Personal
Notes: |
Personal
Notes: Reading her recipe card I have to believe Mom wrote this soon after crossing the pond. Her terminology had not yet become Americanized. Here is what I think she meant, (oops I guess I am putting words in her mouth, she probably told me off for that very thing a time or two). But with mom you really did need to interpret what she said, there was , good craic, yer man this or yer man that, thingamajig, whatchamacallit, thingamabob, a footpath, biscuits (not cookies), chips (not fries), crisps (not chips). If it wasn't her collection of odd words it was that she spoke with her hands quite a bit, the more frustrated she was the thicker her accent. BTW, Basin may be a famous street in NOLA but she means a bowl.
4 cups of flour. (see bottom note about Irish flour) Sift the dry ingredients together in a bowl with a fork (I have memories of her mixing it with a fork). Mix to a soft dough with the fork, by adding the milk a little at a time to form a soft dough.(she doesn't mention how much milk or whether or not it's buttermilk, be prepared to add about 1½ cups or so of buttermilk).
On a floured surface knead together just a few times, not until it's smooth, to get the dough to form into a round disk. You really don't knead the bread. More of a tuck in the sides & form a ball & flatten into a disk. Too much kneading makes it tough. Maybe 6-12 turns. Score it across the top in a cross to 'give it the blessing' which allows it to cook better in the middle. Then prick the 4 corners to release the fairies.
Bake on baking sheet or in a pie pan or cast iron skillet in a 350º oven for up about 70 minutes. The flour in Ireland is low protein, much lower than our All Purpose flour, so mixing in part Cake Flour balances this off. It is not necessary it's your choice. She didn't mention sugar, she would not have been against adding 2 T if you so choose. The sugar jar (the old very large pickle jar) with a spoon kept inside was located in what had been the old water heater closet next to the phone on the wall.
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This recipe for IRISH SODA BREAD WITH CREAM OF TARTAR is from