This section is from the book "A Manual Of Home-Making", by Martha Van Rensselaer. Also available from Amazon: A Manual of Home-Making.
White bread (2 loaves)
2 tablespoons sugar - brown or granulated - honey, molasses, or corn sirup. (The sugar may be omitted.)
2 tablespoons any kind of shortening. (The shortening may be omitted.)
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 cups liquid - water, scalded milk, rice water, or whey
1/4 to 2 cakes dry or compressed yeast, or 2/3 to 2 cups potato yeast
6 to 8 cups white bread flour
The amount of flour varies slightly. A smaller quantity of good bread flour than of poor, is required. If the flour is damp, more must be used than if it is dry. The shortening and the sugar may be omitted. If the bread is to be made in 8 hours, only 1/4 cake of dry or compressed yeast or 2/3 cup of liquid yeast need be used. If the bread is to be made in 4 hours or less, 2 cakes of dry or compressed yeast or 2 cups of liquid yeast are needed.
 
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