Year: 1875

Entrc Is says In9 American GFOcSF,
no article Of food upon which so much
of the comfort of the house
hold depends as upon bread, and no
one upon which so much has been
written. Whenever the failures of
our sex 10 the way of housekeeping
are commented upon by our lords and
masters, bread forms the convenient
and ready proof Of our delinquencies.
IL q woman does not do what Is sup
posed to lie within her legitimate way
of business, .Or does what does not
come within that range, the mas
culine voice with one accord shouts
deridingly, or warEiugly. "Go and
learn to make bread" II we make
poor verses or paint poor pictures we
are told that we "had better make
good bread" II we have an ambition
to become doctors or lawyers, or
clergymen or editors, the whole pro-
fessional world joins in the chorus of
advice, and tells us we had better
''learn to make good bread"


There is nothing Objectionable in
the advice, IL it Is honestly and kind-
ly meant in fact, it l. very good ad-
vice and very well worth following,
but we contend that all the good
bread-iu the world, we were about
to say, but upon second thought we
will substitute America and England
is made by women. Most clever
women know how to do it, but the
truth is that men do not. The class
OF men whose business il Is to manu-
facture that s.afI of life in America
fail notOriOusly 10 making a palatable
kao1NHfuI
them to 90 and learn how to do 1t,
and we advise all OF the men who are
so fond Ofthe advice to advise them
to do it.


It is not difficult; all it needs is
little sense and some attention. As
II Is the sole and only business in life
OF the class of whom we speak, we
suppose they must devote time and
attention to it, but the sense is want
ing.


We do not propose, however, to
waste our hints and bits of knoTl-
edge upon this subject upon the other
sex, who never will learn to make
good bread, but to tell some of the
bright young girls and clever young
hOusekeepers who will make use Of
every stray lesson to perfect their
desultOry education, one or two OF the
things we have learned in q long
course of Oresd-making. One is, that
fresh four IL absolutely necessary for
sweetness. the very best bre I'd we
have ever made or eaten was made
from four bought at the mill in q
country village. Coarse -four Is
sweeter than fine.


Then We have a prejudice in favor
OF hard yeast, because soft yeast is
apt to grow sour without one being
aware OF it. But, leaving all the diff
ferent methods Of raising, mixing
kne0ding. etc, out Of debate, the
main point is q good oven, and the
bread placed in it at the proper mo-
menf. Always leave other baking
until after the bread is done, for. ten
minutes delay may be ten min.
utes OIL the wrong side of the
proper point OF fermentation. Pat
your br 5ad in pans not more than
five inches wide and the middle will
never be sour or bitter, because the
heat does not reach it 10 time to stop
fermentation after it goes into tn
oven.


Twice the bulk Of the size at mixing
is good rule for loaves when they
are ready To go into the oven, but the
test Of drawing the dough away from
the side of the pan, and actually ex-
posing the air cells to sight Is q good
one, and one soon learns to judge Of
the proper state Of them. Wet the
tops Of the lOaves slightly with milk
before putting into the oven, and rub
over with butter after coming out, and
the crust will cut easily and not waste
by erumbling. Bread should be baked
twice q week to be healthful, as after
the third or fourth day mold is aps to
form In the air cells.