SC - Long-Period food, bread, etc.

[Decker, Terry D.]

<deleted>
> Yes, that last bit sounds insane but I am told there was once a
>gentleman in Anteorra (perhaps His Holiness Sir Gunthar could confirm or
>deny this?) who kneaded gravel into his bread because he felt it would
>make it more authentic. 

I never came across this one, so if it is more than apocryphal, it
probably occurred very far to the south.

Obviously this gentle did not study period practices.  No miller would
put gravel in the flour.  Very fine sand in small quantities is what was
used to steal flour.  And the baker that did it would have rocks in
their head as well as in the bread.

<deleted>
>> Anyway ...(big deep breath) is there anyone with a GOOD yeast bread
>> recipe.  I have a wonderful Russian Round Bread recipe, but I am not
>> quite sure how "period" it is.  Thanks!
>
>There aren't a heck of a lot of period bread recipes that have survived.
>This is probably because much of the bread that was eaten in period
>would have been baked by professional bakers, in a bakery, which had
>little or nothing in common with the kitchens whose recipe collections
>have come down to us. 

The only period bread recipe I know of is the Manchet recipe I've been
baking and commenting on to the list.  After working with it, I am of
the opinion it is a "home" recipe rather than something that would have
been baked by a professional.

>A simple "white" bread recipe, as suitable for most of period Europe,
>would be something like this:
>
>2 packets dry yeast, or equivalent in sourdough starter, barm, etc.
>1 Tbs salt
>1 Tbs sugar
>~1 cup lukewarm water (~100-110 degrees F.)
>2 1/2 cups all-purpose white flour
>1 cup whole wheat flour

To be a little closer to period, I would use a pinch of sugar in the
water to help start the yeast and leave out the rest of the sugar.  I'd
probably also use less yeast, but those are just minor arguments of
technique.
>
<deleted>
>
>Beep. Beep. Certified professional baker's trick alert! Keep handy a
>clean plant mister filled with plain water. Spray the loaf with a fine
>mist of water just before putting it into the oven. After five minutes,
>do it again. After another five minutes, do it a third, and final time.
>This helps develop a good, baguette-like, crust. (If you miss and hit
>the back or bottom of the oven, instead of the loaf, it really doesn't
>seem to make a difference, provided you don't extinguish the oven flame.
>Electric ovens are shielded from this type of thing, and should pose no
>problem.)

For a heavier crust, fill a broiler pan with water and put it on the
lowest rack position.  Bake on the middle rack position.  This will have
less cracking than a baguette crust.

For softer crust, brush the loaf with butter or margarine immediately
after removing it from the oven.
>
><deleted>
>Adamantius
>______________________________________
>Phil & Susan Troy
>troy at asan.com

That's a good set of instructions.  Thanks for the post.

Bear
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