Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-11-19
THE GAZETTE.
SATURDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 10, 1859.
BREAD MAKING IL SPAIN

BREAD MAKING IN SPAIN.
Finding myself about two leagues from Sev-
iic in tins picturesque village Of Airaie de
Guadair;l, hut commonly called Alca!a de
lbs Panaderos--or bakers--as almost ail tie
bread consumed in Seville l. made there,
determined to learn how IL was made. No
traveller who visits the south Of Spain ever
fails TO remark How delicious the bread is"'
1t is as white as snow, close US cake, yet
very light; the flavor is most delicious, for
the wheat is good and pure, and the bread
well kneaded.
As practical demonstration is better than
hearsay or theory, | would not content my
self with the description Of the process oi
bread making, but went to the house ot \
baker, whose pretty wife and daughter had
often stopped to look at as they were sort
ing the wheat, seated on very low stools In
the porch Of their house. Ii Was a pretty
picture; their dark sparkling eyes, rosy
cheeks. and snowy teeth; their hair always
beautifully dressed, aud always ornamented
with natural flowers from their little garden
in the back ground: their bright colored
ncckrrchiefs rolled in at the top, showing
the neck: their cotton gowns with short
sleeves: their hands scrupulously clean, and
80 small that many an aristocratlc dame
might have envied them: surrounded by
paunicrs filled with wheat, which they took GU.
Il handful at Il time, sorting 1t most expedi-
tiously. and throwing every defective gram
III another basket.
When this is done the wheat IS ground be-
tween two large circular stones, IN the way
i, was ground III Egypt tw" thousand years
ago, the rotary motion being given by u
hlmdtoldeI mule which PAGES round and
round with untiring patience, Il bell being
attached to his neck, which as long rs he Is
IN motion tinkles on, and when he stops he
IS urged to his duty by the shout of '.or1e,
mula,' from some one within hearing. When
ground, the wheat is sifted through three
sicyes, the last being 50 fine that only the
pure flour can pass through II; 1t Is OF Il pale
apricot color.
The bread is made of an evening; and al
ter sunset | returned To the bakers and
watched his pretty wife first weigh the Hour
and then mix il with only Just sufficient
water. mixed with little salt, to make It
into dough \ very small quantity Of lea
Yea is added The Scripture says, a lit
tie lravcn lcaveneth the whole lump but
IN England to avoid thetrouble vt kneadlnS
they put as much lraven, or yeast, III one
batch of household bread. "a in Spain would
last them a week for the six or eight donkey
loads Of bread they send every night from
their oven.
When the dough Was made it was put III
sacks. and carried on the donkey back u the
oven in the centre 81 the village. 50 rs TO bake
il Immediately it is kneaded. On arriving
there, the dough was divided into portions
weighing three pounds each. Two long mar
row wooden tables. on tressleS, were then pa-
ccd down the room. and, to my surprise, about
twenty men came in and ranged themselves
on one side Of the tables. A lump OF dough
was handed to the nearest, which ne c"mmen-
ccd kneading aud knocking about, and then
passed it to his neighbor, who did the
same, and SO on successfully till all had
kneaded it, when it was rs soft Us new
putty, and ready for the oven. of course,
as soon is the first baker hands the
loaf to his neighbor, another il given to
him. and 80 on till the whole quantity of
dough is kneaded BY them all. The bakers
wife and daughter shape them for the oven
Some Of the loaves are divided into many
smaller ones, and Immediately baked. The
ovens are very large, and not heated by hreS
under them: but quantity of twigs OF the
herbs of the sweet majoram and thyme,
which cover the hills in great protusion, are
pu; in the oven and ignited. They heat the
oven to any extent required; and rs the bread
gets baked the oven gets gradually coooler,
50 the bread is never burned.
They knead the bread in Spain with such
force that the palm Of the hand and the sec
ond Joints OF the bakers fingers are covered
with corns: and it so affects the chest that
they cannot work for more than two hours
at 4 time They can be heard from some
distance, as they give kind OF cultural
sound--ha. haas they work, which they say
eases the chest. Our sailors have the same
fancy when hosting sail.
have kept small loafof Spanish bread
for several months in a dry place. and then
immersed it in boiling water and rebaked It,
and can assure nv readers that it was mel
ther musty nor sour.-Lomdom Paper.