Erin Go Bragh~

I love seasonal traditions and feel like a kid at heart when I get out the Christmas decorations, bake Anise Cookies for Valentine's Day, or hang the St. Patrick's Day hand towels in the kitchen and bathrooms. We have a few other traditions on March 17; we place the Leprechaun Trap my daughter made in first grade in a prominent spot to entice any wayward leprechauns. Over the years, we've found a green button, a wee piece of a jacket, and a tiny note left there by an escapee! I also bake up several loaves of authentic Irish Soda Bread and Treacle Farls. This much used recipe for White Soda Bread comes from a 1996 issue of Bon Appetit Magazine. You only need 4 ingredients~
3 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour (I used unbleached)
2 TB caraway seeds (optional, I go without)
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 and 1/2 cups buttermilk
Preheat oven to 425 F. Lightly flour baking sheet. Mix flour, seeds, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Mix in enough buttermilk to form moist clumps. Gather dough into a ball. Turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead until dough holds togehter, about 1 minute. Shape dough into a 6 inch diameter by 2 inch high round. Place on prepared baking sheet. Cut a large x across the top of the bread, about 1 inch deep. Bake until golden brown, about 35 minutes. Bread will sound hollow when tapped on bottom. Cool on rack. So simple! Your kitchen will smell heavenly, and you will have a delicious loaf without all the kneading and rising  yeasted breads require.