CHAPTER XXX.

FRITZ SCHMIDT EXPLORES DURHAM CAVE.

It appeared to be nothing new for Fritz Schmidt to get into trouble; rather the contrary. One day in early Fall, after the first frost, he, in company with a number of boys, drove to Durham, not many miles distant from his home, in search of persimmons, the crop of which, on account of the severity of the preceding winter, old farmers had predicted would be exceedingly heavy.

Fritz did not tell the boys of his intention to explore a cave which he had been told was in the neighborhood, thinking it would be a good joke to explore the cave first, then tell the boys later of his adventure.

The old gentleman from whom Fritz gained his information relative to the cave aroused the boy's curiosity by saying, "Very many years ago, a skeleton was found in Durham cave and one of the bones, on examination, proved to be the thigh bone of a human being. How he came there, or the manner of his death, was never known." A large room in the cave is known as "Queen Esther's Drawing Room," where, tradition has it "Queen Esther," or Catharine Montour, which was her rightful name, at one time inhabited this cave with some of her Indian followers.

Fritz accidentally stumbled upon the mouth of the cave. None of the other boys being in sight, Fritz quickly descended into the cave, which was dark as night. By lighting a second match as quickly as one was burned, he explored quite a distance, when, accidentally dropping his box of matches, the burning match in his hand, at the same moment, flickered faintly, then went out, leaving Fritz in darkness. Imagine the feelings of the boy, as he groped unsuccessfully on the floor of the cavern for the lost match box. Finally, he gave up in despair. Fritz was not a cowardly boy, but while searching for the matches, he, without thinking, had turned around several times, lost his bearings and knew not in which direction to go to reach the opening of the cave. He heard strange noises which he imagined were bats flopping their wings. There appeared to be something uncanny about the place, and Fritz devoutly wished himself out in the sunshine, when a quotation he had frequently heard his father use came into his mind: "More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of." So Fritz knelt down and prayed as he had been taught to pray at his mother's knee, but more earnestly than he had ever prayed before in his life, that God would help him find his way out of the cave, believing that his prayer would be answered. And who shall say it was not answered? For, stumbling onward in the darkness, not knowing if he were coming toward the cave's entrance or going in the opposite direction, he eventually hailed with joy a faint streak of light which he followed, and it soon brought him to the mouth of the cave. He was surprised on joining his companions to find they had not been alarmed at his absence. He had been in the cave only thirty minutes, but to him it had seemed hours. Fritz says to this day he has a horror of Durham Cave or "The Devil's Hole," as it was formerly called.



CHAPTER XXXI.

MARY'S MARRIAGE.

His vacation ended, after a busy season at the farm, Ralph Jackson returned to his work in the city, strong and robust. He had acquired the coat of tan which Mary's Uncle had predicted. Physically strong as the "Cave Man" of old, he felt capable of moving mountains, and as was natural, he being only a human man, longed for the mate he felt God had intended should one day be his, as men have done since our first gardener, Adam, and will continue to do until the end of time.

When visiting the farm, an event which occurred about every two weeks, Ralph constantly importuned Mary to name an early day for their marriage.

Mary, with a young girl's impulsiveness, had given her heart unreservedly into the keeping of Ralph Jackson, her first sweetheart. Mary was not naturally cold or unresponsive, neither was she lacking in passion. She had had a healthy girlhood, and a wholesome home life. She had been taught the conventional ideals of the marriage relations that have kept the race strong throughout the centuries. Mary possessed great strength of character and fine moral courage. Frequently, not wishing to show her real feeling for the young man; too well poised to be carried off into the wrong channel, defended and excused by many over-sentimental and light-headed novelists of the day, she sometimes appeared almost indifferent to the impetuous youth with warm, red blood leaping in his veins, who desired so ardently to possess her.

Mary's Aunt had taught her the sanctity of parenthood, also that women are not always the weaker sex. There are times when they must show their superiority to "mere man" in being the stronger of the two, mentally if not physically, and Ralph Jackson knew when he called Mary "wife" she would endow him with all the wealth of her pure womanhood, sacredly kept for the clean-souled young man, whose devotion she finally rewarded by promising to marry him the second week in October.

Sibylla Linsabigler, a good but ignorant girl, accustomed to hearing her elder brothers speak slightingly regarding the sanctity of love and marriage, was greatly attached to Mary, whom she admired exceedingly, and looked up to almost as a superior being. She unconsciously imitated many of Mary's ways and mannerisms, and sought to adopt her higher ideals of life and standard of morals.

One Sunday, as Jake Crouthamel was spending the evening with Sibylla, as was his usual custom, he attempted some slight familiarity, which annoyed Sibylla greatly. Jake, noticing the young girl's displeasure at his action, remarked, "I think me Sibylla, you are stuck up yet" (a grave fault in the Bucks County farm hand's opinion).

"No, Chake," Sibylla replied, "I ain't, but Mary, she say a man gives a girl more respect what keeps herself to herself before she is married, and I lofe you Chake and want that you respect me if we marry."

Fritz and Elizabeth Schmidt, on hearing the news of Mary's approaching marriage, promptly begged the privilege of decorating the old farm house parlor for the expected ceremony. They scoured the surrounding woods and countryside for decorations; along old stone fences and among shrubbery by the roadside they gathered large branches of Bitter Sweet. Its racemes of orange-colored fruit, which later in the season becomes beautiful, when the orange gives place to a brilliant red, the outer covering of the berry turns back upon the stems, forming one of the prettiest pictures imaginable in late Autumn. They also gathered branches of feathery wild clematis, which, after the petals had fallen, resembled nothing so much as a cluster of apple seeds, each seed tipped with what appeared like a tiny osprey feather. From the woods near the farm they gathered quantities of trailing ground pine and rainbow-tinted leaves from the numerous brilliant scarlet and yellow maples, which appeared brighter in contrast to the sober-hued trees of shellbark, oak and chestnut.



The wedding gifts sent to Mary were odd, useful and numerous. The Campfire Girls, to whom she became endeared, gave her a "Kitchen Shower," consisting of a clothes basket (woven by an old basketmaker from the willows growing not far distant), filled to overflowing with everything imaginable that could possibly be useful to a young housekeeper, from the half dozen neatly-hemmed linen, blue ribbon tied, dish clothes, to really handsome embroidered articles from the girls to whom she had given instructions in embroidery during the past summer.

Sibylla's wedding present to Mary was the work of her own strong, willing hands, and was as odd and original as useful. 'Twas a "door mat" made from corn husks, braided into a rope, then sewed round and round and formed into an oval mat. Mary laughingly told Sibylla she thought when 'twas placed on her kitchen doorstep she'd ask every one to please step over it, as it was too pretty to be trod on, which greatly pleased the young girl, who had spent many hours of loving thought and labor on the simple, inexpensive gift.

Mary received from Professor Schmidt a small but excellent copy of one of the world's most famous pictures, "The Night Watch," painted by Rembrandt, in 1642.

"My dear," said the old Professor, "I saw what was said to be the original of this painting, the property of Queen Wilhelmina of Holland, at the St. Louis Exposition in 1904. It was in a small, separate building. The size of the picture was fifteen feet by twenty feet. It is the largest and best known of Rembrandt's works. It acquired the wrong title of 'Night Watch' in a period when, owing to the numerous coats of varnish and the effect of smoke and dust, it had gotten so dark in appearance that only the most lucid parts could be discerned. Nowadays, nobody doubts that the light falling from the left on the boisterous company is that of the sun. The musketeers are remarching out of the high archway of their hall, crossing the street in front of it, and going up a bridge. The architecture of the building is a product of Rembrandt's imagination. The steps, also, which we see the men descending, were put there simply to make those at the back show out above those in the front ranks. The march out was to be above all a portrait group. Sixteen persons had each paid their contributions, a hundred guilders on the average, to have their likenesses transmitted to posterity, and every one of them was therefore to be fully visible."

"It is certainly a wonderful picture," said Mary, "and while I have seen few pictures painted by old masters, I think, even with my limited knowledge of art, I cannot fail to appreciate this excellent copy, and I thank you heartily. Professor, and shall always be reminded of you when I look at this copy of a great work."

Mary would not go empty-handed to Ralph at her marriage. Her "hope chest" in the attic was full to overflowing, and quite unique in itself, as it consisted of an old, in fact ancient, wooden dough-tray used in times past by Aunt Sarah's grandmother. Beside it stood a sewing table, consisting of three discarded broom handles supporting a cheese-box cover, with wooden cheese-box underneath for holding Mary's sewing; stained brown and cretonne lined. Mary valued it as the result of the combined labor of herself and Ralph Jackson. A roll of new, home-made rag carpet, patchwork quilts and "New Colonial" rugs, jars of fruit, dried sweet corn, home-made soap, crocks of apple butter, jellies, jams and canned vegetables all bore evidence of Mary's busy Summer at the farm.

The day of Mary's marriage, the twelfth of October, dawned clear and bright, sunshine warm as a day in June. In the centre of the gayly-decorated old farm house parlor, wearing a simple, little, inexpensive dress of soft, creamy muslin, we find Mary standing beside Ralph, who is looking supremely satisfied and happy, although a trifle pale and nervous, listening to the solemn words of the minister. Ralph's "I will" sounded clearly and distinctly through the long room. Mary, with a sweet, serious, faraway look in her blue eyes, repeated slowly after the minister, "I promise to love, honor and"—then a long pause. She glanced shyly up at the young man by her side as if to make sure he was worth it, then in a low, clear tone, added, "obey."

