Two and a Half Irishmen
On the helm of St. Patrick’s Day we caught up with the Irish native and local baker Niall Duffy
Founder and CEO Two and a Half Irishmen
Photo Credit:Two and a Half Irishmen
The Waterford Blaa, buttermilk scones, and tea bracks are just a few of Niall Duffy’s Irish-inspired treats that remind him of home. Born in a river town in Ireland, Duffy relocated to the states after meeting his wife and falling in love. Fast-forward, and now the former chemist calls another river city home and is the founder of Two and a Half Irishmen, a traditional Irish micro-bakery that he operates with his family
Missing the Emerald Isle, Duffy began to experiment with baking and turned to family recipes. While Duffy sells a wide variety of breads and baked good, many of which are also vegan and/or gluten-free, certain recipes, channel serious nostalgia.
“The tea brack I happen to make is my mom’s recipe … it’s the one I grew up with,” says Duffy.
A tea brack is a Irish fruit cake that dates back hundreds of years. The word “brack” translates to “speckled,” and the fruit- and nut-studded bread takes up to four days to make as ingredients are soaked in black tea before baking, leading to a deep and rich flavor.
“What is so special about brack is the fruit you put in it, I put raisins and figs and apricots in mine, but people at home would put currants and apples and everything, you soak it in strong black tea for a few days and then bake it,” shares Duffy.
In 2015, Duffy sampled tea bracks, along with Irish soda bread — which actually originated in Virginia! — at the Richmond Irish Festival. Garnering attention from attendees during the event, his wife said to him after, “I think this could be something.” She was right. Later that year, Two and a Half Irishmen was born.
After founding the business, Duffy made his debut at area farmers markets and festivals. He is often joined by his three kids and loves to chat with customers and offer samples of his baked delights such as Galway apple cake, zucchini bread, or the most recent addition, a cafe mocha buttercream cake.
Traditional Irish Brown Soda Bread
Photo Credit: Two and a Half Irishmen
In 2018, Duffy was hoping to expand his business and went out on a whim and approached the head baker at Ellwood Thompson’s about carrying his breads.
“It was the first time I ever tried to do anything wholesale, I had just gotten my own kitchen and they are the first ones we reached out to,” recalls Duffy. “They gave me a shot and they’ve got a great reputation for doing that for small vendors, giving them a chance to see what they can do.”
The Jaffa Cake
Photo Credit: Two and a Half Irishmen
Looking ahead, Duffy says to stay tuned for Hawaiian-mango bread, a summery, tropical creation that will be available in regular, gluten-free and vegan varieties. Other traditional Irish baked goods from Two and a Half Irishmen include Guinness gingerbread and chocolate-porter cake, "Jaffa Cake,” which is named for small orange jelly chocolate biscuit (cookies) popular in Ireland and the UK, a variety of Irish soda breads such as raisin and caraway seed that are a great companion to a cup of coffee or tea, and Waterford blaa, a fluffy, floury white roll.
