Liquid Yeast

Raw Potato 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.

Grate three medium-size fresh and sound potatoes 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 the mixture is not 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 well 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 in contact with the ice.

Reserve enough for the first baking in a smaller jar so the larger portion need not be opened so soon.

Always shake the yeast before using.

Raw Potato Yeast No. 2: Make as the preceding, 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.

Hop Yeast: Put half a cup of loose hops into a granite-ware kettle, 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 hop infusion through it onto the flour paste, stirring continually.

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

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

When 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 a moderately warm place twenty-four hours, or until it ceases to ferment, beating back occasionally as it rises.

Put into a wide-mouthed glass or earthen jar previously scalded and dried, cover closely, and set in a cool place.

Boiled Potato Yeast: Peel four large potatoes and boil them in two quarts of cold water.

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

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

Mash the potatoes and work in four tablespoons of flour and two of sugar.

Pour the boiling hop infusion over this mixture gradually, stirring constantly to form a smooth paste, and set aside to cool.

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

Boiled Potato Yeast No. 2: 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 water.

The potatoes should be warm but not hot enough to destroy the yeast.

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