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Sunday 31 July 2011

Sourdough Bread- No.2.

Sourdough Bread- No.2.
                   1/2 cup milk
                   2 Tbsp. sugar
                   1 Tbsp. shortening
                   1 cup sourdough starter
                   3 3/4 cups flour
              Scald milk, stir in sugar and shortening and let the mixture cool. Into a warm bowl measure the sourdough starter and add the milk mixture. Sift flour over the starter and mix all together. Turn the dough out on a lightly floured board and knead it for 2 minutes. Put the dough in a lightly buttered bowl and turn it until the entire surface is coated. Cover the dough with a dry towel and let rise in a warm place until it doubles in bulk, about 1 to 1-1/2 hours
            Punch down the dough, cover it, and let it rise for about 30 minutes. Punch down the dough, shape it into a ball and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes at room temperature.
            Pat the ball into a loaf shape and turn it into a greased bread pan (Use Bakers Grease- 1 part flour to 2 parts shortening; make this ahead and store) 9 by 5 by 3 inches.  Cover the loaf again and let it rise in a warm place until it doubles in bulk, about 1 hour. Bake the loaf in a hot oven (400 F.) for 40 to 50 minutes, or until it tests done and the crust is brown

Saturday 23 July 2011

FOODS ORIGINATING IN NORTH AMERICA, UNKNOWN TO THE REST OF THE WORLD.

While it is possibly true that corn (maize), peppers, potatoes and tomatoes are all native to America; America does not necessarily mean the United States of the Americas; nor even of North America. Yes, several very important vegetable crops, unknown to the rest of the world did originate in the Americas and Wapiti (not ELK; which, for some unknown reason, North Americans call a moose), White-tail deer and Wild Turkeys were found no where else but in North America. But, actually, considering the relative size of the Americas to the rest of the world there are very few and MOST, OTHER THAN FOR THOSE ALREADY MENTIONED, DID NOT ORIGINATE IN NORTH AMERICA. 

Avocado: Mesoamerica
Beans: Native to Meso and South America.
Blueberry: North America
Bison are not excluse to North America
Cacao: Mesoamerica
Cactus: Mesoamerica
Caribou or Reindeer: were not exclusive to North America
Cassava Root (manioc): South America
Concord Grapes: North America
Corn or Maize: Native, possibly, to Meso and South America
Cranberry: North America
Ducks: Of course, no ducks aaare exclusive to North America
Elk: Known as Moose in North America did not originate; nor are they exclusive to the Americas. The Wapiti, however, did and is.
Huckleberies: North America
Pumpkins/Squash: Mesoamerica
Peanuts:South America.
Pecan: North America
Potatoes: Like tomatoes, (night-shade family--it is now possible to grow tomatoes above ground and potatoes below; all on the same plant) commonly thought to come from South America but likely originating in China.
Peppers: South America
Saskatoon (Serviceberry): North America
Tomatoes: Commonly thought to be native of Mexico or South America but possibly imported from China.
Turkey: North and Mesoamerica-possibly first domesticated by the Aztec.
Vanilla: Mesoamerica 


I know I have left several animals, berries, and vegetables out; some you would probably like to see included but the point is that many of the foods that we associate solely with North America and believe to have originated in North America are really about as North American as the automobile, bannock, frankfurters(hot-dogs), hamburgers, apple pie, or sour-dough; none of which even originated in the Americas.



CRAV'IN THE RAVEN



Crows, Jays, Ravens-The Corvidae Family and Some Very Clever Birds.


Most people, especially  aboriginal and"First Nation" groups would not even  think of "eating crow". What a humiliation!  What an insult! What a put-down of "human dignity", not to mention "human" and traditional rights.They would  much rather fight, riot, or STARVE TO DEATH.


 Man; especially the aboriginal man, "deserves" the best  of everything and should be able to eat chicken-KENTUCKY FRIED- every day if he so pleases.


CHICKEN: one of the most cannibalistic, disease ridden,  dirty, omnivorous scavengers known.

