Fannie Farmer Cooking

Boston Baked Beans

2010-02-17T17:16:00.000-08:00

Pick over one quart pea beans, cover with cold water, and soak over night. In morning, drain, cover with fresh water, heat slowly (keeping water below boiling-point), and cook until skins will burst, — which is best determined by taking a few beans on the tip of a spoon and blowing on them, when skins will burst if sufficiently cooked. Beans thus tested must, of course, be thrown away. Drain beans, throwing bean-water out of doors, not in sink.

Scald rind of three-fourths pound fat salt pork, scrape, remove one- fourth inch slice and put in bottom of bean-pot. Cut through rind of remaining pork every one-half inch, making cuts one inch deep. Put beans in pot and bury pork in beans, leaving rind exposed. Mix one tablespoon salt, one tablespoon molasses, and three tablespoons sugar; add one cup boiling water, and pour over beans ; then add enough more boiling water to cover beans. Cover bean-pot, put in oven, and bake slowly six or eight hours, uncovering the last hour of cooking, that rind may become brown and crisp. Add water as needed.

Many feel sure that by adding with seasonings one-half tablespoon mustard, the beans are more easily digested. If pork mixed with lean is preferred, use less salt.

The fine reputation which Boston Baked Beans have gained has been attributed to the earthen bean-pot with small top and bulging sides in which they are supposed to be cooked. Equally good beans have often been eaten where a five-pound lard pail was substituted for the broken bean-pot.

Yellow-eyed beans are very good when baked.

Orange Salad

2009-07-28T05:49:00.000-07:00

Cut five thin-skinned sour oranges in very thin slices, and slices in quarters. Marinate with a dressing made by mixing one-third cup olive oil, one and one-half tablespoons each lemon juice and vinegar, one-third teaspoon salt, one-fourth teaspoon paprika, and a few grains mustard. Serve on a bed of watercress.

Fannie Farmer Apple Pie

2007-02-21T06:22:00.000-08:00

4 or 5 sour apples
1/3 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon butter
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Few gratings lemon rind

Line pie plate with paste. Pare, core, and cut the apples into eighths, put row around plate one-half inch from the edge, and work towards centre until plate is covered; then pile on remainder. Mix sugar, nutmeg, salt, lemon juice, and grated rind, and sprinkle over apples. Dot over with butter. Wet edges of under crust, cover with upper crust, and press edges together.

Bake forty to forty-five minutes in moderate oven. A very good pie may be made without butter, lemon juice, and grated rind. Cinnamon may be substituted for nutmeg. Evaporated apples may be used in place of fresh fruit. If used, they should be soaked over night in cold water.

Chicken Soup with Wine

2007-02-20T06:06:00.000-08:00

3 lb. fowl
1 onion, sliced
2 quarts cold water
2 stalks celery
2 slices carrot
Bit of bay leaf
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons Sauterne wine
1/2 teaspoon peppercorns
1 teaspoon beef extract
1 cup cream
Salt
Pepper

Wipe and cut up fowl. Cover with water, and add carrot, salt, peppercorns, celery, and bay leaf. Bring quickly to boiling-point, then let simmer until meat is tender. Remove meat and strain stock. Chill, remove fat, reheat, and add wine, beef extract, and cream. Season with salt and pepper.

Fannie Farmer Julienne Soup

2007-02-19T19:05:00.000-08:00

To one quart clear Brown Soup Stock, add one-fourth cup each carrot and turnip, cut in thin strips one and one-half inches long, previously cooked in boiling salted water, and two tablespoons, each, cooked peas and string beans. Heat to boiling point.

Tomato Soup with Stock

2007-02-19T18:59:00.001-08:00

1 quart Brown Soup Stock
1 can tomatoes
1/3 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon peppercorns
1 small bay leaf
3 cloves
3 sprigs thyme
4 tablespoons butter
Onion, Carrot, Celery, Raw Ham -- 1/4 cup each, cut in dice
Salt
Pepper

Cook onion, carrot, celery, and ham in butter five minutes, add flour, peppercorns, bay leaf, cloves, and thyme, and cook three minutes; then add tomatoes, cover, and cook slowly one hour. When cooked in oven it required less watching. Rub through a strainer, add hot stock, and season with salt and pepper.

Brown Soup Stock

2007-02-19T18:55:00.000-08:00

6 lbs. shin of beef
1 sprig marjoram
3 quarts cold water
2 sprigs parsley
1/2 teaspoon peppercorns
6 cloves
1/2 bay leaf
3 sprigs thyme
Carrot, Turnip, Onion, Celery -- 1/2 cup each, cut in dice

Wipe beef, and cut the lean meat in inch cubes. Brown one-third of meat in hot frying pan in marrow from a marrow-bone. Put remaining two-thirds with bone and far in soup kettle, add water, and let stand for thirty minutes. Place on back of range, add browned meat, and heat gradually to boiling point. As scum rises it should be removed. Cover, and cook slowly six hours, keeping below boiling-point during cooking. Add vegetable and seasonings, cook one and one-half hours, and cool as quickly as possible.

