The New York herald., 1869-01-07
LECTURES LAST NIGHT.
TINE PHILOSOPHY or THE OVEN.


The Secrets OF the Art Of Bread Making
Lecture ar Professor Horsford.
The seventh OF the OF popular scientific lee
lures arranged by the American Institute was deliv-
cred last evening at Steinway Han by Professor Z.
N. Horsford, OF Cambridge, on 'The Philosophy OF
the Oven" The hall was wen filed, there being
among the audience large proportion OF ladies.
attracted undoubtedly by their desire to learn how
TO make good bread. this knowledge being nova
days generally admitted as among the first require
mants for Q lady. The Professor was intro
duced by Judge Daily, President OF the Institute,
with few suitable predatory remarks, and on
coming forward Professor Horsford was greeted with
applause. He said that he would first give brief
sketch Of the history OF te and next show how
10 make good bread. The art OF cooking was one OF
the Oldest branches Of human discovery and one OF
the arts distinguishing man from the lower animal
creation. Foxes birds, beavers, ants bees all these
have some OF the arts, like architecture and engi-
neering; but among no type OF animals-not even
among the highest, as the anthropoed monkeys-has
cooking been introduced. and they do not know the
use Of fire to give nayor and digestiblty to food.
The Professor then referred to the discovery Of the
Lacrustian villages or pile hab ftations, the ruins OF
$50 OF which were found on the bottom OF Swiss
lakes, and that amid the charred remains
burned bread were discovered. The date
Of the existence Of these villages was not ascer-
talned as they must have long preceded the Roman
conquest. Two or three years ago. near Salisbury,
In England cavities were discovered accessible by
ladders through openings at the top, where, Also
even human bones were found. These also show
traces OF the human long anterior TO historic
times. From these the Professor was enabled TO de-
scribe the primitive sort Of ovens probably then In
use, being nothing but heated surface covered with
hot rocks, similar 70 what is now used In clam
bakes.n He tnen described, illustrated by diagrams
the gradual progress made In the cOnstruc-
ton OF the oven, which but slow has now
sacned wacS to great ,n the tnesa od
improvements, and the best the aerotherm, can be
seen in Paris, constructed by Count Romfert, de-
periority over the common oven was that while
IN the latter the dough s introduced at the moment
- q e CeP pr ~ 'ss oven ,e
ingenious devices were shown, which the lecturer
described, and then gave minute picture OF the
duce the necessary degree OF moisture and. when
the bread Is nearly DONE throws over II o radiant
heat reelected from glazed tiles at the top ofte oven
which gives the bread its lustrous c0oring and rich
flavor, the Vienna bread being known as the best IN
the world.
When crushed 1t yields . reddish gray powder.
known as bran, shorts, connell and also 1nc white
by the ADDITION Of water were then emu merated and
lucidly illustrated. The processes OF fermentation
were alluded to, fermentation being produced BY an
growth peculiar to itself In connection with this it
was stated that the following contained each twelve
senwoody GEM. Dre, starch, gum milk M sugar, M tactic
acid and dextrine. Cane sugar has twelve OF
carbon and eleven each OF hydrogen and
the three, or, dividing this. quantity BY two,
It has six Of each alcohol has four OF carbon OF
OF carbon and four OF oxygen-the two last united
containing. therefore, all the component parts Of
sood bread bread ana % accelerate It. Yeast was intro intro
duced. Here . distinction was drawn between dis
tllers' yeast and brewers yeast. and the causes
clearly shown from scientific ANALYSIS based on
microscopic investigation, why brewers yeast is
preferable. Yeast powder was then described and
OF what 1t Is composed, and the reasons given why
yeast bread is not always good, variations In tenn
perature influencing fermentation. The attention Of
chemists was early drawn to this subject The lecturer
made, and here the professor mixed some -four pro-
cured at grocery store, which had been rendered
10 little S OVEN over E gas Ai Il was S shown o. tsS nss
the production Of alcohol and Of carb0nic acid was
necessary In bread TO make IT cellul0us or porous,
planned the interior Of the construction the nature
OF the integumens Of the grain OF wheat using large
socd and he spose Of the Is properes Of
the gluten coat which produces phosphorc acid
an element important to sustain the plastic juices
and living tissues OF the human body; hence phos-
phate Of soda and Of lime are often added TO hour.
In the mills this property Is often destroyed or
shown that bran contains fourteen times the guam
tity OF ph0sphonc acid contained In ne 0ur; hence
the dark brown ''pumpernickei'' OF North Germany
and Graham bread are more healthful and nutri-
tious. Many very interesting experiments were
made with diferent chemical preparations, showing
the peculiar properties OF the different Ingredients
OF wheat our and the Professor closed his lecture
by giving the following recipe as the best for making
good bread
Take fresh ground wheat hour; boil thoroughly.
with their skins on, In quart Of water, potatoes
enough to make quart OF mashed potatoes; peal
the potatoes and mash and add quart OF iour. and
tnen let cool to eighty degrees Add then one pint
Of brewers yeast and set aside to raise. Then add
half pint OF water or milk TO seven pounds, salt,
and knead thoroughly. This Will make four small
loaves; put them In tim pans larger than the
loaves cover them with tin or stin paper in oven
heated to az degrees. When nearly done remove the
cover to allow the crust to brown.
The lecture was exceedingly interesting and in
structive, though somewhat discursive and dis
ointed, and at its conclusion the Professor was hon.
ore lOud aDplauae.