A Grand Entrance, Firewood and Soda Bread

Tuesday night we took Son#4 back to his student hostel. As we were about to pull into the driveway, a police car came up behind us with lights flashing and obviously wanting us to pull over. DH decided that the safest place to stop was in the driveway, so he pulled in and the police car followed us. There we were, sitting in the driveway with a police car behind us with its lights flashing and students hanging out the windows of the hostel to see what was going on. I suspect Son#4 was glad that it was dark and that he was in the back seat and partially hidden from view! I even felt the need to slide down in my seat and try and hide!

And the reason for the police car stopping us? Random breath test. Had DH failed the test I would've had to wonder about what the restaurant had put in our meal since the last time DH touched alcohol was when we were in a church that served wine instead of grape juice for communion! Funnily enough, the last time he participated in a random breath test was just after he had pulled into our driveway!

After leaving Son#4 (whose face was no longer red from all the attention) we came on home again. On the way we passed a sign warning that a particular road was closed due to snow. Not surprising! This past week we've experienced a wintry blast which has swept most of the country and caused us to look at our wood shed with alarm. It appears that despite not lighting fires until later in the season than usual we are still going through our firewood at an alarming rate (and the house is still cold most of the time).


So yesterday DH had more firewood delivered and after school Son#5 started stacking it in the wood shed. After a little while I felt guilty for letting him do it all on his own and went out to help. Guilt aside, I figured that carting firewood must be good for burning calories (it had better be because it's not the most exciting job in the world). When DH arrived home he took over and I was able to turn my attention to other important matters: food.


I'd had a pot of soup simmering away all day and decided that Irish Soda Bread would go nicely with it followed by Apple, Apricot and Peach Crumble. I love Soda Bread. It's yeast free (so I can eat it), quick and easy to make (no kneading), uses only a few simple ingredients, tastes great (especially with soups or stews), and freezes well (which means I can have it for weekend breakfast toasted and topped with peanut butter or jam and a cup or two of Irish Breakfast tea to wash it down).

(In case you're wondering, I do have Irish heritage but whether my ancestors went to Australia as convicts or settlers no one seems to know - or is telling.)

Anyway, here's my recipe for Irish Soda Bread for anyone who is interested.

3 cups wholemeal (whole wheat) flour
2 teaspoons baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup low fat unsweetened yoghurt
1 cup warm water
(Or you could replace the yoghurt and water with buttermilk which is more traditional but which I have difficulty finding.)

Sift together the dry ingredients or do what I do and just sift the baking soda over the flour and then mix all the dry ingredients well with a fork. (You want the baking soda nicely distributed otherwise you'll end up with green flecks throughout the bread. It won't affect the taste but you might have trouble explaining why your fresh bread looks mouldy!) Make a well in the middle and pour in the yoghurt and water. Mix together until all the flour is mixed in. It should form a ball in the bowl. If it's too wet, add a little more flour. Place the ball onto a floured baking tray and with a sharp knife cut a cross into the top of the bread. Bake for 40 minutes at 200 degrees Celsius. Enjoy!


Adding raisins or sunflower seeds (my favourite addition) is not traditional but does add variety and is definitely yummy. Now please excuse me. I'm off to toast my Irish Soda Bread and to make a pot of tea.