Soup Making

2007-02-19T18:43:00.000-08:00

The art of soup making is more easily mastered than at first appears. The young housekeeper is startled at the amazingly large number of ingredients the recipe calls for and often is discouraged. One may, with but little expense, keep at hand what is essential for the making of a good soup. Winter vegetables -- turnips, carrots, celery, and onions -- may be bought in large or small quantities. The outer stalks of celery, often not suitable for serving, should be saved for soups. At seasons when celery is a luxury, the tips and roots should be saved and dried. Sweet herbs, including thyme, rosemary, and marjoram, are dried and put up in packages, retailing from five to ten cents. Bay leaves, which should be used sparingly, may be obtained at first class grocers' or druggists'; seeming never to lose strength they may be kept indefinitely. Spices, including whole cloves, allspice berries, peppercorns, and stick cinnamon should be kept on hand. These seasonings, with the addition of salt, pepper, and parsley, are the essential flavorings for stock soups. Flour, cornstarch, arrowroot, fine tapioca, sago; pearl barley, rice, bread, or eggs are added to give consistency and nourishment.

In small families, where there are few left-overs, fresh meat must be bought for the making of soup stock, as a good soup cannot be made from a small amount of poor material. Oil the other hand, large families need seldom buy fresh meat, provided all left-overs are properly cared for. The soup kettle should receive small pieces of beef (roasted, broiled, or stewed), veal, carcasses of fowl or chicken, chop bones, bones left from lamb roast, and all trimmings and bones, which a careful housewife should see are sent from the market with her order. Avoid the use of smoked or corned meats, or large pieces of raw mutton or lamb surrounded by fat, on account of the strong flavor so disagreeable to many. A small piece of bacon or lean ham is sometimes cooked with vegetables for flavor.

Beef ranks first as regards utility and economy in soup making. It should be cut from the fore or hind shin (which cuts contain marrow-bone), the middle cuts being most desirable. If the lower part of shin is used, the soup, although rich in gelatin, lacks flavor, unless a cheap piece of lean meat is used with it, which frequently is done. It must be remembered that meat, bone, and fat in the right proportions are all necessary; allow two-thirds lean meat, the remaining one-third bone and fat. From the meat the soluble juices, salts, extractive (which give color and flavor), and a small quantity of gelatin are extracted; from the bone, gelatin (which gives the stock when cold a jelly-like consistency) and mineral matter. Gelatin is also obtained from cartilage, skin, tendons, and ligaments. Some of the fat is absorbed; the remainder rises to the top and should be removed.

Soup-stock making is rendered easier by use of proper utensils. Sharp meat knives, hardwood board, two puree strainers having meshes of different size, and a soup digester (a porcelain-lined iron pot, having tight-fitting cover, with valve in the top), or covered granite kettle, are essentials. An iron kettle, which formerly constituted one of the furnishings of a range, may be used if perfectly smooth. A saw, cleaver, and scales, although not necessary, are useful, and lighten labor. When meat comes from market, remove from paper and put in cool place. When ready to start stock, if scales are at hand, weigh meat and bone to see if correct proportions have been sent. Wipe meat with clean cheesecloth wrung out of cold water. Cut lean meat in one-inch cubes; by so doing, a large amount of surface is exposed to the water, and juices are more easily drawn out. Heat frying-pan hissing hot; remove marrow from marrow-bone, and use enough to brown one-third of the lean meat, stirring constantly, that all parts of surface may be seared, thus preventing escape of juices, - sacrificing a certain amount of goodness in the stock to give additional color and flavor, which is obtained by caramelization. Put fat, bone, and remaining lean meat in soup kettle; cover with cold water, allowing one pint to each pound of meat, bone, and fat.

Let stand one hour, that cold water may draw out juices from meat. Add browned meat, taking water from soup kettle to rinse out frying-pan, that none of the coloring may be lost. Heat gradually to boiling-point, and cook six or seven hours at low temperature. A scum will rise on the top, which contains coagulated albuminous juices these give to soup its chief nutritive value; many, however, prefer a clear soup, and have them removed. If allowed to remain, when straining, a large part will pass through strainer. Vegetables, spices, and salt should be added the last hour of cooking. Strain and cool quickly; by so doing, stock is less apt to ferment. A knuckle of veal is often used for making white soup stock. Fowl should be used for stock in preference to chicken, as it is cheaper, and contains a larger amount of nutriment. A cake of fat forms on stock when cold, which excludes air, and should not be removed until stock is used. To remove fat, run a knife around edge of bowl and carefully remove the same. A small quantity will remain, which should be removed by passing a cloth wrung out of hot water around edge and over top of stock. This fat should be clarified and used for drippings. If time cannot be allowed for stock to cool before using, take off as much fat as possible with a spoon, and remove the remainder by passing tissue or any absorbent paper over the surface.

