March came and went too fast. I promised myself I would post once a month but that seemed nearly impossible this month. Between remote/hybrid learning, my own coursework, and recovering from COVID I didn’t have energy for much baking. I did manage to bake this Irish soda bread, a recipe straight from Jerry’s collection of goodies. This bread is super simple to make but unfortunately I couldn’t smell it as it baked or taste it when it cooled. My youngest loved it. He never lost his sense of taste or smell so I’m taking his word. It whips up in minutes and tastes especially delicious warm with a good dollop of butter on top. It also toasts really well. I plan to make it again when my sense of smell and taste are fully back. There is grief in loosing your sense of smell and taste. Foods and smells that once connected me to loved ones now gone are lost in a void. I picture them floating in a black abyss waiting to find their way back to me. Lost but looking. For now I will wait, stick my nose into a container of coffee grinds, smell my shampooed hair, inhale deeply, and wait for all the smells and tastes to make their way out of the abyss.

Irish Soda Bread

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home and Jerry’s recipe

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

3 + ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

½ sugar

2 tablespoons caraway seeds

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon of baking soda

2 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1 cup whole milk yogurt (not Greek)

1 cup raisins

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease a 9inch springform pan and set aside.

Using a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, caraway seeds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Set aside.  Using a small bowl, whisk together eggs, yogurt, and sour cream.  Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients until just combined.  Gently fold in raisins.  Spread batter into prepared 9-inch springform pan.  Bake until golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 40 to 45 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes.  Best served warm and with salted butter.  Tastes great toasted as well.  Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.