This is a vintage newspaper clipping featuring my great-grandmother’s contribution to the Cadillac Evening News from many years ago. I thought it would be fun to share and to keep a digital record of it.
The submission is a unique bread recipe written in rhyme. You can see the paper put it in a special category. Here’s the clipping that was saved. Below it I’ve transcribed the poem.
A Good Bread Recipe
First, mix a luke warm quart, my daughter
One-half scalded milk, one-half water;
To this please add two cakes of yeast.
Or the liquid kind if preferred in the least.
Next, stir in a teaspoon of nice clear salt,
If this bread isn’t good, it won’t be our fault.
Now add the sugar, teaspoon-fuls three.
Mix well together for dissolved they must be.
Pour the whole mixture into an earthen bowl,
A pan’s just as good, if it hasn’t a hole.
It’s the cook and the flour, not the bowl or the pan
That – “Makes the bread that makes the man.”
Now let the mixture stand a minute or two,
You’ve other thing’s of great importance to do.
First sift the flour – use the finest in the land.
Three quarts is the measure,
Use any good brand.
Some people like a little shortening power,
If this is your choice, just add to the flour
Two tablespoons of lard, and jumble it about,
“Till the flour and lard are mixed without a doubt.
Next stir the flour into the mixture that’s stood
Waiting to play its part, to make the bread good.
Mix it up thoroughly, but not too thick;
Some flours make bread that’s more like a brick.
Now grease well a bowl and put the dough in,
Don’t fill the bowl full, that would be a sin;
For the dough is all right and it’s going to rise,
Till you will declare that it’s twice the old size.
Brush the dough with melted butter, as the recipes say;
Cover with a bread towel, set in a warm place to stay
Two hours or more, to rise until light
When you see it grow, you’ll know it’s all right.
As soon as it’s light, place again on the board;
Knead it well this time. Here is knowledge to hoard.
Now back in the bowl once more it must go
And set again to rise for an hour or so.
Form the dough gently into loaves when light,
And place it in bread pans, greased just right.
Shape each loaf you make to half fill the pan,
This bread will be good enough for any young man.
Next let it rise to the level of pans – no more,
Have the temperature right – don’t set near a door.
Be very careful about draught – it isn’t made to freeze.
Keep the room good and warm – say seventy-two degrees.
Now put in the oven; it’s ready to bake,
Keep uniform fire, great results are at stake.
One hour more of waiting and you’ll be repaid,
By bread that is worthy
of “A well bred maid.”
This recipe was taken from a cookbook I received 65 years ago.
Mrs. Klaas Schaaf
110 Pine St.
McBain
