SC - Local dottir makes good...

[Christina Nevin]

> >   (I'm not beating
> >  > anything with a leather mallet for 30 minutes.)  Is this a period
> method
> >  > of preparing quick breads?
> >  > 
> >  > Evfemia at mail.com
> >  > 
> >  To my knowledge this is not a period method, but that does not
> necessarily
> >  rule it out.  
> 
> I'll tell you what....It sure "feels" period...
> 
> Balthazar of Blackmoor
> 
"Feeling" period does not necessarily make it so.  I've seen no historical
evidence for the practice.  In fact, a recipe for manchet suggests that
"quick" breads were made like regular bread, but allowed no or little rise,
depending on oven spring to aerate the bread.

On the otherhand there is a tradition of uncertain origin that French bakers
beat their dough with a rolling pin to improve the rise.  C'est la vie.

Bear