Bread sauce - is it just a Proddy thing?

[BlackAmericanoNoSugar]

Long version - my DM (Prod) has always served bread sauce with Christmas dinner when I was a child. Sometimes we would go to Dad's side of the family (Catholic) for Christmas dinner and I can't remember clearly whether we had bread sauce then or not, but I think we did. Certainly when they came to us there weren't any comments about Mum serving bread sauce, but perhaps they were being polite.

This morning DH was shopping in Dunnes and there was no bread sauce, I wanted fresh but would have accepted packet mix, but nothing at all. He asked a couple of employees but they had never heard of it, however they weren't Irish so it could just be something that they're not aware of.

DH (Asian, so thinks a sauce made from bread is weird and unnecessary) was on a video chat with his friend when I walked into the room and he told me that he couldn't find it. His friend (Irish Catholic) had no idea what bread sauce was either, he's the one that suggested it's a Proddy thing. When I thought about it I realised that I had only ever bought fresh bread sauce from M&S, so imported into Ireland, but I still feel like I've seen packet bread sauce around in other places too.

So, which is it?
a) Everyone knows and uses bread sauce
b) It's just for Protestants
c) Condiments don't have a religious affiliation
d) Only a slattern would buy it instead of making it herself.

[mathanxiety]

I don't think that's how it works.

[FleetwoodRaincoat]

I'm really shocked that people still consider someone's religion to be any sort of issue. I wouldn't dream of thinking that my neighbours only eat cranberry sauce because they're Baptists.

[Merename]

Scottish prod - bread sauce was a big deal, lots of debates about how many cloves, how long to infuse etc, every Xmas. Packet stuff a bit minging.

[Carrie76]

We always had bread sauce as kids, Protestant household. DH has never heard of it he’s catholic

[mathanxiety]

RC here and we always had bread sauce with Christmas dinner.

Mum (from the sunny south east) used the packet mix. Oh the shame... I'm in the C&D camp but D only because it's unknown in the US so I've been forced to take matters into my own hands.

I stick the cloves into the onion thus avoiding the nasty experience of biting into a whole clove. I also use a pinch of nutmeg.

[blubberyboo]

I’m a Halfa Jaffa and whilst I’ve heard of bread sauce, neither of my parents ever mentioned it for xmas dinner, nor have I known them to consume it with any meal.

Again I’ve always presumed it an English condiment

So I vote C

[whatisthislifesofullofcare]

scottish protestant, always had bread sauce. live in london & the first christmas I hosted the inlaws, the MIL told me not to bother cooking it as ‘we don’t eat that here’.

[seanthesheep]

I’m Irish catholic and south east Ireland and always had bread sauce with a chicken roast dinner!

[mintyneb]

First time I was ever served bread sauce was by my irish catholic inlaws. I'd never of it until then

[BarkHoneyBark]

Packet bread sauce is awful. It is very easy to make, bit we alway have M&S......

Scottish Presbyterian parents, never had it, catholic school....the post catholics had it with game birds.

[FiveGoMadInDorset]

A, C and D

Also had it with roast game birds.

Catholic, south of England

[Sassy31]

I’m catholic both parents are Irish catholic north & south - live in London alway have bread sauce at Christmas

[rooarsome]

I'm Catholic and whereas I've heard of it I've never had bread sauce, simply because it sounds revolting

[GintyMcGinty]

C and D

[Bluefargo]

I LOVE bread sauce catholic mum Protestant dad. Not sure which side it came from. It's piss easy to make by the way OP (although I did opt for the ready made M&S one!)

[LadyEloise]

Very Catholic Irish mother.
We never had bread sauce or pigs in blankets.
She was a great cook and baker - ICA medals for her brown bread.
But she was sh*te with brussel sprouts.
DH never had it either. They were Posher Catholics.

I'm not keen on bread sauce but DS1 and DD2 love it. I buy mine ready made from Marks.

[CarlottaValdez]

My Scottish mum always made it and I do now! I love it and it’s dead easy to make

[Khara]

NW England - Methodist roots.
Always had bread sauce. Only me and my mum now have it - dh and the kids loathe it. When I was a kid it was the best part of Christmas dinner, alongside the little sausages (minus their blankets in those days!)

[sorryforswearing]

I’d have no problem with not making my own bread sauce if the packet stuff wasn’t gross.

[inisfree]

My late lovely devout catholic MIL from Wexford was renowned for her bread sauce

[Fairystory]

I've never heard of bread sauce or any other food being related to your religion. Food is more related to the region you come from and sometimes class.
I've also never heard of anyone panicking that they cant buy bread sauce as I have always made it. Fresh packs of bread sauce are small and expensive and can't imagine packet sauce tasting anything like the real thing.
I grew up with bread sauce and all my family like it but most other people I know never have it.

[somethinginthewater]

NI prod. Literally never had bread sauce. Presumed it was an English thing.

[BenoneBeauty]

I remember sweeping for bombs too @FreeButtonBee in the shop I worked part time in in Belfast. Our manager would hide a bar of chocolate to test our checking skills & if we didn't find it, we'd be in serious trouble, but if we did then we got to keep it

[RaspberryCoulis]

Scottish with strong links to N Ireland, proddy side. We always had bread sauce growing up. Mum used to make her own, I am a lazy cow and buy it in a tub from M&S.

DH is from Liverpool, parents aren't Catholic but grandparents were. No bread sauce there. (And they also cook the turkey the night before and have it cold on Christmas Day, the weirdos).

So A and B.

[Fauvist]

My mother's family always have it and are catholic, some Irish and some English.