Traditional Irish Goody
The 9 PM Supper: Late-Night Toasts and Leftovers
At 9 p.m., the kitchen is dim, the stove is still warm, and the stale heel of a white loaf sits on the counter. This is the hour for Goody. You start by tearing the bread, scalding whole milk, and shaking in the supermarket cinnamon. In the saucepan, slightly stale slices are boiled down with sugar and spice until they transform into a thick, restorative custard. Eat it standing up, straight from the bowl, before the milk stops steaming.
Before you start
Tear the bread into bite-sized pieces.
Leave the crusts on for a rustic farmhouse texture, or trim them off if you prefer a smoother pudding.
Ingredients
- white sandwich bread4 large slices
- whole milk2 cup
- granulated sugar2 tbsp
- ground cinnamon1/2 tsp
- ground nutmeg1/4 tsp
- salted butter1 tbsp
Method
- 01
Bring the milk to a gentle simmer in a medium saucepan.
Place it over medium heat and watch it closely so it doesn't boil over or scorch the bottom of the pan.
- 02
Drop the torn bread, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg into the simmering milk.
Turn the heat down to medium-low.
- 03
Cook and stir constantly until the bread breaks down into a thick porridge.
This is the trick to authentic Goody: mash the bread gently against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon for 5 to 8 minutes until it transforms from wet bread into a cohesive, custard-like pudding.
- 04
Remove from the heat and stir in the butter.
Spoon immediately into warm mugs or bowls, and eat it on the couch with a cup of strong black tea.
Notes
Do not just pour hot milk over bread in a bowl.
The secret to authentic Goody is boiling the bread in the milk on the stovetop, allowing the starches to release and thicken the liquid.
Substitute half the milk with black tea if you run short.
Old country wives often used a strong brew of standard black tea to stretch the dairy, creating a deeply authentic, slightly earthy variation known as tea goody.
From Cook Irish-American Food.