Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1883-12-28

The elastic gas which Is the agent
employed in causing dough to 'rse,"
so that 1t can produce light and palata-
BILE bread, Is as rule carbonio acid
In practical fact there are two distinct
methods Of introducing the acid into
the dough. In the first we form IL
within the dough, dc novo; in the second
we mix it in n solid form and then set 1t
free as gas. For the first we use fer
mentation; for the second we use baking
powder or Its equivalent.
In fermentation tho yeast, from the
materials which 1t finds in the dough,
forms two new substances (neither of
them having been there before) )--alco-
hol and carbonic acid. The presence
of the alcohol Is of decided Importance,
though it is not commonly recognized.
Very few persons are aware of the
amount of it which is produced in
bread-making. OF course, in the pro-
cess of baking the greater part of 1t is
evaporated, but it is o safe estimate to
reckon that very nearly thousand gal
Ions are lost daily frQMthe bread baked
in New York alone. Some twenty-five
years ago company was formed in Lon
don and erected works for baking bread
in such q way that the alcohol should be
condensed and saved. 1t was easily
done; the alcohol was made and sold to
good advantage, but after cxpending at
least 100000 the company failed.
WhyP The alcohol was clear profit.
Yes, but they could not sell their bread!
They evaporated the alcohol from it so
closely that the people pronounced it
unpalatable and would not use it.
In fact, all good yeast bread contains
still very appreciable quantity of al
cohol, and owes part of its excellence
to its presence. We may reckon the
quantity at ten to twenty drops in an
ordinary loaf of bread. Not enough,
of course, to produce any physiological
effect, and yet enough to affect the
quality of the bread.
The carbonic acid, which is formed
by the fermentation at the same time
with the alcohol, not only acts mechan
ically as an elastic gas, but also by its
refreshing and invigorating effect upon
the stomach it assists digestion directly.
The small quantity of yeast introduced
multiplies itself rapidly, until when the
process is well completed it has per-
meated every part of the dough, and
'the whole is leavened." Wherever it
goes it produces minute bubbles of gas,
and each bubble at once tries to escape
because of its elasticity, which is held
under pressure. They struggle hither
and thither, uniting together to form
larger bubbles, until the whole mass
has become porous and spongy; that is,
the bread is "raised." The heat of
baking stops the growth of the yeast,
and the process is ended.
We have thus far formed our gas by
fermentation, but we can do it much
more quickly, on the instant, as it were,
in another way. Any carbonate, acted
upon by an acid, yields carbonic acid.
Bicarbonate of soda is very cheap, and
when decomposed affords large bulk
of gas. If therefore we can combine it
with an acid which is of solid form, is
cheap, and is both in itself and in its
compounds harmless, we shall be able
to work it into the dough, and the
quickly resulting gas will 'raise" the
mass in very few minutes.
The most convenient article for this
purpose with which we are as yet ac-
quainted is probably cream tartar,
which is a bitartrate of potassa; at all
events, this so completely satisfies the
requirements that it has come into
very general use. Formerly the cream
tartar and soda were mixed in the
using, and this custom has not alto
gether passed away; but it was found
convenient and profitable to blend them
into one, and baking powder was the
result, and no fault could be found
with it, or the bread which it raised, SC
long as baking powder was honest
But alas for what is now sold us!
Good cream tartar bread is perfectly
wholesome, but it lacks the alcohol
and can commonly be distinguished
from yeast bread even by the taste, ant
this mode of ''raising" is used chiefly
for those forms which we will so un
wisely persist in eating hot.
For herein comes to light the mos
important distinction between the two
modes of raising dough. AS formerly
remarked, hot bread, biscuit, etc.
ought never to be eaten by any one
But if we are bound at any rate to d.
it, there is much greater safety, ant
much more ease of digestion secured
biscuit, etc., made with it can within
very few minutes after baking pas
through all the changes which in tn
other case require five or six hours
And until these molecular transforms
tions have ceased, the bread is feaI
full burden to weak stomach.
But where it is to be eaten cold, as
should always be, yeast fermentation
what it has in all ages been, the on
way to raise bread.-Scientifc Amer
can.