ICA DUO ENJOY RECIPE SUCCESS

RITA Alves, a co-founder of the Crafty Rock craft shop in Blackrock, has had her recipe for lactose-free brown bread included in The Irish Country Women’s Association Book of Bread and Baking.

The Portuguese woman, who lives in Drogheda with her Blackrock-born husband Gerry Bailey, is one of two Co Louth ICA members whose recipes are featured in the book, the other being Connie McEvoy from Termonfeckin.

Rita, pictured right, who is a member of the Drogheda ICA Guild, represented Louth in the National Brown Bread Baking Competition at the National Ploughing Championships in Offaly in 2017.

She explains in the new ICA book that ‘Despite being lactose intolerant, one of my favourite Irish treats has always been a breakfast with homemade brown bread made with buttermilk.’

Rita adapted ‘ the best version I ever tasted’ which was made by her husband’s aunt Mary Bailey to create her own lactose-free recipe. It proved so good that she won a prize at the National Brown Breaded Competition at the National Ploughing Championships two years ago.

Termonfeckin ICA Guild’s Connie McEvoy has contributed a recipe for up-side down rhubarb treat which she first tasted when her grandfather made it during the big snow of 1947.

She recalls how as a small child she was marooned on her grandparents’ farm from January 10 to March 19. While her Grand-ma Kavanagh and Aunt Peg did most of the cooking, her Grand-day would often rustle up something for supper time which was always eaten around 6pm.

She remembers him bringing in some fresh rhubarb which had been forced by placing an old bucket over it the previous autumn and making a treat for supper, which he cooked over an open fire.

‘I can still remember just how delicious that warm treat was. I often make it myself, using fresh rhubarb from my garden.’

Rita and Connie’s recipes are just two from a wide selection contributed by ICA members from guilds around the country. There are lots of recipes for both sweet and savoury goodies, from traditional soda bread and scones to delicious cakes and treats.

The ICA Book of Bread and Baking is published by Gill Books and is available at all good books shops, priced €22.99.