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.

Northern Irish Catholic here - bread sauce is essential! DH is a Yorkshire Catholic and never had it - I assumed was an Irish thing?!

I’m descended from Irish Catholics and it’s a staple for us!

Bloody love the stuff 😍

I'm thought it was English too. I'm Scottish (catholic/prod mix) and never had it with Christmas dinner. Neither did DH (also a catholic/prod mix).

I don't have a clue what bread sauce is (catholic) never had it and to serve anything other than gravy with Christmas dinner is a sin!

@BlackAmericanoNoSugar

I'm in RoI, I'm not sure if that makes a difference to the universality or otherwise of bread sauce. I'm quite surprised that Dunnes didn't have it at all as the ones local to us are larger than average and carry a wide range of groceries. Which might suggest option e) that my DH can't find anything unless it throws itself off the shelf and into his trolley.

Do the larger than average Dunnes also have "Ireland's largest lingerie department"

Bread sauce is amazing - we have always had it at Christmas and I'm from the Isle of Wight

I think it is a Norman recipe. Stayed longer in UK and didn't really "stick" in Ireland. For a start it is based on white yeast risen bread for rich people. Would make sense that agrarian workers wouldn't get much of that in Ireland, whereas townies in UK and Ireland might occasionally splash out or rely on shop bought white bread.

Lapsed Pastafarian, I had it once and thought someone had spat out a half-chewed sandwich.

Well family WApp has returned the verdict that none of the Norn Iron ones of any hue have it.

Must be the English origin neighbours house I saw it in!

I’m a Scottish proddy and I always thought of bread sauce as an English thing. I’ve lived in England now for over 30 years. Still never tried bread sauce. Sounds revolting.

But thinking back we always had horrid packet Knorr bread sauce in the 70s in Meath, from local shop at Christmas. Until I took over the cooking for Xmas.

Do the larger than average Dunnes also have "Ireland's largest lingerie department"

So I've heard .

NI prod here and I've never had it. I always presumed it was a (posh) English thing.

e) Bread sauce is vile and the work of the devil, therefore should mot be eaten by people of any religion

It's grim. Reminds me of grits. 🤮

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bread_sauce

I think its a very English thing - not Scots, I've never come across it up here bar once in a restaurant - so probably just a Prod thing (but of the Anglo-Irish type)?

Was not a fan I have to say (not fond of horseradish either).

I used to work in a supermarket cafe and someone asked for it there. I've never heard of it.

I went to a Catholic school and the person who asked also went to the same school.

Irish Roman Catholic, no bread sauce, thank goodness, ick ick ick!

My mother (Irish Catholic) always made it. However, her grandmother was an English protestant who converted so I always assumed it was proddy origin as no one else I know has ever heard of it.

She always made it from a packet so other people must have eaten it too. Presumably the protestants. I didn't know any protestants growing up though.

Do the larger than average Dunnes also have "Ireland's largest lingerie department"

I don't know, the next time I see a priest in there I'll ask him.

I'm a Scottish proddy and love bread sauce but never had it growing up (live south of the border now).
However we had APPLE sauce with our Christmas dinner which was lovely.

Its a proddy thing, but more importantly where do you keep your toaster? Cupboard or counter top?

Here is the current state of play on bread sauce. I have a million different herbs and spices, but no cloves. I sent DH out to the over-priced deli/fruit/veg shop, but no bread sauce or cloves there either. I can't make it without cloves so I think we might have to do without it this year. We do have cranberry sauce, so all is not lost.

We are also short of a dessert, we have a pavlova base and some cream and fruit, so that will have to do. Also no soda bread for the smoked salmon starter, although we do have some quite nice dark bread that might be Guinness bread in the freezer which will probably work instead.