The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1900-01-12
THE STAFF OF LIFE
Which May Be Valuable to
Young Housewives.

That bread is the staff of life is as
true to-day as 1000 years ago, but its
making has varied with the centuries
and the changed conditions of living.
A noticeable change has occurred
even in the last decade. Before that
bread in almost every household was
set at night; blanketed if cold and
running the risk of souring if hot.
The result was that the bread was
good to-day and bad tomorrow, and
excuses were given that it had been
chilled or overheated. To-day the ac-
cepted theory is that the more rapidly
the process of raising can go on, the
sweeter and lighter the bread will be
with the element of chance largely
eliminated; and, in pursuance of that
doctrine, the new housekeeper sets
her sponge in the early morning and
has her bread baked and out of the
way by noon.
The kneading IS an important part
of bread making. The time required
depends entirely upon circumstances.
1t must be kneaded long enough for
the dough 10 lose its sickness and
become smooth and elastic. Sprinkle
the board with -four, leaving a little
in the corner to dip the fingers IN.
Flour the hands and draw the dough
farthest from you up and over toward
the center, letting the palm of the
hand meet the dough. Press down
firmly. giving the dough q rolling mo-
ton, that il may not stick 10 the
! board. Repeat this motion. turning.
folding and pressing until the dough
is smooth, elastic and fne-grained.
The French baker, after his bread has
reached this condition, begins to use
water instead of flour for moistening
his fingers, arguing that il makes the
bread more porous and elastic. This
first mOlding usually takes from IS
20 20 minutes. After this lneadinC
let the bread stand aside, lightly COW
cred. in a warm place, to rise. The
yeast plant can live in a temperature
ranging from 80 degrees to 1TO de-
grees Fahrenheit, Tut thrives best at
about rs degrees. Avoid. draught Of
cold air or sudden alterations of ex-
IRENE cold or heat. If placed near
the fire, it must be turned frequently.
II necessary to hasten the rising the
bread pan may be set in a larger
pan of warm (not hot) water, taking
care to keep the water at the same
temperature. If made with the com
pressed yeast, the dough will usually
rise the first time in an hour. doub-
ling or even trebling its original bulk,
and looking like a honeycomb all
through. Be careful, however, that
the dough does not become too light
or it viii fall and sour, when moth
ing can restore its original sweetness.
Soda may be added to neutralize the
acidity, but it viii not bring back
the sweetness of the -four. After the
dough is light, and if the process il
| carried on in the morning, while the
housewife is usually in the kitchen TO
watch it, turn it out carefully on the
molding board and mold until fine
and tender again. Add no flour at
this time, but keep the hands moist
with warm water, milk or even a trifie
of lard. Divide into loayes-smaIl
ones-which should only half fill the
creased bread tins; cover lightly and
stand in warm place (about IS de-
grees) until they have again doubled
in bulk. This will require about an
hour. Flour that is rich in gluten
win take longer to rise than one con
tanning more starch. Do not allow
this second rising to stand too long
or the bread will fall when first put
into the oven, leaving a heavy streak
near the bottom OF the pan.-WaSh.
ington Star