Liquid Yeast

Mix one fourth of a cup of flour, the same of white sugar, and a teaspoonful of salt to a paste with a little water.

Pare three medium-sized, fresh, and sound potatoes, and grate them as rapidly as possible into the paste.

Mix all quickly together with a silver spoon.

Pour three pints of boiling water slowly over the mixture, stirring well at the same time.

If this does not rupture the starch cells of the flour and potatoes so that the mixture becomes thickened to the consistency of starch, turn it into a granite-ware kettle and boil up for a minute, stirring well to keep it from sticking and burning.

If it becomes too much thickened, add a little more boiling water.

Strain the mixture through a fine colander into an earthen bread bowl, and let it cool.

When lukewarm, add one cup of good, lively yeast.

Cover with a napkin, and keep in a moderately warm place for several hours, or until it ceases to ferment.

As it begins to ferment, stir it occasionally.

When well fermented, turn into a clean glass or earthen jar.

The next morning cover closely, and put in the cellar or refrigerator, not, however, in contact with the ice.

Always shake the yeast before using.

Make raw potato yeast as above, but boil one fourth of a cup of loose hops tied in a clean muslin bag in the water for five minutes before pouring it into the potato and flour mixture.

Put half a cup of loose hops, or an eighth of an ounce of the pressed hops, into a granite-ware kettle, then pour over it a quart of boiling water and simmer about five minutes.

Meanwhile stir to a smooth paste in a tin basin or another saucepan, a cup of flour, and a little cold water.

Line a colander with a thin cloth, and strain the boiling infusion of hops through it onto the flour paste, stirring continually.

Boil this thin starch a few minutes, until it thickens, stirring constantly so that no lumps form.

Turn it into a large earthen bowl, add a tablespoonful of salt and two of white sugar.

When it has cooled to blood heat, add one half cup of lively yeast, stirring all well together.

Cover the bowl with a napkin, and let it stand in some moderately warm place twenty-four hours, or until it ceases to ferment or send up bubbles, beating back occasionally as it rises.

Then put into a wide-mouthed glass or earthen jar, which has been previously scalded and dried, cover closely, and set in a cool place.

Peel four large potatoes, and put them to boil in two quarts of cold water.

Tie two loose handfuls of hops securely in a piece of muslin, and place in the water to boil with the potatoes.

When the potatoes are tender, remove them with a perforated skimmer, leaving the water still boiling.

Mash them, and work in four tablespoonfuls of flour and two of sugar.

Over this mixture pour gradually the boiling hop infusion, stirring constantly, so that it forms a smooth paste, and set it aside to cool.

When lukewarm, add a gill of lively yeast, and proceed as in the preceding recipe.

To one teacupful of very smoothly mashed, mealy potato, add three teaspoonfuls of white sugar, one teaspoonful of salt, and one cup of lively yeast, or one cake of Yeast Foam, dissolved in a very little warm water.

Allow this to stand until light, when it is ready for use.