Today I’ve got a recipe for Irish Brown Soda Bread to share with you, not just because St. Patrick’s Day is fast approaching,
but also in celebration of some big news! As the Irish say, Come here to me, wait till I tell you.
You may have noticed things have been a bit quiet around here at La Domestique. That’s because we’ve had a lot going on behind the scenes.
We’ve been doing a lot of wishing, a lot of hoping, and a lot of planning. We’ve been pacing and waiting.
Now the wait is over and IT’S ALL HAPPENING!
We are moving to Ireland!!!
I’ve mentioned before that the husband was born and raised in Tipperary, Ireland, and we’re thrilled to be moving back to his home country.
I’ll be sharing more details as we find a new home and get settled. We’ve purchased one-way plane tickets and we leave on April 1st!
{This is no April fool’s joke!}
There is so much to be done. We’re selling almost all of our belongings and preparing little Minnie the dachshund for her journey overseas.
I can’t wait to see how living in Ireland will inspire the direction of La Domestique!
I’ve got big dreams!
For now, let’s just enjoy the moment and celebrate with a slice of Irish Brown Soda Bread, shall we?
The husband loves his brown soda bread, made with half all-purpose flour and wholewheat flour.
It’s got a dense but tender crumb cloaked in a beautifully caramelized, crunchy crust.
The recipe is so simple. Just stir together the flour, salt, baking soda, and buttermilk with your hands
and form it into a flattened ball.
Before baking, cut a cross into the bread so it can expand and rise in the oven, and the dense dough will cook all the way through.
Darina Allen says this is called “blessing the bread.”
My favorite Irish Brown Soda Bread recipe comes from Darina Allen’s book, Forgotten Skills of Cooking.
It’s named, “Mummy’s Brown Soda Bread.”
We like to serve it with Irish butter, strawberry jam, and a cuppa tea.
Ingredients:
2 cups wholewheat flour
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 – 2 cups buttermilk
find Darina Allen’s recipe for Mummy’s Brown Soda Bread online here.
Woohoo! So excited for you, Jess. Excited to see how La Domestique shifts and reflects your soon-to-be new (and absolutely gorgeous) surroundings. Sending good vibes for an easy move and the adventures ahead! xo
Thanks Laura. It is going to be awesome!
How exciting, Jess! We are also moving over the Atlantic (to London) in a couple of months and I can’t wait for the opportunity to go to Ireland. Wishing you all the best for the move and a new adventure, I’m sure it will be hugely inspirational.
Valerie,
We’ll have to keep in touch in case we can meet up sometime! Good luck with your move too.
How exciting!! And congrats. I can’t wait to hear about your new adventures.
Your bread looks delicious – I love easy recipes. 🙂
Thank you Sarah! This recipe is so easy I almost can’t believe it. Baking soda bread is such a pleasure.
Oh, wow! How exciting for you! Looking forward to new foods inspired by your new home!
Thanks Nicole!
Jess, How exciting and I’m so happy for you! Can’t wait to hear more about your adventures. Happy packing and planning.
Thanks for saying hi, Nikki!
Oh! How wonderful! Where in Ireland? I am sure you will love it, and the food is pretty nice around here. An early welcome here then!
Thank you Yolène! It looks like we’ll be in Cavan. 🙂
You must really be looking forward to it 🙂 Let me know whenever you are spending a day or two in Dublin and I could show you some good food places around (especially the wonderful Sheridans Cheesemongers shop).Bonne chance with the the moving away packing.
Yolène,
We are so excited- only a couple more weeks! Thank you for offering to show me around Dublin, I will take you up on it once we are settled! What is the best place to buy fine pots/pans/kitchen ware? I am selling everything and so I will be anxious to outfit my kitchen again! 🙂
Hooray for soda bread–I really need to make it more often–and congratulations on your move! How exciting! 🙂
I’m glad you’re a soda bread fan too, Eileen! Thanks for the well-wishes!
Congratulations to you! What thrilling news! And boy, I wish I lived in your neck of the woods to take advantage of the kitchenware sale. Can’t wait to see how La Domestique looks from across the pond.
Anna,
I wish you could come too! Thanks for following my adventures!
It’s happening! I think I have just enough time to get to CO and sneak myself into your suitcase. I’m trying to lose a few pounds so I don’t think you’ll notice when you pick it (me) up! Congratulations…I cannot wait to hear about ALL of the details of the move, house, shopping, people, eating. Oh my…this will be so exciting.
Sarah,
I wouldn’t mind one bit if you snuck in my suitcase! It’s going to be a fantastic adventure!
What exciting news! I spent a summer in Galway three years ago and it was so lovely. Ireland is such a charming, beautiful country and the people are so genuine and wonderful. Seeing this loaf reminded me of Marie, the woman I stayed with who would serve brown bread at breakfast with orange marmalade and raspberry jam with tea. I need to make a loaf with a cuppa Irish tea. Anyway, I wish you and your family a safe journey and many happy memories in Eire!
Kelly,
Oh it’s great to read your memories of Ireland! I grew up in the Southern U.S. and I think the charm and genuineness of the Irish people will be very comforting to me- my husband says Irish people are a lot like Southerners- which is why he married me! 🙂
It’s true! They’re some of the friendliest, genuine people I’ve ever encountered in my world travels. You’ll fit right in! 🙂
Aw, thanks Kelly! I saw you mentioned a summer spent in Ireland on your blog- how wonderful!
