An oven thermometer soon pays for itself.  Pay strict attention to heating the oven; if the oven is too hot, the heat is wasted, while it cools sufficiently.  This wastes gas.  When food is first placed in the oven, keep oven door closed for first ten minutes and then open when necessary.

Placing food in oven will materially reduce the heat.  Do not try to increase the heat; just as soon as the mixture acquires the heat, the baking will begin in the usual manner and the dish will be ready to remove from oven in given time.

Never keep the oven waiting for the food; rather let food remain in cool place while oven is heating.

Before mixing materials select the pans that will best fit the oven.  This does not mean that you must discard your present equipment.  It means that you should place in groups such pans that entirely fill oven space without crowding.  Keep this fact in mind when purchasing new utensils.

The best and whitest rye flour is milled from the centre of the grains in a manner similar to wheat flour.  When only the bran is removed from the milling, we have the darker flour, carrying a heavy pronounced flavor.  The rye meal is used for making pumpernickel, a Swiss and Swedish rye flour bread.

HOME-MADE YEAST

Wash four potatoes and then cut in slices, without peeling, and place in saucepan, and add three pints of water.  Cook until the potatoes are soft and then add

  One-half cupful of hops.

Cook slowly for one-half hour.  Rub the mixture through a fine sieve and then pour hot mixture on

  One and one-half cupfuls of flour,
  One tablespoonful of salt,
  One-quarter cupful of brown sugar.

Stir until well mixed, beating free from lumps.  Cool to 80 degrees Fahrenheit.  Now add

  One yeast cake dissolved in one cupful of water, 80 degrees
          Fahrenheit

Stir well to mix and then let ferment in a warm place for ten hours.  Now pour into jar or crock and store in a cool place.

TO USE

Use one and one-half cups of this mixture in place of the yeast cake.  Always stir well before using and take care that the mixture does not freeze.  This potato ferment must be made fresh every eighteen days in winter and every twelve days in summer.

STRAIGHT DOUGH VIENNA

  One quart of water or milk,
  One ounce of salt,
  One ounce of sugar.

Stir well to thoroughly dissolve, and then add

  Two yeast cakes,
  Four quarts of flour,
  One and one-half ounces of shortening.

Work to a smooth dough and then knead for ten minutes.  Then place in a well-greased bowl, turning the dough over to thoroughly coat.  This prevents a crust from forming on the dough.

Cover the bowl and set aside to raise for three and one-half hours.  Now lay over the dough by pulling in toward the centre, the sides and ends of the dough until it forms a compact mass.  Turn over the dough, cover and let rise for one hour.  Now place on the moulding board and proceed to form into loaves, using the same method as in the sponge dough.