More Information About Yeast
by Jennifer Skipp
Commercial Yeast.–When yeast plants are deprived of water and food, they cease to multiply. However, under these conditions, they may be kept alive so that when water and food are again provided they will increase in number and carry on their work. Advantage has been taken of these characteristics of yeast, for although at one time the making of yeast was entirely a household process, it has now, like butter, cheese, canned fruit, etc., become a commercial product. The first yeast put on the market was collected from the surface of the contents of brewers’ vats, where it floated in large quantities; but as this was an impure, unreliable product composed of various kinds of bacteria, it is no longer used for the purpose of making bread. At present, yeast is carefully grown as a pure yeast culture, or product. It is marketed in such a way that when proper food, such as soft dough, or sponge, and a favorable temperature are provided, the plants will multiply and act on the carbohydrate that they find in the food. In fact, the purpose of the well-known process of “setting” a sponge is to obtain a large number of yeast plants from a few.
Commercial yeast is placed on the market in two forms–moist and dry. Each of these yeasts has its advantages, so that the one to select depends on the method preferred for the making of bread as well as the time that may be devoted to the preparation of this food.
Moist yeast, which is usually called compressed yeast, consists of the pure yeast culture, or growth, mixed with starch to make a sort of dough and then compressed into small cakes, the form in which it is sold. The moist condition of this kind of commercial yeast keeps the plants in an active state and permits of very rapid growth in a dough mixture. Consequently, it proves very useful for the rapid methods of making bread. It is soft, yet brittle, is of a grayish-white color, and has no odor except that of yeast.
Since the plants of compressed yeast require very little moisture to make them grow, an unfavorable, or low, temperature is needed to keep the yeast from spoiling; in fact, it is not guaranteed to remain good longer than a few days, and then only if it is kept at a temperature low enough to prevent the plants from growing. This fact makes it inadvisable to purchase compressed yeast at great distances from the source of supply, although it may be obtained by parcel post from manufacturers or dealers.
Dry yeast, the other form of commercial yeast, is made in much the same way as moist yeast, but, instead of being mixed with a small amount of starch, the yeast culture is combined with a large quantity of starch or meal and then dried. The process of drying kills off some of the plants and renders the remainder inactive; because of this, the yeast requires no special care and will keep for an indefinite period of time, facts that account for its extensive use by housewives who are not within easy reach of the markets. However, because of the inactivity of the yeast plants, much longer time is required to produce fermentation in a bread mixture containing dry yeast than in one in which moist yeast is used. Consequently, the long processes of bread making are brought about by the use of dry yeast. If moist yeast is used for these processes, a smaller quantity is required.
Liquid Yeast.–Some housewives are so situated that they find it difficult to obtain commercial yeast in either of its forms; but this disadvantage need not deprive them of the means of making good home-made bread, for they can prepare a very satisfactory liquid yeast themselves. To make such yeast, flour, water, and a small quantity of sugar are stirred together, and the mixture is then allowed to remain at ordinary room temperature, or 70 degrees Fahrenheit, until it is filled with bubbles. If hops are available, a few of them may be added. When such yeast is added to a sponge mixture, it will lighten the whole amount. Before the sponge is made stiff with flour, however, a little of it should be taken out, put in a covered dish, and set away in a cool, dark place for the next baking. If properly looked after in the manner explained, this yeast may be kept for about 2 weeks.
More certain results and a better flavor are insured in the use of liquid yeast if it is started with commercial yeast, so that whenever this can be obtained it should be used. Then, as just explained, some of the liquid containing the yeast or some of the sponge made with it may be retained for the next baking.
Quality of Yeast.–Of equal importance with the quality of flour is the quality of yeast used in the baking of bread. Yeast is, of course, accountable for the lightness or sponginess of bread, but, in addition, it improves the flavor of the bread if it is of good quality or detracts from the flavor if it is of poor quality. Since the condition of yeast cannot be determined until its effect on the finished product is noted, the housewife should take no chances, but should employ only yeast, whether she uses commercial or liquid, that she knows to be good and reliable. Compressed yeast may be easily judged as to quality. It should be grayish white in color, without streaks or spots, and it should have no sour nor disagreeable odor. If home-made yeast is used and the results obtained are not satisfactory, it may be taken for granted that a fresh supply should be prepared.
