Camp cookery (Milam, for Boy Scouts)

and salt over the exposed area, stir thoroughly with a knife blade mixing the ingredients with the flour, which becomes loosened from the sides and bottom of the depression, until ap- proximately one cup of flour has entered the mixture. Again punch a depression, this time indenting the surface of the prepared flour. Into this cavity pour Yi cup water and stir gently with a knife blade, causing the loose flour on the adjacent walls to tumble grad- ually into the water. As the paste thickens and approaches a dough, set aside the knife and use the fingers of both hands to stiffen the dough. The fingers should be clean, dry, and covered with flour to prevent the dough from sticking. A couple of deft strokes, tumbling the dough gently about in the flour, will stiffen it sufficiently to be lifted from the sack. If the quantity prepared is more than necessary for one fry pan, it may be easily pulled apart into halves. During the process described, a well greased (about 1 teaspoon bacon fat) frying pan should be kept hot over the fire. It is now removed for a moment to a firm base, and the dough placed in the hot fat and spread evenly about with the back of the fingers, the fingers being freshly protected with dry flour. Next indent 57 with the forefinger the center of the dough and fill this hole with hot fat. With the back of the knife mark creases which will indicate the divisions into which the loaf will later be broken. Baking. Place the frying pan and con- tents immediately over hot coals. As the bottom of the dough bakes shift it in the pan to avoid burning. This requires skill, but is accomplished by a simple little twist of the wrist. Next remove the pan to semi-per- pendicular position by propping it near the hot coals. The contents are thus exposed directly to reflected heat. In a few minutes the dough god becomes brown and is baked. Liquid Yeast 4 medium sized potatoes (pared) 1 qt. water Y2 cup sugar 1 cake dry yeast 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon flour Cook the potatoes in the water, mash them and add the flour, sugar and salt, to which has been added 2 tablespoons cold water, and cook until thickened. Cool to luke warm and add the yeast cake which has been soaked 58 in 24 cup lukewarm water. Allow to fer- ment about 24 hours. Place in a jar and set in a cool, dark place. This will keep about 2 weeks, and the last cup of it may be used in place of a dry yeast cake in making a new supply. Yeast Bread About 3j^ quarts flour 1 quart scalded and cooled sweet milk, or water 24 cup sugar 24 cup fat 1 cup liquid yeast or 2 dry yeast cakes soaked in 24 cup lukewarm water 1 tablespoon salt Mix above ingredients, using only one- third of the flour, and allow to become thor- oughly light; stir in remainder of flour and work until perfectly smooth. The amount of flour will vary somewhat with the kind used. Allow to rise until more than twice the original bulk. Shape into loaves with as little working as will permit of smoothness. Allow to rise again and bake in moderate oven. Good bread may be made by adding enough flour at the first to make a stiff dough, thus omitting the sponge entirely. 59