Origins of the Blaa?

magick

Just wondering where this mystical food started in Waterford, who thought it up and where it was baked/served first?

mike65

Probably in Downes in 1786, they had a bakery out the back where the original Mrs Downes liked fluffing up a nice length of dough, having had her fun she'd then bake some buns in her oven but one day the fire went out halfway through, it having been stoked rather too vigorously early on. Resulting in a crispy exterior but an under cooked centre. Said buns were unexpectedly hot as she yanked them out and she dropped them into the bowl of flour on the table. This cooled them and a quick nibble by Mrs Downes revealed them to taste quite nice, a nice which was upgraded to good when a slice of cheddar was slapped across a buttered one.

Or possibly it happened another way.

BlaasForRafa

mike65 wrote: »

Probably in Downes in 1786, they had a bakery out the back where the original Mrs Downes liked fluffing up a nice length of dough, having had her fun she'd then bake some buns in her oven but one day the fire went out halfway through, it having been stoked rather too vigorously early on. Resulting in a crispy exterior but an under cooked centre. Said buns were unexpectedly hot as she yanked them out and she dropped them into the bowl of flour on the table. This cooled them and a quick nibble by Mrs Downes revealed them to taste quite nice, a nice which was upgraded to good when a slice of cheddar was slapped across a buttered one.

Or possibly it happened another way.

I recall reading that it was the Hugenots who brought their skills from french bakeries when they emigrated to Ireland and they invented the blaa.

See, not all immigration is bad!

THall04

BlaasForRafa wrote: »

I recall reading that it was the Hugenots who brought their skills from french bakeries when they emigrated to Ireland and they invented the blaa.

See, not all immigration is bad!

A small white roll called the "Petit Blanc"

so the non-French speaking Waterford people called it "Blaaaaaa"

jmcc

THall04 wrote: »

A small white roll called the "Petit Blanc"

so the non-French speaking Waterford people called it "Blaaaaaa"

Of course if you knew your history of Waterford, the pronounciation of the uvular 'R' (sounds like 'urr' rather than the Deefer 'aar') points to historical French/Norman influence on the language. There's a lot more French/Norman influence here than in Dublin for example.

Regards...jmcc

magick

BlaasForRafa wrote: »

I recall reading that it was the Hugenots who brought their skills from french bakeries when they emigrated to Ireland and they invented the blaa.

See, not all immigration is bad!

No thats Wikipedia, Im interested in the local history of it

bullpost

mais oui

jmcc wrote: »

Of course if you knew your history of Waterford, the pronounciation of the uvular 'R' (sounds like 'urr' rather than the Deefer 'aar') points to historical French/Norman influence on the language. There's a lot more French/Norman influence here than in Dublin for example.

Regards...jmcc

BlaasForRafa

Shams wrote: »

No thats Wikipedia, Im interested in the local history of it

Wtf are you talking about? I read it in a book called "Well" that came out in the 90's, I think it was by Eddie Wymberry.

holy guacamole

I'd love a blaa now.

YumDeiseMum

holy guacamole wrote: »

I'd love a blaa now.

and Tayto cheese & onion

magick

BlaasForRafa wrote: »

Wtf are you talking about? I read it in a book called "Well" that came out in the 90's, I think it was by Eddie Wymberry.

Same info was on wikipedia. But wasnt aware their was book too, nice one.

magick

mike65 wrote: »

Probably in Downes in 1786, they had a bakery out the back where the original Mrs Downes liked fluffing up a nice length of dough, having had her fun she'd then bake some buns in her oven but one day the fire went out halfway through, it having been stoked rather too vigorously early on. Resulting in a crispy exterior but an under cooked centre. Said buns were unexpectedly hot as she yanked them out and she dropped them into the bowl of flour on the table. This cooled them and a quick nibble by Mrs Downes revealed them to taste quite nice, a nice which was upgraded to good when a slice of cheddar was slapped across a buttered one.

Or possibly it happened another way.

either way i like it

ToxicPaddy

Whoever it was, there should be a monument to them on the Quays, a big bronze blaa would do nicely..

Ya cant beat a warm blaa, loadsa butter, a few rashers and sausages in it..
or with some red lead in it.. or ham, cheese and coleslaw, nyom nyom..

Ohh I tell ya, if someone exported them to Dublin, I'd be the first at their door ever morning..

dayshah

BlaasForRafa wrote: »

Wtf are you talking about? I read it in a book called "Well" that came out in the 90's, I think it was by Eddie Wymberry.

