Manual for army cooks

In making baking-powder bread observe the same rules as mentioned above; mix into a fairly stiff batter, using a large spoon, not the hands; have your greased pan and hot oven ready ; drop or pour the batter into it until about half full, and set into the oven. Get a good even heat below and plenty on top (so as to fill the oven with hot air). When done the loaves will rise to the top of the pan. Bake from 30 to 45 minutes, or until a sliver will pass through the bread and on withdrawal be found dry ; if sticky dough adheres to the sliver the bread is not yet done. Regular heat and quick mixing insure most excellent bread in large quantities in an easy way. FIELD BREAD. Take five quarts of flour and one and two-thirds tablespoonfuls of yeast powder; mix thoroughly while dry, adding a little salt to suit the taste ; then mix in well one tablespoonful of dripping or lard ; then add water, and in small quantities at a time, until a biscuit dough is made; knead slightly. Take a Government mess pan and cut off about one inch and a half of the rim, leaving a rough edge. Into this mess pan 'put dough enough to fill it twothirds full ; cover with another mess pan. A hole should previously have been dug in the ground eighteen or twenty inches in diameter and depth, and a fire burned in it five or six hours. then take out all the cinders except a bed two or three inches deep ; upon this place the mess pans and surround and cover them with hot cinders ; over all spread a covering of earth, and leave for five or six hours. The bread will not burn, as in rising it will not reach the bottom of the upper mess pan. The rough-cut edges of the lower mess j^an afford egress to any gases that may be disengaged. FIELD BREAD, BAKED IN FRYING PAN* Prepare the dough as above described ; grease the frying pan and set it over hot embers until the grease begins to melt ; put the dough, rolled to a thickness of half an inch, in the pan and set it on the fire ; shake the pan every few moments to prevent the dough from adhering ; after the crust has formed on the bottom take the bread out of the pan and set it up on edge, close to the fire, turning it occasionally to insure its being baked through. PIE CRUST. To four quarts of flour sift three spoonfuls of baking powder, and a spoonful of salt ; add one to two quarts of good bacon fat ; cold water enough to make a good stiff dough without kneading. Roll with a bottle to a thin even sheet ; line inside of pan — leave sufficient for a covering; cut hole in center of upper crust and bake in hot oven one hour. As a good filling for meat pies, observe the general rules seen in meat stewed, etc., using game and cooked meats if j)ossible. SUET. OR FIELD PUDDING. Cut up fine about two quarts of bacon, or salt fat pork, or suet in small dice-shaped pieces. To six quarts of flour add six spoonfuls of baking powder, two quarts of molasses, or one and one-half quarts of sugar, two quarts of currants, raisins, or chopped fruits, one quarter pint of mixed spices. Mix into a good stiff batter with a spoon, and it is ready for the bag and pot. Prepare from a flour bag (inside one) a bag; dip into boiling water and flour well inside, this prevents the pudding from sticking to 9281 18