Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-10-27
will continue to lay and sit like chick
ems. But my neighbors say my fowls
are particularly well trained
Around the HearthstOne.

IooT HOur LAS DInSn unge,
says houseko r1cle
on bread-making, and may be easily
blown about, showing no adhesive ten
dency, sometimes looks dingy as if mix
ed with ashes.
Good flour adheres to the hand, and,
when pressed, shows the imprint Of the
lines OF the skin. Its tint is cream
white
These words bring to my mind the
great need of more definite instruction
from the older to the younger house
keepers.
Hundreds write on the subject of
matchmaking, without mentioning the
above items, and how are the nexper-
fenced to know?
Possibly you say their mothers should
have taught them before responsibility
came upon them.
Very true; but if there didn't, then
what? The truth is, So many of our girls
step from the cradle into the school
room, and from the commencement
platform, into homes of their own, that
there seems almost no time to acquire
the homely art Of housekeeping.
; 1t is really a pity, because, good
cooking is more essential in the average
home than Greek or philosophy, but if
the years, especially the vacations,
were wisely managed, there WouI4u be
time enough for all. 1t is a mistaken
kindness to turn a girl out to romp.
the hour school closes; better she rest
by doing something worth while
There is nothing more fatigueing, be
sides, than idly seeking ones own
pleasure
But to return-the average recipe is
more a snare than a help to many.
becauses it supposes that the house
wife already knows what she does not.
We have all smiled over the girl
wife who closely followed given direc-
tons for making a cake, and took it
from the oven a mass of sweet WHAT'S
it. A neighbOr, CHANGING along, asked
how much flower she put in, and was
naturally aStOniShed at the reply:
"FlOur-Why, [ did not put in any;
the recipe didn't call for it,
! Some people must have exact meaSur-
ments and directions;they cannot get
along with: put in about what you
think will need" ''sweeten to taste"
bake until you think it is done" I
know a housekeeper over seventy
years old, who religiously follows the Ill
rectiOns for canning, picking, etc,
that she began with in her early house
keeping days.
The writer, first quoted, goes on to
say: The whole science and art of
bread-making is no mean study. The
why rs well as the as the how should
be aimed at. Nothing but experience
though, will secure for one the coveted
name of good bread-maker" She
further states, what we all know to be
true, that good flour, good yeast and
Watchful care are essential to good
bread; but some of her other statements
we may not always be mindful Of
She says: MANY make the mistake
of sitting their SpOnGuG over night.
One secret of good bread is that every
stage Of the process must be complete
and rapid. Every moment of waiting
means deterioration. At the precise mo-
ment that the sponge is fully ignC, the
bread should be kneeded, and the pro-
cess of rising ought not to require more
than three hours at the most. Set
your sponge then, as early in the
morning as you like, by taking in the
bowl two quarts of sifted flour. Make
a hole in the middle with the stirring
spoon; pour in half a pint of soft yeast;
first stirring it from the bottom, then,
mixing with the flour, add tepid water,
stirring constantly until smooth, stiff
batter is formed. which stir and beat
vigorously with the spoon for as long as
five minutes. After it is perfectly mix
ed, cover lightly and set in Il warm
place until very light, almost foaming,
but be sure and knead before it sub
sides.
NOW for the Bneading process. Sift
the flour, say six quarts, into a pan,
make hole in the middle, pour in the
sponge, add a pinch of salt and mingle
the flour with the soft sponge, with the
hand, gradually adding a quart of
warm water or milk, quickly working
the whole into a smooth, even mass:
cover the kneading board with flour,
place upon it the dough, which must
not be soft enough to stick or
stiff enough to resist, and knead
/ vigorously and long. Place where the
temperature is even and about blood
heat. In two hours it should have
risen to twice it's original volume.
Place it again upon the board, divide
with the hands a portion of the size
you wish for your loaves, remembering
it will rise again as much more, lightly
mold into shapely loaves. with as little
handling as possible, and place in we'll
! creased pans. Set back in a warm cor
ner for half an hour, when they should
] be very light and showing signs of
! cracking. Bake from fOrty-five to sixty
minutes. Keep a steady heat. Take
Immediately from the oven and rap in
clean linen.
"A good way to test the heat Of the
/ oven it to hold the bare. arm and
hand until you can count twenty,
| moderately. If you can do this,
| it is about right. To test
whether the bread is done, break
i the loaves open and press with the
tnger;if elastic, it is done. Single
| loaves may be tested with a broom
straw; if no dough adheres, they are
DONE
! Surely the above directions are min
ute and lucid enough for the veriest
amateur. Would like as clear cut di-
rections for making other breads
Ind. n+S. Il,