On the other hand, the Corvidae family contains some of the most familiar and well-known birds- crows, Ravens, Jays, Magpies, Nutcrackers and Rooks. These birds have become legendary in many of the world's mythologies. They have a reputation for intelligence (some claim above human) and have been observed using tools. They can talk, whistle, an vocally imitate many other animals and birds. They may be aggressive (so are humans; it is often necessary for survival) and may even seem to be playful. Like most all birds corvids are omnivorous (like man- basically scavengers) eating from many sources. Being so smart and omnivorous allows them to expand their geographic range, perhaps more than any other bird, although they still face their limits in harsh environments and with competition from other birds.  In the Pacific Northwest, the Stellar's Jay British Columbia's provincial bird sometimes steal nuts out of the paws of squirrels. A crow or raven might attack a dog, cat or human just for fun and because they can. They are a very interesting group of 'strange birds".


Raven Recipes:
Some people claim, because ravens are a very tough bird, you should boil the hell out of them. "We are talking about a TOUGH bird that has an enormous breast. It has such a  strong flavour, that you will end up with a fairly decent stock (providing of course that you reserve it, that is where most of the nutrition will then lie) and a very dark meat that is still somewhat flavourful after it has become tender. The meat of any corvid is high in protein, low in fat, remarkably clean and disease free-despite being a scavenger. 
MUCH PREFERABLE, IN MY OPINION, TO DISEASE RIDDEN, OFTEN FLAT TASTING, RUBBER CHICKEN.

NO MEAT OR VEGETABLE SHOULD EVER,EVER, BE BOILED.
 BOILING ONLY DESTROYS: MINERALS, NUTRITION, TASTE, VITAMINS.
Much more economical, nutritious and practical than "boiling the hell out of ravens would be using one of my braising, en-casserole, fricassee, steaming, or stewing recipes. What ever the method used, the main thing to remember is "what's put in the pot stays in the pot and is eaten from the pot-that where the food value and nutrition lies".





Friday 22 July 2011

Bulrushes-Should NOT Be Confused With Cat-Tails


Bulrushes (Scirpus)  and cat-tails (Typha latiforia) do not have the same characteristics; nor do they look alike, because they, obviously, are not the same plant.

