3(58 DOMESTIC ECONOMY. [Chap. IV. 



too far. There are extremely simple and eflectual methods for enabling tlie 

 baker to adopt measures cither to prevent or correct the evil of acescence, 

 and these are to neutralize the acid by the use of an alkali, such as soda, or 

 an alkaline earth, such as magnesia or chalk. 



" If proper care be taken of the yeast, there is no danger of having sour 

 dough ; and if the yeast be removed to a lower temperature after the signs 

 pointed out, the acetic fermentation never sets in. 



"To make bread I set a s])onge over-night. To a half pint of lukewarm 

 water, put in a giU and a half of yeast and a pint of Hour (after measuring, 

 sift the flour), and stir this all well together, strew a little flour over the top, 

 and cover the dish and put it in the same temperature that the yeast M-as 

 in. In the morning, warm half a tea-cup of milk (if water is used, add half 

 a tablespoonful of butte{'), add two tablespoonfuls of lime-water after it is 

 warm, and stir tliis into tlie sponge ; have ready a pint and a half of flour, 

 and knead tin's with half a teaspoonful of salt into the sponge. Divide tliis 

 into two portions, and put each into a buttered pan to rise, and wlien the 

 dough rises to the top and bursts into little cracks, it is ready to l)ake. 

 Tiiese loaves will bake in a common stove or range-oven, heated with coal, 

 in thirty or thirty-five minutes. The advantages of lime-water are these: 

 The dough requires less kneading, the loaves bake in less time, and the 

 bread keeps soft and moist longer, and is less liable to mold, and it is healtliy 

 bread. After the bread is baked, it phould be turned upside down from the 

 pans upon a folded cloth, and left there until cool. Then it may be jnit into 

 a covered tin. By following tiiis plan, I never lose any bi-cad from mold. In 

 cool weather, the pans containing the dough should be placed over a vessel 

 containing hot water, or each pan over a l)owl or pitcher with hot water in 

 it, and covered with a cloth. These loaves are generally ready to bake in 

 two or two and a half hours. 



"To make biscuit, I warm a tablf spoonful of butter in half a teacupful cf 

 milk, and stir it hot on a quart of flour, let it stand and- cool, and when 

 lukewarm add a gill of yeast, a spoonful of lime-water, and a little salt, and 

 lukewarm water to knead the whole into a smooth lump of dough ; sprinkle 

 a l,ittle flour into the bottom of the dish, lay in the dough, cover it, and 

 when risen (which may be known by the dough's cracking and its spongy 

 look when cut with a knife), divide the dough into equal portions and put 

 in pans, and let them stand twenty minutes before putting to bake. 



"I never use tin or metal -ware of any kind to mix bread in. I prefer a 

 wooden bowl and spoon, because they can always Ijc kept clean and sweet. 

 A still better thing is a yellow nappy, as it can be dipped into hot water be- 

 fore setting the dough in it. 



'■ As to the use of saleratus and soda, it is only tolerated l)y the grossest 

 ignorance. It is the received impression that an alkali makes the bread 

 tender, and it is indiscriminately used, and hence so much yellow-looking 

 bread. These alkalies arc only of service when an acid is to be neutralized, 

 and then they should be used very sparingly. It is very difiicult to enlighten 



