Old-Fashioned Salt Rising Bread

December 1938

During the past year the 3 most requested recipes have been old-fashioned buckwheat cakes, salt-rising bread, and canned baked beans, and we intend to print these recipes as space permits. We start with a recipe contributed by Mrs. John H. Atherton of Chambersburg, Pa.

Old-Fashioned Salt Rising Bread

Do not attempt this unless you have a large, native store of patience; but if so, when once you have completed a successful batch, the delicious flavor and texture of this bread will be ample reward. Also note that the process of making it will “smell up” the house most fearfully; just pretend you like it.

1. Pour 1/2 cup boiling water on 1 Tablespoonful cornmeal. Ten minutes later stir in 1 Tablespoon flour. Cover and set in warm place overnight.
2. Early in A.M. add 1/2 cup warm milk and enough flour to make a smooth, thin batter. Set in a kettle of water warm enough to bear the hand in to rise. Do not allow it to cool. When this has become very light, add it to a batter made of: —
3. 1 qt. milk (scalded and cooled to lukewarm) and enough flour to make a rather stiff batter. Beat well and set again in warm place to rise for about 1/2 hour.
4. Now work in enough flour to make soft dough, 3 or 4 Tablespoons shortening, and 1 Tablespoon salt. Shape into small loaves, put in greased pan, and bake as usual. The result, if all goes well, is a loaf as fine and soft as angel-food cake. To our greatgrandmothers, this was the choicest kind of bread known; and I know of none any better, to this day.