If you have visited the Ely Farmers Market in recent years, you likely met Joe Switajewski of S and R Breads. Joe has been a cook at Carefree Living in Babbitt since 2014, and he started baking bread in 2018. Both of Joe’s grandmothers were talented bakers, but he mostly credits his Irish paternal grandmother with inspiring him in the kitchen. He also has fond memories of visiting a wonderful bakery in Pine River, Minnesota, during trips to visit his grandmother.
While on a trip to Ireland in 2014, Joe watched a news segment that featured a bread called “Barm Brack,” which caught his interest. He decided to research the recipe so he could make it when he got home. The name Barm Brack is derived from a Gaelic phrase that means “Speckled Loaf.” The moist, lightly spiced tea-flavored bread is flecked with assorted dried fruits, such as raisins, candied zest, figs, currants, dried apricots, or dried cranberries.
Joe makes his bread in large quantities, but he scaled down his Barm Brack recipe so home bakers could make a single loaf with similar results. Aside from Barm Brack, Joe sells a selection of breads, cookies, and pastries, which are featured on the bake lists he updates regularly on the S and R Breads Facebook page. His cinnamon, caramel, and maple rolls are favorites of his wife and children, while his sourdough breads are a favorite with customers.
For a bonus recipe, Joe said his jalapeno-cheddar sourdough makes a great grilled cheese when sandwiched with smoked gouda, bacon, and sliced tomatoes. S and R Breads is active from June through September, and occasionally around the holidays. Aside from the Ely Farmers Market, they are available to take orders on select days and can deliver to Babbitt. You can place an order on the Facebook page or on their website at sandrbreads.com.
Barm Brack
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups mixed dried fruit
1 1/3 cups strong black tea, cooled
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, beaten
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons mixed spices (such as cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, or allspice)
1 teaspoon salt
Instructions:
Place the fruit in a mixing bowl and pour the tea on top. Cover and refrigerate overnight. The next day, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan. Stir the sugar and egg into the fruit and tea mixture. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, spices, and salt. Stir the dry mixture into the wet mixture until it reaches a thick muffin-batter consistency. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely before removing from the pan.
Yield: 1 loaf.
