I love to eat like a peasant. Or perhaps not like a peasant, but like a fake pastoral fairy tale peasant. Culinary education nowadays tells that me that peasants ate beer, beans, peas and "pottage" which was basically a soup made of everything you have. While I have been known to eat these things, particularly that last thing, from time to time, that's NOT what I mean.
What I mean is when you read a story about a young farmboy or girl heading off into the forest to make their fortune or meet the witch or save the princess or whatever, at some point they seem to stop and eat a simple meal of bread and cheese and fruit or meat. That's what I'm talking about. That mythical fairy tale traveling food or what the lady in the cottage where you stop to rest gives you.
I love to eat like that. One of my favorite meals is just bread, cheese, cured meats, fruit and/or perhaps: nuts, crackers, wine, pickles, or other small bites. And the best way to start is by making a rustic peasanty homemade bread.
I'm not sure how much more rustic you can get than Irish. I saw this recipe for Irish soda bread and I knew I had to make it. My original plan was to be tradtional and have it with some corned beef and some sort of cabbage slaw or something, but when I got to the market, I don't really know what happened, but next thing I knew the guy was handing me salami and cheese and then there was this wine in my basket!
It totally wasn't my fault, it was those evil French people who hate the Irish and want me to eat their meats and cheeses instead.
This bread is made in a baguette shape so you can eat it in small pieces. It's a slightly sweet bread, that could go equally well at breakfast or dinner, and is really good with butter or a creamy cheese.
But I recommend it with some cured meats, cheese, pickles, and a nice glass of rosé. Preferably while on your way to slay the dragon, or perhaps you can make it to serve to wayward princes or youngest daughters on a mission to find their fate.
RECIPE: Downey's Soda Bread adapted from Downey's in Santa Barbara, CA
What I mean is when you read a story about a young farmboy or girl heading off into the forest to make their fortune or meet the witch or save the princess or whatever, at some point they seem to stop and eat a simple meal of bread and cheese and fruit or meat. That's what I'm talking about. That mythical fairy tale traveling food or what the lady in the cottage where you stop to rest gives you.
I love to eat like that. One of my favorite meals is just bread, cheese, cured meats, fruit and/or perhaps: nuts, crackers, wine, pickles, or other small bites. And the best way to start is by making a rustic peasanty homemade bread.
I'm not sure how much more rustic you can get than Irish. I saw this recipe for Irish soda bread and I knew I had to make it. My original plan was to be tradtional and have it with some corned beef and some sort of cabbage slaw or something, but when I got to the market, I don't really know what happened, but next thing I knew the guy was handing me salami and cheese and then there was this wine in my basket!
It totally wasn't my fault, it was those evil French people who hate the Irish and want me to eat their meats and cheeses instead.
This bread is made in a baguette shape so you can eat it in small pieces. It's a slightly sweet bread, that could go equally well at breakfast or dinner, and is really good with butter or a creamy cheese.
But I recommend it with some cured meats, cheese, pickles, and a nice glass of rosé. Preferably while on your way to slay the dragon, or perhaps you can make it to serve to wayward princes or youngest daughters on a mission to find their fate.
RECIPE: Downey's Soda Bread adapted from Downey's in Santa Barbara, CA
Comments
And filled with at least one chemical.