I recently went to Dublin and tried soda bread for the first time and it tasted amazing! Unlike most types bread this bread uses bicarbonate soda instead of yeast as the rising agent. This works due to a chemical reaction involving the acidic buttermilk and the alkaline bicarbonate soda. The bicarbonate soda breaks down into carbon dioxide, which causes the bread to rise. So here is my take on a classic Irish Soda Bread recipe.