Ralph Jackson certainly deserved the appellation "Cave Man" given him by Fritz Schmidt. He was considerably more than six feet in height, with broad, square shoulders, good features, a clear brain and a sound body. He had never used intoxicants of any description. He sometimes appeared quite boyish in his ways, for on account of his matured look and great size he was frequently judged to be older than he really was.

Aunt Sarah had provided a bounteous repast for the few friends assembled, and while looking after the comfort of her guests tears dimmed the kindly, gray eyes at the thought of parting from Mary.

Small Polly Schmidt, as flower girl at the wedding, was so excited she scarcely knew if she should laugh or cry, and finally compromised by giving Mary what she called a "bear hug," much to Mary's amusement. Fritz gravely said: "Allow me to congratulate you, Mr. Jackson," and turning to Mary, "I wish you a beautiful and happy life, Mrs. Jackson." Mary blushed becomingly on hearing her new name for the first time.

Bidding farewell to friends, Mary and Ralph, accompanied by her Uncle, were driven by "Chake" to the depot in a near-by town, where they boarded the train for the little, newly-furnished home in the suburbs of Philadelphia, the deed of which was Mary's wedding gift from her Uncle, in appreciation of her faithful service on the farm during the summer and for the brightness she had brought into his life and the lives of those with whom she had come in contact, as every one at the farm had felt the captivating charm and winning sweetness of the young girl.

As the train came in sight, the old gentleman, in a voice husky with emotion, bade the young couple, just starting the journey of life together, an affectionate farewell, and repeated solemnly, almost as a benediction, "Es Salamu Aleikum."



MARY'S COLLECTION OF RECIPES

SMALL ECONOMIES, "LEFT-OVERS" OR "IVERICH BLEIBST" AS AUNT SARAH CALLED THEM.

"The young housewife," said Aunt Sarah to Mary, in a little talk on small economies in the household, "should never throw away pieces of hard cheese. Grate them and keep in a cool, dry place until wanted, then spread lightly over the top of a dish of macaroni, before baking; or sprinkle over small pieces of dough remaining after baking pies, roll thin, cut in narrow strips like straws, and bake light brown in a hot oven, as 'Cheese Straws.'"

Wash and dry celery tips in oven, and when not wished for soup they may be used later for seasoning. The undesirable outer leaves of a head of lettuce, if fresh and green, may be used if cut fine with scissors, and a German salad dressing added. The heart of lettuce should, after washing carefully, be placed in a piece of damp cheese cloth and put on ice until wanted, then served at table "au natural," with olive oil and vinegar or mayonnaise dressing to suit individual taste. Should you have a large quantity of celery, trim and carefully wash the roots, cut them fine and add to soup as flavoring. Almost all vegetables may be, when well cooked, finely mashed, strained, and when added to stock, form a nourishing soup by the addition of previously-cooked rice or barley. Add small pieces of meat, well-washed bones cut from steaks or roasts, to the stock pot. Small pieces of ham or bacon (left-overs), also bacon or ham gravy not thickened with flour may be used occasionally, when making German salad dressing for dandelion, endive, lettuce or water cress, instead of frying fresh pieces of bacon.



It is a great convenience, also economical, to keep a good salad dressing on hand, and when the white of an egg is used, the yolk remaining may he added at once to the salad dressing (previously prepared). Mix thoroughly, cook a minute and stand away in a cool place. Young housekeepers will be surprised at the many vegetables, frequently left-overs, from which appetizing salads may be made by the addition of a couple tablespoonfuls of mayonnaise, besides nut meats, lettuce, watercress, celery and fruit, all of which may be used to advantage. A good potato salad is one of the cheapest and most easily prepared salads. A German dressing for dandelions, lettuce or potatoes may be prepared in a few minutes by adding a couple of tablespoonfuls of salad dressing (which the forehanded housewife will always keep on hand) to a little hot ham or bacon gravy. Stirring it while hot over the salad and serving at once.

A cup of mashed potatoes, left over from dinner, covered and set aside in a cool place, may be used the next day, with either milk or potato water, to set a sponge for "Dutch Cake," or cinnamon buns with equally good results as if they had been freshly boiled (if the potatoes be heated luke-warm and mashed through a sieve); besides the various other ways in which cold boiled potatoes may be used.

Fruit juices or a couple tablespoonfuls of tart jelly or preserved fruit may be added to mincemeat with advantage. Housewives should make an effort to give their family good, plain, nourishing, wholesome food. The health of the family depends so largely on the quality of food consumed. When not having time, strength or inclination to bake cake, pies or puddings, have instead good, sweet, home-made bread and fruit; if nothing else, serve stewed fruit or apple sauce. Omit meat occasionally from the bill of fare and serve instead a dish of macaroni and cheese and fruit instead of other dessert. Serve a large, rich, creamy rice pudding for the children's lunch. When eggs are cheap and plentiful make simple custards, old-fashioned cornmeal puddings, tapioca, bread puddings and gelatine with fruits. These are all good, wholesome, and not expensive, and in Summer may be prepared in the cool of the early morning with small outlay of time, labor or money. Plan your housework well the day before and have everything in readiness. The pudding may be placed in the oven and baked white preparing breakfast, economizing coal and the time required for other household duties.

Every wife and mother who does her own housework and cooking these days (and their number is legion) knows the satisfaction one experiences, especially in hot weather, in having dinner and luncheon planned and partly prepared early in the morning before leaving the kitchen to perform other household tasks.

Another small economy of Aunt Sarah's was the utilizing of cold mashed potatoes in an appetizing manner. The mashed potatoes remaining from a former meal were put through a small fruit press or ricer to make them light and flaky. To one heaped cup of mashed potatoes (measured before pressing them through fruit press) she added 3/4 cup of soft, stale bread crumbs, 1/4 cup of flour sifted with 1/4 teaspoonful of baking powder. Mix in lightly with a fork yolk of one egg, then the stiffly beaten white, seasoned with salt and a little minced onion or parsley, or both. With well-floured hands she molded the mixture into balls the size of a shelled walnut, dropped into rapidly boiling water and cooked them uncovered from 15 to 20 minutes, then skimmed them from the water and browned in a pan with a little butter and served on platter with meat, a pot roast or beef preferred. From the above quantity of potatoes was made five potato balls.

THE MANY USES OF STALE BREAD

Never waste stale bread, as it may be used to advantage in many ways. The young housewife will be surprised at the many good, wholesome and appetizing dishes which may be made from stale bread, with the addition of eggs and milk.

Take a half dozen slices of stale bread of equal size and place in a hot oven a few minutes to become crisped on the outside so they may be quickly toasted over a hot fire, a delicate brown. Butter them and for breakfast serve with a poached egg on each slice.

A plate of hot, crisp, nicely-browned and buttered toast is always a welcome addition to the breakfast table.

Serve creamed asparagus tips on slices of toast for luncheon.

The economical housewife carefully inspects the contents of her bread box and refrigerator every morning before planning her meals for the day, and is particular to use scraps of bread and left-over meat and vegetables as quickly as possible. Especially is this necessary in hot weather. Never use any food unless perfectly sweet and fresh. If otherwise, it is unfit for use.

Loaves of bread which have become stale can be freshened if wrapped in a damp cloth for a few minutes, then remove and place in a hot oven until heated through.

For a change, toast slices of stale bread quite crisp and serve a plate of hot, plain toast at table, to be eaten broken in small pieces in individual bowls of cold milk. Still another way is to put the stiffly-beaten white of an egg on the centre of a hot, buttered slice of toast, carefully drop the yolk in the centre of the beaten white and place in hot oven a few minutes to cook. Serve with a bit of butter on top, season with pepper and salt. Serve at once.

Another way to use stale bread is to toast slices of bread, spread with butter, pour over 1 cup of hot milk, in which has been beaten 1 egg and a pinch of salt. Serve in a deep dish. Or a cup of hot milk may be poured over crisply-toasted slices of buttered bread, without the addition of an egg.

"BROD GRUMMELLA"

In a bowl containing 1 cup of soft bread crumbs pour 1 cup of sweet milk, then add the slightly-beaten yolks of three eggs, a little pepper and salt, then the stiffly-beaten whites of the three eggs. Place in a fry-pan a tablespoonful of butter and 1 of lard or drippings; when quite hot pour the omelette carefully in the pan. When it begins to "set" loosen around the edges and from the bottom with a knife. When cooked turn one side over on the other half, loosen entirely from the pan, then slide carefully on a hot platter and serve at once. Garnish with parsley.

CROUTONS AND CRUMBS

Still another way is to make croutons. Cut stale bread into small pieces, size of dice, brown in hot oven and serve with soup instead of serving crackers. Small pieces of bread that cannot be used otherwise should be spread over a large pan, placed in a moderate oven and dried until crisp. They may then be easily rolled fine with a rolling-pin or run through the food chopper and then sifted, put in a jar, stood in a dry place until wanted, but not in an air-tight jar. Tie a piece of cheese-cloth over the top of jar. These crumbs may be used for crumbing eggplant, oysters, veal cutlets or croquettes. All should be dipped in beaten white of eggs and then in the crumbs, seasoned with salt and pepper, then floated in a pan of hot fat composed of 2/3 lard and 1/3 suet. All except veal cutlets. They should be crumbed, not floated in deep fat, but fried slowly in a couple tablespoonfuls of butter and lard.

