Title: Bread Recipe Poem
Categories: Bread
Yield: 1 Rhyme

"Here is a verse I found in an old cookbook, author unknown. However, it seems there was a fair maiden, "but though so much of learning had been crammed into her head, she couldn't for the life of her compound a loaf of bread". So the good ladies in the community put the instructions into rhyme--and this recipe they gave her:"

When a well-bred girl expects to wed, "Tis well to remember that men like bread, We"re going to show the stepps to take, So she may learn good bread to make.

First, mix a lukewarm quart, my dauter, one-half of milk; one-half of water, To this please add two cakes of yeast,

Or the liquid kind if preferred in the least. Next stir in a teasppoonful of nice clear slat, If this bread isn't good, it won't be our fault. Now add the sugar, tablespoons three, Mix well together, for dissolved they must be.

Pour the whole mixture into an earthern bowl, A pan's just as good, if it hasn't a hole. It's the cook and the flour, the the bowl or the ppan, That "maes the bread that makes the man".

Some people like a little shortening power, If this is your choice, just add to the flour, Two tablespoonfuls of lard, and jumble it about "Till the flour and lard are mixed without doubt".

Next stir the flour into the mixture that's stood, Waiting to play its paprt, 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 dough is all right, and it's going to rise, "Til you desire that it's twice the old size.

Brush the dough with melted butter, as the recipes say; Cover with a bread board, set in a warm place to stay. Two hourse 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 ro so.

Form the dough gently into loaves when light, And place it in bread pans, greased just right, Shape each loaf you are making to half fill the pan, This bread will be good enough for any young man.

Next let it rise to level of ppans-no more, Have the temperature right--don't set near a door. We muste be careful about draughts; it isn't made to freeze, Keep the room good and warm say 72 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".

Source: "Brush Country Cookbook", 1976

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