top o' the afternoon

In the spirit of St. Patty's it only seemed appropriate to wake up as late as possible on this happy Sunday and make an Irish breakfast. Without access to black pudding or proper scones and clotted cream, I found a recipe for Irish Soda Bread with currants...but I exchanged currants for blueberries because they sounded great.

It turned out fantastic, and I advise you to make this every morning for breakfast for the rest of your lives...or just tomorrow. While you bake, you might listen to something that puts a jig in your step. For me that was Tegan and Sara's latest album. **note: the best way to describe this album is catchy. It is definitely going to appeal to the masses.

Back to the bread:

Irish Soda Bread

Time: 45 minutes

Yield: 8 servings

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cubed, more for greasing pan

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

 3/4 teaspoon baking soda

2/3 cup buttermilk (then a tad more for brushing at the end)

1 large egg

about 2/3 cup dried currants or raisins or blueberries

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a round baking tin.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together flours, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, work in butter until mixture forms coarse crumbs. In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk and egg. If you don't have buttermilk, add a bit of lemon juice to milk to curdle the milk just enough to create a passable buttermilk. Stir wet mixture into dry one until they just form a moist dough. Then add in 2/3 cup of whichever berry you choose.

3. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Spread dough into a round baking tin. Brush tops with a little buttermilk, and dust lightly with flour.

4. Transfer tin to oven. Bake until bread is golden brown and firm, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving. Cut into 8 slices, and serve with lots and lots of butter.

Enjoy!