February 1 marks the Celtic pagan festival of Imbolc, which was later adopted as the feast of Ireland’s matron St. Brigid. The preparation of boxty is among a number of traditions observed on Imbolc. It is a simple potato pancake using mashed and/or grated potatoes. There are many iterations of this basic recipe, varying from county to county and even between households. Here’s how to make it

Barmbrack, Irish tea brack or in Gaelic, bairín breac (meaning speckled loaf) is a traditional sweetened bread commonly made around the Halloween season in Ireland. Many of the older traditional recipes use yeast, and are lighter in colour and texture than the bracks most people come across today. For this recipe I referenced many different sources, including my mother’s copy of All In The Cooking, first published in 1946 and famous Irish flour makers Odlums well established directions.

A staple of Irish households for generations, this is the soda bread that I grew up eating, as my grandmother was an expert at baking “a scone”. I could always spot one beneath a checkered dishcloth, and would take great pleasure in eating some with butter and golden syrup.