A lot of people have been baking bread across the past few months. It reminded me of this so I got out the recipe and made it again.
(re-post)
Bread in an hour: Irish soda
You really can have this bread on the table an hour after you decide to make it so if a sudden "let's have tea" happens the house can be on its way to smelling delicious by the time the person arrives.
It is versatile – I've added different seeds and spices over the years; used oats turned into flour in the blender because I did not have any whlole wheat flour; sour milk with lemon or lime juice; make one larger loaf or two as shown; serve it with cheese or a savoury spread or something sweet. The only time – ever! – that it did not turn out was when I was trying to impress an Irish man; when I cut into the loaf it was not completely cooked.
It's in Edna Staebler's second Schmecks cookbook.
I phoned Rundles in Stratford to ask them if it was still on their menu and got a pleasantly-voiced message that the restaurant is closed for the season until May but I could leave a reservation request.
It freezes well and comes back to life in a toaster.