Irish Soda Bread (ingredient, caraway, baking, eggs)

[eureka1]

I have been to Ireland four times and have concluded that "Irish Soda Bread" is a term of art. In Cashel it was a light fluffy bread but in Donegal it was dark, heavy and tasted of molasses. The only common denominator was that they all contained raisins, which I have a hard time conceiving as a traditional Irish food. I haven't done any research on this so if any of you have run across any info on the true origins of Irish Soda bread I'd be very curious. Happy St Patrick's Day !

[apexgds]

I don't have any particular expertise in Irish Soda Bread, but it could be a case of regional variances. Take for example BBQ in the US. You ask people around the country to describe BBQ, and you're going to get a slew of very different responses. The only thing they'll have in common is the fact that they are meat. LOL

[dizzybint]

http://kitchenproject.com/history/IrishSodaBreads/ not sure Id go with that explanation, more with this one. http://www.abigailsbakery.com/bread-...soda-bread.htm

http://www.sodabread.info/

[TabulaRasa]

Most soda bread that I had in Ireland, if not all, was savory, and didn't contain fruit.

I did have other breads in Ireland that were lightly sweetened (sweeter than soda bread, but not as sweet as cake) and at times involved sultanas/raisins or other fruit, but they weren't billed as soda bread. Barm brack (and its Gaelic-spelling variants) is one. And it typically has raisins.

[TabulaRasa]

Here's an article on sweet v. savory:

Sweet or Savory: How Do You Like Your Irish Soda Bread? | The Kitchn

[dizzybint]

Ive never tasted one with fruit in , but theres another bread called Barmbrack

http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/23493...arm-brack.aspx

[Seafood Junky]

We had SB many times during our two weeks in Ireland. Never had raisins in it.

Wife semi-successfully made a few loaves last year. best with Kerrygold butter!

Here in the states it does tend to have them raisins. .

Mike

[TabulaRasa]

I am VERY anti sweetened soda bread with raisins. My recipe is very purist.

Commercially available soda bread in the states typically is sweeter, has raisins, and (ick), in my local stores, is sprinkled with colored green sugar. No thanks.

I like soda bread that I can dip in a bowl of leek and potato soup, or pile cold leftover corned beef on and eat as an openfaced sandwich. No sugar or raisins, please. Half the soda bread in grocery bakeries here is like a giant scone.

[RaleighLass]

Here ya go! This is an overview of the types and history Soda bread as it's really made in Ireland: Peter's Mum's Soda Bread Recipe | European Cuisines

[lubby]

I will be making this again. Probably during the week for my Pre- St. Patrick's day dinner on Saturday.