History of Irish Soda Bread

Many traditions found in the Emerald Isle are the makings of legends; true Irish Soda bread
remains an international favorite. This Irish classic quick bread owns a flavor that makes its
consumer travel into the history of old. It surprises some people to learn that this traditional
recipe hasn't been around for thousands of years. Bicarbonate of soda was first was
introduced to Ireland around the 1840s.
As befitting many of the best breads in the world Irish Soda Bread is a traditional product of a
poor country, it was made with only the most basic of ingredients: flour, baking soda (used as
a leavening agent instead of yeast), soured milk to moisten and activate the soda, and salt.
Before baking, a cross was cut on the top with a knife, to ward off the devil and protect the
household. From the earliest times, bread-making was an integral part of daily life in almost
every home. Families lived in isolated farmhouses where most kitchens had only open hearths,
not ovens, so the breads that developed were baked on griddles or in large three-legged black
iron pots over fragrant turf fires. This method resulted in a loaf that was tender and dense,
with a slight sour tang and a hard crust. Being quite perishable, it was made every 2-3 days and
eaten with the main meal, not as dessert.
Soda bread is shaped in different shapes based on the region of Ireland in which it is being
prepared. In the Southern regions it is shaped and baked as a round loaf with a cross marked
on top. In the North regions of the country, the soda bread is flattened into a round disc and
divided into four equal triangular shapes; each triangle is then cooked on a flat griddle. This
method of cooking the soda bread is very quick, ideal for when unexpected guests arrive for a
bit of banter. The traditional service of the bread is for a section to be broken off, the piece
then split and buttered warm.
Today traditions still carry down. The aroma and taste of traditional soda bread is unique to
Ireland, and it's become the established favorite with tourists and locals alike. Now in the 21st
century, there is an abundance of readily available, good-quality breads in supermarkets, but
still quite a few Irish families still bake their own bread daily from specially treasured recipes
passed down through the generations.
Text extracted from http://www.abigailsbakery.com/bread-recipes/history-of-irish-soda-bread.htm.

1. Irish bread is a traditional Irish recipe. Do you think Irish families still make their own
bread today? Read the text and check your answer.
2. Answer the questions:
a. When was an important ingredient of the soda bread introduced to Ireland?
b. Where did the families that traditionally made soda bread live?
c. How long does a soda bread last?
d. What are the different shapes we can find of soda bread?

3. Look at the highlighted words. What do they mean? Match them to the definitions.
a. Yeast

1. food that goes bad quickly.

b. To ward off

2. a round, flat piece of metal

used for cooking over a fire
or cooker.

c. Hearth

3. conversation that is funny

and not serious.
4. a type of fungus that is used
in making alcoholic drinks
such as beer and wine, and in
making bread rise and
become soft.

d. Griddle

e. Perishable

5. the area around a fireplace or

the area of floor in front of it.

f.

6. to stop someone or
something unpleasant from
harming or coming close to
you.

Banter

4. Grammar Focus
a. Look at the extract below. Complete it with words from the text.
From the earliest times, bread-making _______ an integral part of daily life in almost every
home. Families _______ in isolated farmhouses where most kitchens _______ only open
hearths, not ovens, so the breads that developed were baked on griddles or in large threelegged black iron pots over fragrant turf fires.
b. Are the actions being described in the extract finished or unfinished? Did these
actions happen in a specific time in the past?
c. What do we call this time tense?
d. Complete the structure for this time tense.

Verb To Be

Other Verbs
(+)
Subject +___________
(-) Subject + ________/___________
Subject + d______ + V________
(?) ________/________ + subject
D___ + subject + V_______

Write simple examples of each of the structures above.

e. Think of the example sentences you just made. How do you pronounce them?

5. Complete the exercises below.

nd

Exercises extracted from English Grammar In Use Intermediate 2 edition. Raymond Murphy. CUP 2003.