TV presenter Síle Seoige waded her way through the grounds of this year's wet and windy National Ploughing Championship to serve as MC in the ALDI tent, and act as host the semi-finals and final of the National Brown Bread Baking Competition.
In association with the National Ploughing Association and Irish Countrywomen's Association (ICA), the annual competition will see a number of Ireland’s top brown bread bakers go head-to-head in a live final for the chance to win €15,000. Additionally, the winner’s brown bread will be stocked in 160 ALDI stores nationwide.
On Tuesday, we went behind the scenes to chat with four of the semi-finalists to find out their secrets for baking a great batch of brown bread.
Mary Cooney, Co. Cavan:
Originally from Leitrim, Mary Cooney is now living in Cavan as a mother of five, grantmother of 13, and great-grandmother of one. Having spent many years raising a family, as well as working as a nurse, she is now enjoying a slower pace of life, and baking plenty of delicious treats in the process.
On the encouragement of her children, Mary decided to give the competition a go this year for the first time, having heard an ad for it on the radio: "I didn't put too much thought into it, I just did it."
Having inherited her brown bread recipe from her late mother, Mary says that she has made a few minor tweaks and adjustments to the recipe, to create a delicious base for smoked salmon and scrambled egg, or lashings of butter and jam.
No matter how she serves it, her brown bread is a kitchen staple:
"This recipe, I've been using for the last 40 years I would say. It's simple, wholemeal flour, soda, salt, a little bit of honey, and a little bit of oil."
We went into ALDI's baker’s tent at the 2023 #Ploughing to find the secret to making a great batch of brown bread from four competitors in the Brown Bread Baking Competition 👩🍳 pic.twitter.com/ED5uRdFo5n
— LifeStyle on RTÉ (@LifeStyleRTE) September 20, 2023
Aoife Howard, Co. Limerick:
Aoife Howard is a doctor from Limerick whose love for baking started at a young age thanks to time spent in the kitchen with her late grandmother, Lil.
"I've been baking for years," she told RTÉ Lifestyle. "I never thought of entering something like this, but I thought I might as well give it a go! I was very surprised to end up here today."
Aoife says that the smell of warm soda bread smeared with butter and raspberry jam is a favourite memory from childhood, and says she tries to evoke those same flavours in her own baking while keeping things nutritious.
"I suppose I have a secret ingredient but I probably shouldn't tell," she smiles, "but I suppose I'm sticking with the basics - nothing too exciting."
As a doctor, Aoife says she feels it is important to remind people how nutritious a simple loaf of traditional soda bread can be, and has given her loaf a healthy twist by incorporating fibre-rich flax and a touch of treacle.
Liz Brady Co. Westmeath ICA:
Hailing from from Castlepollard, Co. Westmeath, Elizabeth Brady is a member of ICA for over 30 years and has held office at guild and Federation level.
"I'm in ICA so I get involved in whatever is going on," she says. "I've been here before in the competition but never dreamt I would be here in this position."
A mother of two daughters, whom she adopted through fostering, and a grandmother to three little ones, Liz has plenty of people to feed with her delicious batches of brown bread.
"Brown bread is a very personal thing," she insists. "What you like, I might not like. The mix I make is not kneaded, the way a lot of breads would be, it's sort of a more moist mixture with seeds and things. Put it in the tin and bake. That's it."
Kathleen Dillon Byrne, Co. Carlow ICA:
As a mother of two, and an expectant grandmother of one, Kathleen Dillon Byrne has a busy household. Working from home as a full-time carer for her husband, Paddy (her biggest supporter), she says that baking is one of her favourite past-times.
Over the past ten years, Kathleen has been baking brown bread and says that the current recipe is her favourite so far.
"This is my third time to be here," she says, explaining that she once made it to the final, and is hoping this year will be third time lucky.
"I love baking and I love baking brown bread," she says, noting that good taste and texture is essential for a good batch.
"Not having it too dry," she adds. "What I did was put it into the oven at a high temperature, about 200°, for 15-20 minutes. Then I turned it back down to 180° and just let it cool down. Hopefully, it'll work out today!"
As a mother of two daughters whom she adopted through fostering, and a grandmother of three, Liz says she loves spending time at the Ploughing as it has great atmosphere, and the team at the baking competition are "so helpful and so kind".
Competition Update: Since speaking with the bakers, it has been announced that Aoife Howard and Kathleen Dillon Byrne were the winners of the first semi final, and will be going through to the next round.
