In most households bread is the chief cereal food served, and is often called the "Staff of Life." It is most important that the bread should be well made, light and crusty, that it may be wholesome, nutritious and palatable.

When well made it is a food of which we do not tire. Soggy bread forms tough lumps which the digestive organs cannot work upon as they should, and when such bread is eaten daily it may do serious harm.

A good loaf of bread should be light, the cavities of uniform size and evenly distributed throughout the loaf. The loaf should be small, rather than large, that it may be thoroughly baked, the crust should be a golden brown, and either soft or crisp, but not tough.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR BREAD MAKING

The necessary ingredients for bread making are flour, liquid and yeast.

LIQUIDS USED

The liquids used may be water, rice water, potato water, whey milk or milk and water. Starchy water, such as potato or rice water, makes a more moist loaf. Milk changes the flavor of the loaf, makes it richer in food value and a more tender crumb and crust. Usually one cup of liquid is allowed for each loaf of bread the size of a brick loaf pan.

FLOUR

White flour is the most important in bread making, with rye flour second. When wheat is ground into a fine flour, it has the power of stretching and expanding, making it ideal for bread making. It holds the air and carbon dioxide, and hardens on baking, forming the framework of the loaf of bread.

Corn and oats lack this quality, and therefore they are combined with white flour for baking purposes. Rye flour may be used alone or with white flour in bread making.

Americans have formed the habit of eating almost exclusively bread made with white flour alone, not realizing that other breads, such as rye, rye meal, whole wheat, whole cornmeal and oatmeal, are very good to eat and richer in food value. Bread made with white flour alone does not contain the lime or other mineral salts necessary to build up bones and teeth for growing children. The coarser cereals also relieve constipation.

The present emergency demands that we use less wheat, and it is a good lesson for us to learn, as it is in the interest of health that we eat bread made with mixed cereals.

The quantify of flour used, together with the handling of the ingredients, has much to do with the quality of the bread. For a firm, fine-grained loaf of bread, 3 to 4 times as much flour as liquid is used. For a coarse grain, from 2½ to 3 times as much flour as liquid is used.

From ¼ to equal measures of other cereal flours may be added to the wheat flour. Mashed potatoes, boiled rice or left-over cereal mush may be used to good advantage in this way.

FLAVORS

Salt is used in bread making to give flavor, usually allowing ½ teaspoon salt to a cup of liquid, or for 1 loaf.

Sugar, syrup or molasses is added to give flavor and hasten the rising, allowing 1 or 2 tablespoons to each cup of liquid. Fat, such as butter, lard, oleomargarine, nut-margarine, suet, cottonseed oil, peanut oil, or corn oil, is added to the loaf to make the loaf richer and more tender, allowing 1 tablespoon to each cup of liquid.

YEAST

Compressed, dry or liquid yeast is used to make bread light. In any form there is a collection of yeast plants massed together in a way that they will keep for some time. The strength of yeast depends upon the care with which it is made and preserved. Liquid yeasts are apt to be full of bacteria Which will cause bread to sour. Every yeast cake contains millions of tiny yeast plants.

Air, warmth, moisture and a nitrogenous soil are necessary for their growth. All these conditions are provided when they are mixed with flour and liquid.

Heat will kill the yeast plants, while cold checks their growth, therefore in bread making the yeast mixture should never come in contact with anything hot until baking time, or be exposed to cold unless it is desirable to stop the rising for awhile. The amount of yeast used depends on the length of time desired for the process.

One yeast cake to a quart of liquid, or for 4 loaves of bread, is used if bread is started in the morning. One yeast cake to 2 quarts of liquid or 8 loaves of bread, is used if allowed to rise overnight.

Because of the high price of yeast, it may be a good plan to make liquid yeast when yeast mixtures are prepared regularly at home.

RECIPE FOR LIQUID YEAST

Four medium-sized potatoes, pared and boiled in 1 quart water. Mash the potatoes and add 2 teaspoons salt, 3 tablespoons sugar and the water in which the potatoes were boiled. Cool and add 1 dry yeast cake or 1 compressed yeast cake which has been mixed with ¼ cup lukewarm water. Pour into a stone or glass jar, cover and let stand in a warm place 3 hours or more. Each time mixture reaches top of jar, stir down; do this until it stops working. Cover and put in a cool place. Use ½ cup liquid yeast in place of 1 yeast cake. Continue to use until there is but ½ cup left, then prepare according to above recipe, using ½ cup in place of 1 yeast cake in starting the new batch.

GENERAL DIRECTIONS FOR BREAD MAKING

First: Scald the liquids, add the salt, sugar and fat; cool.

Second: Mix the yeast with ¼ cup lukewarm liquid, using yeast according to the time desired for the process. If dry yeast is used, mix it with a little lukewarm liquid and flour several hours before adding it to the sponge.

Third: Add the yeast mixture to the lukewarm liquid mixture.

Fourth: Sift the flour, allowing 3 to 4 cups for each loaf. Add 1 of the flour to the liquid mixture and beat thoroughly. Add more flour to make a dough, using a knife, until, when touched with the finger, the dough does not stick to the finger. A bread mixer is a time and labor saver. Turn dough onto a slightly floured board; knead by pushing the dough into the palms of the hands and drawing it forward with the fingers. Use as little flour as possible on board and hands while kneading. Continue until the dough is smooth and elastic to the touch. It takes from 15 to 20 minutes to knead with the hands and about 3 minutes in the bread mixer. Thorough kneading makes fine-grained bread.

