History Irish Tea Brack

[donna]

Tea Brack or also known as Barmbrack is a yeast bread with Sultanas and raisins. They were the center of an Irish Halloween custom. In the brack various objects were baked and were for a sort of fortune telling game.

The bracks had a pea, a stick, a piece of cloth, a small coin and a ring. Each of these had a meaning if you got one. The pea meant the person not to marry that year. The stick meant you have unhappy marriage or be in disputes. The cloth meant you have bad luck or be poor. The coin meant you have good fortune or be rich. The ring meant you would marry within the year.

In James Joyce's "Dubliners" the short story "Clay". barmbracks are mentioned.

"The fire was nice and bright and on one of the side tables were four very big barmbracks. These barmbracks seemed uncut. but if you went closer you would see they had been cut into long thick even slices to be handed round at tea.."

Also read about Irish Tea Brack at: http://www.dochara.com/the-irish/food-recipes/irish-tea-brack/

Thanks to St. Albans for bringing up Irish Tea Brack in a thread in the Ladies Tea Forum. This post caused me to research this fine Irish cake.

 

[MRB1863]

Interesting idea! Almost like having tea leaves read to determine love or fortune for the year.

 

[St Albans Raid]

WOW!!!!!! I didn't realize the history of the recipe-it just looked so yummy. I was thinking of St. Patrick's Day. Thanks for the info. I've posted the recipe again.

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/tea-brack-recipe