Traditional Irish Summer Refreshments

Hot Irish soda bread served with fresh butter and Damson plum jam with a cool glass of ginger ale updated plant body and mind on a hot summer day.

Ireland rarely reaches 80 degrees F., but when it makes the traditional Irish summer refreshment is only cure is served by a kitchen in a country house miles from the nearest town. The following food and drink was very common back in the 1940's and 50's, but is something rare nowadays, except for Irish soda bread. In the old country Irish home was open-hearth furnaces with iron crooks to serve as handles. A black Dutch oven was hung from the crook of a crackling fire made from peat (lignite) collected from a nearby bog and dried in a peat cap-hearth fireplace. In the old days there was no running water, it should be collected in buckets from a well.

Irish Farms until 1960 were largely self-sufficient

Each morning the cows were milked and the milk was stored in the kitchen crock. Some of the milk was used for churning into butter, which was formed in Patti and placed in dishes at the kitchen table. Farmer people spread liberal parts of butter on freshly baked soda bread and Spud. Fruits like blackcurrant, plums and blackberries were gathered from nearby trees and hedgerows. Materials such as salt, shortening, tea and ginger were purchased in town markets. But largely traditional Irish farms were self-sufficient as they could grind their own flour from grain, they grew nearby mills every month or so. 

Irish Soda Bread Ingredients and method of manufacture 

Ingredients: 

    * Three cups of flour (or wheat colored optional) 

    * Three teaspoons baking powder 

    * One teaspoon of salt 

    * Two tablespoons shortening 

    * Two cups fresh buttermilk 

    * A handful of black currants 

Method:

   1st Knead dough until it is ready for baking sheet 

   2nd Place in a Dutch oven (or conventional) for 45 minutes at 425 degrees F. 

   3rd Let cool covered with a tea towel 

   4th Slice and serve while still warm with fresh butter and jam 

Homemade Damson Jam Ingredients and Method

After collecting a small basket of Damson plums from nearby trees (or market) is preparer ready to begin. 

Ingredients:

    * Three Cups pitted and sliced Damson plums 

    * Three cups of water 

    * Six tablespoons white or brown sugar 

   1st Method:

 

   2nd Place contents in a large saucepan 

   3rd Bring to a boil and let simmer for three hours 

   4th Drain in a colander and quickly washed with cold water 

   5th Place the contents of the sieve in several bell glass and seal until ready to use 

Homemade Ginger Ale Plant Ingredients and Method 

Ingredients:

    * Two small ginger roots 

    * A half-gallon jug of water 

    * Five tablespoons brown sugar 

Method: 

   1st Add ginger root to half gallon jug of water cold 

   2nd Add five tablespoons brown sugar 

   3rd Place lid on pot and shake 

   4th Store in a cool place for several days 

   5th Pour into glasses and serve