baker

Dorothy (Doris) Smyth, beloved mother of EuroCuisineGuy and tolerant, much-loved mother-in-law to EuroCuisineLady, died on July 30, 2007 after a prolonged struggle with heart disease.

Doris (or "Auntie Do" as she was known to seemingly thousands of relatives and friends in Northern Ireland) was the author of our world-famous soda bread recipe -- which has now racked up more than a million hits during its presence on the Web since 1995 -- and instigator of our video soda bread tutorials.

She was also a tireless contributor to cardiac charities in memory of her husband George, bringing thousands of pounds' worth of donations to Northern Irish charities by sales of her famous Health Loaf.
If you've found the soda bread (or health loaf) recipes useful, or would otherwise like to join with us in honoring Doris's memory, perhaps you would consider donating a little something to a local heart health charity, or (by using the widget to the left) to our chosen favorite, the Northern Ireland Chest, Heart and Stroke Association.

We'll miss you, Mum...

Gur cake was an invention of Dublin bakers early in the 20th century -- a way to use up day-old bread or cake and still make some money from it. It quickly became available all over Ireland, and can still be found in some big-city bakeries.

The cake's name is involved with numerous words borrowed from other languages. Gur is an Indian word for molasses, which may have been involved in some versions of the cake (as every baker developed his or her own recipe). But the more direct descent of the name comes from an old Irish slang word for street urchins, "gurriers" (which may have been borrowed from the French guerrier or [street] warrior). To "go on the gur" was to mitch off / play hookey / cut class / ditch school: and gur cake may well have gotten its name from being a favorite cheap snack for a kid out on the street for the day. It was always the cheapest thing in the bakery, usually a penny a slice (and indeed its modern or more upmarket name is "fruit slice".