My mother owned a bakery in a little town in Wisconsin and most of the
people in the area were of German extraction so we made German-type breads,
water rolls (hard rolls).
(After having been born and raised in the South with my grandparents, I
went to live with my mother and stepfather in the early 50s. It was quite
a different life).
The bread contained (my first regular job in the bakery was loading the big
bread mixer) Flour, Water, Sugar, Salt, Lard, Milk Powder, Yeast (fresh in
1-pound blocks -not the dry stuff). After it was thoroughly mixed, and
kneaded once, it was allowed to rest for a short time, then the kneading
was finished and the dough turned out into a dough trough which was like an
open tank on wheels with a heavy removable top. The dough was allowed to
rise once, punched down and also cut with a long knife, lengthwise and
crosswise. It was allowed to rise again, then was removed from the trough
(by hand in sections - one person grabbing an armful and the other person
cutting the piece away from the main mass with that long sharp knife and
helping lift it onto the bench
(6 feet wide by 18 feet long).
Once all the dough was on the bench, we cut and scaled it by hand into 1
1/2 pounds pieces which were tossed to one end of the bench and
floured. as soon as all the dough was scaled, the first ones had risen
enough to be put through the roller machine which rolled the dough flat
then rolled it into a cylinder. At the other end we put the loaves
into baking pans (4 joined together in a rack with 1 inch separating the
pans) and as they were filled placed the racks onto a rolling rack which
was then rolled into a "proof box" which simply contained a gas burner and
a pot of water to produce steam.
After the final rise, the racks were rolled to the ovens and the pans were
slid onto the oven trays-(This was a Peterson 16-tray oven with 2 - 6 foot
doors - the oven trays revolved around a central burner like a Ferris wheel.
Now, here is the difference. These breads were baked at a much higher
temperature, usually 500-550 degrees for a shorter time than one could
achieve in a home oven. The higher temperature arrests the rise in the
oven more quickly and makes a thicker, more rustic crust.
The temperature was reduced for baking the sweet rolls and Danish,
hamburger buns (all of which were shaped and rolled by hand and this is a
"trick" I still use).
This was all done at night. while I was still in high school, I worked
from 6 p.m. to midnight. After I was out of school I worked from 9 p.m. to
7 a.m. with a 2 hour break from 1 to 3 when I took a nap or just read and
rested.
I would give anything if I could duplicate the flavors and textures of
those breads. Lord knows I have tried. Particularly the water rolls which
were essentially a wonderfully flavored crust. Perhaps it was the flour,
the yeast, or some intangible which I have not yet discovered that gave
that wonderful flavor. Or it may have just been that my taste buds had
more range back in those days.
Later on my mother sent me to baking school to learn pastry work, cake
decorating, etc.
I still know how to make "pulled sugar" and "spun sugar" decorations which
is an art one never forgets (particularly the scorched hands).
--
Andie Paysinger & the PENDRAGON Basenjis,Teafer,Cheesy,Singer & Player
asenji@earthlink.net So. Calif. USA "In the face of adversity, be
patient, in the face of a basenji, be prudent, be canny, be on your
guard!"
http://home.earthlink.net/~asenji/