National Irish Soda Bread Day

National Irish Soda Bread Day

Some say that January 26th is National Irish Soda Bread Day. But, it seems that most have never heard of it. However, in any event, the bread has an interesting history.  

I really like it. But, I only have it once a year as a part of my small celebration of Saint Patrick’s Day.

By the way, Martha Stewart recommends that it be eaten with butter. I happen to agree.

All writing and images ©Cliff Hutson unless expressly noted. Do not use without permission.

 

Saint Patrick's Day

 Don’t miss out – let’s eat, drink & be lucky!

It said that, "Everyone is Irish on St. Patrick's Day", which falls today this year. But, some of us may be a little bit more Irish than others, due to actual ancestry. That could include me. I'm really not sure how much Irish is in my family tree, if any. 

Family lore maintained that we had Irish heritage. The belief is that my maternal great-grandfather, Newton Isaac Collins was biracial. His mother was a slave and his father was her master, an Irishman. However, my DNA analysis indicates that he may have been more Scotch than Irish. 

However, I do like to observe this day by eating soda bread, and perhaps having a sip of whiskey or Irish Stout.

 

Éirinn go Brách!

Note:

I tend to take much of DNA analysis with a grain of salt. Is someone with whom I share just 0.42% of DNA really a relative, or is it merely statistical noise?

But, 23andMe says that I have a great-grandparent who was 100% French. This totally jibes with another of my family's stories. So, there is that. And, it is a good excuse to go all out on Bastille Day.

All writing and images ©Cliff Hutson unless expressly noted. Do not use without permission.

Just Good Food: Sandwiches

Intersections 

I seldom go a day without eating, taking a photograph, or posting my PaD. It should not be a surprise that there may be an intersection, or overlap, of these activities; nor that this may seep into my blogging. So, it looks like that I will probably devote much of this month to what I am calling good food; starting with sandwiches. 

When it comes to a sandwich I am pretty much a structure purist: A sandwich must consistent of two pieces of bread/baked product, with fillings in between. Thus a wrap or a burrito is not a sandwich. An exception may be made for a sub or hoagie (not necessarily two separate pieces), but not for a hotdog. My definition would allow for a hamburger to be a sandwich, but I think that it needs to be called something different so as not to be confused with a ham sandwich.

My favorite sandwich is a BLT. Oddly, I don't have a decent photo of one. I guess that I scarf them down too quickly. 

All writing and images ©Cliff Hutson unless expressly noted. Do not use without permission.

Irish Soda Bread

 Perfect for St. Patrick’s Day (and Any Other Day)

Yesterday was Saint Patrick's Day which gave me an excuse to dig into my Irish heritage and live it up a little. One manifestation of this was going to the local farmers market and buying an Irish Soda Bread.

Soda bread is an Irish tradition that can be eaten any day of the year. But, here in the USA it is mostly baked in droves in the lead up to Saint Patrick’s Day and seldom seen outside of that window of time.

While the traditional recipe calls for just four ingredients - soft wheat flour, salt, baking soda and sour milk (buttermilk is more commonly used today), Americanized Irish soda bread adds sugar and is filled with raisins or currants and caraway seeds. Sometimes, it is almost cake-like.

The loaf I picked up is clearly from the latter school. It is large enough that I will be eating it for several days. I like it heated and spread with butter - Kerrygold, of course.

There is one more Irish inspired indulgence that I did not exercise yesterday. That is having a Guinness Float. I intend to rectify that this afternoon. 

All writing and images ©Cliff Hutson unless expressly noted. Do not use without permission. 

Day of the Dead

Día de los Muertos

Skull: photo by Cliff Hutson

October 31is the eve of Día de los Muertos also known as "Day of the Dead". I did a post on the multi-day festival a couple of years ago. I humbly refer you to it here.

I would also like to bring to your attention nice spread done on this year's Day of the Dead Parade and celebration in downtown Austin by Kirk Tuck, a professional photographer.

Halloween

Halloween (2006): photo by Cliff Hutson

Today of course is also Halloween, which is my least favorite holiday.  Perhaps that is due to my late wife insisting that everybody in the house wear a costume to greet the children (and some adults) who came to our door for treats.

See photo above.

Día de los Muertos

Day of the Dead 

Skeletons: photo by Cliff Hutson

Día de los Muertos is a Mexican celebration that is said to go back to the times of the Aztecs and their belief that death is the beginning of a different journey. These, the multi-day holiday is observed by having family and friends gather to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. But, it is a time of festivities, not mourning. 

When Is Day of the Dead

It is said that the gates of heaven are opened at midnight on October 31 and the spirits of children can rejoin their families for 24 hours. The spirits of adults can do the same on November 2.

October 31: eve of Día de los Muertos and is also known as "noche de brujas" (night of the witches).

November 1: Day of the Innocents, commemorating deceased children.

November 2: the actual Day of the Dead.

