Via Chicago

Late last night I wrote my Aunt Mary Catherine a quick email to ask if she would mind if I shared the recipe my Grandmom used to make for Irish soda bread. Not only did she not mind, but she sent me the nicest note.

My dad’s mom died of cancer in the mid ’90’s, so I didn’t get the chance get to know her as well as I know my mom’s mom. But I loved hearing my aunt’s recollection of how much my Grandmom loved tradition, because I *love* tradition. It’s so nice to think maybe I’ve inherited that from her.

So at the risk of absolute mushy sentimentality, here’s what my Aunt Mary Catherine wrote me last night:

Dear Emily,

I am so pleased that you are making Grandmom’s Irish Soda Bread. She would be delighted! She loved tradition and holidays.

We lived for just four years in Chicago–enough time for your father to join the family! The extended Boyle family was all around us. I had sleepovers with my cousins and we had a big annual Christmas party for the entire family. Chicago being the Ireland of the Midwest, this was Mom’s first immersion into everything Irish. Newfoundland was at least half-populated by the Irish, but her own mother’s focus was on her English  ancestry.  Although we heard of some traditional fare from Nanny, she was not particularly interested in cooking and so had very few traditional recipes to share. (She made the best potato cakes!) Your Grandmom, on the other hand, enjoyed cooking and baking, but she had to look elsewhere for traditional recipes. This Irish Soda Bread recipe came from the Chicago Sun Times in the mid 1950’s and my mother would make it every year for St. Patrick’s Day. I have attached a copy of the yellowed newspaper clipping. We would always comment that we should make it more often, but we never did. It was always reserved for St. Patrick’s Day. She loved the holidays and never grew tired of the preparations–traditions had to be maintained. You were probably too young to remember, but her holiday tables were always beautiful. She used to say that the holidays belonged to everyone and no one had the right to spoil a holiday for everyone else. No pouts, no moods, no crankiness, the holidays were to celebrate with family and love and to remember forever.

For me, every holiday brings memories of my mother, and those memories are lovely.

Hope you enjoy the soda bread.  Be sure to save some for toast—delicious with butter melting!

Love

Mary Catherine

And here’s the original recipe clipped from the Chicago Sun Times 50 years ago, well worn and well loved and passed on through generations.

Isn’t that so neat? Here’s a more readable recipe – I made it yesterday and it was one of the easiest but most satisfying recipes to make. It puffs up and browns perfectly in the oven.

Irish Soda Bread

3 cups sifted flour

2/3  cup sugar

1 tbs. baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 ½ cups raisins

2 beaten eggs

1 ¾   to 2 cups buttermilk

2 tbs melted shortening (vegetable oil)

Preheat oven to 350.

Sift flour once.  Measure.  Add sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt and sift again.  Stir in raisins. Combine eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil.  Add liquids to dry ingredients and mix only until flour is moistened.  Turn batter into greased loaf pan.  Bake in 350 oven about one hour.

I love how much closer I feel to my family when I bake something I know has been loved before me. What about you guys, do you have family recipes that make your heart swell?

And a litle gratuitous photo from my dad’s childhood. He’s the one with the Erin Go Bragh flag in front of his face and a clover leaf necklace around his neck! Hilarious!