True. The Huguenot explanation is generally accepted. Interesting that Waterford was a refuge for Protestants. Geneva baracks also gets its name from Protestant refugees coming to the Déise.

Psychedelic

ToxicPaddy wrote: »

Whoever it was, there should be a monument to them on the Quays, a big bronze blaa would do nicely..

Ya cant beat a warm blaa, loadsa butter, a few rashers and sausages in it..
or with some red lead in it.. or ham, cheese and coleslaw, nyom nyom..

Ohh I tell ya, if someone exported them to Dublin, I'd be the first at their door ever morning..

You can put almost any food in a blaa. Ever try a bit of spaghetti bolognese in a blaa? Feckin lovely it is. Or instead of cheese on toast, cheese on a blaa, with the blaa lightly toasted itself.

BlaasForRafa

Psychedelic wrote: »

You can put almost any food in a blaa. Ever try a bit of spaghetti bolognese in a blaa? Feckin lovely it is. Or instead of cheese on toast, cheese on a blaa, with the blaa lightly toasted itself.

Ah now I don't agree with toasting of blaas, thats heresy, it takes away from the essential doughiness of the bread!

Also blaas should not be cut with a knife, they should be ripped open with the hands, they taste better that way for some reason

dayshah

BlaasForRafa wrote: »

Ah now I don't agree with toasting of blaas, thats heresy, it takes away from the essential doughiness of the bread!

Also blaas should not be cut with a knife, they should be ripped open with the hands, they taste better that way for some reason

I think toasting is legitimate if the blaa became a bit stale.

BlaasForRafa

dayshah wrote: »

I think toasting is legitimate if the blaa became a bit stale.

You let a blaa go stale???:eek:

mike65

The cheese should not be anything thinner than 5 mm and butter (BUTTER!) must squelch out from underneath it, then add ham.

honeybadger

while yer on about bla's and there fillings ,,where is the best place to get a bit of red lead in the city here or the corned beef,,its not the same anymore

Roomic Cube

Eating a blaa this very moment, it's delicious

Chris P. Bacon

Roomic Cube wrote: »

Eating a blaa this very moment, it's delicious

Where can you get blaas on a Sunday?

Dan133269

BlaasForRafa wrote: »

I recall reading that it was the Hugenots who brought their skills from french bakeries when they emigrated to Ireland and they invented the blaa.

See, not all immigration is bad!

Yep that is true. We give walking tours of Waterford and the origin of the blaa is one of the stories we tell

mike65

Roomic Cube wrote: »

Eating a blaa this very moment, it's delicious

Richie Cranium wrote: »

Where can you get blaas on a Sunday?

J'accuse Roomic Cube of eating a stale blaa or worse a thawed out frozen blaa! There are no fresh blaas on a Sunday and one thats more than about 6 hours old is already past its best.

mike65

Inspired by this thread I just had two blaas - butter, cheese and onion and a cheese and ham self indulgence. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm






























feckin' flour everywhere! :pac:

seanaway

that's the origin - but where does the word come from? I'll check for posts later - have to duck out before the blaas go hard.

old gregg

tomato and a pinch of salt, most excellent

Tragamin2k2

a meanies blaa

seanaway

Hey Dan. What do you tell people about the origin of the word Blaa?

Dan133269

seanaway wrote: »

Hey Dan. What do you tell people about the origin of the word Blaa?

Like BlaasForRafa said, French Huguenots came to Waterford because they were Protestants and being persecuted by Louis XIV. They were given The Franciscan Friary on Greyfriars to worship in, hence the name French Church. They naturally brought with them their language and cuisine including "pain blanc" meaning white bread. Locals in Waterford couldn't pronounce "blanc" and it came out "blaa" The rest as they say is history.

Roomic Cube

Richie Cranium wrote: »

Where can you get blaas on a Sunday?

mike65 wrote: »

J'accuse Roomic Cube of eating a stale blaa or worse a thawed out frozen blaa! There are no fresh blaas on a Sunday and one thats more than about 6 hours old is already past its best.

lo! Hark unto the wisdom I shall bestow, Hayes' in John's park bake them fresh on a sunday morning, my blaa was delicious

seanaway

Dan. Can't buy that one. What happened to the 'pain' and how did 'blanc' present such difficulties to Waterford people? It is just 'blawnk'after all.

Also why did they call it pain blanc? I heard white flour was not around in those days.

J