Pan de muerto

Olvera Street Bakery: photo by Cliff Huston 

Pan de muerto, or bread of the dead, is a typical sweet bread (pan dulce), often featuring anise seeds and decorated with bones and skulls made from dough. The bones might be arranged in a circle, as in the circle of life. Tiny dough teardrops symbolize sorrow.

Skulls and Flowers

Skull and Vines: photo by Cliff Hutson

Decorated sugar skulls, called calaveras de azúcar in Spanish, are among the holiday's most iconic symbols, and are sold everywhere on the days and weeks leading up to Day of the Dead.

Flowers: photo by Cliff Hutson

Flowers are also an integral part of the holiday. The most popular Day of the Dead flowers used for celebrations are cempazuchitl flowers, also known as marigolds. 

Tradition

"Though the particular customs and scale of Day of the Dead celebrations continue to evolve, the heart of the holiday has remained the same over thousands of years. It’s an occasion for remembering and celebrating those who have passed on from this world, while at the same time portraying death in a more positive light, as a natural part of the human experience."  -  History

Bastille Day 2020 - le quatorze juillet

liberté, égalité, fraternité

Dame de Liberté: photo by Cliff Hutson

This day marks the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille, a fortress in Paris that was infamous for holding political prisoners, at the start of the French Revolution in 1789.  

This year's observance in France will be very subdued, due to the pandemic. Things will be quiet as well in the USA. We have never made as big a deal out of Bastille Day as we do Cinco de Mayo - which interestingly enough is another date that commemorates a foreign event involving the French.  But, usually there is plenty of wine, and French food to found somewhere.

Brie et du pain Français: photo by Cliff Hutson

Brie en Croûte: photo by Cliff Hutson

Croissant: photo by Cliff Hutson

Things being what they are this year I will probably just go to a drive-thru and get some fries. I will watch Casablanca.  That is a personal tradition that I have long held.  The scene where "La Marseillaise", the French national anthem, is sung in a 'duel of anthems' with the Nazis is one of the most moving in any film that I have ever seen. I can not imagine ever growing tired of seeing it.

Joyeux quatorze juillet! 

A Random Photograph of a Salad

Cold Rice & Avocado Salad

Cold Rice & Avocado Salad: photo by Cliff Hutson

Time for something else besides sourdough starter or banana bread.  Don't you think? 

Second Breakfast

Second Breakfast: photo by Cliff Hutson

Second Breakfast

"Second breakfast" has more than one meaning. I first heard of from a hobbit, which led me to believe that it was just a fantasy. But, it did seem like a great idea on some days - which led to the photo above. However, research has shown that it is a thing that actually has a basis in fact. Assuming that one can trust Wikipedia; "It consists of coffee and pastries or some sausages," eaten around 10:30 AM.

But, the title for this post stems from the fact that, unable to finish writing what I intended to use today, I was going to slip this post from July 2015 past my one faithful reader. Which is to say that I was using a breakfast a second time.

Netherlands Breakfast

Netherlands Breakfast: photo by Cliff Hutson

Netherlands Breakfast - Gouda cheese, unsalted butter, and apricot jam; on white bread. Goes best with coffee.

I learned of this form of breakfast from a cyclist I knew in high school who represented the USA in the 1964 Olympic Games, and then went on to race in Europe. It is a good thing.

Netherlands Breakfast

Netherlands Breakfast: photo by Cliff Hutson

Netherlands Breakfast - Gouda cheese, unsalted butter, and apricot jam; on white bread

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June 2016 Reading

The books I finished reading during June 2016

June 2016 Books: photo by Cliff Hutson

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Food Friday

Netherlands Breakfast

Netherlands Breakfast: photo by Cliff Hutson

Netherlands Breakfast - Gouda cheese, unsalted butter, and apricot jam; on white bread. Goes best with coffee.

Brie and/or Apples

Take Your Pick

Brie and French Bread: photo by Cliff Hutson

I have to admit that I still get a big kick out seeing photographs I have made being used on the Internet or in print.

It may be vain, but what the heck. 

Apples: photo by Cliff Hutson

Friday Favorites

Calphalon Tomato & Bagel Knife

Tomato/Bagel Knife: photo by Cliff Hutson

This entry is a cheat. The Remodelista favorite (number 77 in the book) is actually a Wüsthof knife, and I do keep a set of them on my kitchen counter which are used on a daily basis. But, as I started to write this item, it came to me that my favorite kitchen knife, over the last ten years, is this Calphalon® Tomato & Bagel Knife.

While Alton Brown may prefer multi-taskers, I find the focused purpose of this knife to be appealing. And, Alton might approve of it as well - it does do both tomatoes and bagels. What a tool! Throw in an onion, then all I need is lox for a complete meal.

The serrated edge allows the knife to penetrate tomato skin without crushing the flesh. You can, of course, cut tomatoes with any properly sharpened knife, but the serrations are definitely a help. My Calphalon also has a forked tip to aid in lifting the tomato slices after they have been cut.

The serrated blades of bread knives also enable them to cut soft bread without crushing it. I certainly can't do as good as job on a bagel with a straight blade as I can with this one. So, it has to go to the top of my list of favorite knives.