Also fry fish in a pan of hot fat. Shad is particularly fine, prepared in this manner (when not baked). Cut in small pieces, which when breaded are floated in hot fat. If the fat is the right temperature when the fish is put in, it absorbs less fat than when fried in a small quantity of lard and butter.

"ZWEIBACH"

Cut wheat bread in slices not too thin. Place in a warm, not hot, oven, and allow it to remain until thoroughly dry and crisp. Place in a toaster or a wire broiler over a hot fire and toast a golden brown and allow it to remain in the oven until toasted. Keep in cool place until used. Zweibach is considered more wholesome than fresh bread.

"GERMAN" EGG BREAD

Cut stale bread into slices about 3/4 inch thick. Cut slices in half, and soak for a few minutes, turning frequently, in the following mixtures: 1 pint of sweet milk, 3 eggs, 1 teaspoonful flour mixed smooth with a little of the cold milk and a pinch of salt. Fry half dozen slices of thinly-sliced bacon in a pan. Put bacon, when fried, in oven to keep hot. Dip the slices of soaked bread in fine, dried bread crumbs and fry quickly in the bacon fat (to which has been added one tablespoon of butter) to a golden brown. Serve at once on the same platter with the bacon, or instead of using bacon fat, fry the crumbed bread in sweet drippings, or a tablespoonful each of lard and butter. This is an appetizing and wholesome breakfast or luncheon dish, served with a tart jelly, either currant or grape.

CREAMED TOAST

Partly fill a large tureen with slices of crisply-browned and buttered toast. (Slices of bread which have become dry and hard may be used for this dish.) When ready to serve, not before, pour over the toasted slices 1 quart of hot milk to which 1 teaspoonful of flour or cornstarch has been added, after being mixed smoothly with a little cold milk or water and cooked a few minutes until thick as cream. Add also a pinch of salt.

If milk is not plentiful, prepare one pint of milk and dip each slice of toasted bread quickly in a bowl of hot water; place in a deep dish and quickly pour over the hot milk, to which a tablespoonful of butter has been added, and serve at once.

BREAD AND ROLLS

Bread, called the "Staff of Life," on account of its nutritive value, should head the list of foods for human consumption. Bread making should stand first in the "Science of Cooking," as there is no one food upon which the comfort, health and well-being of the average family so largely depends as upon good bread. There is absolutely no reason why the housewife of the present day should not have good, sweet, wholesome, home-made bread, if good yeast, good flour and common-sense are used. The milk or water used to mix with flour for making bread sponge should be lukewarm. If too hot, the loaves will be full of holes and coarse grained. If too cold the bread, chilled, will not rise as it should have done had the liquid used been the right temperature. Good bread may be made by using milk, potato water or whey (drained from thick sour milk), and good bread may be made by simply using lukewarm water. I prefer a mixture of milk and water to set sponge. Milk makes a fine-grained, white bread, but it soon dries out and becomes stale. Bread rises more slowly when milk is used. When mashed potatoes are used, the bread keeps moist a longer time. Should you wish extra fine, white, delicate bread, add one cup of sweet cream to the liquid when setting sponge. When milk is used the dough is slower in rising, but makes a creamy-looking and fine-flavored bread. When one Fleischman yeast cake is used in any recipe the ordinary half-ounce cake of compressed yeast is intended, twenty-eight cakes in a pound. These are usually kept in a large refrigerator in a temperature of 44 degrees and should not be kept longer in the home than three days in Summer or six days in Winter, and should always be kept in a cool place until used, if the cook would have success when using.

Use the best hard, Spring wheat flour obtainable for baking bread, or any sponge raised with yeast, as this flour contains a greater quantity of gluten and makes bread of high nutritive value.

Winter wheat maybe used for cake-making and for baking pastry with excellent results, although costing less than Spring wheat.

Always sift flour before using, when setting sponge for bread. When mixing sponge use one quart liquid to about three pounds of flour. "Aunt Sarah" always cut several gashes with a sharp knife on top of loaves when ready to be placed in oven. She also made several cuts across the top of loaves with a hot knife when set to rise to allow gas to escape. If an impression made on a loaf of bread with the finger remains, the bread is light. If the dent disappears, then the loaf is not light enough to be placed in the oven; give it more time to rise. An experienced cook, noted for the excellence and size of her loaves of bread, said she always inverted a pail over the pan containing loaves of bread when set to rise, and allowed the bread to remain covered after being placed in the oven. Loaves will rise to a greater height if this is done. Remove the covering to allow loaves to brown a short time before taking them from the oven. "Aunt Sarah" frequently placed four loaves in her large roasting pan, covered the pan, when set to rise, and allowed the cover to remain until loaves were nearly baked. She brushed the top and sides of loaves with melted butter when set to rise to allow of their being broken apart easily. A more crusty loaf is secured by placing each loaf singly in medium-sized bread tins.

Aunt Sarah considered Fleischman's compressed yeast the best commercial yeast in use, both quick and reliable, but thought better bread was never made than that made by her mother, as she had been taught to make it in years past, by the old-fashioned and slower "sponge method." She was invariably successful in making sweet, wholesome bread in that manner. She used home-made potato yeast or "cornmeal yeast cakes," under different names, always with good results.

Good bread may be made either by the old-fashioned "sponge" method or "straight." Sponge method consists of a batter mixed from liquid yeast (usually home-made potato yeast is used) and a small part of the flour required for making the bread. This batter was usually set to rise at night and mixed up in the centre of a quantity of flour, in an old-fashioned wooden dough tray. The following morning enough flour was kneaded in to form a dough, and when well-raised and light, this dough was formed into loaves and placed in pans for the final rising. The more easily and more quickly made "straight" dough, when using Fleischman's compressed yeast, is mixed in the morning and all the ingredients necessary are added at one time. It is then set to rise and, when the dough has doubled in bulk, it is kneaded down and when risen to once and half its size, shaped into loaves, placed in pans to rise and, when risen to top of pans, bake.

Better bread may be made from flour not freshly milled. Flour should be kept in a dry place; it improves with moderate age. Stand flour in a warm place to dry out several hours before using if you would have good bread.

When baking bread the heat of the oven should not be too great at first, or the outside of the bread will harden too quickly and inside the loaves will not be thoroughly baked before the crust is thick and dark. The temperature of the oven and time required for baking depend upon the size of the loaves, yet the bread should be placed in rather a quick oven, one in which the loaves should brown in about fifteen minutes, when the heat may be reduced, finishing the baking more slowly.

Small biscuits and rolls can stand a much hotter oven and quicker baking than large loaves, which must be heated slowly, and baked a longer time. A one-pound loaf should bake about one hour. On being taken from the oven, bread should be placed on a sieve, so that the air can circulate about it until it is thoroughly cooled. In the Farmers' Bulletin, we read: "The lightness and sweetness depend as much on the way bread is made as on the materials used." The greatest care should be used in preparing and baking the dough and in cooking and keeping the finished bread. Though good housekeepers agree that light, well-raised bread can readily be made, with reasonable care and attention, heavy, badly-raised bread is unfortunately very common. Such bread is not palatable and is generally considered to be unwholesome, and probably more indigestion has been caused by it than by any other badly-cooked food. As compared with most meats and vegetables, bread has practically no waste and is very completely digested, but it is usually too poor in proteins to be fittingly used as the sole article of diet, but when eaten with due quantities of other food, it is invaluable and well deserves its title of "Staff of Life."

When the housewife "sets" bread sponge to rise over night, she should mix the sponge or dough quite late, and early in the morning mold it at once into shapely-looking loaves (should the sponge have had the necessary amount of flour added the night before for making a stiff dough).

Being aware of the great nutritive value of raisins and dried currants, Aunt Sarah frequently added a cup of either one or the other, well-floured, to the dough when shaping into loaves for the final rising.

Aunt Sarah frequently used a mixture of butter and lard when baking on account of its being more economical, and for the reason that a lesser quantity of lard may be used; the shortening qualities being greater than that of butter. The taste of lard was never detected in her bread or cakes, they being noted for their excellence, as the lard she used was home-rendered, almost as sweet as dairy butter, free from taste or odor of pork. She always beat lard to a cream when using it for baking cakes, and salted it well before using, and I do not think the small quantity used could be objected to on hygienic principles.

I have read "bread baking" is done once every three or four weeks, no oftener, in some of the farm houses of Central Europe, and yet stale bread is there unknown. Their method of keeping bread fresh is to sprinkle flour into a large sack and into this pack the loaves, taking care to have the top crusts of bread touch each other. If they have to lie bottom to bottom, sprinkle flour between them. Swing the sack in a dry place. It must swing and there must be plenty of flour between the loaves. It sounds more odd than reasonable, I confess.

"BUCKS COUNTY" HEARTH-BAKED RYE BREAD (AS MADE BY AUNT SARAH)

1 quart sweet milk (scalded and cooled). 1 tablespoonful lard or butter. 2 table spoonsful sugar. 1/2 tablespoonful salt. 1 cup wheat flour. 3 quarts rye flour (this includes the one cup of wheat flour). 1 Fleischman yeast cake or 1 cup of potato yeast.



