Bain taitneamh as do bheile! (Irish for- Enjoy the food!)

This is a bit late but better late than never, right? My family is Irish on both sides and so St.Patrick's Day is HUGE for my family! Now that I live out of state from my Irish relatives, I make the feast on my own but I love to do it! This year we had my in-law side of the family down to CA for St.Patty's and this is what I served up: Corned Beef, cabbage, carrots, and 'pratties'(aka potatoes)/ Champ/ Irish soda bread/ 'bangers'(aka sausages)/ Irish cheese tray with Waterford crackers/ and for dessert, Celtic Apple crumble. Most of these are easy to make and come from family recipes and also my favorite Irish cookbook: Irish Heritage Cookbook, By Margaret M. Johnson. Here is the recipe for the family favorite soda bread:
-4 cups all purpose flour
-1 tsp. baking soda
-1 tsp. cream of tartar
-1 tsp. salt
-1/4 cup superfine sugar
-2 cups buttermilk
-optional: raisins, currants, etc.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly grease a 9-inch round cake pan, 9-by-5 inch loaf pan, or my favorite- a pie tin.
Sift flour, baking soda, salt, cream of tartar, together in large bowl. Stir in sugar. Make a well in center, add buttermilk, and with your FINGERS(as in tradition), work milk into flour until a soft, biscuit-like dough is formed. Do not over mix. Turn into pan and bake for 10 min. Reduce heat to 400 degrees and bake until bread is golden brown and firm to touch, about 30-45 min. Will sound hollow if tapped on top. Best served (of course) with Irish Kerrygold Butter. Go Mbeanni Dia duit!