The Somerset reporter., 1891-09-03
FAR NJ, GARDEN AND
IIOU SEHOLD.
How to Make Wholesome Toast

Good toast can only be made from good
bread.
Bread for toast making should be two
or three days old, light sweet and friable,
II no other than fresh bread can be had.
let the slices dry out In an oven OF very
low temperature before the browning
process is attempted. Stale bread crum.
bles easily II rolled between the thumb
and fingers, while new bread forms hard
bullets of dough; water will easily dfluse
among the particles of the former, while
the latter are only slowly sodden from
the outside. This illustrates the differ.
ence between new and old bread with re.
Iation to the solvent action of the gastric
juice.
The only way to make toast which Is
easy of digestion and thoroughly hygien-
iC is to twice bake ii, after the German
fashion. This is done by sub hitting sic
rs of stale bread TO a moderate degree of
heat in close oven for a long time, until
they ere dclicately Drowned all the way
through. Cut the loaf into suitable slices
and place them In moderate oven until
the result is obtained. They will not
need much watching, and can often be
put on the top crate during the time that
other baking is being carried on, thus
economlzing time and fuel. Odd pieces
Of bread and the ends of a loaf can be
utilized In this way very nicely. When
the toast is Drowned through, allow it to
cool, snd then pack away In a tin box,
where, 1T will keep for some time. 1t can
be made to serve variety of purposes
and possesses the advan age of being
ready at moments notice.
For Instance; a nice cream toast can be
quickly prepared by taking a dozen or
more of these crisp ices-according to
size of fsmily-aud dipping each in hot
milk or hot water and packing them to-
gether To moisteu through. Take suf-
hcient quantity Of cream or new milk to
cover nicely boil, thcken with little
flour or corn starch, flavor with salt and
pour over the mass of toast or dish over
the separate slices lai | In slucers a. pre-
ferrcd. The latter meth Nd is nectest, al
though 1t takes little more time.
Instead of using cream for dressing
for the moi-tened slices of toast, etewed
fruit IN " be used, varieties which are not
very tart being the most palatablc Can
ned blackberries, blucbefries and straw
bt rries are good. If dried fruits like
prunes or apricots are used, rub through
colander after thorough cooking that
the same may be of uniform consistency.
The rich amber OF the apricot is particu-
lrly inviting.
The moistened slices may be further
used as sort of poI-pie, by pouring over
them the gravy from stewed beef or
iicken, and will be found much m
Wholesome Than he hot soda biscuit that
are sometimes used.
Another excellent way to utilize this
form of toast is to break it into bits suit.
able to eat with soup, or, better still, cut
the bread Into little cubes suitable for
eating with soup, before browning. To
insure It's being nice and crisp for this
purpose, If 1t has been baked some days,
pus it again into the oven and heat 1t,
when ii will be brittle and delicious in
flavor.
This dry toast will be sure to grow into
household fayoritsm If given fair trial
Either graham bread or white bread can
thus be used, but graham Is to be pref fer.
red. BY this prolonged process OF cook
ing the starch In the flour Is converted
INTO dexlrine, a substance very easily di
gested, and hence this is the only proper
way to make toast for the sick. person
with strong digestive powers may be
able to manage surface toasted slices OF
bread, moistebet and covered with butter
when dry and hot hut for the invalid aud
| especially for the dyspeptic, let the bread
be toasted entirely through and served
with dres sing OF cream or fruit Juices.
Helen l.. Manning, in the "Nightin-
gale"