tter, or sugar, seldom agree with
delicate persons. Biscuits made without leaven, yeast, butter, or sugar,
are more difficult of digestion, than bread when it is fermented. Where
bread is fixed to a standard weight and price, bakers are very apt to
mix alum and pearlash with it, for the purpose of hastening its rising,
and of encreasing its weight, by causing it to retain its moisture. If a
piece of bread be soaked in water, and turns the juice of a red cabbage
into a green colour, it is a proof that it contains an alkali or earthy
substance, which is most probably pearlash. It is said that a compound
salt is clandestinely sold in London, under the name of baker's salt,
and is composed of the above ingredients. When there is reason to
suspect that bread is adulterated with alum, it may be detected thus.
Cut about a pound of bread into an earthen vessel, pour upon it a quart
of boiling water, and let it stand till cold. Strain the liquor off
gently through a piece of fine linen, boil it down to about a wine glass
full, and set it by to cool. If there be a mixture of alum, it will form
itself into crystals. The observance of the following rules may be
considered as essential to the making of good bread. The corn must be
sound and clean, and newly ground, and not contaminated with any
extraneous mixtures. To make it easy of digestion it should be leavened,
and moderately seasoned with salt. Let it rise for several hours, and be
well wrought and kneaded with the hands. It must be well baked, but
neither over nor under-done. If baked too little, the bread will be
heavy, clammy, and unwholesome: if too much, its strength and goodness
will be consumed. In general, bread should not be eaten hot; it is then
more viscid, and harder of digestion. Bread is in its best state the
first and second day after it is baked. Economical bread, or bread of an
inferior quality, depraved by other mixtures, has frequently been
recommended to poor people in times of scarcity; but except where
absolute necessity exists, this is a kind of policy that cannot be too
severely condemned. The labouring classes, whose dependence is almost
entirely upon bread, ought to be provided with what is of the purest and
most nutricious quality, and at a reasonable price. They might then live
upon their labour, and in health and activity would feel that labour
itself was sweet. If potatoes, rice, or any other ingredients are to be
mixed with the bread, to lower its