Digestibility and nutritive value. — Bread of the standard
described is readily digestible when at least twelve hours old
and stands high in nutritive value. Figure 51 compares
the composition of several varieties.
like the cereals, it has considerable protein, and some fat,
but is highest in starch. The white bread, imless made with
milk, has very little ash. A slice almost one inch thick
weighing 1.38 ounces, from a baker's five-cent loaf, will yield
100 Calories.
The cost of bread. — The table in Chapter XVII states
the amount of protein and energy obtained for ten cents from
bread as compared with other common foods, and makes the
fact clear that bread is essentially one of the cheapest foods,
remaining relatively so whatever the general fluctuations in
food prices may be.
A pound loaf of bread at the bakery should cost five cents,
the cost being slightly less when the bread is made at home,
even taking the fuel into account. It is an open question,
however, whether bread should be made at home or bought
at the bakery, all the circumstances being weighed in the
balance by the individual. (See Chapter XVII.) In America,
we need to learn to dictate and control the methods in the
YEAST BREAD 191
public bakeries because bakers' bread is being used more and
more, although it is said that 50 per cent is still made at
home. If bread is to be bought, it is necessary for the house-
keeper to understand the bread-making process and the
standard of good bread that she may criticize intelligently,
and force the public bakeries to furnish bread made under
ideal conditions. Such bread is supplied in France, where
the housekeepers in the city, though noted for their
thrift, do not think of bread making at home as a practical
or economical procedure. It must be imderstood that the
baker's oven is fitted to do better work than the small oven
of the average kitchen, and if the public through laws and in-
spection will control the quality of the materials used and
the cleanliness of the process, baker's bread will be a useful
" ready-cooked " food.
The ingredients of bread. — The essential ingredients are
flour, water, and yeast. The liquid may be milk, or milk
and water, the milk changing the flavor slightly and increas-
ing the nutritive value, while the cream in the milfc increases
the tenderness of the crumb and crust. The non-essentials
include salt to develop flavor, sugar sometimes added to
hasten fermentation and also for flavor, and a fat to increase
tenderness, as, for instance, butter or some cheaper fat.
Spices and dried fruits are used in sweet breads, and when
eggs are added sweet bread becomes a plain cake having a
delicious and characteristic flavor.
The characteristics of good flour. — The average com-
position of flour is as follows :
Protein 11.4 per cent
Fat 1.0 "
Carbohydrate 75.1
Fuel value 1610 Cal. per pound
100-Calorie portion 28 grams (1 ounce)
192 FOODS AND HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT
The protein occurs in the form of gluten, which has the
property oi stretching and expanding, and which makes the
framework of the loaf of bread, since it retains the air and
carbon dioxide, and hardens when baked. The protein of
oats and com lacks this property, and therefore oatmeal and
com meal ^ve a" very different type of bread. Rye flour
Page 99
Presented as published in 1914. 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
Digestibility and nutritive value. — Bread of the standard described is readily digestible when at least twelve hours old and stands high in nutritive value. Figure 51 compares the composition of several varieties. Like the cereals, it has considerable protein, and some fat, but is highest in starch. The white bread, imless made with milk, has very little ash. A slice almost one inch thick weighing 1.38 ounces, from a baker's five-cent loaf, will yield 100 Calories.
The cost of bread. — The table in Chapter XVII states the amount of protein and energy obtained for ten cents from bread as compared with other common foods, and makes the fact clear that bread is essentially one of the cheapest foods, remaining relatively so whatever the general fluctuations in food prices may be.
A pound loaf of bread at the bakery should cost five cents, the cost being slightly less when the bread is made at home, even taking the fuel into account. It is an open question, however, whether bread should be made at home or bought at the bakery, all the circumstances being weighed in the balance by the individual. (See Chapter XVII.) In America, we need to learn to dictate and control the methods in the public bakeries because bakers' bread is being used more and more, although it is said that 50 per cent is still made at home. If bread is to be bought, it is necessary for the housekeeper to understand the bread-making process and the standard of good bread that she may criticize intelligently, and force the public bakeries to furnish bread made under ideal conditions. Such bread is supplied in France, where the housekeepers in the city, though noted for their thrift, do not think of bread making at home as a practical or economical procedure. It must be understood that the baker's oven is fitted to do better work than the small oven of the average kitchen, and if the public through laws and inspection will control the quality of the materials used and the cleanliness of the process, baker's bread will be a useful " ready-cooked " food.
The ingredients of bread. — The essential ingredients are flour, water, and yeast. The liquid may be milk, or milk and water, the milk changing the flavor slightly and increasing the nutritive value, while the cream in the milfc increases the tenderness of the crumb and crust. The non-essentials include salt to develop flavor, sugar sometimes added to hasten fermentation and also for flavor, and a fat to increase tenderness, as, for instance, butter or some cheaper fat. Spices and dried fruits are used in sweet breads, and when eggs are added sweet bread becomes a plain cake having a delicious and characteristic flavor.
The characteristics of good flour. — The average composition of flour is as follows :
Protein 11.4 per cent
Fat 1.0 "
Carbohydrate 75.1
Fuel value 1610 Cal. per pound
100-Calorie portion 28 grams (1 ounce)
The protein occurs in the form of gluten, which has the property oi stretching and expanding, and which makes the framework of the loaf of bread, since it retains the air and carbon dioxide, and hardens when baked. The protein of oats and corn lacks this property, and therefore oatmeal and cornmeal give a very different type of bread. Rye flour