Veda bread facts for kids
 |
|
| Type | Bread |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Ireland |
| Region or state | Ulster |
| Serving temperature | Sliced |
| Main ingredients | Wheat flour |
Veda bread is a malted bread sold in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. It is a small, caramel-coloured loaf with a very soft consistency when fresh. Allied Bakeries Ireland (ABI) is the market leader with over 81 per cent value share of the Veda market within Northern Ireland, which it sells as "Sunblest Veda".
In Northern England, veda bread is something quite different: a sweet, sticky loaf made with black treacle. It is eaten sliced, dry, or with butter or margarine. The molasses in the treacle help to preserve the mixture, and veda bread connoisseurs will leave a freshly baked loaf for several weeks in a closed cake tin to allow the flavours to mature before they eat it.
Secret formula
It is still impossible to find a recipe for a Veda loaf, over a hundred years after it was invented. However, devotees have had good results by following the instructions for a malted fruit loaf but without the fruit or alcohol.
Although a sweet bread, Veda is often eaten toasted with butter and cheese, although many prefer to add jam or marmalade. It is usually eaten as a snack.
Veda Bakeries hold all the original recipes for Veda bread. Veda Bakeries is a company registered by law. The company is based East Lothian, and is owned by Jim Kerr of Forthestuary Cereals.
The formula for Veda was allegedly stumbled upon by luck when a Dundee farmer's house-keeper accidentally used damp wheat which had sprouted to produce malted wheat. This produced a sweet-malted flavoured bread – and Veda bread was born.