Fifth: Put dough in a bowl, brush over with milk, cover closely, put in a warm (not hot) place and let rise to double its bulk. This may be overnight or in the daytime, depending on the quantity of yeast used.

Sixth: Knead again, shaping into loaves; divide dough into as many portions as there are cups of liquid in the mixture. Place in pans, brush over with skimmed milk or melted fat.

Seventh: Cover and let rise in a warm place to double their bulk.

Eighth: Bake loaves from 50 to 60 minutes in a moderately hot oven.

Ninth: Cool loaves on a rack or place them so the air can circulate freely around the loaf.

WHITE BREAD

1 cup scalded milk

1 cup boiling water

2 tablespoons fat

1 ½ teaspoons salt 1 tablespoon sugar or syrup

1 yeast cake mixed with ¼ cup lukewarm water 6 cups flour

Follow general directions.

To make potato bread, add 2 cups mashed potatoes to the liquids. Use only 1 cup liquid and less flour is needed.

ENTIRE WHEAT OR BRAN BREAD

1 cup boiling water 1 cup scalded milk 1/3 cup molasses

1 teaspoon salt 4 2/3 cups coarse entire wheat flour

2 2/3 cups flour ¼ yeast cake mixed with ¼ cup lukewarm water

Follow general directions.

RYE BREAD May be made as directed for entire wheat bread, using rye flour in place of the whole wheat flour.

RYE AND OATMEAL BREAD

2 cups hot liquid

1 cup oatmeal

2 tablespoons fat ¼ cup molasses

1 teaspoon salt ½ yeast cake mixed with ½ cup lukewarm liquid

2 cups white flour

3 cups rye flour or all rye

and cornmeal.

Pour the hot liquid over the oatmeal, add the fat, molasses and salt. Follow general directions.

OATMEAL BREAD

2 cups thick oatmeal mush

2 tablespoons corn syrup

2 teaspoons salt

1 or 2 tablespoons fat

Yeast mixed with ¼ cup

lukewarm water 4½ cups flour

Follow general directions.

RICE BREAD

2 cups boiled rice (½ cup

rice 1 tablespoon fat

2½ teaspoons salt 2 tablespoons syrup Yeast

3 cups Graham flour 5¾ cups white flour

Follow general directions.

BUCKWHEAT BREAD

1 cup milk

1 cup lukewarm water

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons fat

4 tablespoons corn syrup

Yeast

3 cups buckwheat flour

4 cups white flour

Follow general directions.

ROLLS AND HOW TO MAKE THEM

PARKERHOUSE ROLLS

1 cup boiling water 1 cup scalded milk 3 tablespoons sugar or syrup

1 teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons fat Flour

1 yeast cake mixed with ¼ cup lukewarm water

Follow directions for making bread. Mashed potato may be used, and less liquid and flour is required.

Shape the dough into biscuits, let rise again, then, with the handle of a case knife dipped in flour, crease through the middle of each biscuit, or roll with rolling pin to oblong shape. Brush \ of each with melted fat, fold and press together. Cover, let rise and bake in a hot oven 12 to 15 minutes.

CLOVER LEAF BISCUITS

Clover leaf biscuits may be made by shaping round biscuits; brush them with melted fat. Drop 3 of them into each well-greased muffin pan. Let rise and bake.

SWEET ROLLS

1 cup milk

1 cup mashed potato or

mashed squash 1 teaspoon salt

¼ cup sugar

Grated rind of 1 lemon 1 yeast cake mixed with ¼ cup lukewarm water

Flour to make a dough ¼ cup melted fat

Follow directions for making bread. Shape into rolls and bake. Raisins or dates may be added.

CINNAMON ROLLS

Roll the above dough mixture into a rectangular shape. Roll to ¼-inch

thickness, brush with melted fat and sprinkle with fruit, sugar and cinnamon.

Roll like jelly-roll; cut off pieces ¾-inch thick. Place pieces in a greased

tin and let rise to double their bulk and bake in a hot oven about 15 minutes or put them close together in a bread pan. Let rise to double their bulk; when baked, cover with syrup and cinnamon.

SYRUP

1 cup syrup

½ teaspoon cinnamon

1/3 cup boiling water

BREAD THAT REQUIRES NO KNEADING

In making bread that requires no kneading general rules for mixing given for kneaded bread should be followed, and the mixture beaten thoroughly instead of kneaded. It should be beaten the second time to distribute the gas bubbles evenly, and to make a fine-grained loaf. Well-greased pans should be half filled with the mixture.

The mixture should rise in the pan until double its bulk and no more, and then be baked in a hot oven at least 45 minutes or until brown on all sides, and until a hollow sound can be produced when the loaf is tapped with the finger.

When baked, loaves should be placed so that air can circulate freely around them until cooled. They should be put away unwrapped in a tin box or stone jar.

BRAN BREAD

2 cups boiling water or 1 cup scalded milk and 1 cup boiling water

2 tablespoons fat

¼ yeast cake mixed with 2 tablespoons water if mixed overnight, or 1 yeast cake mixed with ¼ cup lukewarm water, if mixed in the morning.

¼ cup sugar or 1/3 cup

molasses or syrup 1½ cups white flour 3½ cups bran 1 teaspoon salt

Follow directions for beaten bread.

HEALTH BREAD

2 cups warm (not hot) left-over cereal mush, such as oatmeal, cornmeal, barley or steamed rice

4 tablespoons syrup 1½ teaspoons salt 2 tablespoons fat 4 yeast cake mixed with ¼ cup lukewarm water

1 cup dates, stoned and cut in pieces (may be omitted)

Flour to make a dough stiff enough to knead

Follow directions for beaten bread.