If 3'ou do not wish
to bake the bread for several hours, it can be kneaded
again and put in the ice-chest or cellar. When the dough
rises too long, and has soured, it will have a strong, tin-
gling acid odor as yow cut into it, and it will pull away
from the bowl in long threads, having a watery appear-
ance, quite unlike the proper spongy consistency and pun-
gent alcoholic odor when it is just right. The practice of
using soda to sweeten it, when in this state, cannot be too
severely condemned. Chemists sa}' that light sour bread
is not unheal thful, although unpalatable to most Americans.
Bread in that condition is eaten largely by the Germans.
Sour bread sweetened by soda is unhealthful, as it is very
rarely that the alkali is whoHv neutralized b}' the acetic
acid. Those who boast of never having sour bread be-
cause the}" alwa3's keep a bottle of soda dissolved and
ready for instant use, should, instead, blush at the fact of
such careless housewiferj^ With proper care, bread, even
58
The Boston Cook Book.
when made with milk, need never sour. But should the
accident ever occur, it is better to eat the bread, or dry it
for crumbs, or throw it away even, than to use the soda.
This practice is so abominable that here it will receive
neither aid nor encouragement.
Shaping into Loaves or Biscuit, — At least an hour be-
fore the time for baking, scrape the dough from the bowl,
and turn it out upon the board, which should be dusted
with flour ; knead it slightly, and divide into the proper
proportion for loaves.
The measures given in the following receipts fill two
brickloaf pans, which are eight inches long by four inches
broad and five inches deep, with nearly straight sides.
This shape gives small uniform slices. Small round pans
w^ere formerl}' considered best for baking both bread and
cake ; and there is some truth in the reason given, namelj',
that the cells which are formed b}- the gas are circular in
form, and are much more uniform in a round than in an
oblong loaf, in which the corner cells are easily flat-
tened or compressed, forming heavy streaks around the
edges. But many people dislike the shape of the slices in
a round loaf, and oblong pans have been more generally
adopted. They should be greased with lard or drippings.
It is better to divide the dough into four equal parts and
put two in each pan, for several reasons : a small round
loaf is more easily shaped, and can be broken, if wanted,
while fresh, better than a long loaf ; two small loaves
rise and fill the pan more evenly than one long loaf ; and
unless great care be taken in shaping to have the one
loaf of uniform thickness, it will rise more in the middle
and give uneven slices. Man}^ make a deep cut through
the middle to prevent this ; but that spoils the smooth
round eflfect which adds so much to the looks of the
crust.
Use the merest dusting of flour in shaping, and knead
ju^t enough to work out the large bubbles of gas by fold-
ing the mass over into the middle, then letting it spring
open. Pat, coax, and work it with the hand and fingers
The Boston Cook Book. 59
Page 40
Presented as published in 1884. 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
If you do not wish to bake the bread for several hours, it can be kneaded again and put in the ice-chest or cellar. When the dough rises too long, and has soured, it will have a strong, tingling acid odor as yow cut into it, and it will pull away from the bowl in long threads, having a watery appearance, quite unlike the proper spongy consistency and pungent alcoholic odor when it is just right. The practice of using soda to sweeten it, when in this state, cannot be too severely condemned. Chemists say that light sour bread is not unhealthful, although unpalatable to most Americans. Bread in that condition is eaten largely by the Germans. Sour bread sweetened by soda is unhealthful, as it is very rarely that the alkali is wholly neutralized by the acetic acid. Those who boast of never having sour bread because they always keep a bottle of soda dissolved and ready for instant use, should, instead, blush at the fact of such careless housewifery. With proper care, bread, even
The Boston Cook Book.
when made with milk, need never sour. But should the accident ever occur, it is better to eat the bread, or dry it for crumbs, or throw it away even, than to use the soda. This practice is so abominable that here it will receive neither aid nor encouragement.
Shaping into Loaves or Biscuit, — At least an hour before the time for baking, scrape the dough from the bowl, and turn it out upon the board, which should be dusted with flour ; knead it slightly, and divide into the proper proportion for loaves.
The measures given in the following receipts fill two brickloaf pans, which are eight inches long by four inches broad and five inches deep, with nearly straight sides. This shape gives small uniform slices. Small round pans were formerly considered best for baking both bread and cake ; and there is some truth in the reason given, namely, that the cells which are formed by the gas are circular in form, and are much more uniform in a round than in an oblong loaf, in which the corner cells are easily flattened or compressed, forming heavy streaks around the edges. But many people dislike the shape of the slices in a round loaf, and oblong pans have been more generally adopted. They should be greased with lard or drippings. It is better to divide the dough into four equal parts and put two in each pan, for several reasons : a small round loaf is more easily shaped, and can be broken, if wanted, while fresh, better than a long loaf ; two small loaves rise and fill the pan more evenly than one long loaf ; and unless great care be taken in shaping to have the one loaf of uniform thickness, it will rise more in the middle and give uneven slices. Many make a deep cut through the middle to prevent this ; but that spoils the smooth round effect which adds so much to the looks of the crust.
Use the merest dusting of flour in shaping, and knead just enough to work out the large bubbles of gas by folding the mass over into the middle, then letting it spring open. Pat, coax, and work it with the hand and fingers
The Boston Cook Book. 59