That our farm
cooks know how to bake bread is fully attested by the fol-
lowing delightful variety of recipes.
The Ingredients of Bread
Four of the simplest ingredients in the culinary laboratory
enter into the composition of a loaf of bread; yet the changes
through which these materials pass before a finished loaf is
evolved are the most complicated in all cookery. The four
ingredients that enter into a loaf of bread are flour, yeast,
salt and liquid. Milk or water, or a part of each, may com-
prise the latter. Bread made with milk is more nutritious,
but it dries more quickly than does bread in which water is
used. The texture of milk bread, even with slight kneading,
is velvelty and pleasing. Half milk and half water is quite
generally used. Water bread, without shortening, carefully
11
12 FARM AND HOME COOK BOOK
manipulated, gives a loaf of nutty flavor, but with tough crust.
Water, with two tablespoons shortening to the pint, is more
generally preferred by American housekeepers. Opinions
differ as to just what properties good bread should possess.
Some wish a moist crumb and tender crust, others a dry crumb
and a flinty crust. But there are certain points upon which
all agree; namely, bread should be agreeable in smell and
taste, while it should be light and porous, and the loaf should
keep in good condition several days. — [J. McK. H.
About the Flour
The prime requisite for good bread is good flour. Without
good flour the best cook cannot possibly make good bread.
Obviously, it is poor economy to buy the poorer grades of
flour, and if your local dealer cannot or will not furnish you
with the best, send an order to the nearest town or city, and
insist upon getting the right kind. Flour made from inferior
wheat or wheat that has been exposed to moisture produces a
lieavy, moist bread, which moulds quickly.
To test bread flour, according to Mrs. Rorer, make a small
ball of dough from flour and water, knead well, as for bread,
and then quickly break the ball or biscuit in half. It should
break with a crack, but if it is poor flour it will first pull and
stretch and finally break without a sound. Another test is to
take a handful of flour, close the hand tightly, then open it,
and if the flour falls apart and does not pack, it is good for
bread or biscuits. The color should be a rich, creamy tint —
blue-white or greyish tints indicate poor, cheap flour.
Pastry flour should never be used for bread, biscuits or
muffins, but only for fine pastry, cakes and similar light mix-
tures that do not require kneading. Genuine pastry flour is
a pale, yellowish white, fine and starchy, and will easily retain
the form of the hand upon pressure. It is usually sold in small
boxes or bags, but very seldom, if ever, in bulk, to retailers.
The only permissible substitute for genuine pastry flour, when
that cannot be obtained, is a soft, winter-wheat flour.
Page 3
Presented as published in 1907. 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
That our farm cooks know how to bake bread is fully attested by the following delightful variety of recipes.
The Ingredients of Bread
Four of the simplest ingredients in the culinary laboratory enter into the composition of a loaf of bread; yet the changes through which these materials pass before a finished loaf is evolved are the most complicated in all cookery. The four ingredients that enter into a loaf of bread are flour, yeast, salt and liquid. Milk or water, or a part of each, may comprise the latter. Bread made with milk is more nutritious, but it dries more quickly than does bread in which water is used. The texture of milk bread, even with slight kneading, is velvelty and pleasing. Half milk and half water is quite generally used. Water bread, without shortening, carefully
manipulated, gives a loaf of nutty flavor, but with tough crust. Water, with two tablespoons shortening to the pint, is more generally preferred by American housekeepers. Opinions differ as to just what properties good bread should possess. Some wish a moist crumb and tender crust, others a dry crumb and a flinty crust. But there are certain points upon which all agree; namely, bread should be agreeable in smell and taste, while it should be light and porous, and the loaf should keep in good condition several days. — [J. McK. H.
About the Flour
The prime requisite for good bread is good flour. Without good flour the best cook cannot possibly make good bread. Obviously, it is poor economy to buy the poorer grades of flour, and if your local dealer cannot or will not furnish you with the best, send an order to the nearest town or city, and insist upon getting the right kind. Flour made from inferior wheat or wheat that has been exposed to moisture produces a heavy, moist bread, which moulds quickly.
To test bread flour, according to Mrs. Rorer, make a small ball of dough from flour and water, knead well, as for bread, and then quickly break the ball or biscuit in half. It should break with a crack, but if it is poor flour it will first pull and stretch and finally break without a sound. Another test is to take a handful of flour, close the hand tightly, then open it, and if the flour falls apart and does not pack, it is good for bread or biscuits. The color should be a rich, creamy tint — blue-white or greyish tints indicate poor, cheap flour.
Pastry flour should never be used for bread, biscuits or muffins, but only for fine pastry, cakes and similar light mixtures that do not require kneading. Genuine pastry flour is a pale, yellowish white, fine and starchy, and will easily retain the form of the hand upon pressure. It is usually sold in small boxes or bags, but very seldom, if ever, in bulk, to retailers. The only permissible substitute for genuine pastry flour, when that cannot be obtained, is a soft, winter-wheat flour.