By way of variation from the version discussed by Dr. Long above, this is the recipe my Grandmother from Co. Mayo used and which we continue to make -

She would alway grease the pans and never cut a cross. This version also uses both baking soda and baking powder. Given that I grew up eating this type of soda bread, the Carroway Seed is an essential part of the taste to me. Note that is a double recipe.



The Odlum's flour and mixes of the type Dr. Long was holding up are available on Amazon, but are quite expensive.

Interesting in the way the baking soda is mixed in to the buttermilk, presumably making a fizzy mix. Is a container of caraway like one of the little McCormick jars?

bw77,

Did you regularly eat soda bread growing up? Lucy is seeking people who grew up eating soda bread for her study. If you are interested (or anyone else whose daily bread was soda bread), I can provide her contact information.

My Mother's parents were straight from the old country. While I recall eating Irish soda bread, it was not their daily bread. I saw plenty of Wonder Bread at their home.

My Mother's Grandmother in Ireland did bake soda bread daily over a hearth fire. She had a wood fired stove, but she did not use it with any regularity.

Regards,
Cathy2

TJR, Think more along the lines of the McCormick tins, which is what would have been available to her.

Cathy,

We did not eat it on a daily basis. There would be some everytime we went to her house, which was very often when I was young and certainly every holiday, birthday or other family get together. Since it is a double recipe, there was always also a loaf to take home, so we did have it quite often. For special occasions she would use golden raisins.

Yes. I recall at least one relative that was regularly cooking soda bread in a bastible over a turf fire into the late 1970's when I first visited.

Hi,

My Grandmother made a big deal of golden raisins, too.

I remember one of the kids in her neighborhood claimed to know nothing of golden raisins. Grandma baked a loaf to prove golden raisins were real.

I think I will make the golden raisin version for my Mom. It's been years since she had it. Thanks for jogging my memory, I hope she remembers this link to her past.

Regards,
CAthy2

Happy I could help bring back a memory. Good luck.