Pour 1 quart of luke-warm milk in a bowl holding 7 quarts. Add butter, sugar and salt, 1-1/2 quarts rye flour and 1 cup of yeast, or one Fleischman's yeast cake, dissolved in a little lukewarm water. Beat thoroughly, cover with cloth, and set in a warm place to rise about three hours, or until it almost reaches the top of bowl. When light, stir in the remaining 1-1/2 quarts of rye flour, in which one cup of wheat is included; turn out on a well-floured bake board and knead about twenty minutes. Shape dough into one high, round loaf, sprinkle flour liberally over top and sides of loaf, and place carefully into the clean bowl on top of a well-floured cloth. Cover and set to rise about one hour, when it should be light and risen to top of bowl. Turn the bowl containing the loaf carefully upside down on the centre of a hot sheet iron taken from the hot oven and placed on top of range. A tablespoonful of flour should have been sifted over the sheet iron before turning the loaf out on it. Remove cloth from dough carefully after it has been turned from bowl and place the sheet iron containing loaf immediately in the hot oven, as it will then rise at once and not spread. Bake at least sixty minutes. Bread is seldom baked long enough to be wholesome, especially graham and rye bread. When baked and still hot, brush the top of loaf with butter and wash the bottom of loaf well with a cloth wrung out of cold water, to soften the lower, hard-baked crust. Wrap in a damp cloth and stand aside to cool where the air will circulate around it. Always set rye bread to rise early in the morning of the same day it is to be baked, as rye sponge sours more quickly than wheat sponge. The bread baked from this recipe has the taste of bread which, in olden times, was baked in the brick ovens of our grandmother's day, and that bread was unexcelled. I know of what I am speaking, having watched my grandmother bake bread in an old-fashioned brick oven, and have eaten hearth-baked rye bread, baked directly on the bottom of the oven, and know, if this recipe be closely followed, the young housewife will have sweet, wholesome bread. Some Germans use Kumel or Caraway seed in rye bread.

Aunt Sarah's loaves of rye bread, baked from the above recipe, were invariably 3-1/2 inches high, 14-1/2 inches in diameter and 46 inches in circumference and always won a blue ribbon at Country Fairs and Farmers' Picnics.

In the oven of Aunt Sarah's range was always to be found a piece of sheet iron 17 inches in length by 16 inches in width. The three edges of the sheet iron turned down all around to a depth of half an inch, the two opposite corners being cut off about a half inch, to allow of its being turned down. It is a great convenience for young housewives to possess two of these sheet-iron tins, or "baking sheets," when baking small cakes or cookies, as being raised slightly from the bottom of the oven, cakes are less liable to scorch and bake more evenly. One sheet may be filled while baking another sheetful of cakes. In this manner a large number of cakes may be baked in a short time. This baking sheet was turned the opposite way, upside down, when baking a loaf of rye bread on it, and when the loaf of bread was partly baked the extra baking sheet was slipped under the bottom of the one containing the loaf, in case the oven was quite hot, to prevent the bottom of the bread scorching. Wheat bread may be baked in the same manner as rye bread, substituting wheat flour for rye. These baking sheets may be made by any tinsmith, and young housewives, I know, would not part with them, once they realize how invaluable they are for baking small cakes on them easily and quickly.

"FRAU SCHMIDTS" GOOD WHITE BREAD (SPONGE METHOD)

To one quart of potato water, drained from potatoes which were boiled for mid-day dinner, she added about 1/2 cup of finely-mashed hot potatoes and stood aside. About four o'clock in the afternoon she placed one pint of lukewarm potato water and mashed potatoes in a bowl with 1/4 cup of granulated sugar and 1/2 a dissolved Fleischman's yeast cake, beat all well together, covered with a cloth and stood in a warm place until light and foamy. About nine o'clock in the evening she added the reserved pint of (lukewarm) potato water and 1/2 tablespoonful of salt to the yeast sponge, with enough warmed, well-dried flour to stiffen, and kneaded it until dough was fine-grained. She also cut through the dough frequently with a sharp knife. When the dough was elastic and would not adhere to molding-board or hands, she placed it in a bowl, brushed melted lard or butter over top to prevent a crust forming, covered warmly with a cloth and allowed it to stand until morning. Frau Schmidt always rose particularly early on bake day, for fear the sponge might fall or become sour, if allowed to stand too long. She molded the dough into four small loaves, placed it in pans to rise until it doubled its original bulk. When light she baked it one hour. Bread made according to these directions was fine-grained, sweet and wholesome. She always cut several gashes across top of loaf with a sharp knife when loaves were set to rise, to allow gas to escape.

EXCELLENT "GRAHAM BREAD"

At 6.30 A.M. place in a quart measure 1/2 cup of sweet cream and 3-1/2 cups of milk, after being scalded (1 quart all together). When lukewarm, add 1 Fleischman yeast cake, dissolved in a little of the luke warm milk, 3 tablespoonfuls sugar and 1 tablespoonful salt. Add 3 cups each of white bread flour and 3 cups of graham flour (in all 6 cups or 1-1/2 quarts of flour). Mix well together and stand in a warm place, closely covered, a couple of hours, until well-risen. Then stir sponge down and add about 2-1/2 cups each of graham and of white flour. (Sponge for graham bread should not be quite as stiff as a sponge prepared from white flour.) Set to rise again for an hour, or longer; when light, stir down sponge and turn on to a well-floured board. Knead well, divide into four portions, mold into four small, shapely loaves, brush with soft butter, place in well-greased pans, set to rise, and in about one hour they should be ready to put in a moderately-hot oven. Bake about fifty minutes. Graham bread should be particularly well-baked. Brush loaves, when baked, with butter, which makes a crisp crust with a nutty flavor.

Should cream not be available, one quart of scalded milk, containing one tablespoonful of butter, may be used with good results. If cream be used with the milk, no shortening is required in the bread. Bread is considered more wholesome when no shortening is used in its preparation.

GRAHAM BREAD (AN OLD RECIPE)

2 cups sour milk 2 cups sweet milk or water. 1 teaspoon soda (Salaratus) Graham flour. 1/2 cup molasses. 1 tablespoonful melted butter. Pinch of salt.

Stiffen about as thick as ordinary molasses cake. Bake at once.

"MARY'S" RECIPE FOR WHEAT BREAD

1 cup sweet milk (scalded). 1 cup cold water. 1 cake Fleischman's yeast (dissolved in a small quantity of luke-warm water). 1-1/2 teaspoonfuls sugar. 1 rounded teaspoonful salt. 1 tablespoonful butter. Flour, about 1-1/2 quarts.

This makes good bread and, as bread is apt to chill if set over night in a cold kitchen, or sour if allowed to stand over night in summer, set this sponge early in the morning. Stiffen with flour and knead about 25 minutes; place the dough in a covered bowl in a warm place to rise about two hours and when well-risen and light, knead and stand one hour. Then mold into shapely loaves, place in pans, brush tops of loaves with melted butter, and when doubled in bulk, in about 45 minutes put in an oven which is so hot you can hold your hand in only while you count thirty, or if a little flour browns in the oven in about six minutes, it is hot enough for bread. The oven should be hot enough to brown the bread slightly five minutes after being put in. Medium-sized loaves of bread require from 3/4 of an hour to one hour to bake. When bread is sufficiently baked it can be told by turning the loaf over and rapping with the knuckles on the bottom of the loaf. If it sounds hollow, it is thoroughly baked, and should be taken from the oven. Stand loaves up on end against some object, where the air can circulate around them, and brush a little butter over the top to soften the crust. An authority on the chemistry of foods cautious housewives against cooling loaves of bread too rapidly after taking from the oven, and I should like to add a word of caution against eating fresh breads of any kind. Bread should be baked at least twelve hours before being eaten. The sponge for this bread was set at 6 o'clock in the morning; bread was baked at 10.30.

From 1 pint of liquid, 1 cake of yeast and about 1-1/2 quarts of flour were made two loaves of bread. More yeast is required to raise a sponge containing sugar, eggs and shortening than is required to raise bread sponge containing only liquid, flour and yeast.

"FRAU SCHMIDTS" EASILY-MADE GRAHAM BREAD

Should you care to have a couple of loaves of graham bread instead of all-wheat, take a generous cup of the above sponge before it is stiffened beyond a thick batter, and add one tablespoonful of brown sugar or molasses, stiffen with graham flour (not quite as stiff as when making wheat bread), rub butter or lard on top of dough, cover and set in a warm place to rise. When light, mold into one small loaf (never make graham bread into large loaves), place in oblong pan, cover, let stand until light, about 1-1/2 hours, when it should have doubled in size; put in oven and bake thoroughly. When the loaf is taken from the oven, brush butter over the top. This keeps the crust moist.

If a wholesome loaf of "Corn Bread" is wished, use fine, yellow, granulated cornmeal to stiffen the sponge instead of graham flour; do not make dough too stiff.

WHOLE-WHEAT BREAD

1 pint boiling water. 1 pint sweet milk. 1/2 Fleischman's yeast cake dissolved in luke-warm water. 1/2 tablespoon salt. Flour.