Fannie Farmer's Rich Omelet

2007-02-19T18:21:00.000-08:00

2 1/2 tablespoons flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
3 eggs
3 tablespoons butter

Mix salt and flour, and add gradually milk. Beat eggs until thick and lemon-colored, then add to first mixture. Heat iron frying-pan and put in two-thirds of thc butter; when butter is melted, pour in mixture. As it cooks, lift with a griddle-cake turner so that uncooked part may run underneath; add remaining butter as needed, and continue lifting the cooked part until it is firm throughout. Place on hotter part of range to brown; roll, and turn on hot platter.

Hollandaise Sauce I

2007-02-19T18:16:00.000-08:00

1/2 cup butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
Yolks 2 eggs
Few grains cayenne
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/3 cup boiling water

Put butter in a bowl, cover with cold water, and wash, using a spoon. Divide into three pieces; put one piece in a saucepan with yolks of eggs and lemon juice, place saucepan in a larger one containing the boiling water, and stir constantly with a wire whisk until butter is melted; then add second piece of butter, and, as it thickens, third piece. Add water, cook one minute, and season with salt and cayenne. If mixture curdles, add two tablespoons heavy cream.

Sauce (for Poultry)

2007-02-19T18:11:00.000-08:00

1/4 cup butter
2 cups boiling water
1 tablespoon finely chopped
1/2 cup stewed and strained onion tomato
1 slice carrot, cut in cubes
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 slice turnip, cut in cubes
1/4 cup flour
Few grains cayenne

Cook butter five minutes with vegetables. Add flour, with salt, pepper, and cayenne, and cook until flour is well browned. Add gradually water and tomato; cook five minutes, then strain.

Chicken Stew

2007-02-19T18:09:00.000-08:00

Dress, clean, and cut up a fowl. Put in a stewpan, cover with boiling water, and cook slowly until tender, adding one-half tablespoon salt and one-eighth teaspoon pepper when fowl is about half cooked. Thicken stock with one-third cup flour diluted with enongh cold water to pour easily.

Serve with Dumplings. If desired richer, butter may be added.

Chicken Gumbo

2007-02-19T18:07:00.000-08:00

Dress, clean, and cut up a chicken. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, dredge with flour, and saute in pork fat. Fry one-half finely chopped onion in fat remaining in frying-pan. Add four cups sliced okra, sprig of parsley, and one-fourth red pepper finely chopped, and cook slowly fifteen minutes. Add to chicken, with one and one-half cups tomato, three cups hailing water, and one and one-half teaspoons salt. Cook slowly until chicken is tender, then add one cup boiled rice.

Baked Chicken

2007-02-19T18:06:00.000-08:00

Dress, clean, and cut up two chickens. Place in a dripping-pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper, dredge with flour, and dot over with one-fourth cup butter. Bake thirty minutes in a hot oven, basting every five minutes with one-fourth cup butter melted in one-fourth cup boiling water.

Serve with gravy made by using fat in pan, one-fourth cup flour, one cup each Chicken Stock and cream, salt and pepper.

Chicken a la Merango

2007-02-19T18:05:00.000-08:00

Dress, dean, and cut up a chicken. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, dredge with flour, and saute in salt pork fat. Put in a stew-pan, cover with sauce, and cook slowly until chicken is tender. Add one-half can mushrooms cut in quarters, and cook five minutes. Arrange chicken on serving dish and pour around sauce; garnish with parsley.

Batter III

2007-02-19T11:15:00.000-08:00

1 1/3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup milk

Mix and sift ingredients, add milk gradually, and egg well beaten.

Apple Fritters

2007-02-19T11:14:00.000-08:00

2 medium-sized sour apples
Batter III
Powdered Sugar

Page, core, and cut apples in eights, the cut eights in slices, and stir in batter. Drop by spoonfuls and fry in deep fat. Drain on brown paper, and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve hot on a folded napkin.

Squash Biscuits

2007-02-18T10:05:00.001-08:00

1/2 cup squash (steamed and sifted)
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup scalded milk
1/4 yeast cake dissolved in 1/4 cup lukewarm water
1/4 cup butter
2 1/2 cups flour

Add squash, sugar, salt, and butter to milk; when lukewarm, add dissolved yeast cake and flour; cover, and let rise over night. In morning shape into biscuits, let rise, and bake.

Boston Brown Bread

2007-02-18T09:59:00.000-08:00

1 cup rye meal
3/4 tablespoon soda
1 cup granulated corn meal
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup Graham Flour
3/4 cup molasses
2 cups sour milk, or 1 3/4 cups sweet milk or water

Mix and sift dry ingredients, add molasses and milk, stir until well mixed, turn into a well-buttered mould, and steam three and one-half hours. The cover should be buttered before being placed on mould, and then tied down with string; otherwise the bread in rising might force off cover.

Mould should never be filled more than two-thirds full. A melon-mould or one-pound baking-powder boxes make the most attractive-shaped loaves, but a five-pound lard pail answers the purpose. For steaming, place mould on a trivet in kettle containing boiling water, allowing water to come half-way up around mould, cover closely, and steam, adding, as needed, more boiling water.

