It was Willy Wonka who said “So much time, and so little to do!”, then, realising what he’d said, continued “Strike that, reverse it.”
In another famous quote, FDR said “never before have we had so little time in which to do so much.” He was talking about the American nation, but the quote holds good for our everyday lives. Is it any wonder we get stressed out? The daily grind, no matter what it is, gets to us all. But help is at hand.
Wouldn’t you love a de-stressing therapy that’s available in your kitchen? No, I’m not joking. What do you need for this wonder therapy? Ingredients that are surely in everyone’s cupboards.
Flour? Check.
Raising agents? Check
Milk or buttermilk? Check
That’s it. Plus a very little elbow grease. Put these together and you have bread. Throw in some sugar, an egg and sultanas and you have scones. Add wholewheat flour and some wheatmeal to the basics and in an hour, you’ll take from the oven a loaf of delicious brown bread. Here in Ireland we traditionally bake what’s called soda bread. It doesn’t have any yeast, it’s quick and easy to make. And it’s yummy! All you need are the three ingredients above and your hands.
While buttermilk may not be available everywhere, it’s widely available here. Originally, this was exactly what it says on the tin – milk left over after the butter had been churned. Years ago, buttermilk was the drink of necessity for many Irish. It was often going a-begging when the butter was made. It was added to spuds to give them a delicious creamy taste; it was used to make bread. Long before we had the luxury of sliced pans or ‘shop bread’ as it was known, every housewife made bread. But once shop bread was available, it was thought to be superior, and the art of bread-making began to decline.
Today, Irish soda bread has made a comeback, particularly in Farmers’ Markets. And buttermilk is produced in practically every creamery and dairy. But there’s absolutely nothing like baking it yourself. The pleasure of baking it is only surpassed by the wonderful aroma that fills the house while it’s cooking. It only takes a couple of minutes to put together but the enjoyment and feeling of good will lasts for much longer. And I promise you it’s a great de-stresser.
All you have to do is mix the flour, baking powder and bread soda (bicarbonate of soda) together, add in enough buttermilk to make a soft dough that you can handle. (If using fresh milk only, leave out the bread soda). Throw some flour on whatever surface you have – I use my wooden kitchen table – and knead gently. Restrain yourself here – the feel good factor of hands, flour and dough will make you want to do this forever. A minute is more than plenty, no longer or it’ll go hard. You’re really only getting it all together. Turn over and put onto a floured baking sheet. Bake in a hot oven until the outside is gloriously golden brown and crusty.
Traditionally, we wrap it up in a damp tea-towel while it’s cooling – this keeps the crust from getting too hard. Some might say it’s indigestible while still warm. But who cares? Smother it with butter and enjoy!
How stressed are you now on a scale of one to ten? It might even be a minus.