YEAST AIDS
As has already been explained, yeast, in order to grow, requires something on which to feed, and the food that produces the most rapid growth is that which contains carbohydrate. Certain of the carbohydrates, however, prove to be better food and produce more rapid growth than others, and these, which are known as yeast aids, are usually added as ingredients in the making of bread. The ones that are most commonly used are sugar and potato water. Sugar is almost always added, but it should be limited in quantity, because a dough mixture that is made heavy with sugar will rise very slowly. Potato water has been found to be a very satisfactory aid, because the starch of the potato is utilized readily by the yeast. If this aid is to be used, the water in which potatoes are boiled may be saved and, when the ingredients required for the making of bread are mixed, it may be added as a part or all of the liquid required. If it is desired to increase the amount of starch in the potato water, a boiled potato or two may be mashed and added to it.
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Tips for Purchasing Kitchen Supplies Online
by tiffanyjordan1
If your family is like most families, dessert items are among the favorite foods available. In most cases, long gone are the days when mom could spend all day in the kitchen, turning out homemade pies, cakes and cookies to satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth. That does not mean that you have to resort to store-bought cookies and cakes. The following cooking accessories can make baking desserts a breeze.
1. Nuwave Oven
Try a new way of cooking with the Nuwave Oven. This slick countertop oven combines infrared, convection and conventional heating technology to cook foods up to 50% faster. You do not have to preheat the oven and it is capable of baking cakes, cookies, and brownies. Everything turns out delicious and moist in half the time it usually takes to bake a particular dessert. You get a lot more than just baking with the Nuwave Oven because it also roasts, broils, and dehydrates. Once you start baking with the Nuwave Oven, you should be amazed at everything you can do with it.
2. Section Pans
These nifty pans are about the neatest new gadget you can find anywhere. The microwave, freezer, and dishwasher pans are designed to bake edible bowls. Just pour in cake batter and pop them in the oven, and outcome shortcake or pound cake bowls just waiting to be filled with fresh berries, pudding, whipped cream, and ice cream. They are available in two sizes. These are a two-section pan that makes two five-inch diameter bowls and a six-section pan that makes six three-inch diameter bowls. It is a novel and delicious way to serve up dessert to your family.
3. Loaf and Brownie Pans
The unique brownie pan design features a non-stick insert that bakes your cake or brownies in perfect slices. Just pour the batter into the pan and add the insert before you pop the pan in the oven. The batter should bake in perfect slices so there is no more sticky knives or arguing about who got the biggest piece. The brownie pan makes 18 brownies. The loaf pan makes nine slices, and the pan is dishwasher safe.
Also, if you like chewy edges on your brownies, then there is another brownie pan that you should love. As its name would suggest, this “Brownie Pan” is specially designed in a squared S shape so that every brownie bakes as if it were at the edge of the pan. You can get chewy edges without the gooey center of brownies that never seem to completely cook all the way through.
4. Cookie Press
Remember the old cookie presses that were difficult to use? This updated version of the old-fashioned cookie press should be much less stressful and it can help you make those delicious cooking. It features two barrels. The first barrel is for jumbo cookies and the other is for regular size cookies. There are also a few cookie cutters that allow you to bake cookies in a variety of shapes and sizes. A press of the trigger provides the right amount of cookie dough so that all of your cookies bake evenly. You should not have to worry about cookies that came out crispy due to being thinner than the other cookies while baking.
To go with the cookie press, pick up a 4-tier cooling rack to quadruple your counter space. The collapsible counter rack has four shelves, each of which holds up to ten pounds. That is strong enough to hold a heavy casserole or your mile-high apple pie. It folds down to one inch thick, so that you can easily store it in a cabinet or a drawer. It is ideal for baking days when you are making large batches of cookies.
