OBSERVATIONS ON BREAD. Of all articles of food, 6vead is perhaps the most important, therefore it is necessary to be well acquainted with the quality of the ingredients and the art of making it. Flour ought to be a few weeks old before being used, and care must be taken to keep it perfectly dry. Genuine flour will hold together ina mass when pressed with the hand. American flour requires almost twice as much water to make it into bread, as is used for English flour, and therefore it is more profitable, for a stone of the American which weighs fourteen pounds will make twenty-one and a half pounds of bread, but the best sort of English flour produces only eighteen and one-half pounds. In wet weather, or when wheat is badly stored, causing it to be damp, the soluble albuminoids which it possesses acts upon the insoluble gluten causing it to decompose, and at. once generat- ing dextrin by their action on the starch of the grain, conse- quently the flour prepared from such grain is poorin gluten and rich in dextrin, the consequence being that when used it produces heavy bread, therefore it is of the utmost importance to purchase only the best quality of flour, for it is the truest economy. Do not place the sponge or dough too near the fire, as some cooks are liable to do in cold weather, or the quality of bread will be endangered. The proper heat should be gentle and equal for fermentation. Care must also be taken to mix and knead (brisk and long kneading will fully repay for the trouble) when it has reached the point for either. Some authorities say the heat of the oven should rise to 280° and after a quarter of an hour slacken to 220°, others from 300° to 400°. The cook must be guided by experience as to the exact degree of heat. Doubtless the bread will require a brisk oven, and should take about an hour to an hour and a half to bake. 140 BREAD. AND CAKEs. sy T4I OBSERVATIONS ON CAKES. For good cakes (as in bread) it is of great importance to use no ingredients, but those of the finest quality. The flour must be dry and sifted. It will be found a good plan after purchasing currants, to wash in three waters, pick and dry in a cloth. Then look them carefully over, discarding any stone, stalk, or grit. Lay before the fire or in the sun to dry. Put by in jar, and they will always be ready for use. Eggs should be well whisked, the whites and yolks beaten separately and strained. Butter must not be allowed to oil. Lemon peel should be cut thinly as possible. Sugar should be finely powdered. When soda is used it is a good plan to dissolve it in warm water. When all the ingredients are mixed, vigorous and patient beating will greatly add to the lightness of the cake. The heat of the oven is of great importance for cakes, especially those that are large. If not pretty quick, the batter will not rise. Should you fear its catching by being too quick, put some paper over the cake to prevent its being burnt. If not long enough lighted to have a body of heat, or it is become slack, the cake will be heavy. To know when it is soaked, take a broom straw, and pierce into the very centre, draw it instantly out, and if the least stickiness adheres, put the cake immediately in, and shut up the cven. | 452. Yeast (1)—Ingredients—A double handful of hops, % doz. potatoes, ¥% gal. of water, 1 or % cupful of ginger, small cupful of flour, a cupful of brown sugar, %4 cupful of salt, a cupful of good yeast. Allow the hops and potatoes to boil together in one-half gallon of water till done; strain and mash the ginger, then add remaining ingredients, excepting the yeast. Let stand until cool, then add the yeast. Next day cork up tight in a jug. 453. Yeast (2)—Ingredients—2 oz. of hops, 1 gal. of water, a handful of salt, 1 lb. of best flour, 3 lbs. of potatoes.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

OBSERVATIONS ON BREAD. Of all articles of food, bread is perhaps the most important, therefore it is necessary to be well acquainted with the quality of the ingredients and the art of making it. Flour ought to be a few weeks old before being used, and care must be taken to keep it perfectly dry. Genuine flour will hold together ina mass when pressed with the hand. American flour requires almost twice as much water to make it into bread, as is used for English flour, and therefore it is more profitable, for a stone of the American which weighs fourteen pounds will make twenty-one and a half pounds of bread, but the best sort of English flour produces only eighteen and one-half pounds. In wet weather, or when wheat is badly stored, causing it to be damp, the soluble albuminoids which it possesses acts upon the insoluble gluten causing it to decompose, and at. once generating dextrin by their action on the starch of the grain, consequently the flour prepared from such grain is poorin gluten and rich in dextrin, the consequence being that when used it produces heavy bread, therefore it is of the utmost importance to purchase only the best quality of flour, for it is the truest economy. Do not place the sponge or dough too near the fire, as some cooks are liable to do in cold weather, or the quality of bread will be endangered. The proper heat should be gentle and equal for fermentation. Care must also be taken to mix and knead (brisk and long kneading will fully repay for the trouble) when it has reached the point for either. Some authorities say the heat of the oven should rise to 280° and after a quarter of an hour slacken to 220°, others from 300° to 400°. The cook must be guided by experience as to the exact degree of heat. Doubtless the bread will require a brisk oven, and should take about an hour to an hour and a half to bake. BREAD AND CAKES. OBSERVATIONS ON CAKES. For good cakes (as in bread) it is of great importance to use no ingredients, but those of the finest quality. The flour must be dry and sifted. It will be found a good plan after purchasing currants, to wash in three waters, pick and dry in a cloth. Then look them carefully over, discarding any stone, stalk, or grit. Lay before the fire or in the sun to dry. Put by in jar, and they will always be ready for use. Eggs should be well whisked, the whites and yolks beaten separately and strained. Butter must not be allowed to oil. Lemon peel should be cut thinly as possible. Sugar should be finely powdered. When soda is used it is a good plan to dissolve it in warm water. When all the ingredients are mixed, vigorous and patient beating will greatly add to the lightness of the cake. The heat of the oven is of great importance for cakes, especially those that are large. If not pretty quick, the batter will not rise. Should you fear its catching by being too quick, put some paper over the cake to prevent its being burnt. If not long enough lighted to have a body of heat, or it is become slack, the cake will be heavy. To know when it is soaked, take a broom straw, and pierce into the very centre, draw it instantly out, and if the least stickiness adheres, put the cake immediately in, and shut up the cven. | 452. Yeast (1)—Ingredients—A double handful of hops, % doz. potatoes, ¥% gal. of water, 1 or % cupful of ginger, small cupful of flour, a cupful of brown sugar, %4 cupful of salt, a cupful of good yeast. Allow the hops and potatoes to boil together in one-half gallon of water till done; strain and mash the ginger, then add remaining ingredients, excepting the yeast. Let stand until cool, then add the yeast. Next day cork up tight in a jug. 453. Yeast (2)—Ingredients—2 oz. of hops, 1 gal. of water, a handful of salt, 1 lb. of best flour, 3 lbs. of potatoes.

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