News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1885-01-22
HOW TO MAKE BREAD.
A Few Prnc IenI Thoughts on the Subject
by n HOusekeeper.

Few Prac IenI Thoughts on the Subject
by HOusekeeper.
was taught to make bread many
years ago, by a grandmother who was a
lady of the olden time. A life of hap
piuess, and, much of the time, of pros
perity, so filled my days that my bread
knowledge was not called in question for
many years, except to name the faults l
would find with it if we made change
of cooks and the texture varied. At last
a change came for me in life, and to help
keep our home received few young
ja1ies into it for educational purposes,
With good deal of the practical about
me, soon decided that those girls
| should have added to their studies as
much of knowledge of cooking as
cCuld crowd in without too great pres
sure. The first step was bread making,
and from January l, until they went
home in June they made all the bread
we used, each taking week. There
were four OF them, and every morning
during those months we had, as had al
ways been a habit, warm rolls on the
table as well as cold bread. I cannot
recall the loss of one batch of bread
from any cause, or poor bread during
that time. Previous to this time L had
taken some charge of the bread myself,
as 1t seemed wise to train less expensive
servants than We formerly employed.
This gave me fresh experience. 1t was
our never-failing hot homemade rolls
that inspired the girls with desire to
excel in that line, and the work was vol
untary with them, not required. Soon,
however, there was a strife as to which
did excel. I always was sure what the
result would be, because rules acquired
by observations were held to. The
average heat of kitchen during hours
when good fire is in use can be learned.
Compressed yeast is far quicker in its
effects than old-fashioned yeast, and as
that was used we could count accurately
upon results. About five p. m. sponge
was set with two quarts of all milk, or
half milk and half water, as the case
might be. Flour was sifted In deep
bowl, the milk lukewarm, in a little of
the hot water was melted tablespoon
full of butter, small tablespoonful of
sugar, an even teaspoonful of salt. In
the centre of the sifted flour this was
stirred until enough was wet for
sponge. The yeast added, two hours
later the sponge was light and the bread
kneaded, work of but few moments.
1 always sat by the table to suggest
from time TO time. Just before retiring,
after an hour or more with studies, say
nine p. m., two small pans, holding
eight or ten rolls each, were buttered
and filled. The rolls made less than
half the size wished when baked, to
allow for rising, and consequently
placed some distance apart. These pans
were placed in the ice chest, or in the
store room if freezing weather. The
cook merely had to take them to the
kItchou III the morning, and while her
oven was heating the warmth of the
kitchen would soon bring the rolls to
the exact condition for baking. The re-
manning dough was kept on ice, or be-
low freezing-point, and used for a night
or two. Bread once light cannot be
made heavy or injured by cold, neither
need it be sour. l never used an atom
of soda to sweeten sour bread. These
Ideas are given for winter use. Spring
i nh Ne
hours. l have never failed in securing
good bread from servants, but / do
make it rule to give personal attention
to it for month, and the habits thus
formed remain. 1 don't mean by this
that I make it, for I do not, but I sit
by and have all done carefully. Now
about the oven, as the best bread can
be spoiled there: It must be habit to
brush out all the places where ashes
can collect at least once a week. An
ordinary sized loaf of bread requires
about an hour to bake. Coal never
should be heaped to the lids. an
oven does not heat as well; evenly
filled as high as the friedrich is enough;
hampers adjusted, time watched, and
rolls are ready in twenty minutes; bread
from an hour to an hour and half, de-
pending on the auickness of the oven.
No machine need be invented to take
the place of common sense, and that,
| in full exercise with person wh Is
methodcal, solves the problem. Your
bread under such culture will run as
regularly as your clock, providing that
| .hese conditions are in force. 1t is nat
aral to try IN oven with the hand, but
raising the lid of a range will tell me
whether that is fire I can bake with
n not, and just how long can rely
upon it, for it is better not to add coal
during the process of baking.