5. Four Piece Batter Bowl Set
You can never have enough mixing bowls and this batter bowl set has a unique handle and a pouring spout that makes it ideal for mixing cake batter. The 4-quart bowl has a unique pouring spout and easy grip handle to make pouring batter into cupcake tins and cake pans as easy as pouring a glass of milk. No more trying to balance a bulky bowl while scraping out the batter. The easy handle makes it simple. The set includes three smaller mixing bowls and comes in very cool retro bright colors.
Do away with hand-mixing and save money on canned whipped cream with a stylish aluminum cream whipper that uses N20 chargers to pump up to twice the volume into your cream as hand whipping. A half pint of cream whips up enough whipped cream to top many desserts. It also keeps it fresh in the fridge for up to ten days. This allows you to prepare your own whipped cream without worrying about purchasing it at the local grocery store.
Tiffany Jordan is a blogger and freelance writer who writes about baking and cooking accessories, often discussing specific topics such as kitchen supplies.
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Five Helpful Kitchen Supplies for Baking a Dessert
by tiffanyjordan1
If your family is like most families, dessert items are among the favorite foods available. In most cases, long gone are the days when mom could spend all day in the kitchen, turning out homemade pies, cakes and cookies to satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth. That does not mean that you have to resort to store-bought cookies and cakes. The following cooking accessories can make baking desserts a breeze.
1. Nuwave Oven
Try a new way of cooking with the Nuwave Oven. This slick countertop oven combines infrared, convection and conventional heating technology to cook foods up to 50% faster. You do not have to preheat the oven and it is capable of baking cakes, cookies, and brownies. Everything turns out delicious and moist in half the time it usually takes to bake a particular dessert. You get a lot more than just baking with the Nuwave Oven because it also roasts, broils, and dehydrates. Once you start baking with the Nuwave Oven, you should be amazed at everything you can do with it.
2. Section Pans
These nifty pans are about the neatest new gadget you can find anywhere. The microwave, freezer, and dishwasher pans are designed to bake edible bowls. Just pour in cake batter and pop them in the oven, and outcome shortcake or pound cake bowls just waiting to be filled with fresh berries, pudding, whipped cream, and ice cream. They are available in two sizes. These are a two-section pan that makes two five-inch diameter bowls and a six-section pan that makes six three-inch diameter bowls. It is a novel and delicious way to serve up dessert to your family.
3. Loaf and Brownie Pans
The unique brownie pan design features a non-stick insert that bakes your cake or brownies in perfect slices. Just pour the batter into the pan and add the insert before you pop the pan in the oven. The batter should bake in perfect slices so there is no more sticky knives or arguing about who got the biggest piece. The brownie pan makes 18 brownies. The loaf pan makes nine slices, and the pan is dishwasher safe.
Also, if you like chewy edges on your brownies, then there is another brownie pan that you should love. As its name would suggest, this “Brownie Pan” is specially designed in a squared S shape so that every brownie bakes as if it were at the edge of the pan. You can get chewy edges without the gooey center of brownies that never seem to completely cook all the way through.
4. Cookie Press
Remember the old cookie presses that were difficult to use? This updated version of the old-fashioned cookie press should be much less stressful and it can help you make those delicious cooking. It features two barrels. The first barrel is for jumbo cookies and the other is for regular size cookies. There are also a few cookie cutters that allow you to bake cookies in a variety of shapes and sizes. A press of the trigger provides the right amount of cookie dough so that all of your cookies bake evenly. You should not have to worry about cookies that came out crispy due to being thinner than the other cookies while baking.
To go with the cookie press, pick up a 4-tier cooling rack to quadruple your counter space. The collapsible counter rack has four shelves, each of which holds up to ten pounds. That is strong enough to hold a heavy casserole or your mile-high apple pie. It folds down to one inch thick, so that you can easily store it in a cabinet or a drawer. It is ideal for baking days when you are making large batches of cookies.
5. Four Piece Batter Bowl Set
You can never have enough mixing bowls and this batter bowl set has a unique handle and a pouring spout that makes it ideal for mixing cake batter. The 4-quart bowl has a unique pouring spout and easy grip handle to make pouring batter into cupcake tins and cake pans as easy as pouring a glass of milk. No more trying to balance a bulky bowl while scraping out the batter. The easy handle makes it simple. The set includes three smaller mixing bowls and comes in very cool retro bright colors.
