Happy Saint Patrick's Day
everyone!
Here are a few images from books in my Saint Patrick's Day collection to get you in the mood.
This is a page from the "Children's Party Book" published in 1935 for a Saint Patrick's Day party.
Dennison produced booklets to promote their products. This page for Saint Patrick's Day appears in the promotional booklet "Dennison Crepe Paper Almanac 1913". The booklet doesn't give instructions on how to make the decorations, it is strictly for promotional purposes.
And finally, here is a recipe for "Soda Bread" that I got from a woman in Ireland when I was there many years ago. Bake up a batch, have a cup of tea, and enjoy yourself.
"Irish Soda Bread"
4 cups wholewheat flour
2 cups white flour (I use 6 cups of wholewheat flour)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda (Break up the soda in your hand to get rid of any lumps.)
1 teaspoon salt
Mix the dry ingredient with a balloon whisk in a large bowl.
Add enough buttermilk or sour milk (I use buttermilk but I've also used yogurt, apple juice or any tart fruit juice) so that the mixture is not too dry or too wet. Don't knead the dough just form it into a ball. You can either make one large loaf or cut it in half and make two smaller loaves. Form them into balls and coat with flour. Place on a baking sheet and press the dough into a flat disk about 2 1/2" thick. Cut the surface with three or four intersecting cuts. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour or until the loaf sounds hollow when rapped with your knuckle on the bottom of the loaf.
That's all there is to it! It takes about 1 1/4 hours to mix and bake some of the best quick bread that you have ever tasted.