On one morning boil two ounces of the best hops in four quarts of water half an hour; strain it, and let the liquor cool to the consistency of new milk; then put it in an earthen bowl and add half a cupful of salt and half a cupful of brown sugar; beat up one quart of flour with some of the liquor; then mix all well together, and let it stand till the third day after; then add six medium-sized potatoes, boiled and mashed through a colander; let it stand a day, then strain and bottle and it is fit for use.  It must be stirred frequently while it is making, and kept near a fire.  One advantage of this yeast is its spontaneous fermentation, requiring the help of no old yeast; if care be taken to let it ferment well in the bowl, it may immediately be corked tightly.  Be careful to keep it in a cool place.  Before using it shake the bottle up well.  It will keep in a cool place two months, and is best the latter part of the time.  Use about the same quantity as of other yeast.

DRIED YEAST OR YEAST CAKES.

Make a pan of yeast the same as “Home-Made Yeast;” mix in with it corn meal that has been sifted and dried, kneading it well until it is thick enough to roll out, when it can be cut into cakes or crumble up.  Spread out and dry thoroughly in the shade; keep in a dry place.

When it is convenient to get compressed yeast, it is much better and cheaper than to make your own, a saving of time and trouble.  Almost all groceries keep it, delivered to them fresh made daily.

SALT-RAISING BREAD.

While getting breakfast in the morning, as soon as the tea-kettle has boiled, take a quart tin cup or an earthen quart milk pitcher, scald it, then fill one-third full of water about as warm as the finger could be held in; then to this add a teaspoonful of salt, a pinch of brown sugar and coarse flour enough to make a batter of about the right consistency for griddle-cakes.  Set the cup, with the spoon in it, in a closed vessel half-filled with water moderately hot, but not scalding.  Keep the temperature as nearly even as possible and add a teaspoonful of flour once or twice during the process of fermentation.  The yeast ought to reach to the top of the bowl in about five hours.  Sift your flour into a pan, make an opening in the centre and pour in your yeast.  Have ready a pitcher of warm milk, salted, or milk and water (not too hot, or you will scald the yeast germs), and stir rapidly into a pulpy mass with a spoon.  Cover this sponge closely and keep warm for an hour, then knead into loaves, adding flour to make the proper consistency.  Place in warm, well-greased pans, cover closely and leave till it is light.  Bake in a steady oven, and when done let all the hot steam escape.  Wrap closely in damp towels and keep in closed earthen jars until it is wanted.

This, in our grandmothers’ time, used to be considered the prize bread, on account of its being sweet and wholesome and required no prepared yeast to make it.  Nowadays yeast-bread is made with very little trouble, as the yeast can be procured at almost any grocery.