Page 144 - The Lost Ways

- By Shannon Azares -

“There are people in the world so hungry that God
cannot appear to them except in the form of bread.”

― Mahatma Gandhi

Modern baker’s yeast as we know it today did not exist until the late 1800s. Even

when it became available, it was usually too expensive for most of the population, and
that’s why they preferred to make their own. Housewives and bakers used different types
of wild yeast or massive amounts of eggs to leaven the bread.

Homemade yeast could be made through various ways, like using hops, potatoes, or a
flour/water/sugar mixture. It could also be made from distillery barm yeast or a
sourdough starter.

Unlike modern-day yeast, the homemade type made with sourdough starter takes a
longer time to rise. It usually takes 12–18 hours during the summer and 18–24 hours
during the winter.

Another difference between modern-day bread and traditional bread is that the former
uses more additives, while the latter is as organic as it can get. Our ancestors passed on
heirloom varieties of wheat to us, the most common being a blend of organic spelt,
einkorn, and barley. Aside from making their own bread, people from the early 1800s
used to plant and harvest their own wheat.

The best time to plant winter wheat is during the fall to allow for six to eight weeks of

growth before the soil freezes. This also ensures proper root development. Planting the
wheat too early makes it vulnerable to summertime insects and smothering during spring.
If it is planted too late, the wheat will not overwinter well.

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