spcasm's Blog

Marcury Publishing  Co.

Editors: The Countess Constance Wachtmeister-Kate Buffington Davis

HOME MADE YEAST

Wash, pare, and soak one large potato. Steep one TB. of hops (loose) In one pint of boiling water; mix one heaping TB of flour, one Tsp. of sugar, one tsp. of salt, one tsp. of ginger; grate the potato into the flour mixture.

Let the hot water boil briskly for one minute, strain it over the flour and potato mixture, then mix thoroughly; if it does not thicken like starch, place it over the fire for a few minutes, stirring briskly. If too thick, add boiling water til think as cream.

When lukewarm or at 70 degrees, add one half cake of yeast.

Raise in a warm place til frothy, beat it down every half hour. Bottle and keep in a cool place.

THREE HOUR BREAD

Pour one cupful of boiling water over two tablespoonfuls of flour and beat well; when this becomes lukewarm add two teaspoonfuls of sugar and one-yeast cake that has been dissolved in one half cupful of lukewarm water. Beat thoroughly, adding flour enough to make a thick batter, beat until light and set in a warm place, about 90 degrees. F. Keep covered and let rise til light and frothy, with this proportion of yeast it should rise in thirty minutes.

When light add one cupful of scalded milk, cooled to lukewarm, and flour enough to make a stiff dough; stir in the flour with a spoon, beating it thoroughly; when the dough begins to stiffen, cut in the flour with a bread knife; add flour until the dough slips easily from the board, and does not stick to the hands. Then knead the dough on a slightly floured board til smooth, elastic, and full of air bubbles

Knead it firmly, but lightly, using only the wrist movements, put back in bowl, cover, and let rise in warm place until it doubles in shape.

Shape into loaves, or biscuit; brush lightly with melted butter, and place in warm buttered pan. Let rise, closely covered until loaves have doubled in bulk. Bake in an oven hot enough to brown one teaspoonful of flour placed on a piece of paper in five minutes.

If biscuit are to be baked, the oven should be hot enough to brown flour in two minutes. Let the bread bake from forty-five minutes to one hour. The first quarter of the time the bread should rise, but not form a crust; the second quarter the crust should form, the third the crust should become golden brown, the fourth should complete the baking.

Place the loaf to cool uncovered, and in such a position that the air can circulate freely around it, bottom and all.  Page 90.

Now do you think todays  children could bake bread from this recipe??? Not without, a lotta  mother, grandmother observations, huh?  just thought I'd share!

p.s.Goin online to find out what hops are:  HOPS & BERRIES is located at 125 Remington Street Fort Collins,  or at  www.hopsandberries.com   I just had to visit today and many refrigerated varieties are available there in 1 oz. portions selling  for 3.75   to 6.75   in two ounce quantities...

Incidently, there is a Colorado State Fair HOMEBREW COMPETITION THATS  ANOTHER STORY..WITH entries  to not be shipped prior to August  4, 2008.