Pictured above-BULRUSHES
Whenever you hear the word bulrush, do you think of cat-tails? 
Oddly enough, many people; especially those  teaching survival/bushcraft courses, those professing to be of partial aboriginal heritage (Métis/First Nations), or those publishing modern improved dictionaries, encyclopaedias, or other; supposedly reliable reference??? books--you know the kind--they
are published by Amazon, Google, related so called encyclopedias, some United States of The Americas Universities; the kind that also don't know or don't recognize; the difference between an antelope and a so called prong horn(an animal which does not even have horns), beef and/or other meats and cheap highly, processed poisonous potentially deadly fillers, a bison and a buffalo, a dove and a pigeon, a carnivore and an omnivore, or an elk and a wapiti.
These people tend to think of bulrushes only as"the reeds or weeds that grow along the shoreline". Such web- browsers, dictionaries, encyclopaedias, and reference books will often clump the two together.
But, although cohabitation is not unheard of, there are some vast differences between the two that can not be simply attributed to differences in British and United States of THE Americas terminology, or geographical location. It should be remembered that although they are continually try to redefine the ENGLISH language; The United States of the Americas still uses a PIGEON type of it.
The bulrush has a public relations problem. It is found in the same environment as the cattail, can be used many of the same ways, and it tastes better yet one never hears the bulrush praised as much as the cattail. It should be.
The young shoots of spring can be eaten raw, or cooked. Its pollen can be eaten as flour; in bread, mush, or pancakes. The seeds can be parched and consumed, or first ground and then used like flour. The large, horizontal rhizomes roots can be eaten raw or cooked. Early Canadians- actually peoples of All Americas dried them in the sun then pounded them into flour. The estimated food value is 8% sugar — making it sweeter than the cattail –  5.5% starch 1% protein.
I repeat, again,Bulrushes (Scirpus)  and cat-tails (Typha latiforia) do not have the same characteristics; nor do they look alike, because they, obviously, are not the same plant.
Bulrushes are much slower than cat-tails in establishing and spreading because they proliferate more through underground (very edible, somewhat similar to a potato) rhizomes more so than seeds. There are some noted differences between the cat-tail and bulrush, as emergent vegetation, but one noted commonality between them is their special adaptation in transporting oxygen from the air into their roots, enabling them to grow in continually flooded, but shallow water areas. Both can tolerate poor water quality. Although bulrushes can handle and withstand long dry periods better than cat-tails; they do, nonetheless , usually, tend to grow in  deeper water (making the rhizomes more difficult to harvest) where as as cat-tails usually prefer shallow water.
Also known as tulle,  wool grass, and rat grass this herbaceous plant can grow up to 10 feet tall; they are found all through-out North America and Eurasia. The varieties found in Western Canada are Hard-stemmed bulrush Schoenoplectus acutus and Soft StemmedSchoenoplectus tabernaemontani. 
Shoots and lower stalks are edible raw; as are the growing tips of rhizome. Young rhizomes can be crushed and boiled to make sweet syrup or sugar.The dried rhizome can be crushed to remove fibres, then ground into flour. Parch the edible rhizomes. They are high in protein and very starchy, grind them into a powder for flour, mix with water, boil it and eat as porridge. Young shoots are considered a delicacy, whether eaten raw or cooked. The bulrush, used in a salad or eaten as a cooked vegetable. As in the case of cat-tails the pollen can be used to make breads and cakes. Seeds are edible raw or parched. A poultice can also be made from the stems to stop bleeding and to treat snakebites. The roots can be processed and used to treat abscesses.
The bulrush, and other edible rushes in the same family (Scirpus validus, S=cir-pus val-I-dus, Scirpus  acutus, S-cir-pus a-cut(as the word)-us)  are found throughout the Americas. It’s also found in Hawaii, the Cook Islands and Easter Island, where it arrived some 30,000 years ago. Other related rushes are found in northern areas and have similar use. Though called a rush the plant is one of the soft-sided sedges. If you haven’t heard the rhyme to help you remember the difference between sedges and other plants, here it is: Sedges have edges. All sedges are triangular, some markedly so, others barely so.
Scripus means sharp and refers to the usual edges found on sedges. In 1772 there was a large lake, some 760 square miles, in what was then Spanish territory but, since it was stolen from the Spanish; is now the San Joaquin Valley of California; USA. The lake was discovered by Pedro Fages but no longer exists. Fages named the area Los Tules because of the large bulrush marshes. “Tule” A word which, obviously, could not have originated in the United States of the Americas, probably came from Tulle-origin-A Town In SW France-definition- a soft ,fine net material used for making veils and dresses. Tullin in Spanish means cattail. An Aztec word –as later used in the Americas-“Tollin” was used to describe a group of plants including the cattails, bulrushes, and OTHER similar plants. When the Spanish first colonised Mexico and Central America in the 1500s, they borrowed many words from Nahunta, the language spoken by many of the peoples of central Mexico at the time, including the Aztecs, and still spoken by almost a million and a half people in Mexico today.
Tulare’s are significant wetland habitats for some 160 species of birds and many mammals and amphibians. Marsh wrens and blackbirds build their nests there. Migratory ducks seek food and shelter among the bulrushes. Wading birds forage on fish, amphibians, and invertebrates that hide among the bottom of the bulrushes. Geese feed on the new shoots and roots.  Among the birds found in rushes are the bufflehead, mallard, pintail, shoveler, blue-winged teal, cinnamon teal, greater scaup, lesser scaup, avocet, marbled godwit, clapper rail, rails, blackbirds, Canada geese and white-fronted geese. Indigenous North Americans hunted the ducks in the rushes. They would sink nets and make decoys made of rushes. When the ducks landed entire flocks were captured by pulling up the nets.
Indigenous North Americans also cut the sedges for mats, and for thatching. The thatching is both, insulating, and water-proof. When woven with grape vines or other strong vines, they form floats a person can stand on and pole over water. A similar rush was used by Thor Heyerdahl when he made the Kontiki [Kon-Tiki was the raft used by Norwegian explorer and writer Thor Heyerdahl in his 1947 expedition across the Pacific Ocean from South America to the Polynesian islands. It was named after the Inca sun god, Viracocha, for whom "Kon-Tiki" was said to be an old name]. Bulrush “shoes” helped hunters to walk over muddy flats without sinking in. Shredded rushes were used to make baskets, baby diapers, sleeping mats,  menstrual material, ‘Grass’ Skirts For The Ladies And Capes For The Men
