Baking is a key part of Irish culture, providing sustenance through high times and hard times alike. Celebrated photographer Andrew Montgomery got together with Irish food writer Cherie Denham, one of our delicious. guest experts, to create a stunning book of recipes. The bakes celebrate the time-honoured skills of the Irish farmhouse – including those from Cherie’s own family, featured here
RECIPES CHERIE DENHAM PHOTOGRAPHS AND FOOD STYLING ANDREW MONTGOMERY
“The baking traditions of Ireland stretch back centuries and have been shaped by our history and natural surroundings. Long ago, the harsh weather meant wheat was difficult to cultivate, so many of the earliest Irish breads were made with other grains. Beautiful pastureland meant ideal grazing for cows, and this led to an abundance of dairy products, with buttermilk becoming a key component of that most Irish of bakes, soda bread. Another reason why baking was so important in Ireland was that plentiful peat and wood supplies meant households could bake their own bread at home. These skills were passed down the generations, creating a unique heritage.
My mum, Esther, had very little time to bake because not only did she help my dad, Cyril, on the farm, but she also worked on night duty as a sister in the local hospital. Whatever she did bake, though, was always made with love and care. My grannies and great-aunts were the cooks, bakers and preservers in my life. I can remember the welcoming smell of their kitchens so well – especially on baking day, when there was always a loaf of bread, cake, tarts and jams on the table. The turf fire was always lit, even in summer, with a griddle above it ready to bake soda farls.
My aim is for these recipes to be enjoyable, approachable and achievable. To that end, I have tested them repeatedly to get them just right. But should anything go wrong, don’t be too hard on yourself. Take a leaf out of my mum’s book: cut it up, cover it in either custard or gravy and serve it up as if that’s the way it was always meant to be.”
“Ireland is a country of fertile greens dissected by grey, lichen-flecked stone walls set off against towns and villages filled with primary-coloured frontages. As a photographer, these are visual magnets that immediately draw the eye.
