jars fitted with corks, or common bottles,
tying the corks down with twine. Keep in a
cool^ dark place, and do not open except to
draw o£E the quantity needed for a baking.
In the refrigerator it will keep good for a
month. Shake up the bottle before pouring
out what you want into a cup.
The creamy, foamy product thus obtained
is quite another thing from • the dark, bitter
stuff pedled from one kitchen door to another
as brewer's or baker's yeast, unfit for use
unless strained, and then too frequently "un-
profitable" because "stale" and "flat."
THE FIEST LOAP.
One quart and a cupful of sifted flour (a
half pint cup)
One even teaspoonful dry salt.
Two full cups of blood-warm water.
Five tablespoonfuls of yeast✪ The First Loaf (good ones).
12 COOKERY FOR BEGINNERS.
Sift the flour and salt together into a
wooden or stoneware bowl. Make a hole in
the middle and pour in the yeast, then a
cupful of the water. With clean hands begin
to work down the flour into the liquid, and
as it stiffens add the rest of the water. When
the dough is all wet dust your fingers with
dry flour, and rub o£E the paste into the bowl.
Scrape the sides, of this, dust' your fingers
again, and make all the dough into a lump
or ball. Dredge your pastry or bread-board
well with flour, put the dough upon it and
sift flour lightly over it. Ask your mother
or some experienced person whether or not it
is of the right consistency. There is so much
difference in various brands of flour that only
practice can teach one when the dough is
just right. Do not get it too stiff. Add flour
very cautiously even should it stick to your
fingers. Knead the bread for fifteen minutes —
not so fast as to tire yourself out of breath,
but steadily and hard, working it away from
THE FIRST LOAF. 13
you all the time, turning the ball over and
around so as to reach every part of the mass.
It should leave the board without stickiness
at the end of this time, be smooth, firm, and
elastic. Strike it hard with a tight fist, and
if the dent thus made fills up at once, you
have kneaded it sufficiently.
Sprinkle your bread-bowl with flour, put the
dough in the bottom, sift flour lightly over
the top, cover with a clean thick cloth and
set, in cold weather, in a moderately warm
place, in summer, out of the draught, but
away from the fire and sun. It should be
light in four hours in warm weather, in six
in winter. If you wish to have it for break-
fast, set at bedtime, and get up early to work
it over for the second rising.
This must not be done until the dough has
swollen immensely, and cracked over the top
like "crazed" china. Flour the board and
knead as before, now for ten minutes. Grease
two "brick" or round bread-pans well with
14 COOKERY FOR BEGINNERS.
sweet lard or butter, make out the dough in
two oblong or round loaves, and pat these
down in the pans to fit the corners. Prick
the tops with a sharp fork, cover with a
clean cloth, and let them stand for an hour
before putting them into the oven.
The oven must be steady, but not too hot.
You should be able to hold your bare arm in
it while you count twenty regularly. Should
the bread rise very fast at first, lay stout
paper over the top to prevent it from browning
before the heart is done. Do not allow the
stove or range to be filled with fresh coal
or wood while your bread is in the oven, or
it will be "slack-baked." Should you need to
increase the heat, put in a stick or two of
wood to get up a brisk blaze. Do not open
the oven for ten or twelve minutes after the
bread goes in, and very seldom afterward. A
peep should suffice to see how it is getting
on. If the loaf rises higher at the back or at
one side than in front or on the other side,
THE FIRST LOAF. 16
turn the tin quickly, and do not jar it, or it
will "fall*' into heavy streaks. If the oven is
right, your loaves should be done in about
thirty-five minutes.
Page 2 · 1 recipe record on this page
Presented as published in 1884. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
jars fitted with corks, or common bottles, tying the corks down with twine. Keep in a cool dark place, and do not open except to draw o£E the quantity needed for a baking. In the refrigerator it will keep good for a month. Shake up the bottle before pouring out what you want into a cup.
The creamy, foamy product thus obtained is quite another thing from • the dark, bitter stuff pedled from one kitchen door to another as brewer's or baker's yeast, unfit for use unless strained, and then too frequently "unprofitable" because "stale" and "flat."
THE FIRST LOAP.
One quart and a cupful of sifted flour (a
half pint cup) One even teaspoonful dry salt. Two full cups of blood-warm water. Five tablespoonfuls of yeast (good ones).
Sift the flour and salt together into a wooden or stoneware bowl. Make a hole in the middle and pour in the yeast, then a cupful of the water. With clean hands begin to work down the flour into the liquid, and as it stiffens add the rest of the water. When the dough is all wet dust your fingers with dry flour, and rub off the paste into the bowl. Scrape the sides, of this dust your fingers again, and make all the dough into a lump or ball. Dredge your pastry or bread-board well with flour, put the dough upon it and sift flour lightly over it. Ask your mother or some experienced person whether or not it is of the right consistency. There is so much difference in various brands of flour that only practice can teach one when the dough is just right. Do not get it too stiff. Add flour very cautiously even should it stick to your fingers. Knead the bread for fifteen minutes — not so fast as to tire yourself out of breath, but steadily and hard, working it away from
THE FIRST LOAF. 13
you all the time, turning the ball over and around so as to reach every part of the mass. It should leave the board without stickiness at the end of this time, be smooth, firm, and elastic. Strike it hard with a tight fist, and if the dent thus made fills up at once, you have kneaded it sufficiently.
Sprinkle your bread-bowl with flour, put the dough in the bottom, sift flour lightly over the top, cover with a clean thick cloth and set, in cold weather, in a moderately warm place, in summer, out of the draught, but away from the fire and sun. It should be light in four hours in warm weather, in six in winter. If you wish to have it for breakfast, set at bedtime, and get up early to work it over for the second rising.
This must not be done until the dough has swollen immensely, and cracked over the top like "crazed" china. Flour the board and knead as before, now for ten minutes. Grease two "brick" or round bread-pans well with
sweet lard or butter, make out the dough in two oblong or round loaves, and pat these down in the pans to fit the corners. Prick the tops with a sharp fork, cover with a clean cloth, and let them stand for an hour before putting them into the oven.
The oven must be steady, but not too hot. You should be able to hold your bare arm in it while you count twenty regularly. Should the bread rise very fast at first, lay stout paper over the top to prevent it from browning before the heart is done. Do not allow the stove or range to be filled with fresh coal or wood while your bread is in the oven, or it will be "slack-baked." Should you need to increase the heat, put in a stick or two of wood to get up a brisk blaze. Do not open the oven for ten or twelve minutes after the bread goes in, and very seldom afterward. A peep should suffice to see how it is getting on. If the loaf rises higher at the back or at one side than in front or on the other side,
THE FIRST LOAF. 16
turn the tin quickly, and do not jar it, or it will "fall*' into heavy streaks. If the oven is right, your loaves should be done in about thirty-five minutes.
Records on this page
The First Loaf