When the milk and water are lukewarm add the yeast cake and salt. Then add enough whole wheat flour to make a thin batter. Let stand in a warm place three or four hours. Then stir in as much wheat flour (whole wheat) as can be stirred in well with a large spoon, and pour into well-greased pans. Let rise to double its bulk; then bake from three-fourths to one hour, according to the size of the loaves. This quantity makes three loaves.

NUT BREAD

3 cups graham flour. 1 cup wheat flour. 4 teaspoons baking powder. 1 cup chopped English walnuts. 1 cup sugar. 1 small teaspoon "Mapleine" flavoring (if liked). 1/2 cup milk. Pinch salt. 1/2 cup floured raisins (seeded).

Put in a good-sized bread pan and bake on hour in a moderate oven. Strange as it may seem, this bread is lighter and better if allowed to stand a half hour before being placed in the oven to bake.

FRAU SCHMIDTS "QUICK BREAD"

The Professor's wife seldom used any liquid except water to set a sponge for bread. She seldom used any shortening. She taught Mary to make bread by the following process, which she considered superior to any other. From the directions given, housewives may think more time devoted to the making of a couple of loaves of bread than necessary; also, that too great a quantity of yeast was used; but the bread made by "Frau Schmidt" was excellent, quickly raised and baked.

The whole process consumed only about four hours' time, and how could time be more profitably spent than in baking sweet, crusty loaves of bread, even in these strenuous days when the efficient housekeeper plans to conserve strength, time and labor?

First, two Fleischman's compressed yeast cakes were placed in a bowl and dissolved with 4 tablespoonfuls of luke-warm water; she then added 1 cup of lukewarm water, 1/2 tablespoonful of sugar and 1/2 teaspoonful of salt and stirred all well together. The bowl containing this yeast foam was allowed to stand in a warm place, closely covered, one hour.

At the end of that time the yeast mixture should be light and foamy. It was then poured into the centre of a bowl containing about 4-1/2 cups of warmed flour, mixing the foamy yeast with a portion of the flour to make a soft sponge, leaving a wall of flour around the inside edge of bowl, as our grandmothers used to do in olden times when they mixed a sponge for bread of liquid flour and yeast, in one end of the old-fashioned wooden "dough tray," using a wooden stick or small paddle for stirring together the mixture.

The bowl containing the sponge was placed in a warm place to rise. In about 15 or 20 minutes 1/2 cup of lukewarm water was added to the sponge, stirring in all the outside wall of flour until a dough, the proper consistency for bread, was formed. The dough was turned out on the molding board and given a couple of quick, deft turns with the hands for several minutes, then placed in the bowl and again set to rise in a warm place, free from draughts, for 25 or 30 minutes. When light, with hands slightly greased with butter, she kneaded the dough a short time, until smooth and elastic, divided the dough into two portions, placed each loaf in warmed, well-greased bread pans and stood in a warm place about 1/4 hour. Then turned the contents of bread pans onto bake-board, one at a time. Cut each loaf into three portions, rolled each piece into long, narrow strips with the palms of the hands. Pinched ends of the three strips together and braided or plaited them into a braid almost the length of bread pan. Placed each braided loaf in a bread pan and set to raise as before. When well-raised, brush the top of loaves with melted butter. Bake about three-quarters of an hour in a moderately-hot oven. An old-fashioned way of testing the heat of the oven was to hold the hand in the oven while counting thirty. Should one be unable to bear the heat of oven a longer time, then the temperature was correct for baking bread. Should one be able to allow the hand to remain in the oven a longer time, the heat of the oven should be increased.

As a result of carefully following these minute directions, even an inexperienced housewife should have sweet, wholesome bread.

Frau Schmidt insisted that rolling portions of dough separately before combining in a loaf, as for braided loaves, caused the bread to have a finer texture than if just shaped into round loaves.

AN "OATMEAL LOAF"

For a loaf of oatmeal bread, place 1 cup of crushed oats, or common oatmeal, in a bowl, pour over 1/2 cup of hot milk. When luke warm, add 1 cup of sponge, or batter, reserved from that raised over night for making loaves of white bread; 1 teaspoonful butter, 1 teaspoonful sugar and 1/2 teaspoonful salt, and about 2 scant cups of white flour. Knead a few minutes, set to rise in a warm place, closely covered, about one hour or until doubled in bulk. Then knead down and form into a shapely loaf, place in a pan, brush melted butter over lop (this improves crust), and when raised, doubled in bulk (in about one hour), place in a moderately hot oven and bake from 40 to 45 minutes. Raisins may be added to this loaf, if liked. Mary preferred this oatmeal loaf to graham bread.

The sponge or batter from which this oatmeal-loaf was made had been prepared in the following manner:

To 1-1/2 cups of luke-warm potato water was added 1 teaspoonful of sugar, 1 cake of yeast; when dissolved, add 1-1/2 cups of white bread flour. Beat all together well, stand closely-covered in a warm place until the following morning. From one cup of this sponge was made one oatmeal loaf, and to the other cup of sponge white flour was added for a loaf of white bread or rolls.

AUNT SARAH'S WHITE BREAD (SPONGE METHOD)

Prepare the following "Yeast Sponge" at noon, the day preceding that on which you bake bread: Place in a bowl (after the mid-day meal) 1 quart of potato water (containing no salt), in which potatoes were boiled; also two medium-sized, finely-mashed potatoes, 1 tablespoonful of sugar and, when luke warm, add 1 cup of good home-made or baker's yeast. Mix all well together; then divide this mixture and pour each half into each of two 1-quart glass fruit jars. Place covers tightly on jars and shake each jar well, to mix yeast and potato-water thoroughly. Stand yeast in a warm place near the kitchen range over night. Jars should be covered only with a napkin. The sponge should become light and foamy. In the morning use this freshly-prepared yeast to set sponge for bread.

When preparing to set bread, place in a large bowl 1 pint of potato water, 1 tablespoonful of sugar, 1 pint of the yeast sponge, 1/2 teaspoonful of salt, and use about 3 pounds of sifted flour, well-dried and warmed. Knead from 15 to 20 minutes, until a stiff dough is formed. The dough should be fine-grained and elastic and not stick to bake board. Place dough in the bowl to rise; this should lake about four hours. When well-risen and light knead down and set to rise again, about 1-1/2 hours. When light, mold into three large, shapely loaves; place in pans and allow to stand one hour. When loaves have doubled in bulk, are very light and show signs of cracking, invert a pan over top of loaves (if that was not done when loaves were put in pans), and place in a rather hot oven to bake. Brush melted butter over loaves of bread when set to rise, it will cause bread to have a crisp crust when baked. The old-fashioned way of testing the heat of an oven was to hold the hand in the oven, if possible, while one counted thirty.

The pint of yeast remaining in jar may be kept in a cool place one week, and may be used during this time in making fresh "yeast foam." This should always be prepared the day before baking bread. Always prepare double the quantity of "yeast foam." Use half to set bread, and reserve half for next baking. Bread baked from this recipe has frequently taken first prize at County Fairs and Farmers' Picnics.

When baking bread, the oven should be quite hot when bread is first placed therein, when the bread should rise about an inch; then the heat of the oven should he lessened and in a half hour a brown crust should begin forming; and during the latter part of the hour (the time required for baking an ordinary-sized loaf) the heat of the oven should be less, causing the bread to bake slowly. Should the heat of the oven not be great enough, when the loaves are placed within for baking, then poor bread would be the result. This method of making bread will insure most satisfactory results, although more troublesome than ordinary methods.

RECIPE FOR "PULLED BREAD"

Take a Vienna loaf of bread, twelve-hours old, cut away all the crust with a clean-cut knife, then break away gently (with your fingers only) small finger-lengths of the bread, place in a moderate oven and brown a golden brown, and it is ready to serve. 'Tis said six loaves will be required for one pound of this pulled bread. 'Tis easily prepared in the home, but quite costly, when purchased. Many people prefer "pulled bread" to fresh bread, as it is more wholesome.

AUNT SARAH'S "HUTZEL BROD"

2 pounds dried pears. 2 pounds dried prunes. 2 quarts juice of fruit and water. 1 pound dried currants. 1 pound seeded raisins. 1 pound blanched and shredded almonds. 1 pound chopped English walnut meats. 1-1/2 ounces finely-shredded citron. 1-1/2 ounces orange peel. 1/2 ounce chopped figs. 1 ounce ground cinnamon. 1/4 ounce ground cloves. 2-1/2 ounces anise seed. 6 pounds flour (warmed and sifted). 2 cakes compressed yeast. 1-1/2 cups sugar. 1 large tablespoon butter. 1 tablespoon salt. 4 tablespoons brandy or sherry.

The whole recipe will make 12 loaves of bread.