Like most aquatic plants in the area the bulrush is also home to a beetle grub that fish like. On the bulrush, look for a small hole, and a brown streak in the upper portion of the stalk. You will find a small grub, actually the larval form of an Arrowhead Beetle. The size will vary but they do grow big enough for a small hook and fish love them. As it is a weevil, the grub is also probably edible by humans but I haven’t got around to trying one. You can find the same grub in the base of cattails. Look for a green cattail with an outer leave that is browning at the bottom.
Some Bulrush Recipes
Bulrush Flour
Clean the roots thoroughly, and dry them completely, in a dry place, in the sun. When they are dry, remove the fibres from the root, and pound the remaining pulp into flour. The texture of the flour depends upon how much elbow grease you use in its preparation. It is very sweet.
Bulrush Bread
Skin the roots and cut them into small pieces, the boil in to a gruel. Remove the fibers and let the water evaporate. When all the water is gone you have a sweet-tasting flour. Mix some fat into the flour and mix. Roll the dough mixture out onto a flat rock and bake in a reflector oven. Or make small rolls about 6 inches long and half an inch thick, twist around a stick and set in from of the fire to bake.
Bulrush Pancakes
Peel the skin from the roots, cut into small sections, add water, and boil into a gruel. Let cool. Stir in porcupine skunk, or any other fat, then add diced porcupine, skunk, or bacon. Heat a couple of flat stones [see cooking without a pan] over the fire. Form small patties of the mixture and fry on the stones. If berries are in season, mash a cupful and use a compliment.
Roasted Bulrush Roots
Dig up the roots and clean thoroughly, removing all the hair roots by scraping, then wrap in big leaves. Dig a hole in the ground about 18 inches across and 6 inches deep. Build a fire in it, and when you have a good bed of coals, remove most of the coals from the hole and place the wrapped roots in. Scrape the coals back on top of the wrapped roots. Roast for 2 to 3 hours.
Bulrush Broth
Ingredients:
1 1/2 any available meat, cut up
1 1/2 tsps. salt
1/2 cup flour
2 Tbsps. bulrush flour
2 Tbsps. (if available) mustard seed
2 Tbsps. (if available, any fat will do) bacon fat
6 cups water
1/2 cup bulrush shoots
3 wild onions
1/4 cup wild rice (if available-remember, wild rice is NOT rice)
3 bulrush roots, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce (if available)
Roll the meat pieces in a mixture of flour and salt. Sauté them in hot fat, turning several times to brown completely. Add the water, bulrush shoots, and wild onions, then cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours, or, until the wild rice is tender.
Bulrush Stew
Peel the skin off the roots and cut in inch long pieces; then place in a pot with boiling water and add a few wild onions, or, sprigs of mint. Then add pieces of porcupine, skunk, and/or other small animals. Boil one hour.
Bulrush Bake
Ingredients:
1 lb. small bulrush sprouts
1 lb. ground beef(or any other available-see recipe above- meat
1 large onion
Optional ingredients, if available:1 can tomato soup (or water)1 cup tomato juice (or water) Potato chips (thinly sliced bulrush “potato” Salt and pepper
The small inner stalks of the bulrush are tender, and taste much like asparagus, when cooked. These stalks are easy to remove from the plant: simply part the leaves and pull the shoots from the roots. Wash them in running water, and cut into small pieces. Soak in salted water (If available).
Mix any meat and finely diced onion, add salt and pepper to taste. In a greased baking dish or skillet, put a layer of bulrush sprouts, then a layer of meat. Repeat until all the ingredients are used. Pour the tomato soup over the mixture.
Bake for about an hour or until the bulrush sprouts are tender, adding a little tomato juice from time to time to keep it moist. Top with potato chips and let stand in oven ten minutes more. Serves six.
Creamed Bulrushes
Ingredients:
12 lbs. tender bulrush shoots
1/2 tsp. salt-if available
1 cup water
3 Tbsp. any fat
3 Tbsp. bulrush flour
3 cups liquid (milk, if available but definitely not necessary, plus drained bulrush juice)
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Rinse the fresh bulrush shoots and steam with salt and water, in a covered pan, until limp. Drain off all juice into a cup and save.
Dice the bulrush shoots- fine to medium. In any suitable pot, melt fat and stir in flour, to form a roux. Cook 2<3 minutes. Gradually stir in (stir this Veloute or Béchamel sauce smooth between every addition of liquid) bulrush juice, and/or water, and or enough milk, to bring total liquid to 3 cups. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Hunters’ Stew with Bulrushes
Ingredients:
 2 cups finely diced wild onion (do not mince)
2 medium sized bulrush “potatoes” (rhizomes)
10 slices bacon (if available), diced
3 lbs. boneless meat, cut into cubes
1 Tbsp. finely diced chives
2 cups water
1/2 cup dry red wine (it would be nice if it were available)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 water
1 cup wild rice (again, if available).
8 bulrush shoots
1 1/2 cups stock or water
·         Skin the onion, cut-small dice, and put aside.
·          In a 2-quart saucepan (if available) cover the bulrush rhizomes with water, add a pinch of salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook for 30 minutes.
·         Drain water. Scrape and slice rhizomes in 1/4 inch slices and set aside.
·         In a skillet cook the bacon over medium heat until it is crisp.
·          Remove bacon from pan and set aside.
·         Pour off all but a thin layer of fat from the skillet and set the skillet aside.
·         Add the onions and bring the heat up. Cook until onions are transparent.
·         Add the meat cubes and the rendered bacon fat, then the chives and bulrush roots. Cook for 15 minutes, over medium heat.
·          Return the bacon to the skillet. Stir in the water and wine. season with salt and pepper and reduce heat to a low simmer. Cover and cook for about an hour.
·         Drop wild rice into your saucepan or available pot. Add a pinch of salt and just enough water to cover. Bring to boil, lower heat and cook for 30 minutes.
·         Gradually stir the cooked wild rice, bulrush shoots, and one cup of stock, or water into the skillet. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
·         Taste for seasoning. If the rice starts to become too dry, of course, you can add the remaining stock to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pan

