Oh, did I mention that I just read it in the Quick Breads section of my grandmothers Home Economics Text book and did not REALLY read the recipe until I got ready to go to the store to find graham flour? Humm, I didn't? Well, that made the next part interesting. The cooking process is to steam it. But as I gathered people KNEW how to do that back then there were really not instructions other than the size containers to put it in.
Hurray for living in the century I live in however and internet here I came!!!! I found a wonderful blog site History of Steamed Breads Click there to find out that ovens used to be a rarity and therefore for people to get their daily requirements of breads, they steamed them on top of the stove. or in an out door oven. I am very intrigued now. What a great way for me in the winter to add moisture into my house while getting something yummy from the effort as well. I also want to try some more of the recipes in this blog.
The Boston Brown Bread recipe that I am using is not the same as the one there but I don't suppose it will make a difference.
The next thing I had to aquire was graham flour. I KNOW that I have seen it in stores somewhere so off I trotted to Lowes Signature Store here locally. Nope, all the rage at the moment are things like almond flour, quinoa flour and spelt flour it seems. So PROBABLY I saw it at the local "health food store" Natures Pantry but they are closed on Sundays, so I took a chance and ran to Albertsons.. they had even MORE of the new and different types of flour. But no graham... so again living in the century that I have tried to catch up with..... I grab my smart phone and type in Alternatives for Graham flour. I find there on another blog that this woman has NEVER used graham flour because it is too hard to find, in her area she generally would have to mail for it, which takes time and extra money so she has ALWAYS, from day one, she says, just bought graham crackers and ground them up in the blender. Guess what, Graham Crackers are on sale at Albertsons today for 2 packages for $5.00.
Finally back home and set up with ground up Graham Crackers I mix up the recipe.
Boston Brown Bread
1 c flour 2 c. sour milk, or 1 1/4 c sweet milk
1 c cornmeal 1/2 c molasses
1 c graham flour 1/4 c. sugar
1 t. soda1/4 t. baking powder
The directions are very different than what you generally find in recipes today. See if you spot what I mean.
Mix milk and molasses and add to sifted dry ingredients. Beat well about 1 minute. Fill greased molds about 2 thirds full. Cover tightly, putting 2 layers of oiled paper under the tops Steam for 3 hours; remove covers and dry bread in oven 15 minutes.
This mixture will fill about 4 one-pound baking powder-powder tins
Small recipe, one forth of given amounts. Put only about 2 inches of batter in greased tin, steam 45 minutes , and bake in hot oven (with lid off) for 20 minutes.
Not having any metal coffee cans or soup cans or metal baking powder tins, thanks to the above blog I just used a bread pan I have and wrapped it in foil with 2 layers of waxed paper between the batter and the foil. I used the canning rings as my trivet on the bottom to keep the pan off the bottom of the pot and currently have it in steaming.
AND ITS OUT!!! With all the cooking I have been doing, who needs scentsy today. We went to carry out the trash and when we came back inside, we realized the house smells HEAVENLY!!!!!
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