This week, we are studying Europe! There are so many countries to learn about in Europe, and one country we are exploring is Ireland. We explored the Irish flag, Irish step dancing, and traditional Irish music and symbols. We also listened to an Irish folktale by author Tomie DePaola called Jamie O’Rourke and the Big Potato. We explored a traditional food from Ireland: Irish soda bread. Irish soda bread is a very simple recipe which needs just 4 ingredients – flour, salt, baking soda and buttermilk. The Irish traditionally ate soda bread because it was cheap, easy to make, and used simple ingredients like flour, baking soda, salt, and buttermilk, all things most families had on hand. It didn’t need yeast or an oven, so it could be baked over a fire in a pot. During hard times like the Great Famine, soda bread became a reliable, filling food that helped many survive.

Students worked together to measure ingredients. We also explored adding fractions while we were measuring out the ingredients. Each student got a chance to help mix the ingredients together. Then, Ms. Ursino baked the bread in the oven.

While the bread was baking, we explored one of the less familiar ingredients from the recipe – buttermilk! Students discovered that buttermilk got it’s name because it was originally the result of butter being made from cultured cream and separating into butterfat and buttermilk. After separation, the thin liquid left behind from making butter would be left out overnight to ferment and thicken. It was a popular drink and recipe ingredient because it could keep for a lot longer than plain old milk. These days, store-bought buttermilk is created by adding bacterial cultures to low-fat milk. Every student smelled the buttermilk and many did not enjoy the smell. Students who were interested in sampling the buttermilk got to try it, but most were not a fan! After sampling the unique ingredient, we brainstormed a list of adjectives to describe the buttermilk.

Their adjectives included:
sour, gooey, icky, different, bubbly, smelly, funky, disgusting

While our bread was in the oven, the students used their new expertise on bread-making to practice “how-to” writing. Students could either choose the recipe for Irish Soda Bread that we had just made, or write a recipe for any other food they know how to make. They wrote detailed steps about the process, and made sure to use transition words like “first”, “next”, “then” and “finally”.

In the afternoon, our bread was ready to sample! Unlike the buttermilk, the bread was well-liked by all! It is amazing that such a simple recipe makes such a delicious treat! Interested in making the bread at home? You can find the recipe we used here!