[Sca-cooks] Shortbread was Period Flour Query

[terry l. ridder]

On Fri, 9 Feb 2007, David Friedman wrote:

>
> Incidentally, does anyone have a good explanation of why you bake the
> flour first?
>

the manual for army cooks, 1883 and 1896 editions mention to brown the
flour used to thicken drippings for gravy. my brother and i experimented
with this back in 1995. the browning of the flour definitely removes the
flour taste and imparts a slightly nutty flavor. a side-effect is that
the gravy is not lightened by the use of plain white flour.

my brother, a military historian, also thinks based on anecdotal and
comtemporary writings of enlisted solders and quartermasters, that it
may have been recommended to kill off any parasitic infestations in the
flour.

-- 
terry l. ridder ><>