An Irish soda bread recipe for St Bridget’s Day, Imbolc (01 February) (2024)

February 2, 2018February 1, 2019 Losing the Plot

01st February is one of the four cross quarter days in the old Celtic calendar; Imbolc, and it marks the beginning of spring. The other quarter days are Beltane, Samhain, and Lughnasa, each with their own traditions.

Donkey’s years ago I used to work at the Ulster Folk Museum, and on 1st Feb – also known as St Bridget’s Day I would be up to my knees in reeds to make St Bridget’s crosses for our visitors.

The reeds, or ideally, rushes have to be pulled – not cut, preferably by the youngest girl in the family, before the sun rises. Traditionally these are made each year and hung up over a door as a protection against fire.

As it turns out, long before she was a Saint, Bridget was a Celtic goddess in her own right, and her reach extended from the north west of Ireland through Scotland, The Isle of Man, Wales, Cornwall and into France. protector of women, Bridget was the goddess of the Sun; fire and the forge, of children; of women, and childbirth.

Originally, the symbol that was woven was a form of triskele (meaning three legs) and this would be hung up in the barn. Variations on same symbol tuns up in all sorts of Celtic metalwork and embroidery, as to it’s meaning, there are many explanations for the three legs including the past, the present and the future; birth, death and rebirth, the spiritual world, our world and the celestial world and many more.

An Irish soda bread recipe for St Bridget’s Day, Imbolc (01 February) (1)

Over time, the symbol evolved to a four legged cross, which is said to represent the the North Star in the middle, and the course of the Big Dipper through as it charts it’s way through the seasons.

I don’t know how much stock to put in all of this, but this I can say for sure, good old Bridget got me off a parking ticket, so she has some modern day power. I had overstayed my welcome, as as I got back to my car a traffic warden was having a good look, at a left over cross I had on the parcel shelf, “You may thank her” he said, “only for that in the back, there and you would have got a ticket.” So, for that at least I give her a nod and a smile each year. on her feast day.

I don’t have any rushes so can’t take you through that, but instead, since she is goddess of the hearth, here is a recipe for some traditional Irish soda bread. It’s pretty easy, you don’t need much

An Irish soda bread recipe for St Bridget’s Day, Imbolc (01 February) (2)

If you can’t get soda bread flour, use plain flour and 1/2 tsp baking soda

500gms flour

280 – 300mls buttermilk (or you could use ordinary milk soured with lemon juice)

Make a well in the centre of the flour, and add the buttermilk, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the mixture comes together in a soft dough.

An Irish soda bread recipe for St Bridget’s Day, Imbolc (01 February) (6)

Turn this out onto a floured surface and form it into a round shape. Try to ignore the fact that it looks like cellulite, and definitely don’t make any comparison with your own (or your partner’s) thighs.

Cut this into four pieces, or farls.

Put your griddle on, if you don’t have a griddle, you can use a flat, heavy bottomed frying pan. After it has heated scatter some flour on top, if it starts to brown gently it’s ready, if it instantly goes brown, turn your heat down a bit.

The thicker your farls (an old word for fourths) the longer they will take to cook so take care not to let the griddle get too hot. Once you think they are done on one side turn them over, you will see them go a traditional mottled brown colour. Once both sides have been done, if you still think the middle is a bit suspect, you can stand them on their side to give an extra boost. Tap them, if they sound hollow, they are done.

Now eat them hot off the griddle and slarried in butter, delicious!

That is one version of traditional, comfort food, what is yours?

An Irish soda bread recipe for St Bridget’s Day, Imbolc (01 February) (9)
  1. Reblogged this on Die Erste Eslarner Zeitung – Aus und über Eslarn, sowie die bayerisch-tschechische Region!.

    LikeLiked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Thank you 🙏

      LikeLiked by 1 person

      Reply

    • This was in my spam! If it hadn’t been for Suzie talking about missed comments in her folder, I wouldn’t have looked!

      At least straws don’t split the way rushes can! The recipe is so easy it’s almost embarrassing, but it’s traditional – and going out of fashion in favour of the oven baked loves.I don’t like seeing traditions getting lost!

      xxx

      LikeLike

      Reply

  2. There is nothing quite like the smell of baking bread…

    LikeLiked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Yes, I used to make this on an open fire for my lunch; visitors would come in thinking I was giving it away 😂

      LikeLiked by 1 person

      Reply

  3. You brought me right back to my visit to Ireland three years ago now. Nothing as delicious as the soda bread with good Irish butter. Now that I’m back at home, I still look for Irish butter. I think it’s the water, or it could be some kind of magic–maybe Bridget had a hand in it?

    LikeLiked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Bridget, faeries but more than likely the fekkin rain… makes the grass grow and the cows eat grass all year making the butter better.

