The New England Cook Book, or Young Housekeeper's Guide: Being a Collection of the Most Valuable Receipts; Embracing all the Various Branches of Cookery, and Written in a Minute and Methodical Manner

table spoonful of salt, knead in flour till stiff enough to mould up, cover it over and if the weather is cold set it near the fire to rise. To ascertain when it is risen, cut it through the middle with a knife, and if full of small holes like a sponge, it is sufficiently light. If the dough gets sour before you are ready to bake it, dissolve two or more tea spoonsful of saleratus (according to the acidity of it,) in a cup of water, and strain it on the dough, work it in well, mould it up, slash it on the sides, to prevent its cracking when baked, put it in buttered pans, and let it stand ten or twelve minutes before you bake it; if you like it quite brown let it stand in the oven an hour and a half. If the wheat is grown, use all boiling water, and let it stand till cool before putting in the yeast. Some people, have an idea that it kills the life of the flour, to scald it, but it is a mistake, it makes it much sweeter, and prevents its moulding soon in warm weather; bread made in this manner is very nearly as good as that which is wet with milk. Care must be taken, not to put in the yeast when the dough is hot, as it will scald it and prevent its rising. Bread is much better in the winter, for being made several days before it is baked, it should be kept in a cool place, and a little flour knead in every day. Most ovens require heating an hour and a half for bread, some will heat sufficiently in an hour, a brisk fire should be kept up, the doors in the room should be kept shut in cold weather. Pine, and ash, or birch mixed, are the best wood for heating an oven. To ascertain if your oven is of the right temperature, when cleared throw in a little flour, if it browns in the course of a minute, it