This delicious German bread was usually made by "Aunt Sarah" one week before Christmas. It may be kept two weeks, and at the end of that time still be good. It is rather expensive as regards fruit and nuts, but as no eggs are used, and a very small quantity of butter; and as bread containing fruit is so much more wholesome than rich fruit cake. I think American housewives would do well to bake this German bread occasionally. Mary took one-fourth the quantity of everything called for in the recipe, except yeast. She used 3/4 of a cake of Fleischman's yeast and 1/4 of each of the other ingredients, and from these baked three loaves of bread. The prunes and pears should be covered with cold water at night and allowed to stand until the following morning, when, after stewing until tender, the juice should be drained from the fruit and water added to the fruit-juice to measure two quarts. Remove pits from prunes, cut pears and prunes in small pieces; stand aside. Clean currants and raisins, blanch and shred almonds, chop walnut meats, citron, orange peel and figs; add cinnamon, cloves and anise seed. Mix together flour and one quart of the fruit juice; add the compressed yeast cakes (dissolved in a little warm water), knead well, set a sponge as for ordinary bread; when raised, add the remaining quart of fruit juice, sugar, butter and salt. A small quantity of brandy or sherry may be added, but if not liked, fruit juice may be substituted.

Add the remaining ingredients, and knead thoroughly. Allow dough to raise from two to three hours and when light form into loaves and allow to stand an hour, when bake. This quantity of dough should be made into twelve small loaves. Should the flour and liquid used be warmed before mixing, the dough will raise more quickly. It simplifies the work if the fruits and nuts be prepared the day before the bread is baked.

AUNT SARAH'S WHITE BREAD AND ROLLS

1 quart potato water. 1 mashed potato. 1 tablespoonful butter or lard. 1 tablespoonful sugar. 1 Fleischman yeast cake, or 1 cup good yeast. 1/2 tablespoonful salt. Flour to stiffen (about three quarts).

At 9 o'clock in the evening put in a large bowl the mashed potato, the quart of luke-warm potato water (water in which potatoes were boiled for dinner), butter or sweet lard, sugar, salt, and mix with flour into a batter, to which add the Fleischman's or any good yeast cake, dissolved in a little luke-warm water. Beat well and stir in flour until quite stiff, turn out on a well-floured bake-board and knead well about 25 minutes, until the dough is smooth, fine-grained and elastic, and does not stick lo the bake-board or hands. Chop a knife through the dough several times; knead and chop again. This makes the bread finer and closer-grained, or, so Aunt Sarah thought. Knead in all the flour necessary when first mixing the bread. When sufficiently kneaded, form into a large, round ball of dough, rub all over with soft lard, or butter, to prevent forming a crust on top and keep from sticking to bowl, and set to rise, closely-covered with a cloth and blanket, in a warm place until morning. In the morning the bread should be very light, doubled in quantity. Take out enough dough for an ordinary loaf, separate this into three parts, roll each piece with the hand on the bake-board into long, narrow pieces. Pinch the three pieces together at one end and braid, or plait, into a narrow loaf. Brush over top with melted butter; set to rise in a warm place in a bread pan, closely-covered, until it doubles in size—or, if preferred, mold into ordinary-shaped loaves, and let rise until doubled in size, when bake in a moderately-hot oven with steady heat.

Frequently, when the "Twist" loaves of bread were quite light and ready to be placed in the oven, Aunt Sarah brushed the tops with yolk of egg, or a little milk, then strewed "Poppy Seeds" thickly over. The poppy seeds give an agreeable flavor to the crust of the bread.

AUNT SARAH'S RAISED ROLLS (FROM BREAD DOUGH)

A portion of the white bread dough may be made into raised rolls. These rolls are excellent without additional shortening, or, in fact, without anything else being added. Mold pieces of the bread dough into balls the size of a walnut; roll each piece flat with the rolling pin, dip in melted butter, fold and place close together in a bake pan. Let rise very light, then bake about 15 minutes in a very hot oven. If a teaspoonful of flour browns in about two minutes in the oven, it is the right temperature for rolls.

CLOVER-LEAF ROLLS

Take pieces of the bread dough, the size of a walnut, cut into three pieces, mold with the hand into round balls the size of small marbles; dip each one in melted butter, or butter and lard, and place three of these in each Gem pan. (These pans may be bought six or twelve small pans fastened together, and are much more convenient than when each one must be handled separately when baking). Allow small rolls to become very light, bake in a hot oven, and you will find them excellent. Dipping the rolls in melted butter makes them crisp. Serve hot, or place in a hot oven a few minutes until heated through, if served after they have become cold.

"POLISH" RYE BREAD (AS MADE IN BUCKS COUNTY)

This excellent, nutritious bread, is made from the whole-ground grain. Every part of the grain is used in the flour, when ground. To bake this bread, sift together one quart of this "whole-ground" rye flour and two quarts of white-bread flour. Early in the morning of the day on which bread is to be baked, prepare a thick batter, or sponge, consisting of one quart of potato water (or the same quantity of luke-warm, scalded milk, or a mixture of the two); add one tablespoonful of a mixture of lard and butter and two boiled, mashed potatoes. Two tablespoonfuls of sugar, one-half tablespoonful of salt and one Fleischman's compressed yeast cake, dissolved in a small quantity of water; add about five cups of the mixed, sifted flour, beat the batter well, and stand in a warm place, covered, from one and a half to two hours. When well-risen and light, stir in balance of flour gradually, until all except one cup has been added; then turn onto a bake-board and knead well. This sponge should not be quite as stiff as for wheat bread. Turn the dough onto a clean, well-floured cloth in a large bowl, set to rise and bake according to directions for baking "Hearth-baked Rye Bread" or, if preferred, form into loaves, place in bread pans and, when light, bake.

PERFECT BREAKFAST ROLLS

One quart of scalded milk, when lukewarm, add the following: 1/2 cup of butter and lard (mixed), 1 egg, 1 tablespoonful of sugar, 1 teaspoonful of salt and 1 Fleischman's yeast cake; add flour to form a thick batter; beat all thoroughly. Mix the above at 9.30 P.M., stand in a warm place, closely-covered, over night. The following morning add more flour; dough should not be mixed quite as stiff as for bread. Allow it to raise in a warm place. When well-risen, place on bread board, roll, cut into small biscuits; dip each biscuit in melted butter, fold together, place in pans a distance apart, and when they have doubled in size, bake in a hot oven.

"AN OLD RECIPE" FOR GOOD BREAD

This country cook invariably baked good bread and always used potato-water in preference to any other liquid for setting sponge. She stood aside water, in which potatoes had been boiled for dinner (usually about one quart or less) and added two finely-mashed potatoes. About 3 or 4 o'clock in the afternoon of the day before that on which she intended baking bread, she dissolved one cake of yeast (she used the small cornmeal commercial yeast cakes, sold under different names, such as National, Magic, etc.) in a half-cup of luke-warm water, added 1/2 teaspoon of salt and sufficient warmed, well-dried flour to make a thin batter. She placed all in a bowl and stood it in a warm place, closely-covered, until about 9 o'clock in the evening, when she added this sponge, which should be light and foamy, to the potato water, which should be lukewarm. She also added 1 tablespoon of salt and enough flour to make a rather thick batter. Heat thoroughly and allow this sponge to stand, well-covered, in a warm place until morning, when add 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 tablespoon butter or lard and warmed flour enough to make a stiff dough. Turn out on the bread board and knead for about twenty minutes, until the dough does not stick to the hands. Place stiffened dough into howl; allow it to rise until bulk is doubled. Mold into loaves, adding as little extra flour as possible. Cut several gashes on top of loaves, brush with melted butter, place in bread pans, and when loaves have doubled in bulk, place in moderately hot oven and bake about one hour.

STEAMED BROWN BREAD

Place in a bowl 3/4 cup graham flour and 1/2 cup of yellow, granulated cornmeal. Sift into this 3/4 cup of white flour, 1 teaspoonful of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoonful of salt. Mix all ingredients together to form a batter by adding 1 cup of sour milk, in which has been dissolved 3/4 teaspoonful of soda. Then add 2 tablespoonfuls of molasses. Pour into a well-greased quart can (the tin cans in which coffee is frequently sold will answer nicely), cover closely, place in a kettle of boiling water, steam about three hours; stand in oven a short time after being steamed. Cut in slices and serve as bread, or, by the addition of raisins or currants, and a little grated nutmeg or other flavoring, a very appetizing and wholesome pudding may be served hot, with sugar and cream or any pudding sauce preferred.

A WHOLESOME BREAD (MADE FROM BRAN)

Place in a bowl 4 cups of clean bran and 2 cups of white flour, sifted with 2 teaspoonfuls of baking powder, 1 teaspoonful of salt, 1 tablespoonful of melted butter. Mix into a soft batter with 2 cups of sweet milk; add 1/2 cup of molasses. Fill two layer cake pans and bake in a hot oven about 25 minutes. This is so easily and quickly made. The young housewife may mix, when commencing to prepare lunch, and when the meal is ready to serve the bread will be baked, and it is an excellent laxative.

FRAU SCHMIDT'S "HUTZEL BROD"

1 quart dried pears. 1 pint of pear juice. 1 Fleischman's yeast cake. 1 scant cup brown sugar. 2 eggs. 1/4 teaspoonful soda. 1 pound of soaked raisins. 3/4 cup of a mixture of lard and butter. 1 teaspoonful of fennel seed. Pinch of salt. 2 teaspoonfuls of ground cinnamon. Flour to stiffen, as for ordinary bread.

Cover one quart of dried pears with cold water and cook slowly about 20 minutes until they have cooked tender, but not soft (the night before the day on which the bread is to be baked).

Then drain the juice from stewed pears, which should measure 1 pint; when lukewarm, add 1 yeast cake, dissolved in a small quantity of lukewarm water, and about 3 cups of flour and a pinch of salt. Stand, closely-covered, in a warm place over night to raise.

