Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1837,by Light & Stearns, in the Clerk’s Office of the DistrictCourt of Massachusetts.
Primitive food of man. Bruising and grinding grain.Baking. Invention of leavened bread. Bread amongthe Greeks and Romans—among the Hebrews. Simplicityof the bread now used in many countries.
Reasons why food in its natural state would be the best.Concentrated nutriment. Interesting experiments onanimals. Mixtures of food. Leavened and unleavenedbread. Qualifications of the best bread.
Wheat. Extent of climate favorable to it. Injured byimproper tillage. Removal of impurities. Washingof grain. Separation of the bran from the nutrientparticles improper. Ancient Roman bread. Publicbakers. Use of bad flour. Adulterations. Poisonousagents used to disguise them.
Superfine flour injurious—a probable cause of somecommon disorders. Objections to coarse bread. Itsmedical properties. Extensive experiments of its use,by soldiers and others. Use among European peasantry.Selection, preservation and grinding of wheat.
Chemical composition of flour. Yeast—modes of preparingit. Substitutes for it. Fermentation, and itsproducts. Vinous, acetous and putrefactive fermentation.
Mixing. Much kneading necessary. Rising, or fermentation.Use of alkalies—saleratus and soda. Baking.Ovens. Alcohol in bread. Preservation of bread.
Making bread by rule. Bakers. Domestics. Sourbread. An anecdote. Mrs. Van Winkle. Bad breadneed not be made. How cake is made. Bread-makinga drudgery. Excellent example of a mother.Eating bad bread. Importance of having goodbread.
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