Do away with hand-mixing and save money on canned whipped cream with a stylish aluminum cream whipper that uses N20 chargers to pump up to twice the volume into your cream as hand whipping. A half pint of cream whips up enough whipped cream to top many desserts. It also keeps it fresh in the fridge for up to ten days. This allows you to prepare your own whipped cream without worrying about purchasing it at the local grocery store.
Tiffany Jordan is a blogger and freelance writer who writes about baking and cooking accessories, often discussing specific topics such as kitchen supplies.
Article Source: Article Directory
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Cooking Your Meat
by Jason Swanson
It is in the preparation of food, and of meat in particular, that one of the marked differences between uncivilized and civilized man is evident. Raw meat, which is preferred by the savage, does not appeal to the appetite of most civilized persons; in fact, to the majority of them the idea of using it for food is disgusting. Therefore, civilized man prepares his meat before eating it, and the higher his culture, the more perfect are his methods of preparation.
While it is probably true that most of the methods of cookery render meat less easy to digest than in its raw condition, this disadvantage is offset by the several purposes for which this food is cooked. Meat is cooked chiefly to loosen and soften the connective tissue and thus cause the muscle tissues to be exposed more fully to the action of the digestive juices. Another important reason for cooking meat is that subjecting it to the action of heat helps to kill bacteria and parasites. In addition, meat is cooked to make it more attractive to the eye and to develop and improve its flavor.
METHODS OF COOKING MEAT
The result desired when meat is cooked has much to do with the method of cookery to choose, for different methods produce different results. To understand this, it will be necessary to know just what the action of cooking is on the material that meat contains. When raw meat is cut, the tiny meat fibers are laid open, with the result that, in the application of the cooking process, the albuminous material either is lost, or, like the albumen of eggs, is coagulated, or hardened, and thus retained. Therefore, before preparing a piece of meat, the housewife should determine which of these two things she wishes to accomplish and then proceed to carry out the process intelligently.
The methods of cookery that may be applied to meat include broiling, pan broiling, roasting, stewing or simmering, braizing, frying, sauteing, and fricasseeing. All of these methods are explained in a general way in Essentials of Cookery, Part 1, but explanations of them as they apply to meat are here given in order to acquaint the housewife with the advantages and disadvantages of the various ways by which this food can be prepared.
BROILING AND PAN BROILING.–Only such cuts of meats as require short cooking can be prepared by the methods of broiling and pan broiling. To carry out these methods successfully, severe heat must be applied to the surface of the meat so that the albumin in the ends of the muscle fibers may be coagulated at once. This presents, during the remainder of the preparation, a loss of the meat juices.
Meat to which either of these methods is applied will be indigestible on the surface and many times almost uncooked in the center, as in the case of rare steak. Such meat, however, is more digestible than thin pieces that are thoroughly cooked at the very high temperature required for broiling.
ROASTING.–The process of roasting, either in the oven or in a pot on top of the stove, to be properly done, requires that the piece of meat to be roasted must first be seared over the entire surface by the application of severe heat. In the case of a pot roast, the searing can be done conveniently in the pot before the pot-roasting process begins. If the meat is to be roasted in the oven, it may be seared first in a pan on top of the stove. However, it may be seared to some extent by placing it in a very hot oven and turning it over so that all the surface is exposed. Then, to continue the roasting process, the temperature must be lowered just a little.
The roasting pan may be of any desirable size and shape that is convenient and sufficiently large to accommodate the meat to be prepared. It is provided with a cover that fits tight. In this cover is an opening that may be closed or opened so as to regulate the amount of moisture inside the pan. In the bottom of the pan is a rack upon which the meat may rest.
To prepare meat for roasting, flour should be sprinkled or rubbed over its lean surface before it is put in the pan. This forms a paste that cooks into a crust and prevents the loss of juices from the meat. In roasting, the heat is applied longer and more slowly than in broiling or frying, so that there is more possibility for the connective tissue beneath the surface to soften. The surface is, however, as indigestible as that of broiled meat.
