Many a time I have written about a world renown comfort food called bread. Every culture, every country, has a version that dates back historically to when grains were grown, ground and used to feed the community. So, yes, it is a foundation for the continuance of a society, as is water, but why is it so comforting as well?
Scientifically, bread has a high carbohydrate content which contributes to the release of serotonin. Serotonin is nicknamed the “feel good hormone” due its ability to regulate mood; namely feelings of happiness, well-being, and contentment. It also promotes relaxation to induce sleepiness; interacts with cortisol and estrogen for hormonal balance, and influences cognitive functions for better learning and memory.
Remember when, at dinner time, a bread basket was always at the table. Or, a basket of bread, crackers and butter was served at the table in restaurants. Serotonin signals, to the body, when it is full, and helps to regulate digestion. If you indulged the contents of that basket, now you know why you never did finish a complete dinner, and no room for dessert.
Serotonin, and the act of eating, is not all that makes bread comforting. Baking bread can be therapeutic with its repetitive motions (kneading) which can relieve stress. Baking engages multiple senses of sight, smell, and touch. The aroma is associated with familiarity, tradition, gives a sense of security, and makes you feel pretty darned proud of yourself for creating something so tasty.
The focus of this article will be on Irish Soda Bread, but first a little information about round and crusty breads in general. A "round, crusty bread" refers to a loaf shaped like a ball with a thick, crispy outer crust achieved through high baking temperatures and steam during the initial baking phase. While the crust of the bread has a firm crunch, the interior is an intricate webbing of ingredients that have been interwoven to create a softer and tender texture.
Types of rounds are the French Boule, Italian Ciabatta, Egyptian Sourdough (sorry San Francisco, but sourdough bread originated, in Egypt, around 1500 BCE), Irish Soda Bread and Basque (Spain) Sheepherder Bread (see San Juan Record, November 20, 2019, for full article).
…and now to my focus, Irish Soda Bread.
Irish soda bread is a quick bread made with baking soda, flour, salt, and buttermilk; no eggs needed. It is a traditional part of Irish cuisine that is often baked in skillets over coals. Preparation is a one bowl mix, shaping the wet dough into a ball, placed in baking pan, and first baked at a high temperature, then finished off at a lower, yet still high, temperature. This bread was created out of necessity due to the Irish Potato Famine of the 1800s. Now here is a very interesting historical tidbit, this bread did not originate in Ireland, but from the Native Americans of the United States of America. The natives used pearl ash which is a naturally formed “soda” from wood ashes, and acted as the leavening agent. Their technique and recipe made it back to the Old-World countries, with actual sodium bicarbonate used instead of wood ash. Sour milk was the liquid ingredient, but was later changed to buttermilk. Buttermilk reacts better with the soda to give an even rise, soft interior texture, and a tangy flavor to the bread.
Eaten plain, Irish soda bread is just that. However, warmed up, smeared with butter and drizzled with honey, it becomes a perfect light breakfast, or snack for during the day. It is best used for sopping up gravy and sauce from various dishes, such as stews, chili, and soups. We even used it to sop up excess sauce from a stuffed shells meal, delicioso!
So, with St. Patrick’s Day coming soon, perhaps a round, crusty Irish soda bread to go along with the Irish stew, or corned beef and cabbage?
Traditional Irish Soda Bread
3 and ½ cups flour
1 and 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 and 3/4 cups buttermilk
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 450F.
Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl.
Gradually add the buttermilk, stirring with rubber spatula. If dough is too sticky, add a tablespoon of flour.
When dough is still wet, but not sticky, turn out onto a floured workspace. Shape dough into a ball. Pat the ball in a round loaf to fit into a nonstick 9-inch baking pan. Place dough inside pan, but make sure it does not touch the sides of the pan. Score an X on top of the loaf, approximately 1/4 inch deep.
Bake on center rack of oven for 20 minutes. Do not remove pan from oven, but turn oven temperature down to 400F. Bake for an additional 20-30 minutes, until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Cool on wire rack before slicing and serving.
Makes one round loaf.
Mary Cokenour
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