44 PROPERTIES OF BREAI>. 



but the physicians there denounced its use in 1688, and it was intro- 

 duced with difficulty elsewhere. It was made into balls and largely 

 exported. At length, having been analyzed, it was found that its pro- 

 perties depended on gluten and a vegetable acid. It is now made with 

 hops and malt. 



The heat in baking bread is 418, and the bread in the process 

 looses one fifth of its weight in water. The peculiar odor of new 

 bread, which is probably alcohol, is lost by keeping. The gluten of 

 flour in baking unites with the starch, thus giving to it its nutritive 

 properties. 



The best bread is made of wheat flour, owing to its having more glu- 

 ten than that of other grains, this being one-fifth of the whole. Oats 

 make a pleasanter bread than barley or rye, but is apt to cause heart- 

 burn ; that of barley is heavy, viscid and flatulent ; and that of rye, 

 acescent and purgative. Bread is sometimes made of turnips. Of 

 potatoes and rice we have before spoken. That made of peas gene- 

 rates a gas in the intestines, and that of chestnuts perhaps the acorns 

 used by the ancients for bread is heavy and indigestible. Sago is 

 much used for bread in the Moluscas. Nearly a pound of salt is added 

 to a bushel of flour by the bakers ; but the French use much less. 



The process, where potatoes are used, is to beat up the potatues in a 

 tub ; add water, yeast, and a handful of flour, and stir well ; set aside 

 for 8 hours for the first fermentation ; then add water and flour and stir 

 the whole briskly ; then set a proper heat to rise (according to weath- 

 er.) The sponge stands six hours, during which it rises and lalls 

 twice ; more water, flour and salt are added, and the ^ponge is brok- 

 en up by hand into a thin consistence, and a little flour added to 

 work well. It is then left in the trough two hours ; taken out, divided 

 into loaves, and baked for two hours. 



Acorn bread will be found under the head of oaks and acorns. 



The starch of bread is most favorable for its form, as well as nutri- 

 ment; its sugar for its fermentation, and its gluten for its lightness, as 

 well as nutrition. The flour should be pure, should be kneaded with 

 light water, seasoned with salt, fermented with sood yeast, well baked 

 at a proper heat, and appearing when baked, through a magnifying 

 glass, like honey comb. 



Of flour and water is made a paste which undergoes fiTuu-ni.t.i .,, 

 if exposed to heat, and which is often used as te-wtu > bui this i.- ,u - 

 liable to make sour bread than yeast. The paste is simply u viscn 

 tissue of gluten, the interstices being filled with stare. i, su.:ai- an.J al- 

 bumen. The leaven acts on the sugar of the flour, giving rise succes- 

 sively to the vinous and acetous fermentations, to alcohol, and to acetic 

 and carbonic acids. The gluten of the doush resists the disposition of 

 the latter acid to fly off; and the porous and spongy character of the 

 bread is the result forming cavities by its expansion. 