An important point for every housewife to remember in this connection is that the larger the roast the slower should be the fire. This is due to the fact that long before the heat could penetrate to the center, the outside would be burned. A small roast, however, will be more delicious if it is prepared with a very hot fire, for then the juices will not have a chance to evaporate and the tissues will be more moist and tasty.
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Cooking Accessories for Creating a Quick Meal
by tiffanyjordan1
With today’s busy lifestyle, it is hard to find the time to cook healthy foods and serve them to your family. Long gone are the days when mom was home with all day to prepare dinner. If your days are a rush of work and commuting, you may think that there is not any time to cook tasty, appealing meals for yourself and your family. There are products that can make this possible. Look at some of the cooking accessories that were designed to help you create quick, healthy, and flavorful meals.
You do not have to resort to canned and frozen convenience meals to serve up a healthy, tasty plateful of spaghetti carbonara. All you need is the Pasta ‘n’ cooking set. The revolutionary design of the Pasta ‘n’ More lets you cook spaghetti, linguine, and other pasta in the microwave in about half the time that it takes to cook it on the stovetop. The Pasta ‘n’ More set also includes a steamer so that you can quickly steam fresh vegetables to go with dinner, or prepare fish that is tender and flaky. The clever design even incorporates a measuring tool in the handles of the microwaveable pasta pot so that you can measure out exactly the number of servings that you need. The five-piece set includes the pasta pot, straining lid, expander ring and storage lid. You even get a recipe book to help you plan healthy meals for your whole family.
If you are looking for a quick way to cook a meal for your family, you should consider the GT Xpress 101. The GT Xpress 101 is a two-sided grill that cooks your food from both sides at the same time. It is ideal for making sandwich pockets in minutes, or for grilling meats and fish. Two deep pockets hold your ingredients in individual wells, and the unique design cooks and seals sandwiches at the same time.
Another grill substitute is the Sunbeam 4-in-1 Electric Grill, which combines a grill, griddle, waffle iron, and sandwich maker into one handy cooking accessory. You can use the Sunbeam electric grill to sear and grill meats or fish. This grill is also perfect for making waffles, or creating your own nifty filled sandwiches. You can save both time and money when you leave the Hot Pockets on the shelf and pick up meats, vegetables, and cheese to create your own healthy alternatives with the Sunbeam 4-in1 or the GT Xpress 101 Grill.
Many nutritionists will tell you that steaming is the healthiest way to cook your vegetables, but who has the time or energy to mess with a steamer inset for your saucepan? The 3-Tier Steamer is the ideal solution. The 3-Tier Steamer is designed to let you steam a full meal for yourself or your family. The stackable steamer makes it easy and quick to make healthy meals with vegetables, rice, fish and more with just a few minutes of preparation. Even better, the juices from your food may drip into the collection pan so you can use it to make savory gravy to perk up your dishes.
Why heat up your kitchen and waste energy by using a full-size oven when there are so many great choices for countertop ovens out there? Today’s countertop ovens have come a very long way from the conventional toaster oven you remember from your mother’s kitchen. A countertop 3-in-1 oven can cook with three different power sources such as radiant heat, convection, and infrared, alone or in combination. You may be amazed at how quick and easy it is to cook in a countertop oven. Your food is also more flavorful when it is not subjected to the drying heat of a conventional gas or electric oven. The secret is that the foods cook from the inside out as well as searing the outside to keep the juices inside the food. With creative cooking techniques, you can cook anything you would cook in a conventional oven, but it can be finished and ready to eat much faster.
In addition to major cooking accessories that cut into your meal prep time, you should also benefit from having a few smaller products on hand. Here are some accessories for your kitchen that can cut down on your food preparation time.
- A boiled egg slicer can be used to cut perfect even slices in any soft food such as cheese, tomatoes, boiled eggs, and onions. It is so much easier and quicker than trying to cut with a dull knife.
- A food chopper lets you chop vegetables, meats, and herbs for your meals in seconds. Why use a bulky food processor when all you want to do is dice an onion or a carrot? All you need is a handy little spring-loaded tool to cut your chopping chores down to size.
Tiffany Jordan is a blogger and freelance writer who writes about cooking, baking and kitchen supplies, often discussing specific topics such as cooking accessories.
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