Bread
To make good bread, sift into your bowl one quart of flour, to which add three good sized potatoes, freshly boiled and mashed, with warm water sufficient to make a thin batter; then a teaspoonful of salt and a square of Flashman's yeast. If in the winter, put it in a warm place, and it will take about three hours to rise. When quite light, stir in sufficient flour to knead easily, being careful not to make it too stiff. Work it twenty minutes, then put it again to rise, and when light, make out your loaves with as little handling as possible. Bake in a not too hot oven.
ANOTHER.—— When potatoes are boiled for dinner, drain the water off into a quart of flour, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, one tablespoonful of shortening, and a little salt. If not enough water, add more and stir well. Put one yeast cake soaking, and when the mixture is cool, add it, stirring well. In the morning mix into the flour, with warm water; mix soft. When light, roll into loaves. Do not make them large. Let it rise again till very light before putting into a quick oven.
ANOTHER.—— Two quarts of warm water poured on a tablespoon of sweet lard. Stir in flour (Minnesota is the best) till it is a thick batter, boating (same as griddle cakes) for several minutes, then add a tea cup of fresh yeast, setting it to rise in a warm place. In the morning, early, mould for twenty minutes, then set to rise till light, when you take dough for one loaf, place on the cake-board and roll out the same as for pie crust, sprinkling on flour when necessary, rolling up till you have rolled out four or five times, then the loaf is ready for tins, letting it rise till light. Care should be used in not getting in too much flour. This quantity will make four loaves. The sponge should be prepared at night in the summer; in cold weather make the sponge immediately after dinner. At nine o'clock p.m. mould as mentioned above, put in a warm place to rise till morning, then use the rolling-pin process, which requires great patience but gives you good, fine-grained bread.
