I baked it myself
Soda Bread from Alice Waters The Art of Simple Food
It's not the best idea to stay up until 3 in the morning listening to music with a friend when you've got another friend coming by for Sunday morning breakfast at 10. You set the alarm for 8 and in a sleepy daze you set about making pancake batter and then you remember that your breakfast guest is a vegetarian so you put the bacon back in the fridge with a mild sense of regret and longing. If anything can put a spring back in your step it's the smell of bacon in the morning.
And then you start questioning whether she'll even be in the mood for pancakes, maybe she'll just want toast and eggs. Or yogurt and fruit. And then you realize you are a bit of an obsessive host and that maybe you should just sit down for a minute and have a cup of coffee.
I'm not sure what logic went through my mind when I decided that it would be too much work to walk to the shop to get bread for breakfast (which is a mere 2 blocks away) and opted instead to bake a loaf at home to save myself the trip.
But I tell you, Alice Waters' soda bread is really that kind of bread. It's so easy to throw together that by the time I would have walked the 2 blocks to the shop the loaf would have already been in the oven. Since it uses baking soda instead of yeast, there's no waiting for it to rise, and there's just enough kneading to make you feel accomplished.
It looks nice, don't you think? It's got a dense and chewy crumb and a nice crunchy crust. Top it with a little jam with the longest name ever (Red Lavender Strawberry Merlot Jam) and you can't go wrong. Sure, compared to a yeasted bread it is a little soft on flavour, but it's quick and easy and homemade, which makes it taste awfully good to me.
Because I don't want to mess with the goddess that is Alice Waters, I will not post her recipe. Instead I will direct you to a website where someone has already gone to the trouble of posting it. So click below for the recipe.
Alice Waters' Soda Bread
from the Art of Simple Food
posted by Michèle at 10:00 AM
20 Comments:
That looks like the perfectly squodgy (yes, I know, that's not a word), homemade bread that one wants after a night of staying up too late. Not too demanding, absolutely welcoming and surely delicious. An obsessive host, maybe, but truly a hospitable one.
And I thought I was the only one who did that kinda thing---staying up late when I have guests coming the next day, that is. This is the loveliest soda bread loaf I've ever seen, but you do love your pretty bread, don't you?
this bread looks delish especially with the long named jam on it :)
Fresh bread is a must in my kitchen. Fresh home-made bread is a 'double must', although I practically don't have time to spare to divine baking on a weekday. Well, I digress. :) I just want to say this irish bread is a godsend for me!!
It looks oh-sooooo-good!!
Looks really delicious Michele! gLORIA
What I want to do right now, is to invite myself over and tuck into a sunny corner of your house for a nice chat with a cup of lovely tea each (MF, but of course!) and slices of that bread spread with jam.
Do you think that could be arranged?
I'll even bring the jam:-)
PS: "I don't want to mess with the goddess that is Alice Waters" LOL.
Tara, I think squodgy is going to have to make a regular appearance in our vocab from now on.
"What are you doing this weekend?" "Baking squodgy bread."
MC, you are right about that! Pretty bread is my weakness.
Kat, it's pretty good with some salted butter too!
Anya, this is what I love about this bread! You don't have to plan hours and hours in advance. Just whip it up and throw it in the oven. I hope it works out well for you--I think it will definitely be a staple in our house from now on.
Gloria, well thank you! It tastes awfully good too!
Tea, darlin you know you have an open invitation at all times whether you've got jam in hand or not! And I will save some MF tea just for your visit--the sunny corners await ;)
This bread looks delicious!
The crust looks perfect. Mmm.. I love your photos! How do you get everything to look so serene all the time?
Christine, thanks, I think so too!
Ginger M, well I have to say that your comment made me smile--I like the idea that my pictures are serene! I think perhaps it's the finding the right kind of light..Or it could just be a very serene loaf of bread ;)
Lately I've really been thinking about starting to make my own bread. I really am tired of going to the grocery store almost every 4 days for some damn bread. I usually buy french bread. Have you ever tried making that? Need to find a recipe.
Michelle, I usually buy french bread too--I really like the Ace bakery baguette--so chewy! I've never tried making it myself though, but if I do I will let you know. And you be sure to let me know if you try making it too!
Creepy lurker that I am, I just wanted to say your blog is rad, and finally inspired me, after months of vicariously living through yours (which I still intend to do), to get my own blog, rife with my amateur food porn, up and running. Thanks for the inspiration! You're the only blog currently linked from my page, but alas, I doubt that will be generating much traffic for you. :)
sadly, i cannot even type my own url correctly. whatever it is my name is linked to above is totally wrong. in the event of mild interest (i did use the word porn, after all) i will post it correctly this time.
boy oh boy, was i ever the lucky friend to have this treat on that sunday morning... :) thanks sister!
I cut the recipe in half, added chopped dark chocolate, and it was absolute heaven. As my son said, "it tastes continental".
Oh, wow! Your bread certainly looks good. I'm impressed. I've always wanted to make soda bread. Haven't made it so far.
Paz
Lol! I can understand that logic. Somedays I just don't want to get out and go to the shop, I want to laze and graze.
This looks like a lovely recipe. I shall have to try it. Thanks for posting!
Niamh
I'm starving now! It's just about the time for tea and toast, too. I will definitely be making this...
You've convinced me! Since bread is so darn expensive here (and since I fully trust both you and the Goddess), this is going to be my first attempt at making bread on my own. It looks beautiful (as does that cake...also something I'm going to have to be making next week for LB's b-day; but he wants chocolate cake with white frosting). So happy to hear that you're stuff finally arrived - happy nesting!!
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