SC - Re: sca-cooks Feast size?

[Dottie Elliott]

Dearest Lor Mandrigal of Mu:

Joy, rapture, huzza's - finally there is something I know a little 
about!  I can finally impart some knowledge to someone else, since I 
have been soaking up learned discourses for the last few weeks, much 
like a sponge.

There are a couple of ways that were used to make breads without the 
introduction of processed yeast.  One is the use of a potato starter.  I 
must admit, I don't know the details of this one, but I know where I can 
find them, so will post tomorrow.

Yeast left from brewing, either ale or wine, was also used, at least in 
the historical books I have on English, Scot, Irish and Welsh baking in 
the period from the 11th to 16th century.  I have no reason to think 
that the same procedure wasn't used in the rest of the world.  I don't 
think that I would like to bake with the lees of brewing, though.  But 
again, maybe that is only my taste.

A sponge was also made and left to sit out for a day or two (much like 
sourdough) to collect wild yeasts.  It works well, but again, it is much 
like sourdough.

The French did - and still do - use something called a levain.  It is a 
pc of dough kept from the last batch of bread and used to introduce 
yeast into another batch of dough.  Mind you, it takes 3 days to make a 
loaf of bread.  I day to culture the levain; one day to make the sponge 
and then, the third day to bake the bread.  But what heavenly, crusty 
bread it is.  Since I have learned to bake it, I always have levain 
handy.  It will keep in the regfrigerator for at least 2 weeks (the 
longest I have kept it), but it must come to room temperature before 
using.

Enough for now.  I remain,

Brigid Morgan ap Crawford of Shrewsbury