Rye Bread

2007-02-18T09:55:00.000-08:00

1 cup scalded milk
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup boiling water
1/4 yeast cake dissolved in 1/4 cup lukewarm water
1 tablespoon lard
1 tablespoon butter
3 cups flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
Rye meal

To milk and water add lard, butter, sugar, and salt; when lukewarm, add dissolved yeast cake and flour, beat thoroughly, cover, and let rise until light. Add rye meal until dough is stiff enough to knead; knead thoroughly, let rise, shape in loaves, let rise again, and bake.

Entire Wheat Bread

2007-02-18T09:54:00.001-08:00

2 cups scalded milk
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup sugar or 1/3 cup molasses
1 yeast cake dissolved in 1/4 cup lukewarm water
4 2/3 cups coarse entire wheat flour

Add sweetening and salt to milk; cool, and when lukewarm add dissolved yeast cake and flour; beat well, cover, and let rise to double its bulk. Again beat, and turn into greased bread pans, having pans one-half full; let rise, and bake. Entire Wheat Bread should not quite double its bulk during last rising. This mixture may be baked in gem pans.

Entire Wheat and White Flour Bread. Use same ingredients as for Entire Wheat Bread, with exception of flour. For flour use three and one-fourth cups entire wheat and two and three-fourths cups white flour. The dough should be slightly kneaded, and if handled quickly will not stick to board. Loaves and biscuits should be shaped with hands instead of pouring into pans, as in Entire Wheat Bread.

Milk and Water Bread

2007-02-18T09:51:00.000-08:00

1 cup scalded milk
1/4 cup lukewarm water
1 tablespoon lard
1 tablespoon butter
1 yeast cake dissolved in 1 cup boiling water
6 cups sifted flour, or one cup white flour and enough entire wheat flour to knead

Prepare and bake as Water Bread. When entire wheat flour is used add three tablespoons molasses. Bread may be mixed, raised, and baked in five hours, by using one yeast cake. Bread made in this way has proved most satisfactory. It is usually mixed in the morning, and the cook is able to watch the dough while rising and keep it at uniform temperature. It is often desirable to place bowl containing dough in pan of water, keeping water at uniform temperature of from 95° to 100° F. Cooks who have not proved themselves satisfactory bread makers, are successful when employing this method.

Water Bread

2007-02-18T09:47:00.000-08:00

2 cups boiling water
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 yeast cake dissolved in 1/4 cup lukewarm water
1 tablespoon lard
2 tablespoon sugar
6 cups sifted flour

Put butter, lard, sugar, and salt in bread raiser, or large bowl without a lip; pour on boiling water; when lukewarm, add dissolved yeast cake and five cups of flour; then stir until thoroughly mixed, using a knife or mixing-spoon. Add remaining flour, mix, and turn on a floured board, leaving a clean bowl; knead until mixture is smooth, elastic to touch, and bubbles may be seen under the surface. Some practice is required to kuead quickly, but the motion once acquired will never be forgotten. Return to bowl, cover with a clean cloth kept for the purpose, and board or tin cover; let rise over night in temperature of 65° F. In morning cut down: this is accomplished by cutting through and turning over dough several times with a case knife, and checks fermentation for a short time; dough may be again raised, and recut down if it is not convenient to shape into loaves or biscuits after first cutting. When properly cared for, bread need never sour, Toss on board slightly floured, knead, shape into loaves or biscuits, place in greased pans, leaving pans nearly half full. Cover, let rise again to double its bulk, and bake in hot oven. This recipe will make a double loaf of bread and pan of biscuit. Cottolene, crisco, or beef drippings may be used for shortening, one-third less being required. Bread shortened with butter has a good flavor, but is not as white as when lard is used.

Baking of Bread

2007-02-18T09:43:00.000-08:00

Bread is baked: (1) To kill ferment, (2) to make soluble the starch, (3) to drive off alcohol and carbon dioxide, and (4) to form brown crust of pleasant flavor. Bread should be baked in a hot oven. If the oven be too hot the crust will brown quickly before the heat has reached the centre, and prevent further rising loaf should continue rising for first fifteen minutes of baking, when it should begin to brown, and continue browning for the next twenty minutes. The last fifteen minutes it should finish baking, when the heat may be reduced. When bread is done, it will not cling-to sides of pan, and may he easily removed. Biscuits require more heat than loaf bread, should continue rising the first five minutes, and begin to brown in eight minutes. Experience is the best guide for testing temperature of oven. Various oven thermometers have been made, but none have proved practical. Bread may be brushed over with melted butter, three minutes before removal from oven, if a more tender crust is desired.

