THE CARE OF THE BREAD AFTER BAKING

The jar, crock or box in which the bread is kept should be scrupulously clean.  It should be scalded and aired one day every week in winter and three times weekly during the spring, summer and early fall.  Keep the fact in mind that the bread kept in a poorly ventilated box will mould and spoil and thus be unfit for food.

Place the freshly baked bread on a wire rack to thoroughly cool before storing.  Do not put old bread in the box with the new baking.  Plan to use the stale bread for toast, dressings, bread and cabinet puddings, croutons and crumbs.

THE FOOD VALUE OF BREAD

Wheat contains the sixteen needed elements for nutrition, and when made into palatable bread, it forms about 40 per cent. of our total food requirements.  Stale bread digests much easier than fresh bread for the reason that when thoroughly masticated in the mouth the saliva acts directly upon the starchy content.  Fresh bread, unless thoroughly chewed, so that it may be well broken up, becomes a hard, pasty ball in the stomach, which requires that organ to manufacture the additional gastric juices to break up this dough ball.

Bread from one to three days old easily digests.  Graham and whole wheat breads contain a larger percentage of nutriment than the white breads.

OVEN TEMPERATURE

Many housewives feel that it is impossible to secure accurate results in baking in the gas range; this is due to the fact that few women really understand the principle of baking with gas.

To secure a slow oven, light both burners and let them burn for five minutes; then turn both of them down low, turning the handle that controls the flow of gas two-thirds off.  This will maintain a steady even heat.  A slow oven requires 250 to 275 degrees Fahrenheit of heat.  A moderate oven is 350 to 375 degrees Fahrenheit of heat.  It can be obtained by burning both burners of gas range for eight minutes and then turning them down one-half to maintain this heat.

A hot oven requires 425 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and will need to have the burners burning twelve minutes and then turned off one-quarter.

This heat is intense and entirely too hot for breads, pastries and cakes.  Meats require this heat for one-half of the length of time in the period of cooking.  This heat is also necessary for broiling, grilling, etc.

Now, also try to utilize the full oven space when baking by cooking two or more dishes at the same time.  Vegetables may be placed in casseroles or earthen dishes or even ordinary saucepans; cover them closely and cook in the oven until tender.  This will not injure other foods baking in the oven.

Do not place breads, cakes and pastries upon the top shelf; rather, place them on the lower shelf and cook in moderate oven.  Do you know that there are still among us women who firmly believe that placing other foods to cook in oven with cake will surely spoil it?  This is a mistake; utilize every bit of oven space.