Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1913-04-29
HOMEMAKERS COLUMN.

| HOMEMAKERS COLUMN.
Is solicited. Address: Editor HonlNAKEH4'
| CoLUnN, oxford Democrat. South Paris He.
The Staff Of Life with Variations.
To . large part Of mankind bread 10
still the staff OF life, and II they pray tor
their daily bread they mean 1t literally.
In regard to it, Ingredients, bread 10
one of the simplest OF our cooked foods,
but In regard to the changes which the
raw materials must undergo to produce
= finished loaf 1t IL one Of tho most com.
plicated. The essential ingredients In
bread.msking are -four, liquid, salt, and
Yeast: the proportions may be varied 90
cordine to conditions. Shortening and
sugar are commonly used, but II they
were omitted 1t would be possible to
have pslatable, nutritious bread.
The best bread -four 10 made from
spring wheat and pastry flour from WIN
ter wheat. The spring wheat flour con.
tains more gluten and less starch, 30 that
less of the bread flour 10 required to
produce dough of a given consistency.
| It is the gluten in -four which gives
the power of stretching and rising as the
gas from the yeast expands within 1t,
and hence OF making light loaf.
The raising of bread Is usually brought
about BY letting yeast develop In It.
These minute plants feed upon sugar In
the dough and In their growth give on
alcohol and carbon dioxide gas, which
latter, expanding with the heat, forces
its way through the dough and thus
IHgbtens It. In order to give the yeast .
better chance to work, the dough 10
usually set to rise for some hours before
it is put into the oven.
The lightness and sweetness OF bread
depends as much on the way In which II
is made a. on the material used. The
greatest care should be used 10 prepar-
II ing and baking the dough and In cook
ling and keeping the finished bread.
HOUSEHOLD BREAD.
| Silt five cupfuls of -four into wa: N
bowl, add two teaspoonfuls of salt and
two teaspoonfuls Of sugar. Mix one
yeast cake with teaspoonful OF sugar IN
small basin, add one cupful OF tepid
water, then place 10 q warm place to
rise for q few minutes. If the yeast
does not rise 1t 10 unfit for use. Pour 1t
into the centre of tho flour, stir into 1t
little of the flour, then gradually add
three cupfals of warm water about 10O
degrees F.; II too hot 1t will kill the
yeast, which IL . living vegetable sub
stance, and which must multiply 10 the
bread.
Mix we'll with a knife, cover with a
clean cloth, place in q moderately warm
place, about Is degrees F., out OF draits'
Leave till the batter is covered with
bubbles. Work in five cupfuls of flour,
cutting and beating it with a knife, turn
liz out on to q Toured baking board,
knsad 1t rapidly and firmly for fifteen
minutes, adding three tablespoonfuls oil
lard during the kneading. Butter the
bowl, lay the dough in 1t, brush it over
with melted butter, cover once more and
allow to rise in warm place until 1t has
expanded to twice Its original size.
Turn out on to the baking board
knead for FIVE minutes, then cut the
dough into two pieces. Make into neat
loaves, place them In slightly warmed
pans, allow to rise once more and I'LL thu
tins. Brush over with milk. Bake In
hot oven till ready. To tell II the breao
is cooked through, knock 1t sharply
underneath with your knuckles; II II
gives out hollow sound 1t Is done
When baked, lay the loaf on Its side tt
let the steam escape.
OATMEAL BREAD.
Two cupfuls of fine oatmeal, two cup
fuls of boiling water, two cupfuls o
bread sponge, one heaping tablespoonful
of butter, half cupful of molasses, ont
cuI full of seeded raisins, and half cup
full of finely chopped nut meats. Nil
on baking board with enough flour t
mako thick enough to knesd. Let rise
make into loaves, put into creased breae
pans, allow to rise again, and bake fo'
one hour in q moderate oven.
BRAN BREAD.
Make a dough with four pounds o
flour, one pound of clean bran, three
tablespoonfuls of lard, two tablespoon
OF sugar, one yeast cake, one teaspoonfu
OF salt, and three pints OF lukewarn
water. This dough will be moderated!
soft Allow to rise for two hours, thei
kuead we'll, allow to rise for half al
hour and then knesd again.
Put in well.greased bread pans, allow
to rise TO the top Of the pans, and bak'
In hot oven till ready.
RICE MUFFINs.
One cupful of boiled rice, three eggs
one cupful Oi -four, one cupful OF corn
meal, one level teaspoonful OF salt, fOu
heaping tablespoonful Of sugar, ont
tablespoonful of melted butter, one ant
la quarter cupfuls of lukewarm milk
three teaspoonfuls of baking powder
aud half tsaspoopful Of vanilla extract
Scald the meal with the hot milk ant
allow to stand for eight minutes. Thel
add the boiled rice, -four, baking powder
salt and sugar which has been siftet
three times. Add the we'll beaten eggs
the butter, and the vanilla extract. Di
vide into buttered and Toured gem Of
muffin pans and bake in hot oven fol
half an hour.
SCOTCH sCoNEs.
NIX together four cupfuls OF -four, on,
teaspoOnful OF salt, and two teaspoonful'
!. of baking powder; beat two eggs til
, light and mix them with half cupfu
OF cream or new milk, and stir this int
the flour, making stiff dough. TURF
this dough out on to Toured board
roll it out three-quarters of an incl
thick, stamp 1t out In small rounds
prick the top with fork, and bake in 6
hot oven.
BAKED BROWN BREAD.
One pint of sour milk. two teaspoon
fuls of baking soda, half teaspoonfu
OF salt, four cupfuls OF graham -four
one and one-half cupfuls of white flour
lone and oue-third cupfuls Of molasses
and one cupful of sultana raisins.
Dissolve the soda in the milk, add the
salt, molasses, fours, and raisius. Mix
and pour into buttered and papered
baking tin. Bake very slowly until it IL
ready.
STEAMED BROWN BREAD.
| One cupful OF sour milk, one cupful
/ OF sweet milk, Que cupful of sultana
raisins, one cupful Of molasses, one cup.
full of corn meal, ons cupful Of graham
-four, half cupful of white -four, half a
teaspoonful Of salt, and two teaspoonfuls
Of baking soda.
Mix ono teaspoonful Of the soda with
the molasses and the other teaspOOnful
with the milk. Clean the raisins and
mix them with the flours, add the corn