Now most of peoples of the earth have breads characteristically their own. In our country we have no single traditional bread. We have instead welcomed the traditions of all peoples that have come here and made them our own.

Made with or without leavening, bread appears in a hundred different, delightful guises -as soft loaves and crusy loaves and crusty loaves, holiday breads and coffee cake, waffles, griddlecakes, popovers, muffins and doughnuts, and in other forms too numerous to mention.

Here are some definition we might want to know:

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Yeast: Grows in the presence of a given amount of moisture and sugar at a temperature of about 80 degress F, Producing in the process tiny bubbles of carbon dioxide gas which leaven the bread dough. A ddough must be leavened and to rise and become light.

Compressed Yeast (moist cake)-Grayish tan though may be slightly browned at edges; breaks with a clean edge and crumbles easily between the fingers when fresh; must be kept in refrigerator  and used within a week for best results; soften in lukewarm liquid (80 degrees F to 85)

Active Dry Yeast-May be kept without refrigerator; to obtain best result use before date on package experis; one package when softened has the leavening power of one cake compressed yeast; soften in warm water (110 F to 115 degrees) only.

Flour - All-purpose flour is used for breadmaking in the home. The moisture content of flour varies with changes in humidity and also from one flour to another. To allow for this difference and to obtain the desired consistency of dough, indefinite amounts of flour are given in recipes.

A Small amount of flour (about 1 cup) is added to the fat-liquid mixture before the softened yeast is added to prevent the yeast from becoming coated with fat. Fat tends to retard the growth of yeast.

Liquid- Water and milk are the liquid most commonly used in bread doughs. Fluid milk must be scalded before using in breadmaking. Evaporated milk does not need to be scalded because it has been preheated. The liquid must be hot enough to melt the shortening when added to shortening-sugar-salt mixture. For optimum Yeast growth, this mixture, plus a small amount of flour, must be lukewarm (80 F) when softened yeast is added.

Refrigerator Doughs are richer and sweeter than plain bread dough and can be successfully kept in the refrigerator (45 to 50 F) three to four days. Place dough in the refrigerator immediately after mixing kneading or after the first rising period (be sure it does not rise too much). Dough must be punched down occasionally if it rises during refrigeration.   The dough is greased and well covered to keep the surface  of the dough moist and elastic. When ready to bake, remove dough from refrigerator, shape, allow to rise until light and doubled before baking.

Knead Dough by folding opposite side over toward you. Using heels of hands, gently push dough away. Give it one-quarter turn. Repeat process rhythmically  until the dough is smooth and elastic, 5-8 min., using as little additional flour as possible. Always turn the dough in the some direction.

Rising -when dough look double its original size, test by gently pressing two finges into the dough; if dent remain, dough has doubled and is light. Punch down doubled dough with fist; pull edge in to the center and turn dough completely over in the bowl. Dough is either allowed to rise again or it is shaped.

Shaping Loaves -form dough into a smooth round ball and with a sharp knife, cut dough into halves. With fingers flatten one half of the dough and form it into a 9 x 7 x 1-in. oblong. The width should be about the same as the length of bread pan. Fold narrow ends to center of oblong, overlapping slightly. Press each down firmly;shape evenly.  Seal dough into shape by pinching center fold and ends. Round top of loaf and place sealed edge down, in prepared pan. Repeat for other half of dough. Cover loaves and let rise until doubled.

Donald D. Wolf, Breads