Recipe: Brown Bread

Here is one more recipe for Brown Bread. This is from American Cookery by James Beard. "Brown bread is a s old as our country. Everyone seems to treasure an original recipe, handed down from the founding families. Although we do not know which recipes are genuine, we do know that the original was a mixture of three flours or meals. The white flour, which was a luxury item, was used only for binding, because of it's gluten content. Nowadays most people use whole wheat flour instead of rye flour, which was used to a great extent in former times and which I still prefer. Naturally, brown bread is wedded to baked beans. This gastronomic marriage was a staple of Massachusetts and the other coloniesand has continued to be a great American specialty."

Brown Bread

1 c. sifted all-purpose flour
1 c. whole wheat or rye flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 c. cornmeal
1 c. raisins
2 c. sour milk or buttermilk
3/4 c. dark molasses
2 Tbl. melted butter or other shortening

Sift the flour with the soda and salt into a mixing bowl and stir in the cornmeal. Add the raisins and toss well. Add the buttermilk, molasses, and shirtening, and blend thoruoghly. Pour into three well buttered 1-pound coffee, fruit, or vegetable tins, filling about 2/3 full. Cover tightly with foil and set in a steamer in boiling water to a depth of 1/3 of the tins. Cover, and steam 3 hours. Remove from the water bath nd disvard the foil. Cool 15 minutes, then remove to a rack. Best when eaten warm.