Donegal!

The Olde Castle Pub
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We did find our Friends finally, enjoyed a while in their company, and left outside for a draft, foamy beer… Smithwick’s is good for you! Besides the good beer local folk music followed us, and the whole pub turned to a music hall until one hour past midnight. I am sure it was the most exciting local concert ever… Then we drove back to Killybegs to spend last night there and to wrap “všech pět švestek (all five of plums of ours).”

Recipe of the Day

and the whole pub turned to a music hall until one hour past midnight.

Here you suppose to find a recipe for Smithick's beer, the most drinkable beer on our trip, but I cannot write that details down... no rights for it... so, the best think, right after beer as bread to drink, is a good bread to eat...

Although Soda Bread can be found throughout the British Isles, it is most closely associated with Ireland, where it is sometimes referred to as Soda Cake. The round loaves were traditionally baked on a griddle over a peat fire.

Soda Bread

1 lb wholemeal flour

8 oz white flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1 oz rolled oats

Approximately 1/2 pint buttermilk

A little beaten egg to glaze the loaf

Set the oven to 425°F or Mark 7. Combine together in a bowl the flours, salt, soda and rolled oats, if desired, then stir in sufficient buttermilk to make a soft dough. Turn out on a lightly floured surface and knead very lightly before shaping into a round loaf. Place on a buttered baking sheet and, using a floured knife, slash the top with a cross. Glaze with beaten egg, if desired. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the base. Serve warm, cut into slices with butter.

At least a slice of bread is served as with smoked salmon as with stew or other soup of Day... There are probably as many different recipes as there are cooks. Irish bread is the basic level of breads, but it is welcome anytime... so here one more recipe to compare each other...

Irish Brown Bread

1 and 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1 and 3/4 cups whole wheat flour

3 tablespoons toasted wheat bran

3 tablespoons toasted wheat germ

2 tablespoons oats

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons or chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces

2 cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 425°F. Butter a loaf pan. Combine first 8 ingredients in large bowl and mix well. Add butter, rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles fine meal. Stir in enough buttermilk to form soft dough. Transfer dough to prepared loaf pan. Put into the oven. Bake until is dark brown and taster insered into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Turn bread out of pan and cool right side up on rack.