
03-22-2011, 12:42 AM
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6,061 posts, read 13,776,975 times
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Picked up some Irish Brown Bread at the bakery today, our little town in Oregon just had a big Irish festival and so all things Irish are popular at the moment. (Also picked up some Guinness Coffee Cake that was amazing... so moist!!)
Anyway - LOVE this bread! It's small, round, dense, but wonderful. I normally don't care for breads made with whole wheat flour (too heavy) but this almost has a sweet nuttiness to it. We've been pulling off small chunks and having it with soft (real) organic butter... so yummy.
So - tell me about this brown bread - is this an American thing we made up? Or is there a tradition of an Irish Brown Bread? Anybody have any homemade recipes, something grandma used to make in her kitchen in Ireland?
It's so dense, but it's not a brick or paperweight. It's almost... spongy, but with a good hard substantial crust.
Mmm. I'm going to go have some more! BRB! 
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03-22-2011, 11:42 AM
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Location: Bay Area
3,966 posts, read 8,168,770 times
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Yes, it is an Irish thing rather than an American one! Tastes great with some Irish butter and a sliced of smoked salmon!
I have found this recipe is pretty close to what you can get in Ireland. (Sometimes I add a little additional sugar/molasses for sweetness)
Brown Soda Bread Recipe at Epicurious.com
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03-22-2011, 11:58 AM
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166 posts, read 213,645 times
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03-22-2011, 06:12 PM
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6,061 posts, read 13,776,975 times
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So soda bread and Irish Brown Bread are the same thing? I actually have a recipe for soda bread in one of my favorite cookbooks that I've yet to try!
Thank you both for your replies. Reps to you both! 
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03-22-2011, 06:25 PM
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166 posts, read 213,645 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by haggardhouseelf
So soda bread and Irish Brown Bread are the same thing? I actually have a recipe for soda bread in one of my favorite cookbooks that I've yet to try!
Thank you both for your replies. Reps to you both! 
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Yeah, they are the same thing.
When I go home to visit my parents, I always get some brown (soda) bread from this place
Bennys Deli
It's the best bread ever!!!
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03-22-2011, 06:40 PM
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Location: Bay Area
3,966 posts, read 8,168,770 times
Reputation: 4631
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Quote:
Originally Posted by haggardhouseelf
So soda bread and Irish Brown Bread are the same thing? I actually have a recipe for soda bread in one of my favorite cookbooks that I've yet to try!
Thank you both for your replies. Reps to you both! 
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I'm pretty sure that soda bread is the kind that's less "wheaty" and more light, airy and lighterr colored and is often made with currents and is made with baking soda so it rises.
My husband calls the brown bread "wheat bread". It's denser and something you might eat with hearty stew.
Gee, I suspect I'll be doing some baking tomorrow since I'm suddenly getting a craving! Now if only I could find a good recipe for potato farls! Yummm.
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03-22-2011, 07:11 PM
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1,785 posts, read 3,166,562 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by shane...
Yeah, they are the same thing.
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No, they are two different things. Brown Bread is made with whole wheat flour and rolled oats. Soda Bread is made with all-purpose flour and has baking powder. Soda Bread is also made with raisins and caraway seeds. Brown Bread is not.
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03-23-2011, 12:09 AM
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6,061 posts, read 13,776,975 times
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Thank you all so much! You've been really helpful!
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03-23-2011, 08:38 AM
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21,464 posts, read 19,258,569 times
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The brown bread sounds darn good. I've tried soda bread and thought " Yeah, that's bread." Not great or particularly special, although it was lacking the currants. It was in an irish pub around St. Patrick's day so it wasn't store bought.
If the brown bread can come close to pumpernickle or dark rye, the heavy loaf kind, I'm sure its good. A sweeter bread would be a good change.
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03-23-2011, 11:52 AM
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166 posts, read 213,645 times
Reputation: 73
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cokatie
No, they are two different things. Brown Bread is made with whole wheat flour and rolled oats. Soda Bread is made with all-purpose flour and has baking powder. Soda Bread is also made with raisins and caraway seeds. Brown Bread is not.
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Maybe in your country. But here in Ireland, there are numerous bakeries where I can buy brown soda bread. The terms are interchangeable in some regions.
I've never in my life had soda bread with raisins.
Not saying you're incorrect, but if the OP wants to know about Irish brown bread, then he/she should know that brown bread and soda bread are sometimes considered the same thing.
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