Bread Making

2007-02-18T09:38:00.000-08:00

Fermented bread is made by mixing to a dough, flour, with a definite quantity of water, milk, or water and milk, salt, and a ferment. Sugar is usually added to hasten fermentation. Dough is then kneaded that the ingredients may be thoroughly incorporated, covered, and allowed to rise in a temperature of 68° F., until dough has doubled its bulk. This change has been caused by action of the ferment, which attacks some of the starch in flour, and changes it to sugar, and sugar in turn to alcohol and carbon dioxide, thus lightening the whole mass. Dough is then kneaded a second time to break bubbles and distribute evenly the carbon dioxide. It is shaped in loaves, put in greased bread pans (they being half filled), covered, allowed to rise in temperature same as for first rising, to double its bulk. If risen too long, it will be full of large holes; if not risen long enough, it will be heavy and soggy. If pans containing loaves are put in too hot a place while rising, a heavy streak will be found near bottom of loaf.

How to Shape Loaves and Biscuits. To shape bread dough in loaves, divide dough in parts, each part large enough for a loaf, knead until smooth, and if possible avoid seams in under part of loaf. If baked in brick pan, place two loaves in one pan, brushed between with a little melted butter. If baked in long shallow pan, when well kneaded, roll with both hands to lengthen, care being taken that it is smooth and of uniform thickness. Where long loaves are baked on sheets, shape and roll loosely in a towel sprinkled with corn meal for last rising.

To shape bread dough in biscuits, pull or cut off as many small pieces (having them of uniform size) as there are to be biscuits. Flour palms of hands slightly; take up each piece and shape separately, lifting, with thumb and first two fingers of right hand, and placing in palm of left hand, constantly moving dough round and round, while folding towards the centre; when smooth, turn it over and roll between palms of hands. Place in greased pans near together, brushed between with a little melted butter, which will cause biscuits to separate easily after baking. For finger rolls, shape biscuits and roll with one hand on part of board where there is no flour, until of desired length, care being taken to make smooth, of uniform size, and round at ends.

Biscuits may be shaped in a great variety of ways, but they should always be small. Large biscuits, though equally good, never tempt one by their daintiness. Bread is often brushed over with milk or butter before baking to make a darker crust. where bread is allowed to rise over night, a small piece of yeast cake must be used; one-fourth yeast cake to one pint liquid is sufficient, (one-third yeast cake to one quart liquid. Bread mixed and baked during the day requires a larger quantity of yeast; one yeast cake, or sometimes even more to one pint of liquid. Bread dough mixed with a large quantity of yeast should be watched during rising, and cut down as soon as mixture doubles its bulk. If proper care is taken, the bread will be found most satisfactory, having neither" yeasty" nor sour taste.

Fermented bread was formerly raised by means of leaven.

Banana Nut Bread

2007-02-18T09:23:00.001-08:00

3 ripe bananas, well mashed
1 tsp salt
2 eggs, well beaten
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups flour
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)
3/4 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Grease loaf pan. Mix bananas and eggs in a
large bowl. Stir in half the flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda.
Stir in rest of flour. Stir in walnuts. Put batter in pan and bake
for 1 hour. (Check that it's cooked by sticking a toothpick in; it's
done when toothpick comes out clean.)

(adapted slightly)

Oil Dressing I

2007-02-18T08:45:00.000-08:00

4 hard-boiled eggs
1/2 teaspoon mustard
4 tablespoons oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons vinegar
Few grains cayenne
1/2 tablespoon sugar
White 1 egg

Force yolks of hard-boiled eggs through a strainer, then work, using a silver or wodden spoon, until smooth. Add sugar, mustard, salt, and cayenne, and when well blended add gradually oil and vinegar, stirring and beating until thoroughly mixed; then cut and fold in white of egg beaten until stiff.

Thin White Sauce

2007-02-18T08:42:00.000-08:00

2 tablespoons butter
1 cut scalded milk
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
Few grains pepper

Put butter in saucepan, stir until melted and bubbling; add flour mixed with seasonings, and stir until thoroughly blended; the pour on gradually while stirring constantly the milk, bring to the boiling-point and let boil two minutes. If a wire whisk is used, all the milk may be added at once.

Coffee Rolls

2007-02-18T08:14:00.000-08:00

2 cups milk
1 egg
1 1/2 yeast cakes
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
Melted butter
Confectioners' sugar
Vanilla

Scald milk, when lukewarm add yeast cakes, and as soon as dissolved add three and one-half cups flour. Beat thoroughly, cover, and let rise; then add butter, lard, sugar, egg unbeaten, cinnamon, salt, and flour enough to knead. Knead until well mixed, cover, and let rise. Turn mixture on a floured cloth. Roll into a long, rectangular piece one-fourth inch thick. Brush over with melted butter, fold from ends toward centre to make three layers and cut off pieces three-fourths inch wide. Cover and let rise. Take each piece separately in hands and twist from ends in opposite directions, then shape in a coil. Place in buttered pans, cover, again let rise, and bake in a moderate oven twenty minutes. Cool slightly, and brush over with confectioners' sugar moistened with boiling water and flavored with vanilla.

Wheat

2007-02-18T08:13:00.001-08:00

To understand better the details of bread making, wheat, from which bread is principally made, should be considered.

