Project Description

Alice Johnson’s Irish Soda Bread

March is Women’s History Month and March 17th is St. Patrick’s Day. So, I’m linking the two events by sending along an Irish soda bread recipe from a woman.

I first met Alice at the bank. One day, while standing in line, I heard her distinct Irish brogue and introduced myself. Turns out, her family and my husband’s have ancestral farms about five miles apart from each other near Jerpoint, County Kilkenny. More amazingly, she only lived three blocks from us.

  • 2 cups white flour
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup bran
  • Pinch of salt
  • Pinch of sugar
  • ¾ tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1½ cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix dry ingredients (I substitute the white flour for sprouted spelt); make a well in the center and add the buttermilk. Knead and form a ball and make a cross on top. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown.