What Is Soda Bread?

Corned beef, cabbage, and Irish soda bread are essential parts of most Americans' St. Patrick's Day celebrations. What what is Irish soda bread? Per the Institute of Culinary Education, most purists insist that soda bread has just four ingredients: flour, salt, baking soda and buttermilk.

The New York Times notes that, while there have been lots of variations on soda bread, in Ireland, soda bread "tends to be plainer and more restrained."

According to Abagail's Bakery, "Irish Soda Bread is a traditional product of a poor country," hence its simple and basic ingredients. The cross, cut on top of the bread, was "to ward off the devil and protect the household." Families in Ireland in the 1800s lived in isolated farmhouses where most kitchens had only open hearths, not ovens, so the breads that developed were baked on griddles or in large three-legged black iron pots over fires. This resulted in tender and dense bread with a hard crust. The bread was very perishable, so it was made every few days and eaten with the main meal, not as a dessert.

Soda bread doesn't date back to the days of St. Patrick by the way - Saint Patrick's era was around the year 400 AD. The Society For the Preservation of Soda Bread (it's actually a real organization!) says that Native Americans were the first to use soda ash to leaven bread, and soda bread was introduced to the U.K. in the 1830s. As for the simple ingredients, they say, "Flour, salt, baking soda, buttermilk: Anything else added makes it a 'Tea Cake!'"

We’ve got some shamrockin' deals for you this St. Patrick's Day (Thursday, March 17). If you’re in need of some green-themed treats on a budget, thankfully businesses in the area are getting in on the fun with some freebies and deals.

Offers.com is offering a list of locations participating for 2022- scroll down below.

Get a taste of St. Patrick’s Day at Arby’s by grabbing one of its Mint Chocolate Shakes.

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, you’ll want to try your luck with the Tipsy Leprechaun- $5 per Saintly Sip.

Baked By Melissa will have three lucky flavors of St. Patrick’s Day cupcakes: Lucky Charm, Rainbow Cookie and Triple Chocolate Fudge.

Grab a scoop or two of Baskin Robbins' Flavor of the Month.. Golden Oreo Irish Ice Cream.

Yum! Chili’s margarita of the month for March is The Lucky Jameson® and it’s just $5! Available at your local Chili’s location or to-go at participating restaurants.

Kids have a chance to win a Pot O’ Gold in the form of Free Gameplay when they come in on March 17.

Cold Stone Creamery is celebrating St. Patrick's Day with the Ice Cream at the End of the Rainbow treat. Available — gold glitter and all — from now until March 31.

For a limited time only, enjoy Dairy Queen's Mint Brownie Blizzard and Mint Chip Shake.

St. Patrick’s Day Collection includes Lenny Leprechaun Doughnut, Luck O’ the Rainbow Doughnut, St. Patrick’s Shamrock Doughnut and St. Patrick’s Sprinkle Doughnut.

Limited-edition.. Lucky Charms cereal! This one will magically turn your milk green and you can find it at Walmart.

It is officially Shamrock Shake and OREO® Shamrock McFlurry® season.

Find St. Patrick’s Day Gifts as low as $29.99, including the Luck of the Irish 30 Nibblers Tin.

Enjoy a little whiskey at TGI Fridays! Get it glazed on your chicken breasts and ribs and feed your entire clan of four to six people with The Whiskey-Glaze Bundle. It also comes with a half-gallon beverage, starting at around $85.99.