It will also be noted that the heavy cook-book style is not used here but the recipes are presented as if housewife and author were conversing upon the dish in question, and to her I will say:  economical, palatable food is within your reach if you will discard the ideas and methods of long ago.  Remember, you would not prefer to ride in a horse car, as a means of conveyance, so why use the recipes of those days?

The capable housewife, whose busy hands bake bread, cake and pastry, spreads forth to the community an influence that is priceless, a largesse not of festal day, holy day, or holiday, but thrice daily, wholesome and welcome as spring’s first sunbeam and precious to every home so blessed, ever growing and radiating.  May this book help in that growth and a greater radiation!

THE AUTHOR

MRS. WILSON’S COOK BOOK

Bread, the staff of life, must be palatable and good if we are to be satisfied with it when we eat.

Can you think of anything that will spoil a meal more quickly than poor, over moist, doughy or heavy bread?

Bread may truly be called the staff of life, as it will maintain life longer than any other single food.

Yet many women think bread-making is a simple task; that the ingredients can be thrown together helter-skelter and good results obtained; or that any kind of flour will make good bread.  This is a great mistake.  To make good palatable bread it requires good materials, a reasonable amount of care and attention.  But first of all must come the knowledge of the flour.

A good blend of hard winter flour is necessary and it can easily be tested by pressing a small quantity of it in the hand; if the flour is good, it will retain the shape of the hand.  Graham or whole wheat flour and rye flours can be used for variety and to advantage in making bread.

Other cereal flours do not contain gluten to allow them to be used alone for making the yeast-raised breads.  Keep this in mind and thus prevent failures.  The yeast is a single-cell plant and must be given the proper temperature, moisture and food for its successful growth.  When this is supplied, each little cell multiples a thousand times, thus pushing and stretching the dough.  This makes it rise or become light.

WHY DOUGH FALLS

When the yeast cells have absorbed or consumed all the food that they can obtain from the sugar, flour, etc., the dough will recede or fall.  Now, if the dough is carefully handled at a given time, this will not take place, and so for this reason the dough is permitted to stand only for a given length of time before it is worked and then placed in the pans.

Few utensils will be required for making bread, but they must be scrupulously clean, if the bread is to have a good flavor.  Potatoes and other cooked cereals may be used with good results.  Compressed yeast will give the best results, and either the sponge or straight dough method may be used.