, add more milk. If it runs off the spoon, add more flour!

- Place in the center of a preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes approximately. It should be easily removable from the loaf tin and should sound hollow when tapped underneath. This means that it is cooked to perfection – allow to cool and then eat with some smoked Irish salmon, or some local cheese or simply with homemade jam.

Thank you to Catherine and the team at Ballyknocken Cookery School.