NORTHERN IRELAND’S
Bread & Butter Hands-on homestyle bread-baking classes in seaside County Down WORDS AND PHOTOS BY ALISON KENT
H
eading southeast from Belfast, we pull into the drive of Tracey’s Farmhouse Kitchen a mere halfhour later. Located by the shores of Strangford Lough in County Down, an early morning chill lingers in the fresh seaside air as we step out of the car. Welcoming our group is Tracey herself, ushering us inside her pastoral 17th Century homestead. The deeply rooted history and character-filled ambiance of this picture-perfect setting is unmistakable. In the bright and airy kitchen, a tableful of freshly made, authentic-to-the-region breads awaits. This impressive spread includes Bannock (buttermilk soda fruit bread), Fadge (potato bread) and Farl (Northern Ireland wheaten soda bread), all accompanied by homemade fruit preserves, swirls of creamery butter and pots of Belfast brew tea served in wonderfully mismatched fine bone china teacups. The consummate host, local food authority and tour guide, Tracey Jeffery is eager to share her knowledge, while
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