[Sca-cooks] researching recipes

[Terry Decker]

They are actually similar to the techniques used to produce dry active yeast
today.

One should note that the period references to sourdough come from areas
known more for their vintning than their brewing, while the Northern
European countries known for their brewing tend to call for ale barm or
yeast.

At one time, France had laws requiring that bread be made from starter
rather than from yeast.  They were presumably repealed because the light
airy bread we associate with baguettes requires a very active yeast which
sourdough doesn't provide.  I'm still trying to determine when and where the
French baking regulations came into existence.

Bear

-----Original Message-----


There are some 18th century receipts (sorry, my frame of reference) for
preserving your yeast for the seasons when it's too hot or cold to brew
beer.  I haven't worked with the receipts so I don't know exactly what they
are or how well they work, but one method is to paint thin layers of ale
yeast on the inside of a clean wooden bowl, and turn the bowl upside-down to
dry before applying the next layer.  When you have achieved maximum layer
potential and it's all dry, scrape the powder off into a container, and you
have powdered yeast.


Nancy Kiel