Serves Six
"Boneset" was a popular remedy, used in almost all cultures, to address general aches and malaise It is said to be effective in treating flu and cold symptoms, reduce sweating, and to promote bone healing.


IT WAS THE BELIEF THAT IT DOES INDEED AID IN BONE HEALING THAT GAVE "BONESET" TEA IT'S NAME. MODERN MEDICAL RESEARCH CONFIRMS THESE BENEFITS, STATING THAT THE COMPOUNDS IN THE TEA STIMULATE THE IMMUNE SYSTEM. 


Stems can also be used to weave strong sleeping mats, ropes, baskets, baskets, hats sandals, temporary shelters-even canoes and rafts. The roots are a source of black dye.


Pictured below-Cat-tails


Cat-tails

SEE ALSO: Cattails= A bog or Wetland Supermarkethttp://cookingforsurvival--yourdownbutnotout.blogspot.com/2010/09/cat-tails-also-known-as-bull-rushes.html
©Al (Alex, Alexander) D. Girvan-originally published (1995) as part of my cookbook-2012

The Story of "Fry-Bread"

Fry-bread is not Bannock
While Aboriginal North Americans were unable to make leavened bread, Europeans, Asians, and many Africans had been producing both yeast and some quick breads for thousands of years.  Africans were very fond of fried breads and it is quite possibly from them that the North American natives learned to appreciate the taste of "bear sign"; but, fry-bread "bear-sign" is not bannock any more than bannock (which was unknown to the North American Native  until 1860) is"Indian bread". European were and are also very fond of fry-bread; both quick and yeast types, as can be confirmed by walking into any Tim Horton's today.

The Story of Beewack AND Hooch-m-no (Hootch)

The first alcohol, produced by man, is thought to have been simply a mixture of barley, or wheat, and water; which was let ferment. The North American Natives were not familiar with wheat and therefore, sourdough or any other leavened breads until introduced to them by the white man. It is amazing how suddenly they caught on (now claiming Bannock--the bread and the name--as their own and how they made two potent alcohol brews.
Sourdough beer is simple to make but disagreeable to drink. If consumed in quantity, it will produce any  degree of intoxication. All one needs is a barrel, flour, and water. into this pour some sourdough and Dame Nature takes her course, from there. A little sugar will speed things up." Beewack" is never bottled-- only a fool would carry a live bomb.
Using an old rifle barrel and a trade pot North american Natives also created a crude"still". The resultant spirits were known by the Tlingit word Hooch-m-noo, form which we get the term "Hootch or "Yukon Hootch. This casts some doubt on the popular story; of how whiskey traders robbed the natives.  

The Story of Hard Tack

Hard-tack is NOT and never was a form of bannock; which is and always has been a leavened LOAF of bread.


