Sunday, March 16, 2008

Irish Soda Bread


March 9, 2008
This bread is so delicious, I really don't know why I feel that I can only make it in mid-March. I used Rose's recipe for Royal Irish Soda Bread, but I soaked the raisins in water, not in Irish whiskey, because I was making it for some people who don't drink whiskey. They probably would have liked it if they hadn't known, but I would have felt compelled to blurt out, "These raisins were soaked in whiskey. And the butter has whiskey in it too."
They're a lot like scones, only not quite as rich because they have buttermilk instead of cream and about one-third as much butter. I had one little piece left. I think I've already remarked on the penchant of Minnesotans never to want to take the last piece of anything, so people just slice away at the last piece until there is one small, malformed bit of whatever it is that they don't want to take the last bite of. That left me a malformed bite of soda bread for my mid-morning snack the next day, which gave me the knowledge that, fine as it is on the first day, soda bread really doesn't keep very well.
I also now have most of a quart of buttermilk to use up. Dang!

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh no...left over buttermilk! The cycle begins. Yeah!
I am getting a quirky picture of the typical Minnesotan now. They sound a lot like Brits.
The last chocolate at work will linger for ages, waiting for the brazen soul who dares to take the last chocie.

Marie said...

Melinda,
I made some banana bread with buttermilk, but no pictures. It was quite good. One more buttermilk project should empty the quart. I think Minnesotans are more like Norwegians. On account of the cold. Not at all like Italians.

Teashionista said...

I switched to using powdered buttermilk (here in the Northwest Bob's Red Mill products are readily available): you can mix up just the right amount for the recipe, no waste :)

MyKitchenInHalfCups said...

I make Irish Soda bread every year and always think I'm not waiting another year to bake it again but it's been a year now :0)
It is so easy and then so good.

MyKitchenInHalfCups said...

I make Irish Soda bread every year and always think I'm not waiting another year to bake it again but it's been a year now :0)
It is so easy and then so good.

Anonymous said...

Marie,
I burst out laughing at your comment about The Last Piece. One of the parlor games I quietly play in my brain is watching how long the last bite of anything remains when people bring in treats to work - and who finally takes the last piece. Rarely is it a native Minnesotan!

Marie said...

Leyla,
I'll look for the powdered buttermilk. I tried something like that years ago, and I didn't think it added quite the same taste and texture, but I should give it another try.

MyKitchen,
I know just what you mean. But there is something nice about having seasonal treats, isn't there? I suppose you could make Christmas cookies in July, but it wouldn't be as satisfying.

Kim,
In my office, The Last Piece disappears only when no one is watching.