Lá ‘le Bríde shona daoibh

Tuigim, tuigim is ait an rud é beannacht mar sin a chloisteáil ó haindiachaí cosúil liomsa ach tá áit speisialta i mo chroí do Bhríd. Nuair a bhí mé óg ag freastal ar Scoil Bhríde i Raghnallach bhíodh lá saoire againn ar Lá ‘le Bríde nach mbíodh ag ár gcairde i KPS thuas a’ bhóthair. Chun an fhírinne a rá bhíodh an-chuid laethanta saoir againn nach mbíodh acu mar ba scoil de chuid Eaglais na hÉireann KPS. An lá roimh lá ‘le Bríde bhíodh coisir againn ar scoil le (mar is chuimhin liom) doughnuts agus sú óráist ó chupáin plaisteacha. Ach mar is chuimhin liom freisin bhíodh an grian i gcónaí ag taitneamh ar lá ‘le Bhríde an chéad lá den Earrach. Gabhaim molta Bhríde… gar dúinn Earrach Éirinn.

N’fheadar an mbíonn siad ag cheiliúradh Lá ‘le Bhríde sa scoil a thuilleadh? Ní bheadh fhios agat agus aindiachaithe cosúil liomsa ag gabháil timpeall ag milleadh chuile rud.

Feicim freisin ar Vicipéid go raibh sí mar naomh do “children whose parents are not married” imeasc eile. Tá dóchas ann don mac is sine mar sin…

And now

Banana Cake.

This is easy-peasy. I got it from a kids’ recipe book years ago when I was babysitting. If you don’t have cup measures, seriously get some. They open up a whole world of cookery.

To make one standard loaf tin.
Preheat oven to 350F/ 180C/ GM4

  • 120g Butter/ Margarine
  • 1 cup of caster sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla essence
  • 2 cups self-raising flour
  • 0.5 cup of milk
  • 2 bananas mashed
  1. Grease a loaf tin and sprinkle flour on it or join us in the 21st century, get yourself some silicon pans and don’t bother with this stap
  2. Melt butter in a big pot OR for those of you in the 21st century like me melt the butter in suitable, large mixing bowl
  3. Add sugar, eggs and vanilla essence. Mix well until smooth.
  4. Put in the flour but don’t stir yet
  5. Add milk and mashed banana and stir until just mixed.
  6. Turn into loaf tin and bake until cooked. Last night it took 1hr at 170C in a fan-assissted oven. Book said 30mins. In other words you’ll have to use the skewer/ knife into the middle to gauge “done-ness”

Also I’m just thinking about the order that those ingredients are added in and thinking that I might try it a little differently. Basically if you mix flour a lot, you lengthen the strings of gluten and make the mix more elastic. This is fine for bread for example but horrible for muffins in particular and also cake like this. Now I’ve never had an issue with this but if you find your cake ends up kind of tough, try adding in milk and banana first then toss in flour and stir ever so briefly.
I also sometimes add either sultanas or even chocolate chips. I’ve also tried it with chopped apricots. All good.
Enjoy with a cuppa tea!

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