The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1877-02-07

Some Hints as to the Manufacture of the
Staff of Life.


As most difficult branch of housekeep-
er's duties bread making requires generous
stock Of patience and vast deal of expert
ence. The skill of it is in no sense intui-
tive, but acquired through repeated failures
and doubtful successes; and even the ac-
cepted receipt of many housewife makes a
poor apology for a perfect loaf of
bread. The best receipts get hard
usage in unskilled hands, and
the indifference which much bread making
betrays would spoil any rule and offend
any table. Teaching is worth something,
but in this, as in most other skilled employ
ments, experience is everything The
women's centennial committee, who COM
piled the national cookery book, consider
the chief evil of much bread making to be
the use of saleratus or other baking powder,
and enjoin upon their sisters to do away
with this vicious custom. Were there no
such thing as saleratus, considering the uses
to which ii is often put, the
dining tables of the present genera
ton would, perhaps, offer a more whole
some diet, certainly more acceptable bread
where such a powder is now used; and
where the common and unhealthy biscuits,
with their SO frequently sulphur streaked
surfaces, which require special training Of
the stomach for even passaDle digestion,
driven away from every dining room, the
effect would be of immense importance. Mr.
Tegetmeier, in his Handbook, explains the
process by which bakers make their bread
so light and Spongy. They mix a little of
the -four they are about to use with water
and the yeast, and set it to rise some time
before mixing up the mass of dough. In
this way less yeast is required, and by this
whole sponge" acting a fer
ment the bread is much bet
ter and softer than made in the ordinary
way The rising of the dough is quickened
by adding to the sponge a small quantity Of
mashed boiled potatoes. To make half a
peck of -four into bread on this system,
mash three-fourths of pound of well boiled
mealy potatoes through a coarse seiye or col
ander, and mix with pint of flour; mix an
ounce and a half of German dried yeast with
a pint and half of luke-warm water and
strain into the flour and potatoes; beat the
whole into batter; cover with blanket
and set by the fire to rise. In two hours, if
kept quite warm, this will have risen con-
siderably, and constitutes the sponge"
Beat this with the hand very perfectly, and
mix with pint and half Of nearly blood
warm water (92o Fahrenheitl and pour into
a half a peck of flour, which has already
had one and one-fourth ounces of salt
mixed with it, Knead the whole into dough
and let rise in warm place-two hours in
warm weather, but longer in cold weather.
Then turn out on Toured table, divide into
pieces SulldDle lOr lOdNeS, knedu llSnlly lnIO
proper shape with only -four enough to
keep it from adhering to the table. For a
still lighter bread a portion of the dough-
when ready for the oven, should be well
kneaded, with -four enough to make it
rather solid, divide into small lOayes or
rolls, place on slightly creased tin, and set
in warm place to rise again. Then wash
over the loaves with little milk, and bake
for about twenty minutes. Upon taking
from the oven cover with cloth to prevent
the outside from becoming hard. Stale
bread, which is far more healthy than new,
may be made soft and palatable by covering
closely with tin and placing 1t for half an
hour in very moderately heated oven.