Friday 5 October 2012

One Final Mention (until the next time).



This is probably the last time I'll mention Soda bread (if I can resist), but for the moment, as winter approaches, I still feel as if I'm on a mission.

Home made Soda bread has three great qualities; ease and speed of preparation, delicious taste, and (the one I'm concerned with today) its miniscule cost.

I don't think it's a bread for 'townies'. It's much more for us country folk with our wood burning cookers, and 'ooh-aah' bucolic ways. Those who have easy access to a sophisticated local baker will no doubt be grateful of the fact, and continue with their patronage.

Anyway; about cost. I've now calculated the cost of the 250 gm loaf you see above. It came to a staggering TWENTY TWO CENTIMES. That's about 18 pence UK, or 25 cents US.

Whilst I was at it, I also timed its making. It took all of 10 leisurely minutes to prepare the dough; just enough time for the oven to heat to 200 degrees C. 40 minutes (snoozing time) later I extracted what you see; it was still red hot when I took the photo. Here, once again, are the ingredients.....

200 gms Plain Flour plus 50 gms Oatmeal (blitzed Rolled Oats)
1 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
½ tsp Salt
1 small pot of plain Yoghurt (125 gms)
Enough milk to form a dough
I also added about half a teaspoon of mixed dried herbs, simply because I like herby bread.



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22 comments:

  1. Good morning.;) I am a mess in the kitchen, well used to be, and soda bread was the only bread I could bake when I was single. I agree, it is easy and cheap.;) Maybe I should try to bake some for the kids.;)
    Love the image.:)
    Have a great weekend,
    xoxo

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  2. I wonder how it would go with gluten free flour. The oats are no problem - may give it a go some time. It looks delicious.

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    1. I'm sure it would work with any flour; try it.

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  3. I'm definitely going to try that! Looks so 'melt-in-your-mouth'!

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  4. I make bread every week but never think of soda bread - it looks yummy - maybe I should give it a try.

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  5. That looks so good. Proper!

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    1. its does look good... I adore the way you have "arranged" the board.....so HOMES AND GARDENS!!!!

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    2. I do my best; I thought 'Marie Claire Maisons'.

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  6. Living in the West Country as I do, I must correct you on the spelling of 'Ooh-ahh'. It is actually 'Ooh-arr'. Carry on.

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  7. Now I am hungry. My mom used to make Irish soda bread frequently and my sister still does. Maybe I will give it a go next week. It is supposed to be rainy and I love to cook and bake on days like that.

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  8. Mmmm, sounds absolutely delicious.

    Tell me, does your wood burning cooker have a timer on it, or do you just rely on the smoke alarm to wake you up when the breads ready ?

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    1. I have an amusing tomato shaped timer. The other method is the prerogative of Lady M; Cordon-Noir is her middle name.

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  9. It looks divine. I must go buy some yoghurt so I can try out your recipe. I make pan 'fried' flatbread with just flour and sourcream, but it'd be lovely to try out something new; does it need much kneading Cro? If it does I'm not sure my arthritic hands will be up to it!

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    1. No, you just bring it all together in a bowl, form into a ball, cut the cross in the top, and voila!

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  10. Hmmm, I think even I could stretch to that! Going to try it with lots of herbs! Mmmmm! Ta, chuck.

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  11. I make bread quite often, and always in a machine. This looks almost as easy, and much quicker.

    I have a feeling that, were I to mention it locally, Cordon-Noir would become my middle name too. My sympathies to the chef.

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  12. That really does look good.

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  13. It looks perfect. I'm so rubbish at bread making though that everything looks like a housebrick! I really must try to perfect this art - I would give my right arm for a slice of that right now!

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  14. I made soda bread last night to your recipe and it was lovely - the only problem being that it didn't slice too well, so Mr FD ate about 2/3 of it "because I can't cut it"!! So much for lasting a couple of days, as I'd hoped - all finished in one meal! Not so good for the diet - except it was Mr FD who ate most of it, so he gets the calories not me!!

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  15. I've made lots of different kinds of bread before, but never soda bread. I'll have to give a try. Thanks!

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  16. We used to call my friend's Irish grandmother's soda bread "desert loaf". A bit dry, but delicious slathered with butter.

    She always added currants. I miss that bread.

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  17. Cro, thank you. You inspired me to give this a try and the soda Bread Virgin is no more. It was a revelation.

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