A grain of wheat consists of (1) an outer covering or husk, which is always removed before milling; (2) bran coats, which contain mineral matter; (3) gluten, the proteid matter and fat; and (4) starch, the centre and largest part of the grain. Wheat is distinguished as white and soft, or red and hard. The former is known as winter wheat, having been sown in the fall, and living through the winter; the latter is known as spring wheat, having been sown in the spring. From winter wheat, pastry flour, sometimes called St. Louis, is made; from spring wheat, bread flour, also called Haxall. St. Louis flour takes its name from the old process of grinding; Haxall, from the name of the inventor of the new process. All flours are now milled by the same process.

French Rusks

2007-02-18T08:08:00.000-08:00

2 cups scalded milk
Flour
1/4 cup butter
1 egg
1/4 cup cup sugar
Yolks 2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
Whites 2 eggs
1 yeast cake dissolved in 1/4 cup lukewarm water
3/4 teaspoon vanilla

Add butter, sugar, and salt to scalded milk; when lukewarm add dissolved yeast cake and three cups flour. Cover and let rise; add egg and egg yolks well beaten, and enough flour to knead. Let rise again, and shape as Parker House nolls. Before baking, make three parallel creases on top of each roll. When nearly done, brush over with whites of eggs beaten slightly, diluted with one tablespoon cold water and vanilla. Sprinkle with sugar.

Luncheon Rolls

2007-02-18T08:04:00.000-08:00

1/2 cup scalded milk
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
Few gratings from rind of lemon
1/2 yeast cake dissolved in 2 tablespoons lukewarm water
Flour

Add sugar and salt to milk; when lukewarm, add dissolved yeast cake and three-fourths cup flour. Cover and let rise; then add butter, egg well beaten, grated rind of lemon, and one and one-fourth cups flour. Let rise again, roll to one-half inch thickness, shape with small biscuit-cutter, place in buttered pan close together, let rise again, and bake. These rolls may be ready to serve in three hours if one and one-half yeast cakes are used.

Bread Sticks

2007-02-18T08:01:00.002-08:00

1 cup scalded milk
1 yeast cake dissolved in 1/4 cup lukewarm water
1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
White 1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 3/4cups flour

Add butter, sugar, and salt to milk; when lukewarm, add dissolved yeast cake, white of egg well beaten, and flour. Knead, let rise, shape, let rise again, and start baking in a hot oven, reducing heat, that sticks may be crisp and dry. To shape sticks, first shape as small biscuits, roll on board (where there is no flour) with hands until eight inches in length, keeping of uniform size and rounded ends, which may be done by bringing fingers close to, but not over, ends of sticks.

Salad Sticks. Follow recipe for Sticks. Let rise, and add salt to dough, allowing two teaspoons to each cup of dough. Shape in small sticks, let rise again, sprinkle with salt, and bake in a slow oven. If preferred glazed, brush over with egg yolk slightly beaten and diluted with one-half tablespoon cold water.

Parker House Rolls

2007-02-18T07:58:00.000-08:00

2 cups scalded milk
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 yeast cake dissolved in 1/4 cup lukewarm water
Flour

Add butter, sugar, and salt to milk; when lukewarm, add dissolved yeast cake and three cups of flour. Beat thoroughly, cover, and let rise until light; cut down, and add enough flour to knead (it will take about two and one-half cups). Let rise again, toss on slightly floured board, knead, pat, and roll out to one-third inch thickness. Shape with biscuit-cutter, first dipped in flour. Dip the handle of a case knife in flour, and with it make a crease through the middle of each piece; brush over one-half of each piece with melted butter, fold, and press edges together. Place in greased pan, one inch apart, cover, let rise, and bake in hot oven twelve to fifteen minutes. As rolls rise they will part slightly, and if hastened in rising are apt to lose their shape.

Parker House Rolls may be shaped by cutting or tearing off small pieces of dough, and shaping round like a biscuit; place in rows on floured board, cover, and let rise fifteen minutes. With handle of large wooden spoon, or toy rolling-pin, roll through centre of each biscuit, brush edge of lower halves with melted butter, fold, press lightly, place in buttered pan one inch apart, cover, let rise, and bake.

Salad or Dinner Rolls. Use same ingredients as for Parker House Rolls, allowing one-fourth cup butter. Shape in small biscuits, place in rows on a floured board, cover with cloth and pan, and let rise until light and well puffed. Flour handle of wooden spoon and make a deep crease in middle of each biscuit, take up, and press edges together. Place closely in buttered pan brushing with butter between biscuits, cover, let rise, . and h.ke twelve to fifteen minutes in hot oven. From this same mixture crescents, braids, twists, bow-knots, clover leaves, and other fancy shapes may be made.

Disclaimer and Legal Notice

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The recipes and information in this blog are taken from "The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book", by Fannie Merritt Farmer, Revised Edition (1921). Originally published by Little, Brown, and Company, Boston, MA, United States of America. Copyright 1896, 1900, 1901, 1902, 1904, 1905, 1906, 1914 by Fannie Merritt Farmer. Copyright 1918 by Mary W. Farmer.

The blog postings of these are Copyright © 2007 Gregory Vaughan, All Rights Reserved. The recipes and information contained here is intended for personal use and may not be reproduced or copied without express written consent of the blog owner.

