large ones. When it is nearly time to put the bread in,
scatter a spoonful of flour on a piece of paper and put
in the oven; if it browns nicely in five minutes it is right
for the large loaves ; but it should be quite brown in three
minutes for rolls.
How can the loaves be made to rise evenly in the oven ?
By turning them after they have been in five minutes,
though they look even.
Why does the loaf continue to rise after it is put in
the oven ? After a while, though the heat kills the yeast
plant it makes the gas bubbles expand and forces the
particles of dough farther apart, and also turns some of
the moisture into steam which makes it still lighter.
Why should it be thoroughly cooked? To kill all of
the yeast plants in the very center of the bread and burst
open the little indigestible cells that holds the starch
grains, so it can be digested ; for we cannot digest raw
starch.
When will the bread be baked enough? In one hour.
The loaf should contract some so it will slip easily from
the pan ; if it is underdone, there will be so much steam
escaping from the bottom of the loaf you cannot hold
your hand on it; then it must be returned to the oven
and baked longer. The heat of the oven should be re-
duced the last 15 minutes by closing the dampers.
What should be done with the bread when it is baked ?
It should be taken from the tins and tipped against some-
thing to let the air circulate around it, or it can be placed
on a wire cooling rack, in some place out of the dust,
but left uncovered until cold, then put away in a perfect-
ly clean bread box without any cloth or paper over it;
if an apple is put in the box it will help to keep the
bread moist.
What shows that bread is underdone? If a crumb of
the bread is rolled between the fingers it will crumble
apart if it is sufficiently baked; but if not it will form in
a solid ball.
Is bread a wholesome food? It is, if properly made
First Aid to Good Cooking 95
from good flour and well baked ; but poor bread badly
baked is very injurious.
Is bread an economical food? It is, for there is no
waste if all the pieces are saved, as they should be, and
it is completely digested.
How can dry bread be used ? For milk toast, or French
toast, bread pudding, scalloped tomatoes or meats, in
meat loaf, dressing for fowls, and for bread crumbs for
frying.
How should bread crumbs be prepared ? Dry the bread
in a cool oven until crisp, roll on the bread board, sift
through the flour sieve, put away in a glass jar until
needed.
Why is well-made bread a good food ? Because it has
the three kinds of nutrients in about the right propor-
tions needed by our bodies.
Is good home-made bread better than baker's bread?
Good home-made bread is delicious, but if it is sour,
heavy, or slack baked it is inferior to good baker's bread.
Can as good bread be made with a bread mixer as by
hand? There are good bread mixers on the market
which will knead the bread in three minutes with no effort
and give just as good bread as kneading by hand, and
it will be more cleanly and sanitary.
Page 50
Presented as published in 1915. 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
large ones. When it is nearly time to put the bread in, scatter a spoonful of flour on a piece of paper and put in the oven; if it browns nicely in five minutes it is right for the large loaves ; but it should be quite brown in three minutes for rolls.
How can the loaves be made to rise evenly in the oven ? By turning them after they have been in five minutes, though they look even.
Why does the loaf continue to rise after it is put in the oven ? After a while, though the heat kills the yeast plant it makes the gas bubbles expand and forces the particles of dough farther apart, and also turns some of the moisture into steam which makes it still lighter.
Why should it be thoroughly cooked? To kill all of the yeast plants in the very center of the bread and burst open the little indigestible cells that holds the starch grains, so it can be digested ; for we cannot digest raw starch.
When will the bread be baked enough? In one hour. The loaf should contract some so it will slip easily from the pan ; if it is underdone, there will be so much steam escaping from the bottom of the loaf you cannot hold your hand on it; then it must be returned to the oven and baked longer. The heat of the oven should be reduced the last 15 minutes by closing the dampers.
What should be done with the bread when it is baked ? It should be taken from the tins and tipped against something to let the air circulate around it, or it can be placed on a wire cooling rack, in some place out of the dust, but left uncovered until cold, then put away in a perfectly clean bread box without any cloth or paper over it; if an apple is put in the box it will help to keep the bread moist.
What shows that bread is underdone? If a crumb of the bread is rolled between the fingers it will crumble apart if it is sufficiently baked; but if not it will form in a solid ball.
Is bread a wholesome food? It is, if properly made
First Aid to Good Cooking 95
from good flour and well baked ; but poor bread badly baked is very injurious.
Is bread an economical food? It is, for there is no waste if all the pieces are saved, as they should be, and it is completely digested.
How can dry bread be used ? For milk toast, or French toast, bread pudding, scalloped tomatoes or meats, in meat loaf, dressing for fowls, and for bread crumbs for frying.
How should bread crumbs be prepared ? Dry the bread in a cool oven until crisp, roll on the bread board, sift through the flour sieve, put away in a glass jar until needed.
Why is well-made bread a good food ? Because it has the three kinds of nutrients in about the right proportions needed by our bodies.
Is good home-made bread better than baker's bread? Good home-made bread is delicious, but if it is sour, heavy, or slack baked it is inferior to good baker's bread.
Can as good bread be made with a bread mixer as by hand? There are good bread mixers on the market which will knead the bread in three minutes with no effort and give just as good bread as kneading by hand, and it will be more cleanly and sanitary.