Although thi3 French bread is the acknowledged
table bread, the trend of the public inclines more
and more to the thin soft-crusted breads, which
are very popular in the ordinary restaurants.
I am giving here some experiences which I had
in some Southern resort hotels, in the hope that
it may do some good. In one hotel we had the
old-style pans, and were baking five two-pound
loaves in one pan. I talked the matter over with
the steward about getting covered pans; then it
was laid before the proprietor. He saw the point
at once, and ordered several dozen of the pans
from a Cincinnati firm.
Before we used these pans we had from five to
six big potato-bagfuls of dry bread left over per
week. This was given to a farmer, who furnished
us with sawdust for use on the kitchen floor in
return for the bread. After we had the pans in
use for a week, not more than half of the former
amount of bread was left over.
The satisfaction was all around. The pantry-
girl who had to cut the bread said: "It cuts
much better : does not crumble like the other did. "
The girl whp made the toast said: " The slices fit
better in the toaster and it toasts better." And
the waiters said: "It is much better, l)ecause we
do not have to trim it after toasting."
Sometimes we would run short of French bread,
and we served some of the fresh baked loaves for
dinner; after a while the waiters began to ask for
this bread, because some of the patrons liked it
better than the French bread.
The buying of these pans was a very good in-
vestment, and the cost was saved in a few months'
time.
As to the cost of the pans, we had two price
lists to choose from. One firm quoted three sizes
of pans at $3.60, $3.75 and $4.00 per dozen, and
one firm only one size at seventy-five cents each.
We paid $3.75 per dozen. The pans are made of
heavy white tin, and have been in use now for
several years.
Wnite tin possesses this peculiarity: when new
and bright, it repels heat. For this reason, for
the first week, it is difficult to give the proper
color to the crust in baking; but after the bright-
ness wears of, the pans bake as well as pans made
of black sheet steel or Russia iron.
OTHER CAUSES OF "WASTE BREAD.
It is the custom in many hotels to cut the bread
before the meal starts, and each waiter carries as
much of the cut bread to his station as he expects
to use during the dinner. This method probably
tends to quicker service; but, as is generally the
case, the waiters carry in more than they actually
require in order to save themselves an extra trip
to the pantry; and, as it often happens, some of
the expected patrons do not appear for dinner.
The bread after standing for two hours in the
dining room is carried back to the scrap table.
All cut bread dries quickly; and I think it would
be more pleasing to the patrons and more profit-
able to hotelmen if each order of bread would be
served freshly cut, with the other orders.
PAUL RICHARDS' BOOK OF BREADS, CAKES, PASTRIES, ICES AND SWEETMEATS.
145
In some kitchens more of this left-over dry
bread is used than in others. This depends
mainly on the chef.
At one other large Southern hotel, where I was
employed several seasons, with different chefs,
we had a very efficient chef, who is at present one
of the best known stewards. While this chef
presided over the kitchen there was very little
bread wasted. Every day the left-over bread was
carefully looked over, the brown crusts were trim-
med ofC each slice, and put through a large bread-
crumbing machine, run by power, and was made
into crumbs.
Page 174
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
Although this French bread is the acknowledged table bread, the trend of the public inclines more and more to the thin soft-crusted breads, which are very popular in the ordinary restaurants.
I am giving here some experiences which I had in some Southern resort hotels, in the hope that it may do some good. In one hotel we had the old-style pans, and were baking five two-pound
loaves in one pan. I talked the matter over with the steward about getting covered pans; then it was laid before the proprietor. He saw the point at once, and ordered several dozen of the pans from a Cincinnati firm.
Before we used these pans we had from five to six big potato-bagfuls of dry bread left over per week. This was given to a farmer, who furnished us with sawdust for use on the kitchen floor in return for the bread. After we had the pans in use for a week, not more than half of the former amount of bread was left over.
The satisfaction was all around. The pantrygirl who had to cut the bread said: "It cuts much better : does not crumble like the other did. " The girl whp made the toast said: " The slices fit better in the toaster and it toasts better." And the waiters said: "It is much better, l)ecause we do not have to trim it after toasting."
Sometimes we would run short of French bread, and we served some of the fresh baked loaves for dinner; after a while the waiters began to ask for this bread, because some of the patrons liked it better than the French bread.
The buying of these pans was a very good investment, and the cost was saved in a few months' time.
As to the cost of the pans, we had two price lists to choose from. One firm quoted three sizes of pans at $3.60, $3.75 and $4.00 per dozen, and one firm only one size at seventy-five cents each. We paid $3.75 per dozen. The pans are made of heavy white tin, and have been in use now for several years.
Wnite tin possesses this peculiarity: when new and bright, it repels heat. For this reason, for the first week, it is difficult to give the proper color to the crust in baking; but after the brightness wears off, the pans bake as well as pans made of black sheet steel or Russia iron.
OTHER CAUSES OF "WASTE BREAD.
It is the custom in many hotels to cut the bread before the meal starts, and each waiter carries as much of the cut bread to his station as he expects to use during the dinner. This method probably tends to quicker service; but, as is generally the case, the waiters carry in more than they actually require in order to save themselves an extra trip to the pantry; and, as it often happens, some of the expected patrons do not appear for dinner. The bread after standing for two hours in the dining room is carried back to the scrap table.
All cut bread dries quickly; and I think it would be more pleasing to the patrons and more profitable to hotelmen if each order of bread would be served freshly cut, with the other orders.
In some kitchens more of this left-over dry bread is used than in others. This depends mainly on the chef.
At one other large Southern hotel, where I was employed several seasons, with different chefs, we had a very efficient chef, who is at present one of the best known stewards. While this chef presided over the kitchen there was very little bread wasted. Every day the left-over bread was carefully looked over, the brown crusts were trimmed off each slice, and put through a large breadcrumbing machine, run by power, and was made into crumbs.