The blog owner accepts no responsibility for damages resulting in the use of the recipes or information contained at this site. Cooking practices may have changed since these were originally published; it is the responsibility of the reader to employ safe and hygienic cooking practices at all times.

Care of Bread After Baking

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Remove loaves at once from pans, and place side down on a wire bread or cake cooler. If a crisp crust is desired, allow bread to cool without covering; if soft crust, cover with a towel during cooling. When cool, put in tin box or stone jar, and cover closely.

Never keep bread wrapped in cloth, as the cloth will absorb moisture and transmit unpleasant taste to bread.

Bread tins or jars should be washed and scalded twice a week in winter, and every other day in summer; otherwise bread is apt to mold. As there are so many ways of using small and stale pieces of bread, Care should be taken that none is wasted.

Un-fermented bread is raised without a ferment, the carbon dioxide being produced by the use of soda (alkaline salt) and an acid. Soda, employed in combination with cream of tartar, for raising mixtures, in proportion of one-third soda to two-thirds cream of tartar, was formerly used to a great extent, but has been generally superseded by baking powder.

Soda bicarbonate (NaHC03) is manufactured from sodium chloride (NaCl), common salt or cryolite.

Baking powder is composed of soda and cream of tartar in definite, correct proportions, mixed with small quantity of dry material (flour or cornstarch) to keep action from taking place. If found to contain alum or am~ol1ia, it is impure. In using baking powder, allow two teaspoons baking powder to each cup of flour, when eggs are not used to egg. mixtures allow one and one-half teaspoons baking powder. When a recipe calls for soda and cream of tartar, in substituting baking powder use double amount of cream of tartar given.

Soda and cream of tartar, or baking powder mixtures, are made light by liberation of gas in mixture; the gas in soda is set free by the acid in cream of tartar; in order to accomplish this, moisture and heat are both required, As soon as moisture is flc1c1ed to baking powder mixtures, the gas will begin to escape; hence the necessity of baking us soon as possible. If baking powder only is used for raising, put mixture to be cooked in a hot oven.

Cream of tartar (HKC4O6H4) is obtained from argols found adhering to bottom and sides of wine casks, which are ninety per cent cream of tartar. The argols are ground and dissolved in boiling water, coloring matter removed by filtering through animal charcoal, and by a process of recrystallization the cream of tartar of caramel IS obtained, The acid found in molasses, sour milk, and lemon juice will liberate gas in soda, but the action is much quicker than when cream of tartar is used.

Fermented and un-fermented breads are raised to be made light and porous, that they may be easily acted upon by the digestive ferments. Some mixtures arc made lightly beating sufficiently to enclose a large amount of air, and when baked in a hot oven air is forced to expand.

Aerated bread is made light by carbon dioxide forced into dough under pressure. The carbon dioxide is generated from sulphuric acid and lime. Aerated bread is of close texture, and has a flavor peculiar to itself. It is a product of the baker's skill, but has found little favor except in few localities.

Yeast

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Yeast is a microscopic plant of fungous growth, and is the lowest form of vegetable life. It consists of spores, or germs, found floating in air, and belongs to a family of which there are many species. These spores grow by budding and division, and multiply very rapidly under favorable conditions, and produce fermentation.

Fermentation is the process by which, under influence of air, warmth, moisture, and some ferment, sugar (or dextrose, starch converted into sugar) is changed into alcohol (C2HsHO) and carbon dioxide (C02), The product of all fermentation is the same. Three kinds are considered,alcoholic, acetic, and lactic. Where bread dough is allowed to ferment by addition of yeast, the fermentation is alcoholic , where alcoholic fermentation continues too long, acetic fermentation sets in, which is a continuation of alcoholic.

Lactic fermentation is fermentation which takes place when milk sours.

Liquid, dry, or compressed yeast may be used for raising bread. The compressed yeast cakes done up in tinfoil have long proved satisfactory, and are now almost universally nsed, having replaced the home-made liquid yeast.

Never use a yeast cake unless perfectly fresh, which may be determined by its light color and absence of dark streaks.

The yeast plant is killed at 212 F.; life is suspended, hut not entirely destroyed, at 32 F. The temperature best suited for its growth is from 65 to 68 F. The most favorable conditions for the growth of yeast are a warm, moist, sweet, nitrogenous soil. These must be especially considered in bread making.

Introduction to Breadmaking

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BREAD is the most important article of food, and history tells of its use thousands of years before the Christian era. Many processes have been employed in making and baking; and as a result, from the first flat cake has come the perfect loaf. The study of bread making is of no slight importance, and deserves more attention than it receives.

Considering its great value, it seems unnecessary and wrong to find poor bread on the table; and would. that our standard might be raised as high as that of our friends across the water! Who does not appreciate the loaf produced by the French baker, who has worked months to learn the art of bread making?

