A thatched cottage on the shores of Strangford Lough and the smell of freshly cooked soda bread made the old-fashioned way of frying on a hot griddle.
This image could be from 100 years ago, or in one woman’s case, her every day.
Tracey Jeffrey (57) renovated her iconic 17th century thatched farmhouse just outside Killinchy with her husband Joe more than 25 years ago to make a home for them and their two boys, Joseph and Matthew.
The intention was not initially to run traditional food-making workshops in their home, but it soon became clear that it was the perfect spot.
Tracey said that their aim was to keep the house “as traditional as possible” retaining as many of the original features in the renovation.
“It started out as a collection of barns housing animals,” she explains.
“One thing we really wanted more than anything else was to keep as many of the original features as possible, using all reclaimed materials and reusing anything that was already here. We didn’t waste a thing.”
She says that she was still working as a French teacher when the family moved there and had “no idea” that only a short while later she would be running her own traditional bread-making classes from the comfort of her own home.
After studying Irish and French at Queen’s University Belfast in the 1980s, Tracey continued to live in Belfast before moving to Co Down when she got married.
Whilst studying for her degree, she tells the Belfast Telegraph that she lived in the south of France for a short while and worked in a patisserie making macarons.
“I really enjoyed this, and I suppose I always had an interest in baking and cooking being the eldest of five kids I did a lot of cooking at home, but was never professionally trained,” she says.
“When I came back from France, I continued making macarons and would bake macaron wedding cakes for people if I was asked, it was definitely more of a hobby.
Tracey Jeffery
“I then started doing farmers’ markets and different events with my confectionery and traybakes and it wasn’t until then I had the idea of soda and potato bread making and starting up food tours.
“We have such a unique product that is totally native to here, and it couldn’t be more different to macarons.”
Tracey explained that macarons and cakes require precise measurements compared to soda bread, for example, which is all measured by eye.
“We’re so proud of our uniquely Northern Irish Soda bread. I love making it — no weight or measuring required! We go by the look feel and texture just as they did long ago. It couldn’t be more different from making macarons. I love it,” she explains.
“It’s quick and easy to make and it tastes absolutely delicious.”
From finding her newfound passion for the native Northern Irish breads, she decided to quit teaching and began to run food tours.
She then decided, after a while, that her home — which rests on the shores of Ballymorran Bay in Strangford Lough — was the perfect location to invite people in and share in the process of making the iconic locally baked goods and has been doing so for the past eight years.
“Visitors to NI absolutely love it and they can’t believe that it’s ready from start to finish in 15 minutes; no need for yeast or an oven and we don’t weigh or measure anything.
“When I started this, I didn’t think I would have any interest from local people as I assumed that everyone knew how to make soda bread, but I quickly realised that people who are coming to my class wanted to revive a tradition.
“Very often people would say ‘when I asked my grandmother what’s the recipe or the quantities? The answer was always was — it’s just what you know’ and no one recorded the recipes,” she added.
“People are always so amazed that it’s such an easy thing to do. If you add too much of one ingredient, add a bit more of the other it’s as easy as that.
“Many local people also enjoy the process as it takes them back in time to memories of growing up with soda bread being made in the home kitchen.”
She says that she also holds fond memories growing up with her grandparents and mum making soda in the kitchen, which first sparked her interest in baking.
Tracey Jeffery of Tracey’s Farmhouse Kitchen
“I remember vividly the smell of it and being told not to touch it for five minutes to allow it to rest, but of course, my siblings and I took a little nibble and got stuck in, anyway.”
Traditionally soda bread is made up as a bannock and cut with a cross into four quarters.
There are many old wives’ tales on why this is — some believed that cutting a cross into the bread would protect the household from evil spirits, fairies, or the devil, while others believed it was a way to bless the bread and give thanks.
There is, however, a more practical reason for cutting a cross into the dough as it prevents it from popping air bubbles and rising.
Tracey pointed out that soda bread — a recipe which is more than 150 years old — was thought up by using by-products from other things made around the house.
“The buttermilk is of course a by-product of people making their own butter and soda bread was a way to use it up with some flour and baked straight onto the griddle,” she says.
“It’s the same with potato bread being made with the leftover mash from people’s plates from dinner, cooked up and made into something new for your Ulster Fry the following morning.
“It really is very clever and Northern Ireland is the only place on the island of Ireland which has its own bread, apart from Waterford, so it should be celebrated and something we should be proud of.”
Inspired by generations past and the tradition of sustainable living and reducing waste where possible, Tracey has made sure to be conscious of this in both her cooking and way of life.
“My husband is a gardener and we have been growing our own vegetables and fruit and herbs as well as salad leaves for as long as I can remember,” she says.
Tracey Jeffery of Tracey’s Farmhouse Kitchen
“We’re lucky to have a microclimate on the Ards Peninsula and this really helps — after all our wonderful Comber earlies come from just five miles away.
“We also try and reduce our waste where possible where the hens and ducks will feed on the scraps from the kitchen, which not only helps us to save money as we don’t have to buy chicken food, but it also in turn leads to less packaging waste.
“Our hens also lay delicious organic eggs as they roam freely through the farmyard and into the fields, we are so blessed.”
In addition to the traditional soda bread, wheaten bread and potato bread-making classes, Tracey also puts a modern twist on them and teaches people how to make soda focaccia bread as well as a Christmas-themed class in December.
She is hoping to start jam-making classes in the near future as well.
As a way to combine her husband’s passion for the outdoors, Tracey offers a unique ‘Canoe and Cake’, ‘SUP and Soda’ and ‘Paddle and Pizza’ experience where visitors can enjoy the benefits of the lough close by and return for some freshly baked treats in the cottage.
To keep up to date with Tracey’s latest experiences you can follow the @Traceysfarmhousekitchen handle on Instagram and Facebook