Bakers' bread is usually much lighter than home-made bread, a slice of given dimensions weighing about half as much as a slice of home-made bread of the same size. It is, of course, slice for slice, just about half as nutritious, and we usually eat more of the bakers' bread to satisfy our appetites. This does not condemn bakers' bread as a food, but the fact remains that this must be taken into consideration in comparing the cost of pur- chased with that of home-made bread. The demand for the ready-made product is becoming so great that usually a fairly well-made bread can be purchased almost any- where and the average quality is probably better than in the average home-made product, for many housewives make bread much below the standard. Since yeast leaves no such questionable residues in the bread as baking powder does, the constant use of yeast bread is supposed to be preferable to that of baking-powder breads, but the bad effects of the too continued use of the latter may be partly the result of the habit of eating such breads hot instead of cold. QUESTIONS 1. When would you prefer to make a long-process bread? 2. Why should bread not be put away while it is still warm ? 3. Why is bread stored in a bread-box ? 4. Why should cake and bread be kept in separate boxes ? 5. Compare the weight and the price of home-made and bakers' loaves of bread. 6. Compare the cost per loaf, if short-process bread is set over night, or is made in two hours. 7. Compare the cost of making bread with compressed yeast set over night, and with dried yeast used in long-process bread. 8. What is "potato yeast" ? How is it made and used? 9. How would you make whole wheat bread ? rye bread ? 10. Why is some white flour used in making such breads as graham, rye, and oatmeal ? 254 FOOD STUDY LIV PIES A. Class Experiments. CORRECT PROPORTIONS OF FAT AND LIQUID TO FLOUR. I. (a) Mix a teaspoon of lard and three teaspoons of flour into a small cake and bake. (6) Repeat, using butter instead of lard, (c) To explain the difference in the results, melt, over hot water, 1 oz. butter and 1 oz. lard. Let stand, and notice any differences. How would you substitute one for the other ? II. (a) Repeat I (a), but add to each a carefully measured amount of water, the least possible necessary to make the mixture hold together. How much is used ? (6) Repeat, using twice as much water. (c) Repeat, using three times as much water. III. Repeat II (a), but use very hard fat and ice water, cutting them into the flour with a knife. Why? Write a recipe with directions for making pie crust. B. PREPARE PIE CRUST✪ Prepare Pie Crust. Use either: 1. All butter. 2. All lard. 3. Half lard and half butter. 4. All Crisco. What proportion of fat will you use in each case? How will the amount of salt vary with the amount of fat used ? Roll out crust. PASTRY 255 1. Cover the bottom of a small inverted pie-plate with a very thin crust. Prick with a fork. Bake in a hot oven for a few minutes. Slip the crust into the in- side of the plate and finish baking. 2. Cover the inside of the plate with crust. Do not prick. Bake as before. Compare with (1) for use as a shell for pie. Explain the behavior of (2). 3. Bake a piece of the crust trimmings in a very slow oven. Decide upon the best temperature for baking pastry shells.

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Bakers' bread is usually much lighter than home-made bread, a slice of given dimensions weighing about half as much as a slice of home-made bread of the same size. It is, of course, slice for slice, just about half as nutritious, and we usually eat more of the bakers' bread to satisfy our appetites. This does not condemn bakers' bread as a food, but the fact remains that this must be taken into consideration in comparing the cost of purchased with that of home-made bread. The demand for the ready-made product is becoming so great that usually a fairly well-made bread can be purchased almost anywhere and the average quality is probably better than in the average home-made product, for many housewives make bread much below the standard. Since yeast leaves no such questionable residues in the bread as baking powder does, the constant use of yeast bread is supposed to be preferable to that of baking-powder breads, but the bad effects of the too continued use of the latter may be partly the result of the habit of eating such breads hot instead of cold. 1. When would you prefer to make a long-process bread? 2. Why should bread not be put away while it is still warm ? 3. Why is bread stored in a bread-box ? 4. Why should cake and bread be kept in separate boxes ? 5. Compare the weight and the price of home-made and bakers' loaves of bread. 6. Compare the cost per loaf, if short-process bread is set over night, or is made in two hours. 7. Compare the cost of making bread with compressed yeast set over night, and with dried yeast used in long-process bread. 8. What is "potato yeast" ? How is it made and used? 9. How would you make whole wheat bread ? rye bread ? 10. Why is some white flour used in making such breads as graham, rye, and oatmeal ? PIES A. Class Experiments. CORRECT PROPORTIONS OF FAT AND LIQUID TO FLOUR. I. (a) Mix a teaspoon of lard and three teaspoons of flour into a small cake and bake. (6) Repeat, using butter instead of lard, (c) To explain the difference in the results, melt, over hot water, 1 oz. butter and 1 oz. lard. Let stand, and notice any differences. How would you substitute one for the other ? II. (a) Repeat I (a), but add to each a carefully measured amount of water, the least possible necessary to make the mixture hold together. How much is used ? (6) Repeat, using twice as much water. (c) Repeat, using three times as much water. III. Repeat II (a), but use very hard fat and ice water, cutting them into the flour with a knife. Why? Write a recipe with directions for making pie crust. B. PREPARE PIE CRUST. Use either: 1. All butter. 2. All lard. 3. Half lard and half butter. 4. All Crisco. What proportion of fat will you use in each case? How will the amount of salt vary with the amount of fat used ? Roll out crust. PASTRY 255 1. Cover the bottom of a small inverted pie-plate with a very thin crust. Prick with a fork. Bake in a hot oven for a few minutes. Slip the crust into the inside of the plate and finish baking. 2. Cover the inside of the plate with crust. Do not prick. Bake as before. Compare with (1) for use as a shell for pie. Explain the behavior of (2). 3. Bake a piece of the crust trimmings in a very slow oven. Decide upon the best temperature for baking pastry shells.

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