The surprising history of soda bread

, chef Andi Oliver talks to a famous guest about a food that holds meaning for them. They unpack its secrets, from the history behind how it came to exist, to what memories and associations make it so special. Plus, psychologist and nutritionist Kimberley Wilson pops in to give some scientific insight., Andi meets former Bake Off contestant, presenter and cookery writer Briony May Williams to talk about the magic of soda bread.

Briony’s soda bread recipe is from her Irish nan, who had it passed down to her from her own mother. “This recipe was my great-grandmother’s recipe so it’s over a hundred years old,” she explains.The recipe consists of plain flour , a bit of salt, buttermilk and bicarbonate of soda. “The benefit of these quick-raising agents is that they are particularly suited to low-gluten flours,” explains Kimberley. “When you’re making a standard loaf and you’re kneading the dough, what you’re doing is developing the gluten, a stretchy protein. And it’s the stretchiness of gluten that allows the bread to rise and to expand without collapsing.”

But although soda bread has long been a traditional food in Ireland, it didn’t actually originate on the Emerald Isle. In fact, it was first made by settlers in America in the 18th century. In fact, there’s a practical reason behind it: “It’s actually because the dough is quite heavy and if it’s not cut the dough will pop the air bubbles and it won’t give you the rise,” Andi explains. “There’s no room for the bicarb to do its magic basically. So really you’re releasing the spirit of the bicarb!”In the south they prefer a “cake”. The bread is formed into a round shape and then baked in the oven.

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