Hard-tack is NOT made using a Sourdough Starter in which you have killed the yeast.


Hard-tack is NOT leavened; bannock IS.

Hard-tack antedates other forms of bread by several ages of man; it must have been Neanderthal man who first patted meal (often made from bulrushes, cat-tails  or other bulbs) and water into a thin cake and broiled or roasted it on a flat stone near his fire. In more modern times-when used aboard ships; hard-tack was baked as many a four times, to get EVERY BIT of moisture out of it. Hard-tack is so hard that it could be; and was used, in the cannons as grape-shot. You do not take hard-tack along with you on the trail to munch like soda crackers; it has to be soaked; for a considerable amount of time, before it is edible.
©Al (Alex-Alexander) D. Girvan. All rights reserved

Sunday 17 July 2011

GRANDMA'S SCOTTISH SCONES

4 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 lb lard or bacon fat
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup natural bran
2 cups slow cooking oatmeal
1 cup wheat flakes
1/2-1 cup currants or raisins
3 eggs,well beaten
1 1/2-2 cups buttermilk
  • Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cut in the lard with a pastry blender or two knives until resembles small dried peas. Blend in brown sugar. Add the bran, oatmeal, wheat flakes and currants or raisins.
  • Combine eggs with the buttermilk; mixing well. Add dry ingredients all at once. Mix until dry ingredients have been moistened. Knead very gently; just until everything holds together well (again do not over knead, remember kneading, or over mixing, any quick bread only toughens it and give it a leathery texture.
  • Gently pat out into 1 inch thickness a   then cut into triangles. 
  • Place on greased baking sheet and bake at 350 deg. F. until slightly brown on the bottom about 15-20 minutes.Of course, these scones can also be backed in a  cast iron frypan like Buttermilk scones.

BUTTERMILK SCONES

2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 cup lard, shortening, or vegetable oil
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup buttermilk



  • Mix together the flour, salt, sugar, baking powder. Rub in the lard as for pastry until the mixture resembles bread crumbs.
  • Mix the baking soda with the buttermilk and add all at once to the dry ingredients. Stir until everything is moistened
  • Divide the dough into three pieces and lightly knead each piece, just enough so that it hold together well DO NOT OVER KNEAD AS THIS PRACTICE ONLY TOUGHENS THE FINISHED PRODUCT. Pat into circle 1/2 inch thick. Cut each circle into four sections
  • Using a lightly greased (you do not want to fry them; scones are always baked--they are not fry bread), heavy cast iron frypan; at low temperature (the cast iron just seems to make them taste that much better) bake the scones until lightly browned on both sides (turn). Watch carefully-these burn easily. SEE ALSO: Al's Cooking Recipes-Quick Breads http://al-alex-alexander-d-girvan.blogspot.com/

Friday 15 July 2011

Sourdough English Muffins




 Sourdough English Muffins
                   1 cup sourdough starter
                   1pkg. yeast
                   1 cup warm water (90 F)
                   1 tsp. salt
                   3-1/2 cups flour
             1. Add yeast to water in mixing bowl, and let stand for 10 minutes. 
             2. Add starter and melted butter; add salt to 2 cups flour and beat in   gradually.
3. Let batter rise in a warm place for until collapses back into bowl.        
4. Beat in remaining 1-1/2 cups flour, and knead briefly, adding a little more flour if necessary.
  5. Form rounds 3/4 inch in diameter. Dip top and bottom in cornmeal if desired.         6. Let rise 10 minutes, then bake on a griddle until well browned; turn and brown other side.

Sourdough Hotcakes




 Sourdough Hotcakes
                   2 cups sourdough starter
                   2 Tbsp. sugar
                   4 Tbsp. oill
                   1egg
                   1/2 tsp. salt
                   1 scant tsp. soda- 1 full tsp. if real sour

            In to Sourdough dump sugar, egg and oil. Mix well. Add soda the last thing. Dilute soda in 1 Tbsp. warm water
Mix with finger. Fold-do not beat.

Sourdough Buckwheat Cakes

  Sourdough Buckwheat Cakes
  Use recipe above, but replace 1/4 -1/2 cup wheat flour with 1/4-1/2 cup buckwheat flour, and add 1 Tbsp. dark molasses.
        

