DRY YEAST. MRS. W. H. ECKHART.
A large handful of hops put into one quart of water; cover, and let boil five minutes; strain over one pint of flour; beat until your arm aches, and the batter is smooth. When cool, add a cake of good yeast. When perfectly light, mix stiff with white corn meal, and a little flour; roll out on the kneading board; cut in cakes, and dry. Turn them often.
EVER-READY YEAST. MRS. W. H. E.
Four good-sized perfect potatoes; pare and grate them quickly. Pour boiling water over the grated potato until it thickens like starch; let cool a few moments; then stir in flour to thicken. When milk warm, put in one or two cakes of dry yeast, previously dissolved in a cup of water; let stand twenty-four hours. Use one pint of this with four pints of water for four loaves of bread. Make the sponge either at bed time, or early in the morning. Will keep in a cool place two weeks.
SWEET YEAST. MRS. SUSIE SEFFNER.
Boil four large potatoes in two quarts of water. When done, mash the potatoes, and add one cup of sugar, one-half cup of salt, one-half cup of flour. Boil one pint of hops in the water in which the potatoes were boiled until strength is out; then strain in the jar with other ingredients; stir well. When cool, add one cup of yeast, or one cake of dry yeast; let raise, and put in jar. Keep in cool place.
GOOD BREAD. MRS. SUSIE SEFFNER.
Take six good-sized potatoes; cook until very soft; take from the water, and mash until creamy; turn the water over the potato scalding hot, and stir in flour until the consistency of cake batter. When cool, stir in one cup of good yeast dissolved in a little warm water; let rise over night. First thing in the morning, heat two quarts of water milk warm; add to the yeast; then stir in flour to make a thick sponge; let rise; then work to a stiff dough; let rise again; knead down; let rise again; make into loaves. When light, bake from three quarters to one hour. This makes a large baking.
AN EASY WAY TO MAKE GOOD BREAD. MRS. G. E. SALMON.
FOR THREE LOAVES.—Take three medium-sized potatoes; boil, and mash fine; add two tablespoons of flour; scald with potato water; add one tablespoon of salt, one of lard, and two of sugar. Have one quart of this, and when lukewarm, add one cake of yeast, dissolved. Prepare this at noon; let stand till morning, stirring two or three times. In the morning, have the flour warm; mix till stiff enough to knead on the board, and knead thoroughly for half an hour; rub melted lard over top, and set in a warm place to rise. When light, make into loaves, handling as little as possible; rub melted lard over top, and let rise again. Bake fifty minutes. When taken from the oven, rub the tops of loaves over with butter. This will keep the crust soft.