Bread is made from flour of wheat, or other cereals, by addition of water, salt, and a ferment. Wheat flour is best adapted for bread making, as it contains gluten in the right proportion to make the spongy loaf. But for its slight deficiency in fat, wheat bread is a perfect food; hence arose the custom of spreading it with butter. It should be remembered, in speaking of wheat bread as perfect food, that it must be made of flour rich in gluten.

Next to wheat flour ranks rye in importance for bread making, but it is best used in combination with wheat, for alone it makes heavy, sticky, moist bread. Corn also needs to be used in combination with wheat for bread making, for if used alone the bread will be crumbly.

The miller, in order to produce flour which will make the white loaf (so sightly to many), in the process of grinding wheat has been forced to remove the inner bran coats, so rich in mineral matter, and much of the gluten intimately connected with them.

To understand better the details of bread making, wheat, from which bread is principally made, should be considered.

A grain of wheat consists of (1) an outer covering or husk, which is always removed before milling; (2) bran coats, which contain mineral matter; (3) gluten, the proteid matter and fat; and (4) starch, the centre and largest part of the grain. Wheat is distinguished as white and soft, or red and hard. The former is known as winter wheat, having been sown in the fall, and living through the winter; the latter is known as spring wheat, having been sown in the spring. From winter wheat, pastry flour, sometimes called St. Louis, is made; from spring wheat, bread flour, also called Haxall. St. Louis flour takes its name from the old process of grinding; Haxall, from the name of the inventor of the new process. All flours are now milled by the same process. For difference in composition of wheat flours, consult table in Chapter VI on Cereals.

Wheat is milled for converting into flour by processes producing essentially the same results, all requiring cleansing, grinding, and bolting. Entire wheat flour has only the outer husk removed, the remainder of the kernel being finely ground. Graham flour, confounded with entire wheat, is too often found to be an inferior flour, mixed with coarse bran.

Grinding is accomplished by one of four systems: (1) low milling; (2) Hungarian system, or high milling (3) roller milling; and (4) by a machine known as dis-integrator.

In the low milling process, grooved stones are employed for grinding. The stones are enclosed in a metal case, and provision is made within case for passage of air to prevent wheat from becoming overheated. The lower stone being permanently fixed, the upper stone being so balanced above it that grooves may exactly correspond, when upper stone rotates, sharp edges of grooves meet each other, and operate like a pair of scissors. By this process flour is made ready for bolting by one grinding.

In the high milling process, grooved stones are employed, but are kept so far apart that at first the wheat is only bruised, and a series of grindings and siftings is necessary. This process is applicable only to the hardest wheats, and is partially supplanted by roller-milling.

In roller-milling, wheat is subjected to action of a pair of steel or chilled-iron horizontal rollers, having toothed surfaces. They revolve in opposite directions, at different rates of speed, and have a cutting action.

Porcelain rollers, with rough surfaces, are sometimes employed. In this system, grinding is accomplished by cutting rather thru crushing.

"The dis-integrator consists of a pair of circular metal disks, set face to face, studded with circles of projecting bars so arranged that circles of bars on one disk alternate with those of the other. The disks are mounted on the same centre, and so closely set to one another that projecting bars of one disk come quite close to plane surface of the other. They are enclosed within an external casing. The disks are caused to rotate in opposite directions with great rapidity, and the grain is almost instantaneously reduced to a powder."

After grinding comes bolting, by which process the different grades of flour are obtained. The ground wheat is placed in octagonal cylinders (covered with silk or linen bolting-cloth of different degrees of fineness), which are allowed to rotate, thus forcing the wheat through. The flour from first siftings contains the largest percentage of gluten.

Flour is branded under different names to suit manufacturer or dealer. In consequence, the same wheat, milled by the same process, makes flour which is sold under different names.

In buying flour, whether bread or pastry, select the best kept by your grocer. Some of the well-known brands of bread flour are King Arthur, Swansdown, Bridal Veil, Columbia. Washburn's Extra, and Pillsbury's Best; of pastry, Best St. Louis. Bread flour should be used in all cases where yeast is called for, with few exceptions; in other cases, pastry flour. The difference between bread and pastry flour may be readily determined. Take bread flour in the hand. close hand tightly, then open, and flour will not keep in shape and if allowed to pass through fingers it will feel slightly granular. Take pastry flour in the hand, close hand . tightly, open, and flour will be in shape, having impression of the lines of the hand, and feeling soft and velvety to touch. Flour should always be sifted before measuring.

Entire wheat flour differs from ordinary flour inasmuch as it contains all the gluten found in wheat, the outer husk of kernels only being removed, the remainder ground to different degrees of fineness and left unbolted. Such flours are now quite generally sold by all first class grocers. Included in this class are the Arlington Wheat Meal and the Old Grist Mill Entire Wheat Flour.

Gluten, the proteid of wheat, is a gray, tough, elastic substance, insoluble in water. On account of its great power of expansion, it slows the gas developed in bread dough by fermentation, which otherwise would escape.

Welcome

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Welcome to the Fannie Farmer Cooking blog! This blog will contain recipes from the Classic Fannie Farmer Boston School of Cooking cookbook. Enjoy!