My First Summer 



the stronger and more attractive to tobacco- 

 tanned palates. 



Sheep-camp bread, like most California 

 camp bread, is baked in Dutch ovens, some of 

 it in the form of yeast powder biscuit, an un- 

 wholesome sticky compound leading straight 

 to dyspepsia. The greater part, however, 

 is fermented with sour dough, a handful 

 from each batch being saved and put away 

 in the mouth of the flour sack to inoculate 

 the next. The oven is simply a cast-iron 

 pot, about five inches deep and from twelve 

 to eighteen inches wide. After the batch 

 has been mixed and kneaded in a tin pan, 

 the oven is slightly heated and rubbed with 

 a piece of tallow or pork rind. The dough 

 is then placed in it, pressed out against the 

 sides, and left to rise. When ready for bak- 

 ing a shovelful of coals is spread out by 

 the side of the fire and the oven set upon 

 them, while another shovelful is placed on 

 top of the lid, which is raised from time to 

 time to see that the requisite amount of heat 



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