      LikeLike

      Reply

      • 🙂

        LikeLiked by 1 person

  4. Bridget, the Celtic goddess….I never knew. Soda bread is something we all love in this house…..didn’t know you cook it in a pan!!

    LikeLiked by 1 person

    Reply

    • You can cook it in the oven, but traditionall the Irish didn’t have ovens, we cooked on the fire – which is how I used to when I worked in the museum cottages. You had to manage your fire for heat and smoke, control the temp of the griddle by raising or lowering it

      LikeLiked by 1 person

      Reply

      • Sounds like my kitchen anyway…with the addition of a smoke alarm!!

        LikeLike

  5. Reblogged this on Retired? No one told me! and commented:
    I love these griddle scones and think I will be off to kitchen soon…

    LikeLiked by 1 person

    Reply

      • I never thought of treacle that sounds good 🙂

        LikeLiked by 1 person

      • Can’t take any credit, it’s just traditional fayre

        LikeLiked by 1 person

      • Either way..thank you for telling me 🙂

        LikeLiked by 1 person

  6. I have just made these I did add a handful of sultanas, and everyone loved them even my grandson who had a second one 🙂

    LikeLiked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Brilliant, I’m thrilled. It’s the sort of baking that kids can get involved with.

      LikeLiked by 1 person

      Reply

      • Yes It is and my grandson is getting to be a very good cook..he cooks all my meat for me and cooks a perfect steak…the soda bread was lovely and next time they will be plain and with bacon and egg 🙂 Lovely recipe 🙂

        LikeLiked by 1 person

  7. Excellent. I’m definitely having a go at that. I think Sainsbury’s stock buttermilk. Presumably I can use a frying pan if I can’t find my griddle.

    LikeLiked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Absolutely, and if you can’t get hold of buttermilk, you can sour ordinary milk with lemon juice. I know that works, because I watched my great aunt (a magnificent baker) do it often enough.

      LikeLiked by 1 person

      Reply

      • We use skimmed milk, so I suspect the results might not be the same.

        LikeLiked by 1 person

      • Yes, it would be fine

        LikeLiked by 1 person

      • That’s good to know. It’s on my list for next week.

        LikeLiked by 1 person

  8. I can eat hot bread easily but my husband cannot, it gives him stomach pain. The irony is I’m not bothered by hot bread, but he cannot wait to eat!!

    LikeLiked by 1 person

    Reply

    • LOl! Patience is a virtue, 😂

      LikeLike

      Reply

  9. […] https://losingtheplotweb.wordpress.com/2018/02/02/imbrolic-bridget-and-baking/ […]

    LikeLiked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Thank you!

      LikeLike

      Reply

  10. A very simple recipe for this yummy bread.

    LikeLiked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Yep, very straightforward – you can add died fruit to liven it up a bit through

      LikeLiked by 1 person

      Reply

  11. […] is perhaps the most famous of the four quarter days. Along with Beltane, Samhain and Imbrolic; Lughnasawas celebrated throughout the Celtic world, and marked the end of summer as warm days grow shorter […]

    LikeLike

    Reply

  12. […] four cross quarter days are known as Samhain (Oct 31- 01 Nov) Imbrolic (Jan 31 – 01 Feb), Beltane (April 30 – 01 May), and Lughnadh (Jul 31 – 01 Aug); each has […]

    LikeLike

    Reply

  13. […] https://losingtheplotweb.wordpress.com/2018/02/02/imbrolic-bridget-and-baking/ […]

    LikeLiked by 1 person

    Reply

  14. […] Imbolc (01 Feb) also known as Candlemas […]

    LikeLike

    Reply

  15. I hope you do not mind but I nominated you for a sunshine award! visit my last post to see the details!

    LikeLiked by 1 person

    Reply

    • How lovely! Thank you, that is such a lovely thing to do! x

      LikeLike

      Reply

      • Your welcome! I enjoy your historical blogs the most! but all of your work is quality!

        LikeLiked by 1 person

Leave a comment

An Irish soda bread recipe for St Bridget’s Day, Imbolc (01 February) (2024)

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Frankie Dare

Last Updated:

Views: 6326

Rating: 4.2 / 5 (53 voted)

Reviews: 92% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Frankie Dare

Birthday: 2000-01-27

Address: Suite 313 45115 Caridad Freeway, Port Barabaraville, MS 66713

Phone: +3769542039359

Job: Sales Manager

Hobby: Baton twirling, Stand-up comedy, Leather crafting, Rugby, tabletop games, Jigsaw puzzles, Air sports

Introduction: My name is Frankie Dare, I am a funny, beautiful, proud, fair, pleasant, cheerful, enthusiastic person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.