Page:Motherly Talks with Young Housekeepers.djvu/411

This page needs to be proofread.

CHOICE FAMILY RECEIPTS.


YEAST.

Yeast.—Good yeast is indispensable in order to secure good bread.

Pare and boil eight medium-sized potatoes. Remove them from the water when done, and put into it one small handful of loose or two teaspoonfuls of pressed hops. While these are boiling, mash and roll the potatoes very smooth, free from lumps; mix with them three even table-spoonfuls of flour, a half-cup of sugar, brown sugar is the best for yeast,—one even table-spoonful of ginger, and three of salt. Strain out the hops after boiling fifteen minutes, and pour the boiling water over the potatoes, flour, etc. Stir well together, and again set it on the range or stove till it boils up once, stirring it all the time, or it will burn. This done, pour it into a large earthen bowl or stone pot to cool. When blood-warm, add one penny's worth of bakers' yeast or a yeast- cake. Keep in a warm place till well raised, then put it into a stone jug; cork and tie down securely.

One teacupful will raise three good-sized loaves.

Another.—Take one pint of the water in which the potatoes for dinner were boiled; while it is boiling hot, thicken with flour; add a cup of yeast when the batter is cool. Set the jar in which it is made in a warm place, and it will be light in a few hours and ready to use.

Yeast-Cakes.—Pour a pint of boiling water over a teaspoonful of hops; let it stand ten or fifteen minutes, then strain the water into a saucepan; heat it boiling hot, stir in flour enough to make a stiff batter, and set it aside to cool. When lukewarm, put in a teacupful of good yeast, or a yeast-cake softened in water. Set in a warm place to rise. When light, add a tea-