Page:Meier - The Art of German Cooking and Baking.djvu/396

 The finest brands of flour have less albumen than others, because this is distributed near the outer shell, which is removed. Good flour possesses a certain degree of cohesiveness which can be observed when pressing some of it in the hand; poor flour acts like dust.

Flour made of grain not thoroughly seasoned is not well adapted for gravies and baking. Adulterations and mixtures of good and poor flour are easily detected in cooking and baking as the gravies are thinner and cakes are liable to fall.

To keep large quantities of flour, the same must be placed high in a covered wooden box in an airy place, so that the moisture of the floor and air, which is deletrious, may not affect it. Flour must be turned and sifted often.

Compressed yeast is the best to use; it must be fresh and to obtain the best results in baking, the same must have an odor of fine brandy or fruit and not smell cheesy or sour. Yeast must have a yellowish white color, must be moist and break up in lumps, not like dust. To retain activity, yeast must not be subjected to heat or great cold.

To obtain the best results in baking, the yeast needs careful attention, drafts must be avoided and the baking room must be warm.