Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1920-01-06
Can You Make Good Bread
SCORE CARD USED BY DEPARTMENT OF
AGRICULTURE.

The first few weeks after American
families returned from substitute breads
Co that of 75-100 per cent wheat flour
they were fairly content with any wheat
bread whatever, whether 1t was excel
lent or not.
However, now, since 1t Is becoming
once more common part of ery-day
meals, almost every housewife Is inter-
ested in knowing just how her bread
would compare with other women's
Many are planning to take q loaf TO the
county fair this summer, and they espe.
cially will be interested in knowing the
points most often considered by the
judges.
Score the bread you make next baking
day, and if 1t does not suit the require
ments of an excellent loaf find out what
| is the trouble. Perhaps you will find
you are using too much -four or are
keeping the dough too warm or baking
it in too bot an oven. If You are having
INV of these or the many other troubles
which often arise in bread making you
will find the United States Department
of Apriculture'S Farmers Bulletin No
SO7, "Bread and Bread Making" OF
value in solving the problems. II viii
| be sent free on request.
The following score card Is one used
| in the Office of Home Economics, Depart
nent of Agriculture, in scoring breads
made in the experimental kitchen:
POINTS IN BREAD JUDGING.
Appearance-10 points.
Consider the general shape Of the Loaf
IA whole, the shape of the top and the
roundness or fitness of the dome. The
surface should be smooth with no cracks,
wrinkles, bulges, Jumps, or humps.
Lightness-10 points.
This is the size of the loaf proportion
ed TO its weight, measured by the exten;
to which the dough has risen and tht
amount of "spring" taking place in The
oven.
Crust-10 points.
The depth or thickness of the crusl
should be about one eighth inch, and Its
color should be uniform golden brown,
neilher dark brown nor pale nor foury
| The ideal crust has the natural bloom of
wsll-baked upper surface. Giossine-s,
due to the use of egg white, butter, OF
| milk as coating, may be considered de
sirable 10 some circumstances, but is not
necessary. The qualities sought art
| tenderness, cIispness, and elasticity. A
hard or tough crust would be graded
low.
ICrumb-30 points. Color, 8 points; tex.
ture Is points; moisture and elasticity,
10 points.
Color-5 points.
The best wheat bread is white or
creamy, not gray.
rexture-15 points.
The size of the pores should be uni.
form, circular, or elongated upwards
rather than transversely. Streaks, un.
esvened areas, large holes, and crevices
help to make the texture Of loaf rank
low.
Moisture and elas,icity--10 points.
The crumb of the loaf should be soft
aud springy, not sticky, wet, soggy, or
atriugy, nor yet dry, harsh, or crumbly
When the cut surface is pressed lightly,
it should dent easily ami spring back to
The level instead of refusing lobe moved
or remaining permanently dented.
Flavor-3O points.
The ideal flavor is the slight "nutty"
taste of The well baked wheat grain.
Sailing should be sufficient, yet not espe-
cially prominent. Any flavor, such as
he rank taste of poor yeast or of rancid
far, would make it necessary for a judge
to subtract nearly the entire 80 points
given to flavor.
Keeping qualities-10 points.
Does the loaf keep we'll for three days
when car efully treated, or does 1t mold,
soften, become striDgy in the center,
riarken, or develop bad flavor or odol?
Total-100 points.
Can you make 100 point loaf of bread?