Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-16
I IOuSE=
HOLD
lINTS

AS to the digestibility of hot breads each
person must be law unto himself. re-
cent writer in the London Lancet affrms
that hot rolls are quite as digestible as
cold ones. If only they are thoroughly mas
ticated. The trouble lies in the fact that
new breads, being soft and plastic are
more hastily swallowed. while stale bread
cannot be swallowed until softened by masti-
cation. This same writer states that there
is no more moisture in fresh bread than
there is in stale; but in the former 1t is
in free state while in the latter it is in
chemical combination. To prove this he
submitted stale bread for time to a high
temperature. when 1t Immediately regained
Its freshness and Elasticity. While there
Is small excuse for hot breads half-baked
or with the flavor of soda predominating
a delicate, "crusty" biscuit roll or muffin
proves to many the most appetizing part of
breakfast While in the making of mullins
there is no end. not all are to gastronomic
edification. Much depends upon the way
the ingredients are put together and the
heat of the oven as on the recipe itself
The inexperienced cook is often exceedingly
conscientious in measuring out the pre-
scribed quantities, but absurdly ignorant
of methods of work. She cannot Judge by
her eye or by the stir of the spoon whether
batter is sufficiently thick (for there Is a
dlnerence in hour), nor by the heat against
the cheek as she opens the oven door to
discern whether 1t is at the right temper
allure. Then in the matter of sour milk
This is delicious to cook with, if at the
right degree of sourness, but only expert
ence can tell when that point is reached
as well as the proper proportion of soda to
be used with the varying degrees of acidity
One accustomed to 1t can tell by the ''purr'
but all 'purrs' are alike to the novice If
these directions are over-explicit for the
experienced cook they must be welcomed
by the thousands of half-taught maids and
mistresses whose knowledge of food Gem
IN mr. ut ,Fatf,
limited in the extreme.
The Oven-In the first place the oven in
baking different foods. requires different de-
grees of heat. Roast meat and game re-
quire the most intense heat in order to
scar the surface at once and retain the
juices. This oven should be hot enough TO
char an ordinary sheet of note paper in a
few moments.
Next TO the meat comes pastry, when the
oven should be as hot as one can get it
for the first ten minutes. then Stacked off
so as to reduce the heat Mullins and
biscuit made with soda or baking powder
come next, and usually require not more
than fifteen minutes in the baking while
biscuit and mullins made with yeast re-
quire slightly less heat and twenty minutes
or half an hour in the baking. Mullins or
cornmeal, graham, rye or whole wheat
take from five TO ten minutes longer to
bake than the wheat mullins, which require
intense heat TO develop the sugary portions
of the wheat.
The English muffin is distinctly different
from the American. The English muffin is
baked upon gridde. These may be found
in perfection In the Scotch and English
bakeshops here. and are delicious toasted
for breakfast or afternoon tea. The Amer
lean muffin is baked in regular muffin rings
or patty tins, but always In the oven. 1t
depends for its lightness on one of three
things-on yeast, on beating or on soda.
used In combination with some acid, and
here are recipes for each:
Irish Mullins with Yeast.-Into one cupful
of milk scalded and cooled to lukewarm
beat one cupful of cooked oatmeal or other
cereal, not too thick in consistency. Add
a tablespoonful of sugar, half tablespoon
full of softened butter, half teaspoonful
of salt. a quarter of yeast cake dissolved
in lukewarm water, and about a pint of
flour. Mix thoroughly. cover SO that it will
keep at even heat, and let 1t rise over night,
In the morning beat thoroughly and put in
creased gemtins. Let them rise until
double in bulk, then bake in a hot oven for
about half an hour. Serve at once. as the
crust hardens If they are left in the oven to
keep warm.
Raised Wheat Muffns-Heat a pint of
milk to the boiling point, then cool Ii. When
lukewarm dissolve half compressed yeast