Sourdough Bread




            * Sourdough Bread
                   4 cups sourdough
                   2 cups warm potato water
                   1/2 cup sugar
                   6 Tbsp. cooking oil
                    1 tsp. salt
                   10 cups flour- approximately
            Make soft sponge mixing the sourdough, sugar, water and oil. Add half flour. Set in warm place to double in bulk. Add remainder of flour to make dough that is easy to handle, smooth and elastic. Place in greased bowl, cover, let raise until double in bulk. Knead down. Let rise until double in bulk Form into loaves Bake 500F.for 10 minutes then 400 F. for 45 minutes.
            This recipe can be used for rolls or even doughnuts.

Quick and Easy Bread-Sourdough




 Quick and Easy Bread
              1 cup Sourdough
                   1 pkg. yeast
                   1 1/2 cups warm water
                   6 cups  flour
                   2 Tbsp. sugar
                   1/2 tsp. soda
            Add yeast to warm water. Mix in Sourdough, 4 cups flour, sugar and salt. Beat well. Put in greased bowl and let rise until doubled. Mix soda in 1 cup flour; add to original dough. Knead until satiny and springy to the touch. Cut in half to make two loaves. Bake 400 F. for 45 minutes      

Sourdough Soda Bread




 Sourdough Soda Bread
                    1 cup Sourdough                           
                   4 Tbsp. oil
                   2 Tbsp. sugar
                   1 tsp. soda
                   1 tsp. salt
                   8-10  cups flour
            Mix Sourdough, sugar, shortening together. Dissolve soda in 1 oz. water. Add. Add flour beat with wooden spoon until very thick. Make certain WELLMIXED if not bread will have yellow streaks. Knead in flour until smooth and elastic not sticky. Form two loaves.
          Let raise only once. Bake 400 F.-30 minutes, 350 F-30 minutes.

Salt Rising Bread

Salt Rising Bread
          2 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
                   2 Tbsp. corn meal
                   1/2 Tbsp. sugar
                   1 tsp. salt
                   2 cups waterboiling
                   2 cups milk, scalded
                   1/8 tsp. soda
                   4 cups flour
                   1/4 cup soft shortening or margarine
                   5 cups  flour
            In a three-quart mixing bowl combine all ingredients and stir the mixture until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Cover the bowl with foil and set it in a pan of warm water in a warm place (120 F.) until small bubbles appear on the surface of the mixture, about 24 hours. Remove the bowl from the water. Put the potatoes in a sieve, press out the moisture and add the liquid to the bowl. Discard the potatoes. Add the scalded milk, cooled to lukewarm, soda, 4 cups flour, and stir the mixture until it is smooth. Return the bowl to the pan with warm water and let it stand until the dough almost doubles in bulk, about 2 hours. Cut shortening into 2 cups flour and add it to the sponge. Add about another 3 cups flour to make moderately stiff dough. Knead it on a lightly floured board quickly and lightly. Do not let the dough get cold. Return the dough to a lightly buttered bowl, turn it until the entire surface is coated, cover it with a dry towel and let it rise until it doubles in bulk, about 2 hours. Punch down the dough.
            Turn the dough out on a lightly floured board and shape it into 3 loaves. Put the loaves in greased bread pans 9 by 5 by 3 ins. and brush the tops with butter. Let the loaves rise until they almost double in bulk, about 2 hours Bake the loaves in a hot oven (400 F.) for about 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to moderate (350 F.) and continue baking the loaves for about 35 minutes, or until they test done and the tops are well browned.

Sourdough Doughnuts




 Sourdough Doughnuts
A modern recipe, not true sourdough and would not be eaten by the Canadian Pioneer, but gives somewhat the taste of sourdough.
          2 eggs
          Sugar
          1 cup sourdough starter
          1/2 cup buttermilk
          1 Tbsp. melted lard or cooking oil
          4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
          1 tsp. baking powder
          1/2 tsp. baking soda
          1/2 tsp. salt
          1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
           Fat for frying.    
            Beat eggs and 1 cup of sugar together. Add starter, buttermilk lard and sifted dry ingredients. Mix well. Turn out dough and knead on a floured board until smooth. Roll to 1/2 inch thickness and cut with 2 3/4 in. doughnut cutter. Put on greased cookie sheet and let rise for 30 minutes. Fry in hot deep fat (375 F.) until golden brown. Roll in sugar. Makes about 3 dozen.