Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-08-07
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Stale Bread and
What to do With Ii


HOUSEHOLDS, say The spe, atlsts OF the
I 5. Department Of Agriculture This
waste Is probably due 10 The fact that
many housekeepers DO no, think ~
bread a. costing much and axe care
less about its use or do not know
what TO do with the odds and ends
frequently found in the bread box.
Good, fresh bread has Il spongy tex.
ture which in time disappear, leay-
ing the bread dry anu crumbly, the
moisture gradually passing out
through the crust. Bread d little TOO
stale to be appetizins, but not yet
hard, may be treshened by putting il
into the oven for d few minutes. The
heat seems 10 drive the moIstur nom
the crust back into the center OF the
loaf, making the crust more crisp ana
the crumb little more spougy. Some
houSekeepers moisten the surface Of
the bread ami sometimes cover II be-
fore putting il into the oven, but
others think that luUisieuius injuries
the texture of the crust withou, I'M
proving III crumb.
Rolls or biscuits which have a
greater surface in proportion 10 their
size. dry out more rapidly tban leaves
Of bread. II is good pIannlns there
fore not to provide more than VIII be
used at meal or at leas- "a day after
baking For similar reasons. bread
stays fresh longer in The loaf than
after it is sliced, No more tina Win
be needed should be cut for any one
meal and enc loaf should be used up
before the next is cut into. When
the bread needs fresheu,n- it is a
eood plan to cut the required slices
and put them into the oven Tor a lew
minutes just before sert,ug
Toast Toast is another fern in
which partly stale bread can be made
attractive In many families II is
served only for breakfast, luncheon,
or supper, but the custom which many
high grade restaurants ave adopted
OF serving thin, crisp, hot toast with
the more substantial meals, might
well be followed at home. Such dishes
rs chopped meat with gravy, ereamed
chicken IN fish, pOached eggs, melted
cheese, cooked asparagus, Swiss
chard, baked tomatoes, etc. are sery-
ed very commonly on toast. Cream
or milk toast Chat is, toast with a
cream sauce or milk gravy perhaps
favored with a very little Clipped
beef, salt fish, or other say0ry) may
be used as the man dish at break
fast, luncheon, OF supper Slices OF
toast may also be dipped in water or
milk and beaten egg, and lightly
Drowned on hot creased pan. The
recipe for this dish which is called
by various names, is given in the APP
pended recipes under the heading
Egg Toast 1t may be used at
breakfast, and has the advantage OF
making the eggs go further" than If
used in a separate dish. or it may be
served with cinnamon and sugar, sir
up, or any sweet sauce for dessert.
AS a Breakfast Food.-Another good
way OF using stale bread or of treat
ing bread SO that II shall not become
stale, is to put the pieces in the
warming oven or on the back OF the
stove ana leave them until they are
crisp aud a delicate brown through
out This is often called tWice-baked
bread ana is very popular with chill
dren and also with grown-ups who
like its "crunchiness' and the flavor
which comes with the slight browning.
The rusks which used to be commonly
served like breakfast cereals in some
parts Of the country were made by
crushing such twice baked bread with
rolling pin.
Crumbs Valuable in Cookery. -
There is nothing new in the idea of
using bread crumbs in cookery and
most househeepers are in the habit
Of having some on hand for use in
scalloped dishes, stutiing for meat,
puddings. etc. Few realize, however
how much more generally they might
be utilized Many commercial bakers
use bread crumbs to some extent as a
substitute for The -four in many sorts
OF cakes, cookies, pudd.ngs, etc.
Crumbs may also be used instead Of
-four and starch for thickening soups
and sauces
Any bits Of bread which can not be
eaten on the table should be saved
and orumbcd for use in cooking. Some
housekeepers keep two kinds on
hand; one, stale crumbs made chiefly
from the inside of the loaf and suit
able for use IN the place of flour, and
dried crumh. made from any part OF
the bread Drowned a little in very
slow oven and crushed fine to be USED
in scaloped dishes, for the coating OF
croaueues or other fried foods, OF
wherever a crusty, fine crumb is need
cd. TO prevent their growing musty
crumbs should be kept in dry, air
tight containers. Fruit jars are often
convenient FOR the purpose.
How to Utilize Quick Breads. So
I Yeastmade bread is by no means tn,
only bread that can be utilized II
nome OF the ways suggested. The
quick breads raised by baking powder
soda, and sour milk or other acid, etc
dry ont more quickly than the yeas
bread, probably because the water il
not so thoroughly incorporated will
/ thn nnnr h1,rin1r Tho nnaLin fIhnSI