Irish Baking: An Island Unlike Any Other
Just like the flatbreads of the Middle East, or cornbread from the plains of North America, Irish baking culture is deeply rooted in the natural features of the terrain.
Standing out on the Western shores of Europe, the island of Ireland is at the mercy of the ever changing gulf stream, and this unpredictable Atlantic weather could mean hailstorms in the summer, and glorious sunshine in the winter - less than ideal conditions for growing wheat, for instance.
So for centuries, Irish farmers relied on hardy native grains like barley or oats, producing flours with a much lower gluten content than a comparable wheat flour.
The breads made from this flour were light, crumbly and flavoursome - but the native grains only tell part of the story of Irish baking.
Unlike much of mainland Europe and the UK, Ireland's early modern landscape was still very wild and rugged, not to mention very green on account of the changeable weather.
Firewood, heather and peat were easily available to even the poorest in society, so cooks didn't have to rely on communal fires or allowances from the landowners.
