March 10, 2025

Hello Foodie Friends

St Patrick's Day is right around the corner on Monday but starting this past weekend we've already seen parades and other activities happening. Corned beef briskets are plentiful as people prep for the traditional corned beef and cabbage meal.

Today though, I'm talking soda bread as it seems to be a mystery for a lot of folks. Soda bread is a type of quick bread made with baking soda as the leavening agent instead of yeast and a staple in Ireland you will find in abundance especially around St. Patrick's Day. The texture can be described as dense and slightly crumbly, and it has a slightly tangy flavor from the buttermilk. Just like any bread there are so many different variations like adding raisins or caraway seeds for extra flavor. It's usually baked in a round shape, sometimes with a cross cut into the top before baking.

It's simple, rustic, and often served with butter or jam, making it a comforting treat. There's no 2 soda bread recipes alike but here's one of my favorites with golden raisins and best with some Irish butter too. (we always grab a big Kerrygold brand at Costco)

Enjoy!
Marzee
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SODA BREAD WITH RAISINS

INGREDIENTS:
4 cups white, all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspooon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 tablespoon sugar
2/3 cup golden raisins
1 1/4 cups buttermilk

DIRECTIONS:
Sift flour, salt, baking soda and cream of tartar into a mixing bowl. Stir in sugar and golden raisins then add buttermilk, mixing to form a firm, but not too stiff dough. Knead lightly on a floured surface and form into a slightly flattened round. With a large knife Cut a deep cross about 1/2 of the way down to form 4 equal sections in the loaf. Brush the top lightly with milk. place on a greased lightly floured cookie sheet and bake in the center of the oven at 400 degrees for 25 minutes. Turn the load upside down and return to the oven for a further 5 minutes. The loaf is done when it sounds hollow when tapped on the base. Wrap in a damp cloth and place on its side to cool. Cut into quarters, slice and butter generously.

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MARZEE's CORNER

IRISH BUTTER - WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?

Irish butter is often considered a premium butter due to its rich taste, texture, and the way it's produced. The key differences between Irish butter and regular butter typically lie in the following aspects:

Milk Source: Irish butter is made from milk produced by cows that graze on lush, green grass, particularly during the spring and summer months. The high-quality grass-fed milk gives Irish butter its distinctively rich, creamy flavor.

Fat Content: Irish butter usually has a higher butterfat content (around 82-85%) compared to regular butter, which typically contains about 80%. This higher fat content contributes to its smooth texture and more luxurious taste.

Color: Due to the diet of the grass-fed cows, Irish butter tends to have a natural golden-yellow color, which comes from the beta-carotene in the grass. This vibrant yellow hue is one of the signature traits of Irish butter.

Production: Traditional Irish butter is churned slowly, which helps to retain more of the milk’s natural flavors. Some brands of Irish butter also use a process called "culturing," where the cream is fermented before churning, adding a tangy, slightly sour flavor that is different from many mass-produced butters.

Flavor: The taste of Irish butter is often described as richer, creamier, and more flavorful, with a slight tang, especially in cultured varieties. It’s widely used in baking, cooking, and as a spread because of its distinctive taste.

One of the most popular brands of Irish butter is Kerrygold, which is widely available and known for its high quality. The combination of the cows' diet, butterfat content, and traditional methods gives Irish butter its unique qualities that many people love.