Aunt Sarah’s loaves of rye bread, baked from the above recipe, were invariably 3-1/2 inches high, 14-1/2 inches in diameter and 46 inches in circumference and always won a blue ribbon at Country Fairs and Farmers’ Picnics.

In the oven of Aunt Sarah’s range was always to be found a piece of sheet iron 17 inches in length by 16 inches in width.  The three edges of the sheet iron turned down all around to a depth of half an inch, the two opposite corners being cut off about a half inch, to allow of its being turned down.  It is a great convenience for young housewives to possess two of these sheet-iron tins, or “baking sheets,” when baking small cakes or cookies, as being raised slightly from the bottom of the oven, cakes are less liable to scorch and bake more evenly.  One sheet may be filled while baking another sheetful of cakes.  In this manner a large number of cakes may be baked in a short time.  This baking sheet was turned the opposite way, upside down, when baking a loaf of rye bread on it, and when the loaf of bread was partly baked the extra baking sheet was slipped under the bottom of the one containing the loaf, in case the oven was quite hot, to prevent the bottom of the bread scorching.  Wheat bread may be baked in the same manner as rye bread, substituting wheat flour for rye.  These baking sheets may be made by any tinsmith, and young housewives, I know, would not part with them, once they realize how invaluable they are for baking small cakes on them easily and quickly.

“FRAU SCHMIDTS” GOOD WHITE BREAD (SPONGE METHOD)

To one quart of potato water, drained from potatoes which were boiled for mid-day dinner, she added about 1/2 cup of finely-mashed hot potatoes and stood aside.  About four o’clock in the afternoon she placed one pint of lukewarm potato water and mashed potatoes in a bowl with 1/4 cup of granulated sugar and 1/2 a dissolved Fleischman’s yeast cake, beat all well together, covered with a cloth and stood in a warm place until light and foamy.  About nine o’clock in the evening she added the reserved pint of (lukewarm) potato water and 1/2 tablespoonful of salt to the yeast sponge, with enough warmed, well-dried flour to stiffen, and kneaded it until dough was fine-grained.  She also cut through the dough frequently with a sharp knife.  When the dough was elastic and would not adhere to molding-board or hands, she placed it in a bowl, brushed melted lard or butter over top to prevent a crust forming, covered warmly with a cloth and allowed it to stand until morning.  Frau Schmidt always rose particularly early on bake day, for fear the sponge might fall or become sour, if allowed to stand too long.  She molded the dough into four small loaves, placed it in pans to rise until it doubled its original bulk.  When light she baked it one hour.  Bread made according to these directions was fine-grained, sweet and wholesome.  She always cut several gashes across top of loaf with a sharp knife when loaves were set to rise, to allow gas to escape.