Write Right~Making Yeast in the 1850s

Here’s something I never considered doing. Making my own yeast. This recipe comes from The Ladies Indispensable Assistant, 1850.

To Make Good Yeast

Yeast Cake Today

Take as many hops as you can hold in your hand twice; put them into three pints of cold water; put them over the fire, and let them boil twenty minutes: then strain the water into an earthen or stone jar, and stir in while the water is scalding hot flour enough to make a stiff batter: let it stand till about milk-warm: then add a tea-cupful of old yeast to make it rise, and a tea-spoonful of salaeratus dissolved in the old yeast; stir it well and put the jar in a warm place to rise. Some add Indian meal enough (after it has rise well) to make it into cakes and dry it on a board in the sun. This is very convenient, especially in hot weather, --a small cake soaked in a little warm water is enough to make a large pan of dough rise.

Salaeratus (alternative spelling for "Saleratus"): Aerated salt; a white crystalline substance having an alkaline taste and reaction, consisting of sodium bicarbonate.