Instructions: Someone asked for a recipe for salt-rising bread. I havent actually tried this, but I believe this recipe has been in my family for hundreds of years. The instructions that I have were written down by my aunt about 50 years ago. My mother tells me that this stuff really does smell awful while its fermenting. My father used to make it back when they were first married during the depression. They would set it on the furnace in the hall of their apartment house, and apparently everyone in the apartment house complained about it. But my father claimed there was no better tasting bread.

The secret of success with this bread is to keep it very warm so that it can rise properly.

Peel and slice one medium sized potato thin and add it to 1 quart of boiling water in which has been put 1 Tablespoon of sugar, 2 Tablespoons of cornmeal, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Keep the mixture warm overnight, 95-100 F. The next morning it should smell like beer. Drain out the potato (I assume this means keep the liquid, get rid of the potato) and add 1 cup of scalded sweet milk. Stir flour in until stiff, like muffin mix. Keep warm, 100-110 F, until it rises. Then add 1 pint warm water, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 Tablespoon lard, and flour until it is the consistency of bread dough. Do not knead.

Put into bread pans, let rise to double in bulk, and bake in a moderate, 375 F, oven 45 minutes to an hour. The dough must never be allowed to chill.

Joy of Cooking also has recipes for salt-rising bread. I have no idea how many loaves the above recipe makes. It sounds like it might make half a dozen loaves. Id be very interested in your results if you try this.

LOUISE

If you would like to email yourself the recipe for later use, or share the recipe with your friends or family, enter the email addresses below and this recipe will be emailed to you and others as well.