The first process is to prepare the _ferment_. This is formed by
boiling thoroughly a peck and a half of potatoes, with their skins
on, which you place in a barrel kept exclusively for that purpose,
adding six pounds of flour, and mashing them well together. This is
called “scalding the flour.” Then add cold water until it is cool
enough to enable you to put your hands in, and break up the potatoes
as fine as possible, so as to obtain all their virtue. Then add about
six pailsful of warm water and six quarts of yeast. Stir it well
together, and place it in a warm spot, where it will not be disturbed.
Two good-sized tubs, made of salt or sugar barrels, would be the best
receptacle for it, as it requires space to work in. This should be
made at night, and will be ready for use in the morning after it is
carefully strained.
The second process is making the dough. This is done by sifting into
the trough a barrel and a half of flour, one-third of which is pinned
or blocked up at one end by the “pin board” or wooden slide. To this
you add three and a half pounds of salt and three and a half pailsful
of “ferment,” with four pailsful of hot water--not so hot, however, as
to scald your ferment--(in summer cold water is used instead of hot,)
and mix well together, kneading thoroughly and faithfully, adding to it
gradually all the flour in the trough until it is of one consistency.
It must then be placed at one end of the trough, and again pinned in
by the slide, leaving space enough, however, to allow it to prove. To
effect this requires at least two hours, when it will be ready to “work
off,” which is done by “throwing” it out of the trough, in masses, on
to the table or cover on the other side of the room or tent. It is then
cut into pieces and weighed, or “scaled off,” and immediately moulded
into shapes or loaves. This requires one man to scale, one to form into
loaves, and a third to “pan it away,” where it remains for at least
forty minutes before placing it in the oven. In the meantime the ovens
are heated, the coals and ashes drawn out, and the interior thoroughly
swabbed out, top and bottom. If too hot, wet the swab and dampen the
oven. The pans containing the dough are then set in, by means of the
peel, or wooden spade, the doors closed, and the hot coals and ashes
placed against them, in order to heat all sides equally. Fifty minutes
is the time generally required to bake the regular sized army loaves;
if larger, a longer period will be demanded.
The amount of ferment made in accordance with this receipt will be
sufficient for three batches of 288 loaves each. The first batch will
require four hours in preparing and baking; the second and third two
hours each.
Potatoes, hops, and malt should always be kept on hand, and a portion
of the yeast invariably retained for stock. To commence with, it will
be necessary to obtain brewers’ yeast; but, after making the first
essay, you can always be independent.