The Washington herald., 1914-12-03
House.
wives
Daily
Economy
Calendar
GOOD BREAD.

Thomas A. Edison not very long ago
made a statement insinuating that most
women did not understand the scientific
process Of bread making and that. there
fore. the making Of bread by most women
was largely a matter OF guesswork.
Sometimes the bread turned out well,
sometimes poorly.
Now. whether or not il is necessary
to understand the scientific principles
underlying cooking in order to be
good cook Is an open question. Many
good cooks, who could be relied on, never
have known anything about the chemis-
try and physics OF cooking. They know
that certain conditions produce certain
results. that certain mixtures turn out
in a certain way. Why and wherefore
they know not and care not. And so
long as their cooking is good, what cares
anybody else?
But bread making is so variable that
more accurate information about II might
well be aimed at by every cook. Nobody
knows everything there is to know about
yeast, so the home cook need not fear
a troublesome amount Of knowledge.
To begin with, yeast. an organized
ferment, develops properly at q temper
ature between seventy-seven and ninety
ucbIccss II 4OI
growth heat, moisture and food and its
growth is what makes the bread rise. Its
food is sugar-which II gets from the
starch OF fiour-and perhaps a little nj
trogen, although even scientists are not
sure about that. 1t requires oxygen. also.
for its best development. As 1t grows
1t produces carbon dioxide gas.
Now yeast in the proper surroundings
OF heat. food and moisture. grows. II
is made up Of tiny plants. and they null
tiply. producing carbon dioxide gas, thus
pushing apart the particles OF the dough
1t is feeding on. When It has grown
enough and produced enough carbon
dioxide gas so that the bread is light"
the bread Is put into the oven and the
higher heat OF the oven kills the yeast
and further fermentation is stopped.
Salt is used In bread to give 1t a pal
atable taste and also to prevent the
growth Of certain ferments. Either milk
or water can be used for the moisten-
ing. but either should be free from any
contamination. Each makes a palatable
bread. but milk gives more nutrition.
The kneading process of bread distrib-
utes the yeast evenly through the whole
mass OF dough. and thus insures even ris-
ing and fine grain: exposes every part
OF the dough to oxygen in the air, and
thus helps the yeast TO grow.
When break Is kneaded by hand, there
is danger that some bacteria will enter
into the bread and cause harmful fer
mentations. A bread mixer. that is
scrupulously clean is the best kneader.
The kneading in one of these small
household machines is more even, too.
than that done by hand. and II Is GER
tainly easier for the cook than kneading
by hand.
The amount OF moisture and flour need
ed varies. according to the -four. A good
quality OF white wheat flour is used. gen.
orally with a third its own quantity
Of moisture. Practice alone tells the
cook how much flour and how much
milk or water to use.
Judge bread by its sweet odor, It's
pleasant taste. its even texture, its thin
and flal<y crust, the absence Of large
holes, and an even shape and even light
brown color on the outside.
Copyright, lsl4)