The following morning, add 1/4 teaspoonful of baking soda, dissolved in a little warm water, to counteract any acidity of batter. Cream together sugar, butter and lard, add eggs one at a time, men the well-floured, diced pears, also raisins, cinnamon and fennel seed, and enough flour to stiffen as for ordinary bread. Knead well, let rise; it will require some time, as the fruit retards the raising process. When light, turn onto a bake-board, cut into four portions, mold into four shapely loaves, place in pans, brush with melted butter and when quite light, place in a moderate oven and bake one hour. This bread will keep well several weeks, if kept in a tin cake box.

This recipe is much simpler than Aunt Sarah's recipe for making "Hutzel Brod," but bread made from this recipe is excellent.

"AUNT SARAH'S" QUICKLY-MADE BROWN BREAD

2 cups of buttermilk, or thick, sour milk. 1/2 cup of sugar. 1/4 cup of molasses. 1 tablespoonful of melted butter. 1 egg. 1 teaspoonful of soda. 3/4 teaspoonful of salt. 3-1/2 cups of graham flour. 1/2 cup of white flour, sifted with 3/4 teaspoonful of baking powder.

The egg was placed in a bowl, and not beaten separately; sugar and butter were creamed together, before being added; then mix in salt and molasses, and gradually add buttermilk, in which the soda had been dissolved; then add white and graham flour, 3/4 cups of raisins may be added, if liked. Bake in a bread pan in a moderately hot oven.

"STIRRED" OATMEAL BREAD

Early in the morning 1 cup of oatmeal porridge, left over from that which had been cooked for breakfast, was placed in a bowl and added gradually 2 cups of scalded, luke-warm milk, 1 tablespoon of a mixture of lard and butter, 1/4 cup New Orleans molasses and one Fleischman's yeast cake, dissolved in a little of the milk; stir in about 3 cups of bread flour and stand in a warm place about 1-1/4 hours to rise; then add 3-1/2 cups more of bread flour and 1 teaspoonful of salt. Stir well with a spoon, and pour into three small bread tins; let rise, when well-risen, bake about 3/4 of an hour in a moderately hot oven. This is a delicious and wholesome bread and no kneading is necessary. 1-1/2 cups of the cooked oatmeal might be used, then use less white bread flour when mixing.

NUT AND RAISIN BREAD

2 cups buttermilk, or sour milk. 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 cups graham flour. 1 cup wheat flour. 1 teaspoonful of soda, dissolved in a little of the milk. 1 teaspoonful of baking powder, sifted with the wheat flour.

Mix all together, add one cup of seeded raisins, 1/4 cup of ground peanuts and 1/4 cup chopped walnut meats. Bake in an ordinary bread pan.

"SAFFRON" RAISIN BREAD

For this old-fashioned, "country" bread, set a sponge in the evening, consisting of 1 cup of luke-warm water, 1 Fleischman's compressed yeast cake and 2 tablespoonfuls of saffron water, obtained by steeping 1/2 tablespoonful of dried saffron flowers in a small quantity of boiling water a short time. Use about 2 cups of flour to stiffen the sponge. Cover bowl containing sponge and stand in a warm place until morning, when add the following: 3/4 cup of soft A sugar, 1/4 cup lard and 1/8 cup of butter (beaten to a cream); then add one egg. Beat again and add this mixture to the well-risen sponge. Add also 3/4 cup of seeded raisins and about 1-3/4 cups of flour.

The dough should be almost as stiff as ordinary bread dough. Set to rise about one hour. Then divide the dough and mold into two shapely loaves. Place in oblong bread pans. Let rise about 1-1/2 hours. Brush melted butter over top of loaves and bake in a moderately hot oven, as one would bake ordinary bread.

This bread is a rich, golden yellow, with a distinctive, rather bitter, saffron flavor, well-liked by some people; saffron is not unwholesome.

"Speaking of saffron bread," said John Landis, to his niece, Mary, "I am reminded of the lines I was taught when quite a small boy:"

"Wer will gute kuchen haben, der muss sieben sachen haben; Eier, butter un schmalz, milch, zucker un mehl; Un saffron mach die kuchen gehl."

"Of course, Mary, you do not understand what that means. I will translate it for you. 'Who would have good cakes, he must have seven things—eggs, butter and lard, milk, sugar and flour, and saffron makes the cakes yellow.'"

RAISED ROLLS

2 quarts of sifted flour. 1 pint of boiled milk (lukewarm). 1 tablespoon sugar. 1/2 cup butter and lard, mixed. 3/4 cake compressed yeast, or 3/4 cup yeast. 1 teaspoon salt.

At 5 o'clock P.M. set sponge with half or three-fourths of the flour and all the other ingredients.

About 9 o'clock in the evening, knead well, adding the balance of the flour. Cover and let stand in a warm place until morning. In the morning, roll out about 3/4 of an inch thick, cut into small rolls, place in baking pans far enough apart so they will not touch, and when raised quite light, bake.

Or, take the same ingredients as above (with one exception; take one whole cake of compressed yeast), dissolved in half a cup of luke-warm water, and flour enough to make a thin batter. Do this at 8.30 in the morning and let rise until 1 o'clock; then knead enough flour in to make a soft dough, as soft as can be handled. Stand in a warm place until 4.30, roll out quite thin; cut with small, round cake-cutter and fold over like a pocketbook, putting a small piece of butter the size of a pea between the folds; set in a warm place until 5.30, or until very light; then bake a delicate brown in a hot oven. If made quite small, 70 rolls may be made from this dough.

To cause rolls of any kind to have a rich, brown glaze, when baked, before placing the pan containing them in the oven, brush over the top of each roll the following mixture, composed of—yolk of 1 egg, 1 tablespoon of milk, and 1 teaspoon of sugar.

"GRANDMOTHER'S" FINE RAISED BISCUITS

1 quart scalded milk (lukewarm). 3/4 cup of butter, or a mixture of butter and lard. 1/2 cup of sugar. 1 teaspoonful of salt. 2 Fleischman's yeast cakes. Whites of 2 eggs. Flour.

Quite early in the morning dissolve the two yeast cakes in a little of the milk; add these, with one-half the quantity of sugar and salt in the recipe, to the remainder of the quart of milk; add also 4 cups of flour to form the yeast foam. Beat well and stand in a warm place, closely-covered, one hour, until light and foamy.

Beat the sugar remaining and the butter to a cream; add to the yeast foam about 7 to 8 cups of flour, and the stiffly-beaten whites of the two eggs.

Turn out on a well-floured bread board and knead about five minutes. Place in a bowl and let rise again (about one hour or longer) until double in bulk, when roll out about one inch in thickness. Cut small biscuits with a 1/2 pound Royal Baking Powder can.

Brush tops of biscuits with a mixture consisting of yolk of one egg, a teaspoonful of sugar and a little milk; this causes the biscuits to have a rich brown crust when baked.

Place biscuits on pans a short distance apart, let rise until doubled in bulk; bake in a rather quick oven.

From this recipe was usually made 55 biscuits. One-half of this recipe would be sufficient for a small family.

Mary's Aunt taught her the possibilities of what she called a "Dutch" sponge—prepared from one Fleischman's yeast cake. And the variety a capable housewife may give her family, with the expenditure of a small amount of time and thought.

About 9 o'clock in the evening Mary's Aunt placed in a bowl 2 cups of potato water (drained from potatoes boiled for dinner). In this she dissolved one Fleischman's yeast cake, stirred into this about 3 cups of well-warmed flour, beat thoroughly for about ten minutes. Allowed this to stand closely covered in a warm place over night. On the following morning she added to the foamy sponge 1-1/2 cups lukewarm, scalded milk, in which had been dissolved 1 tablespoonful of a mixture of butter and lard, 2 generous tablespoonfuls of sugar and 1 teaspoonful of salt. About 6-1/4 cups of well-dried and warmed flour; she stirred in a part of the flour, then added the balance. Kneaded well a short time, then set to raise closely covered in a warm place 2-1/2 to 3 hours.

When dough was light it was kneaded down in bowl and allowed to stand about one hour, and when well risen she placed 2 cups of light bread sponge in a bowl, and stood aside in warm place; this later formed the basis of a "Farmers' Pound Cake," the recipe for which may be found among recipes for "Raised Cakes."

From the balance of dough, or sponge, after being cut into 3 portions, she molded from the one portion 12 small turn-over rolls, which were brushed with melted butter, folded together and placed on tins a distance apart and when very light baked in a quick oven.

From another portion of the sponge was made a twist or braided loaf.

And to the remaining portion of dough was added 1/2 cup of currants or raisins, and this was called a "Currant" or "Raisin Loaf," which she served for dinner the following day.

The rolls were placed in the oven of the range a few minutes before breakfast and served hot, broken apart and eaten with maple syrup or honey and the delicious "Farmers' Pound Cake" was served for supper.

Aunt Sarah baked these on ironing day. The kitchen being unusually warm, as a result of the extra heat required in the range for heating flatirons, caused the dough to rise more quickly than otherwise would have been the case.

