Traditional Bread Making & Tracey’s Farmhouse Kitchen

Spotlight on intangible cultural heritage providers

Country of Origin: Northern Ireland
Atlantic CultureScape ICH Partner Cluster: Newry, Morne & Down District Council
Intangible Cultural Heritage type: GASTRONOMY AND CULINARY ARTS

Tracey Jeffrey is a traditional Northern Irish bread maker who offers an ICH experience located in Downpatrick at Denvir’s Coaching Inn. There Tracey runs workshops where people can make Irish breads on a griddle, over the fire, as it would have been done at the Inn in 1642.By sharing and teaching the traditional practice of bread making, Tracey is safeguarding this example of Irish intangible cultural heritage.

Pre-Famine in Northern Ireland the traditional breads; Soda, Wheaten and Potato, would have been made every day. They were made using very simple ingredients – flour, potatoes and buttermilk. The buttermilk is a by-product from making butter which was a biweekly task in Irish homes. The recipes, preparation and ritual of making bread was and still is an important part of Irish food culture.

When asked about why she is passionate about protecting this Irish intangible cultural heritage, Tracey said;

“I practise it firstly because I love making breads and feeding people and because it is an important part of our heritage and I’m keen to keep that alive. It is still a tradition that is carried out today – we eat these breads every day. They form part of our breakfast, lunch or dinner and they can be either savoury or sweet.

I am a fluent Irish Speaker and I really enjoy using the terms for bread making in Irish. As part of my experience, I meet people who come from families where these breads would have been made every day. I love hearing the stories around that and hearing how this basic food was so intrinsic to our existence many years ago.”

Irish bread making terms include ‘farl’, which means four parts. To farl the bread is the process of flattening dough into a circle and cutting into quarters. Another is ‘harn’, which is when the quarters of bread, once cooked on the griddle, are turned on edge and sealed on all three edges.

To book a Traditional Northern Ireland Bread Making Experience with Tracey at Denvirs Coaching Inn please contact the Inn direct. The breads are very easy to make and in the traditional way, nothing is weighed or measured out. Ready within 15 minutes of placing on the griddle, it certainly makes for a wonderful immersive, hands on and tasty experience!

Find out more about Tracey’s Farmhouse Kitchen at traceysfarmhousekitchen.com or follow her at www.facebook.com/traceysfarmhousekitchen.