Settler's homemade yeast, old method

1 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
HOP-RISING

Directions

Boil down two large handfulls of hops, in three quarts of water, till the hops begin to sink to the bottom of the vessel, which they do after an hour's fast boiling. Put about a quart of flour in an earthen pan, or any convenient vessel, not too shallow, and strain the liquor, boiling off the fire, into the flour, stirring the batter quickly as you do so. The flour will thicken up like paste; stir it as smoothly as you can, then let it stand till blood warm; mix in a tea cupful of the old stock of barm, and let the vessel stand covered up near the fire till it begins to show that fermentation has taken place. In summer you need only cover the jar or pan; it will rise in a few hours. But new barm is not so good as after it has worked for some days. A large earthen pitcher tied down from the ari, or a stone jar with a cover, is best for keeping the rising in. The vessel should be well cleaned before refilling. HOP-YEAST WITH POTATOES Pare and wash a dozen good sized potatoes, set them on with about a quart or three pints of water, with a heaped teaspoonful of salt; boil till they are soft enough to mix through the water like gruel. Pour into your rising-jar or pan, and mix in, as smoothly as you can, flour enough to make a thick batter; have your hops boiling, as in the former recipe, stir the strained liquor into your potato and flour batter, add a large spoonful of sugar, and mix all smoothly; when cooled down, add a couple of large spoonfuls of rising, to work it.

After it has worked, it is strained into a bottle, and set by for use. A larg cupful will raise about ten pounds of flour. Some persons give the preference to this potato barm, but either of the recipes is good for fermenting bread. SUGAR-YEAST Boil two handfuls of hops in a gallon of water for an hour; strain off and add two table spoons of salt. Mix in one pound of flour and two pounds of soft sugar; stir all together when milk warm; add two spoonfuls of good yeast; Let it rise for two days, then bottle and cork lightly, and put in a cool cellar. A large cupful will raise about ten pounds of flour, or more. LEAVEN-CAKES Boil three ounces of hops in three gallons of water, till reduced to a quart. While boiling hot, strain the liquor into one quart of rye-meal, stirring it well. Let it cool, add a cupful of good yeast. Whe it has begun to work well, stir in as much Indian meal as will thicken the mass to a stiff dough. Knead it upon a board well, roll it into cakes about an inch in thickness, and let them dry on a clean board in the sun, for two or three days.

Do not leave them out after suset. Two inches square of this yeast-cake dissolved in warm water, and thickened with a tablespoonful of flour, will raise one or two good sized loaves. If hung up inbags in a dry room, this leaven will keep good for many months. ALL AMERICAN-YEAST Boil very soft and mash four large potatoes, mash them very fine, pour over them one pint of boiling water, when only warm, stir in two large spoons of flour, two of molasses, a tea-spoonful of salt, and a cup of good yeast. This must be used fresh; the above will raise a baking of bread for a family.

Set in a sponge over night. Origin: The Canadian Settler's Guide, written in 1855 Shared by: Sharon Stevens Submitted By SHARON STEVENS On 01-12-95

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