Homemade Irish Soda Bread -- The Thing My Hands Knew to Do

Forty weeks. Due date is this week. The city is fully locked down. The spring that's been trying to come in—the crocuses on the strip of grass outside the building—is the only thing that doesn't know something has changed, and I'm grateful for the crocuses for exactly that reason. The world has shut down and the crocuses are purple and defiant and here.

I feel the change that precedes labor but can't call it yet. Every first-time mother gets it wrong; every subsequent mother reads it more accurately but still waits to be sure. I've been timing intermittent contractions since Tuesday and they're not consistent enough to be the real thing yet. Sean is on full alert. He's cleaned the apartment twice. He reorganized the cabinet under the bathroom sink, which is a thing I didn't ask him to do and which he did with the focus of someone who needed a project. The hospital bag is at the door. The go instructions are on the fridge.

Liam knows something is coming. He's been saying "baby sister" more—sitting with me, putting his hand on my stomach, talking to Nora in the low conspiratorial way he's developed over the last month. "Coming soon," he told her on Wednesday. "It's okay." He's two years old. He said "it's okay" to the baby in the belly. I don't have a clinical explanation for who taught him to do this. I have a feeling it's just who he is.

Made my grandmother's brown bread. Didn't know what else to do with my hands. Made the brown bread. Left it on the counter. Liam ate half of it. I ate the rest.

My grandmother’s brown bread isn’t a recipe I consulted that day — it’s one I know the way I know my own name, the kind of thing your hands do while your mind is somewhere else entirely, timing contractions and watching a two-year-old talk to his baby sister through your belly. Irish soda bread requires no waiting, no rising, no yeast — just mixing and warmth and the smell of something good filling a quiet apartment. It was exactly right for that morning, and it’s exactly what I’m leaving here for you.

Homemade Irish Soda Bread

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 45 minutes | Total Time: 55 minutes | Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 4 cups all-purpose or whole wheat flour (or a mix of both)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 3/4 cups buttermilk, shaken
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened (for greasing pan)

Instructions

1. Preheat. Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Lightly grease a cast-iron skillet or round baking pan with butter, or line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Mix dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined.
3. Add buttermilk. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the buttermilk. Using a wooden spoon or your hands, stir until a shaggy dough just comes together — do not overmix. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky.
4. Shape the loaf. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently shape it into a round about 1 1/2 inches thick. Place it in the prepared pan or on the baking sheet. Using a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut a deep X across the top of the loaf — this helps it bake through evenly.
5. Bake. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the crust is deep golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil in the last 10 minutes.
6. Cool and slice. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing. Best eaten the day it’s made, with butter and a little quiet.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 230 | Protein: 7g | Fat: 2g | Carbs: 45g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 420mg