STIRRED BREAD

Frau Schmidt thought bread more easily digested and wholesome if ingredients of a loaf be stirred together instead of kneaded. This is the method she taught Mary. She poured into a bowl 3 cups of luke-warm water, added 1 cake of Fleischman's yeast, dissolved in a little of the water; sifted in gradually about 8-1/2 cups of flour, added 1 tablespoonful of sugar, 1/2 teaspoonful of salt, mixed all well together with a spoon until a stiff dough was formed, which she molded into two shapely loaves, handling as little as possible; placed in bread pans, allowed to stand several hours to raise, and when light baked. Mary said, "This bread may be more wholesome than old-fashioned bread, which has been kneaded, but I prefer Aunt Sarah's bread, well-kneaded, fine-grained and sweet," but, she continued, "I will make an exception in favor of Aunt Sarah's 'Stirred Oatmeal' bread, which, I think, fine."

POTATO BISCUITS

At 6 o'clock in the morning place in a bowl 1 cup of finely-mashed (boiled) potatoes (the cup of left-over mashed potatoes may be used as a matter of economy). Add 1 cup of potato water (the water drained from boiled potatoes), in which 1/2 cake of Fleischman's yeast had been dissolved, add 1 cup of flour and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Stand in a warm place to raise, from 1 to 1-1/4 hours. At the expiration of that time add to the foamy sponge 1 large tablespoonful of butter or lard, 1 egg and 1/2 teaspoonful of salt, beaten together before adding. Add about 2 cups of flour, beat thoroughly and allow to raise another hour; then roll out the dough about 1 inch in thickness and cut into small biscuits, dip each one in melted butter and place on pans, a short distance apart, stand about one hour to raise, when bake in a rather hot oven. These Potato Biscuits are particularly nice when freshly baked, and resemble somewhat biscuits made from baking powder. From this recipe was made two dozen biscuits.

AUNT SARAH'S POTATO YEAST

9 medium-sized potatoes. 5 tablespoons sugar. 2 tablespoons salt. 1 quart water.

Grate the raw potatoes quickly, so they will not discolor, pour over the grated potato the quart of boiling water, add salt and sugar, cook several minutes until the consistency of boiled starch, let cool, and when lukewarm add 1 cup of good yeast. Stir all together in a crock, cover and let stand in a warm place three or four hours, when it is foamy and rises to top of crock, stir down several times, then fill glass fruit jars, cover and stand away in a cool place until needed.

This yeast will keep about ten days. Use one cup to about three pounds of flour, or one quart of liquid, when setting sponge for bread. Save one cup of this yeast to start fresh yeast with.

PERFECTION POTATO CAKES

1 cup of boiled mashed potatoes. 1 cup sweet milk. 1 cup water in which 1 Fleischman yeast cake was dissolved. 2 cups soft A sugar. 1/2 cup butter and lard mixed. 2 eggs. A little salt. About 7 cups of flour.

Cream the sugar, butter and eggs together. Add mashed potatoes, milk and cup of water containing yeast, alternately with the flour, until about 7 cups of flour have been used, making a dough as stiff as can be stirred with a spoon. Stand, covered, in a warm place by the range until morning. These should be set to rise about nine o'clock in the evening. The following morning take pieces of the dough, on a well-floured bake board; roll about one inch thick, to fit in pie tins, place in pie tins to raise; when doubled in bulk spread with melted butter and sprinkle sugar thickly over top and bake in a moderately hot oven until lightly browned on top. This quantity of dough makes six cakes.

Instead of brushing the cakes with above mixture, place in a bowl 1/2 cup of soft A sugar, 1/2 cup flour, a tiny pinch of salt and baking powder each and 2 tablespoonfuls of butter (not melted), mix all together as crumbly as possible, then the crumbs were sprinkled thickly over tops of cakes, which had been brushed with a mixture of milk and sugar. Place cakes in oven when raised; bake 20 minutes.

This recipe was given Mary by an old "Bucks County" cook, noted for the excellence of her raised cakes.

MARY'S RECIPE FOR CINNAMON BUNS

Early in the morning mix a sponge or batter consisting of 1/2 cup of potato water (water drained from boiled potatoes) and 1/2 cup of lukewarm, scalded milk, one Fleischman's compressed yeast cake, dissolved in the 1/2 cup of lukewarm potato water, 1 teaspoonful sugar, pinch of salt and about 1-1/2 cupfuls of warmed flour. Stand this sponge in a warm place, closely covered, about 3/4 of an hour, to raise. At the end of that time add to the light, well-risen sponge, the following: 3 tablespoonfuls of a mixture of lard and butter, and 1/3 cup of soft A sugar, creamed together. Add one large egg. Beat well. Lastly, add about 2 cupfuls of flour. Mix all together thoroughly, and let raise again about 1-1/2 hours. Divide the well-risen sponge into four portions. Roll each piece with rolling-pin into lengthwise pieces about 1/2 inch thick and spread with one tablespoonful of melted butter, scant 2 tablespoonfuls of brown sugar, dust over this a small quantity of cinnamon, and 1 tablespoonful of dried currants. Shape into a long, narrow roll with the hands, on a well-floured bake-board. Cut each roll into five pieces. Pinch one end of each piece together and place each bun, cut side down, a short distance apart, in an iron pan which has been well greased, having brushed a little melted butter and a sprinkling of sugar over pan. Allow these to rise in a warm place as before, about 1-1/2 hours, until quite light, as having the extra sugar, butter and currants added retards their rising as quickly as would plain biscuits.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes in a moderate oven.

From this quantity of material was made 20 cinnamon buns.

"KLEINA KAFFE KUCHEN" (LITTLE COFFEE CAKES)

Scant 1/2 cup lard and butter. 2 cups sifted flour. 2 whole eggs and the yolks of 2 more. 3 tablespoons sugar. 1/4 cup cream. 1/4 milk. 1 Fleischman's yeast cake. 1/8 teaspoon salt.

The yeast cake was dissolved in the 1/4 cup lukewarm milk, a couple tablespoons of flour were added and mixed into a batter, and stood in a warm place to rise. The butter and sugar were stirred to a cream, salt was added, the eggs were beaten in, one at a time, next was added the sponge containing the yeast, the lukewarm cream, and the sifted flour. Grease slightly warmed Gem pans, sift a little flour over them, fill two-thirds full with the soft dough, set in a warm place to rise to tops of pans, and when quite light bake in a medium hot oven about 25 minutes. The oven should be hot enough to allow them to rise quickly. Put something underneath the pans in the oven to prevent bottom of cakes from burning. These may be set about 8 o'clock in the morning if cakes are wished for lunch at noon. These are not cheap, as this quantity makes only 12 cakes, but they are light as puffballs. The Professor's wife served them when she gave a "Kaffee Klatch." She doubled the recipe, baked the cakes in the morning, and placed them in the oven to heat through before serving. The cakes should be broken apart, not cut. The cakes made from this recipe are particularly fine.

GROSSMUTTER'S POTATO CAKES

1 cup hot mashed potatoes. 1-1/2 cups sugar. 1 scant cup butter and lard. 1 cup home-made yeast or 1 yeast cake dissolved in 1 cup lukewarm water. 3 eggs. Flour.

At 5 o'clock in the afternoon set to rise the following: One cup of sugar and one cup of hot mashed potatoes; when lukewarm add one cup of flour and one cup of yeast; beat all together, stand in a warm place to rise and at 9 o'clock in the evening cream together 1 cup of a mixture of lard and butter, 1 cup of sugar, 3 eggs and pinch of salt; add the sponge and beat well. Stir as stiff as you can stir it with a large spoon, cover, set in a warm place to rise until morning, when roll out some of the dough into cakes about one inch thick, put in pie tins to rise, and when light, make half a dozen deep impressions on top of each cake with the forefinger, spread with melted butter and strew light-brown sugar thickly over top, or mix together 1 cup sugar, butter size of an egg, 2 tablespoons flour, 2 tablespoons boiling water, beat well and spread the mixture on cakes just before placing in oven. Bake the cakes about 20 minutes in a moderate oven. This is a very old recipe used by Aunt Sarah's grandmother, and similar to the well-known German cakes called "Schwing Felders."

AUNT SARAH'S "BREAD DOUGH" CAKE

1 cup bread dough. 1 egg. 1/2 cup soft A sugar. 1 tablespoon lard or butter. 1/4 teaspoon soda.

When her bread dough was raised and ready to put in the pans she placed a cupful of it in a bowl and added the egg, sugar, butter, soda (dissolved in a little hot water); some dried raisins or currants, and just enough flour so it might be handled easily. Put in a small agate pan four inches deep, let rise until light, dust pulverized sugar over top and bake about 25 or 30 minutes in a moderate oven.

Double the materials called for, using 2 cups of well-risen bread dough or sponge, and you will have a good-sized cake.

GOOD, CHEAP DUTCH CAKES

To a bowl containing 1 cup of scalded milk, add 1 tablespoonful of lard and 1 cup of sugar. When lukewarm add 1 yeast cake (Fleischman's), dissolved in 1 cup of lukewarm water, and about 5 cups of good flour. Set to rise at night about nine o'clock, the next morning roll out pieces about one and a half inches thick, to fit in medium-sized pie tins. Set in a warm place to rise. When light, brush top with melted butter and strew sugar thickly over and bake from 15 to 20 minutes in a moderately hot oven. These cakes are inexpensive and good; no eggs or butter being used.