Congratulations on the big move! How exciting!
Thanks for stopping by, Sara! Are you going to be doing a special cake for St. Patrick’s Day? I hope so!
Congrats! I’m jealous. My sister and her husband lived in Northern Ireland for several years and I was able to visit a few times. Amazing place. And my dream is to go to Darina Allen’s cooking school at Ballymaloe someday!
Suzanne,
Visiting Darina Allen’s cooking school is definitely on my list to do! Also, please do feel free to come to my kitchenware sale mentioned in the blog post. I would love to meet you in person!
Wow! Wow! An Irish bread without butter?
I kid, what an amazing adventure lies ahead! May travels be happy and landing feel like home.
Tipperary is my maternal grandfather’s area, and absolutely beautiful.
Ireland has embraced, or perhaps never altered from absolutely local foods, often 24 hours from the ground. You will be wonderfully inspired and I selfishly hope you share it all with us!
Meme,
I’m very much looking forward to cooking with the local foods and fresh produce in Ireland. The husband and I watch Clodagh McKenna visiting all the Irish farmer’s markets on tv and it looks wonderful! Thanks for your well wishes! Oh, and yes, there’s butter on that plate of Irish bread- that’s a necessity! 🙂
I came back for the brown bread recipe again, I’ve seriously never seen one made without butter. On top, ALWAYS – but I was taught to use two knives to cut it into the flour in every recipe in the family as a girl (a bit closer to an unsweetened scone truly). I’m so glad I saw your reply, I’ve also never heard of Clodagh McKenna. Seriously where have I been? I feel the need to add one of her cooking nights to any future visit to Dublin! Thank you!
Oh that’s interesting about the butter, Meme. I find it fascinating to hear about all the different ways people learned to do things in the kitchen- every family is different! I’m glad to have introduced you to Clodagh! Don’t know how we found her program over here in the U.S., but so glad we did! Take care, Jess.
Jess! This is so exciting! I’m so happy for you and I can’t wait to see how life unfolds for you in Ireland. Good luck to you. And wow, this bread looks fantastic. I love a good Irish soda bread 🙂
Thank you, Renee!
Congrats on the move and good luck!!
Thanks Ileana!
Sending lots of good Life Administration vibes to you. Such exciting times. xx
You know I need them! Thanks for all your help, Tori!
So excited for you Jess! And I’m so excited for us too…. I know you will be inspired by the lush landscapes of Ireland. I cannot wait to see your pictures.
Wishing you all the best,
E
I appreciate your well-wishes, Erin. Thanks for stopping by and saying hi!
Congratulations on the the move to Ireland!!!!! What an experience that will be. Very happy for you.
Thanks for your sweet comment, Amy Jo!
Wow, how exciting! I hope you get to take some classes at Ballymaloe. I love Darina Allen!
I hope so too, Sara!
Oh my gosh, Jess!!! This is so exciting… Especially because Vince and I just booked a flight to Dublin for July 24th. We’ll be touring around Ireland for a week. Lets talk! Hugs.
That is fantastic, Elyse! We must get together then! Hooray!
Your post made me smile today -I remember making the same announcement last March on my blog – and selling off everything – and talking about shipping our beloved fur babies.
I am anxious to meet when you settle in – and follow your adventures on here!! Hope your not stressing right now as much as we did!
Elizabeth,
It’s so great being able to follow in your journey and learn from you! I spent the past week traveling to Arkansas to visit my family before we go. I’m back in Colorado today and hitting the ground running- so much to do!
Best of luck on your move — sounds so exciting!!
ps: I want a loaf of this deliciousness 🙂
Kiran,
The bread would be perfect for that gorgeous smoked salmon and herbed goat cheese tartine from your blog! Thanks for your kind comment. 🙂
So exciting! Hope your transition is a smooth one.
Thank you, Kimberley. One more week and we will be there!
Congrats on your move!!!! My husband and I moved across the country for a total change in lifestyle and it was one of the best decisions we made. I wish you lots of energy and patience for it!!!!
Thanks Suzanne! This move is taking a ton of energy, but I’m just trying to keep my focus on how wonderful it will be once we get there!
I was just on 101 Cookbooks and spotted your comment about going to Ireland. Congrats on the move! I had to click over, because I will be heading over to London the day before you actually and eventually making my way around Ireland by the end of the month. It will be my first time there, and I can’t wait! We spent St. Patrick’s Day at a wonderful Irish family’s home, and there were so many guests with opinions on what we should do. Also, the soda bread was AMAZING and I’m going to try yours as soon as I get back home in May. Thanks!
(The soda bread picture is at the very bottom. http://vintagezest.blogspot.com/2013/03/weekly-wrap-up-class-concert-night-out.html)
Diane,
Thanks for popping over here to say hi! I hope you have a wonderful time in England and Ireland. I’m off to visit your site now!
Jess, congratulations on your new journey! I very much look forward to reading your posts from Ireland!!!!!
Thanks Emi! I’m looking forward to posting soon- starting from scratch setting up my new kitchen space, but it’s almost there. 🙂