Irish Brown Bread

With Amanda Brawley

The Brown Bread (is) one of the few natural glories left to Western civilization” – from Richard O’Conner’s “The Irish, Portrait of a People”.

Irish brown bread, sometimes called wheaten bread, is a form of Irish soda bread made with stone-ground, whole-wheat flour.

The bread has a long and flavorful history.  Hearty and tasty, it is often paired with Salmon but also goes well with Irish Guinness Stew or boiled dinner.

This Irish brown bread is different than other Irish breads you have probably tasted, such as Irish soda bread or scones. It uses molasses as the sweetening flavoring agent and just as important is the ground, course whole-wheat flour.Amanda is adamant about making her Irish Brown Bread with the authentic whole-wheat flour. If you want to try the real thing, the name of the website for Odlums extra course whole grain flour is www.foodireland.com.
She also sells pre-mixed packages of her scones and Irish Soda Breads to allow everyone to experience Ireland firsthand one bite at a time. You can learn more about her food business at www.eringocooking.com.This video was filmed in the Doyon's Kitchen & Appliance Showroom at the Doyon's location in Gloucester, MA. You can obtain more information at their web site; www.doyonsappliance.com

Ingredients

¾ cup flour
1 ¼ cup of extra coarse Odlums Whole Grain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons molasses
4 tablespoons melted butter
½ cup buttermilk

Instructions

1. Mix dry ingredients together.
2, Add melted butter.
3. Add molasses and mix well.
4. Add buttermilk slowly until flour mixture adheres together and forms a ball.
5. Place on floured surface and knead into round loaf.
6. Brush with egg and sprinkle top with whole grain flour.
7. Bake in pre-heated 350 degree F. oven for 30 to 40 minutes.

Allow to completely cool before cutting.

Recipe courtesy of Amanda Brawley, www.eringocooking.com, 2011.

Amanda grew up on the outskirts of Dublin Ireland in a suburb pretty similar to South Boston. There she started cooking and baking at age thirteen, old enough to be allowed to experiment with the flame and have some responsibility in doing so.
 
As for baking versus cooking, she likes baking and cooking equally depending on the mood. If she wants to be more adventurous and not have to rigidly stick to a recipe, she prefers to cook and while cooking she can be more creative and add her personal touch to the dish. According to Amanda baking is more of a science and you have to stick to a recipe.  However, to her the smells from the oven while baking win over cooking any day.
 
Her Mother and Grandmother did the cooking in the house. It was very seldom you would see a man of the house preparing a meal. Her grandmother would always have her Grand Fathers dinner on the table as he walked through the door after a long day of work. It was, as she says, a key trait to being a good wife to make sure a husbands stomach was never hungry.
 
When she was growing up in Ireland 30 years ago the typical Irish family always cooked at home. Going out to eat was very seldom and a real treat.

One of the foods that is a staple in the Irish diet not eaten here is blood pudding. It is a very popular addition to any Irish breakfast.
 
Guinness stews or lamb stews were made once a week mainly on Saturdays in her home. It was a hearty meal and tasted better days later.

Over the last two years she has established her own baking business “ Erin Go Bread” and operates a wholesale business out of her home in Swampscott Ma. She also does Irish cooking demonstrations and classes for small and large groups. Irish favorites such as Irish soda bread, scones and Guinness stew are just some of the recipes she teaches to keep the spirit and heritage of her past alive. The sessions are designed to let you master those traditional Irish baking recipes and experience a little bit of the blarney firsthand. She also sells pre-mixed packages of her scones and Irish Soda Breads to allow everyone to experience Ireland firsthand one bite at a time. You can learn more about her food business at www.eringocooking.com.
 
Amanda is adamant about making her Irish Brown Bread with the authentic whole-wheat flour. If you want to try the real thing, the name of the website for Odlums extra course whole grain flour is www.foodireland.com.