It runs in the family: Brownbread Making Competition
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How does the Ruddock family introduce their brown‑bread competition story?
Now, as we are learning here at the National Ploughing Championship, farming often runs in the family, but so does baking. We're joined now by Michael and Aoife Ruddock, father and daughter, taking part in the brown bread baking competition. You're very welcome to the show. Thanks so many for joining us. Thanks, David. How does it feel to be taking part, Michael?
I'm nervous now. Oh! I wasn't yesterday, but now I'm here, it's a little bit intimidating.
Yeah, OK, tell me about how you got into baking, because this is all... I mean, the missing person here is the person who should be taking part in the competition, who is your wife and Aoife's mum.
Yeah, so Katrina's here with us today. She's here at the front row. She's an avid baker, a lifelong baker. And in lockdown, she taught me how to bake. Right. She's been teaching Aoife all of her life. Katrina's such a keen baker she's got her own Facebook page and YouTube channel called Scrummy and she's got lots of followers hundreds of recipes lots of them are traditional Irish she's trying to preserve recipes which are dying off or going out of fashion
judging by your accent you're not traditional Irish yourself I'm from County Liverpool and Aoife you've presumably been baking with your mam since you were a little kid were
you?
Why does Michael feel nervous about entering the national brown‑bread contest?
Yeah, I've always been baking, but I always bake scones, biscuits and buns. And I only recently learned how to make the brown bread recipe maybe about a year ago. And since I found out that I was in the competition, I've been improving it over the past couple of weeks.
Okay, very good. And this recipe is a recipe of your mom's. This is
passed down
through the family.
And my grandmother's, who was passed down to my mom.
Brilliant. Okay, and have you put a little twist on it yourself?
Well, I add treacle into it, and my dad adds honey into it from our neighbor, Terry. And it's just... From his bees, which just makes it way better than, like, shop art, honey.
Oh, yeah, definitely. And, Michael, what made you decide to enter the competition? Because this is a big deal, isn't
it? Well, it was Katrina's idea. She said, this year, why don't we all make a loaf and enter them? And we couldn't believe we got picked, and she never...
Yeah, it seems a bit unfair, Katrina, doesn't it? Yeah,
she's
nodding. Yeah, she doesn't look very happy. That
has to
be said. And what would it mean appearing in the competition
here? It's like the Brown Bread Olympics. That's the way to think of it. It's a real honour. Brown bread's such a big tradition in Ireland. Everybody has their own recipe. Everybody has their own take on it. Yeah. So to actually get selected, I couldn't believe it when I got the email. What makes a great brown bread? Um... For me, it's not rushing it. Take your time. A lot of people will just throw anything in, but we've really tweaked and tried with different oils, different seeds. But for me, the magic ingredient is our neighbour's honey. Yeah.
What role does Katrina play in inspiring the family’s baking tradition?
He's a beekeeper. Yeah. It's not commercial. It's just a few pots that he'll sell to family and friends.
Sounds great. And Aoife, I presume you've been practising before the big day, have
you? Yeah, I think I must have made close to 20 breads over since August when I found out that I'm going to be in the competition because, you know, practice makes perfect.
Yeah, and what did you do with all the breads? Did you eat all the bread?
Well, we ate most of it, but we gave it away to our neighbours, friends and some family.
Oh, very good. And tell me this, at home, is there a competition to see who's the best?
Well, there's a bit of a competition, but so far I think Mammy's the best out of all of
us. OK, so it's doubly unfair that she's not in the Big Ten. Yeah, absolutely. What would you say, Michael? Any competition or is it all
for... Oh, no, she's the expert. I'm just the apprentice. I wash the dishes.
Yeah.
That's my contribution.
Yeah, and Aoife, I suppose, what's it like at school? Is everybody excited for you?
Yeah, I've got lots of mentions from teachers and students and people in school. Some of them are actually here today.
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Chapters
5 chapters
1
How does the Ruddock family introduce their brown‑bread competition story?
0:00–1:23
2
Why does Michael feel nervous about entering the national brown‑bread contest?
1:23–3:18
3
What role does Katrina play in inspiring the family’s baking tradition?
3:18–4:46
4
How did Aoife learn to bake brown bread and what’s her practice routine?
4:46–5:57
5
What unique twists do Michael and Aoife add to their family‑passed‑down recipe?
5:57–6:27