980 Dr, ColquhoUnls Efisai/Qn the Art of Baking Bread, [Oct. 



be consi^qred the best adapted for practice, both as being in 

 itself the most convenient and simple, and also as possessing 

 the advantage of containing no element in the least degree pre* 

 judicial to health. The others have been quoted principally to 

 ^hovv the true nature of the action which takes place in ginger- 

 bread-dough, in the present tardy process, as well as in the 

 other methods. There is yet another process of gasification, 

 however, which should be mentioned, as it is occaBionally 

 resorted to in the manufacture of this kind of bread, as well as 

 in that of many others, and with the same complete success. 

 This is by using the sesqui-carbonate of ammonia, whose efficacy 

 and the nature of whose action in expanding all kinds of dougn 

 in the process of baking, have already come under our notice. 

 If this salt be employed m the proportion of half an ounce to the 



Eound of flour, the dough containing it, however recent when 

 aked, will always form itself into a good light bread ; and it is 

 on this account a very common practice with the baker to add 

 a certain quantity of it to his ordinary gingerbread-dough, 

 when he is under the necessity of employing it in its recent 

 state, before it has been sufficiently matured by keeping. The 

 bread so formed is found to possess an extremely agreeable 

 flavour, and it is also marked by the peculiarity of having the 

 upper surface unusually dark and glossy. In this bread, also, as 

 in others similarly aerified, there remains always a certain trace 

 of ammonia, which would be plainly perceptible, but for the 

 confections which disguise it. 



We have now reviewed some of the principal processes which 

 are employed in the prosecution of his art by the modern baker 

 of bread. After briefly discussing the mechanical details of the 

 most common process of bread-making, our earliest and piir 

 principal attention was directed to the fermentative process in 

 dough, as being by far the most curious and important in the 

 eye both of the chemist and of the mechanic. It is hoped that 

 the true subject of the action of fermentation has been clearly 

 pointed out, and also that the nature of the secondary super- 

 vening decomposition, and that of the acids which it generates, 

 have been satisfactorily explained. In inquiring into the nature 

 of these acids, it was impossible not to have our attention 

 directed to the numerous inconveniences resulting from the 

 occurrence of sour dough, one of the greatest annoyances to 

 which both tlie manufacturer and consumer of bread, embracing 

 a circle which is co-extensive with civilized society, are exposed. 

 And as the remedy here hes fortunately on the veiy surface) and 

 is at least as obvious as the evil is great, a few pa^es werd| 

 devoted to explain its application. This indeed is a 'maimer too 

 simple in itself to hav,e required so much time, were it not that 

 its extreme practical importance, coupled with the singular fact 

 of its bein^ yet a practical novelty, made it necessary to verify. 



