148 MAKING BREAD. 



heat generally effects considerable changes in the 

 different principles of which they are composed, 

 Thus, bread from wheat is no longer capable of 

 forming a paste with water, such as can be made 

 with flour ; nor can starch, and gluten, elements 

 existing in flour, be obtained from it after it has 

 been baked in bread. The alteration in potatoes 

 by the culinary process is even more considerable. 



The farinaceous vegetables used for making 

 bread, are chiefly wheat, barley, oats, rye, buck 

 wheat, maize, beans, pease, rice, potatoes, &c. In 

 times of scarcity, other substances have been used, v 

 as acorns, chesnuts, &c. 



Of all these wheat is found to afford the best 

 bread, and we shall begin by describing it. Wheat 

 flour, when analysed, is found to consist of 

 1. Gluten. 2. Fecula, or starch, 3. Saccharine 

 matter, or mucilage. 



The gluten is very elastic, of a greyish white 

 colour, and when drawn out to its fullest extent, 

 has the appearance of animal membrane. In this 

 state, it adheres to many bodies, and forms a very 

 tenacious glue, which has been used for mending 

 broken porcelain. It is insoluble in water, alkohol, 

 ether, or oil ; and, in many of its properties, it re- 

 sembles animal substances. 



Thejecula is a delicate white powder, soft to the 

 touch, scarcely sensible to the taste, almost inso- 

 luble in cold water, but soluble in warm water. 



The saccharine part is a sugar similar to what is 

 contained in other vegetables. 



These three constituent principles are easily 

 separated from each other in the following manner. 

 Knead some flour with water, and let a stream of 

 water constantly flow over it. The fecula, or 

 starch, will be carried off by the water, and will 



