Irish Soda Muffins

It’s March in Boston, which means Boston’s strong Irish heritage is really starting to shine through. St. Patrick’s Day in Boston really is like in no other U.S. city – as far as I know! Ads for shamrock shakes start coming out and the drug stores and grocery stores are loaded with festive green decor. My favorite part of it all? The Irish Soda bread! My mom makes this every year, and now I do too! Being from about 50% Irish descent myself, I always love St. Patrick’s Day dinner with the family. Growing up, it was so fun to see my cousins for a big dinner on a weeknight (if that is when St. Patrick’s Day fell). Our grandparents would tell us about our heritage, and it was so fun to celebrate where we all came from.

Like every other holiday, I grew up celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in all the small ways, and yes, that included making everything green! And by everything, I mean even adding a drop of green food coloring to our cereal in the morning –  just for fun. I loved it! My favorite tradition is and probably always will be the Irish Soda bread. There is nothing better than a fresh slice warm from the oven with a little butter. Last year, I made it the traditional way in a pie plate, but this year, I thought muffins would be different and special!

I’ve always only ever made my grandmother’s recipe, and it really is the best. For these muffins, I used Ina Garten’s recipe. I really love how Ina uses orange zest and currants (I used golden raisins) for a little extra zing. Ina’s recipe was a bit denser than what I’m used to, but these muffins were super moist and especially delicious warmed up. Serve with a bit of marmalade and enjoy!

Next time, I might try my hand at my own recipe. If it comes out alright, I just might post it!

Are you getting your green ready to wear in a couple of weeks?
xo -L