Yeast, Emptyings, and Rivels

Homemade Light Bread.

When you hear the word “yeast,” do aromatic loaves of fresh homemade light bread come to mind? It is hard to believe, but modern baker’s yeast, as we know it today, didn’t exist until 1868. Before then, bread and other baked goods were leavened by other types of wild yeast or with massive quantities of eggs. As crazy as it may seem, yeast is also the ingredient responsible for the tantalizing aroma that arises during the baking process.

In addition to the recipes for making yeast with hops or potatoes, many old recipes refer to using “emptins” as a leavening agent. These “emptins” or “emptyings” were just as their name implies, the emptyings of leftover batter and dough added to a crock or jar. In some areas they may also be referred to as “rivels.”

The main difference found in many of the older recipes is that some use milk instead of water.  Indeed, “emptyings” and may just be two different names for the same thing as descriptions of “emptyings” seem to be pretty similar to the flour-water mixture for sourdough starter with the addition of scraps of extra dough added to feed the starter.

Today, the most commonly used yeast is dried, but there are several other types. The recipes that follow show two different examples of ways to make yeast: dry yeast cakes made from hops and an everlasting yeast "starter."

Dry yeast cakes are made by boiling the blossoms of hops. These flowers contain a fragrant yellowish oil called lupulin. The use of this oil as a preservative in beer and as a narcotic for pain seems to have originated in Germany before the time of the Emperor Charlemagne.

Hops Vines

The hop vine is related to hemp and mulberry plants which are in the nettle family.  Many of you have been in my classes when we’ve talked about the Shenandoah Valley being the major hemp producing area of the colonies.  Hemp was grown to make ropes of all kinds in the colonial era. Even in Victorian times, our local ladies would gather wild hemp seed to feed to their canaries as it seemed to encourage their pet birds to sing more readily.  Of course, we now know that the “hemp plant” is also similar to marijuana.  In more recent years, the railroad tracks, etc. in the Elkton – McGaheysville area were sprayed to kill the hemp plants in the government’s war on drugs.

Hops Blossoms

As we return to a more complete investigation of hops plants, we learn that they grows best in a sandy type soil, however, most residents of the Shenandoah Valley have no problem growing hops in their backyards or along a fence row.

Recipes for making yeast cakes from hops has been passed down from generation to generation.

Hops Yeast Cakes

1 cup mashed potatoes
1 cup potato water
1 cup flour
1 cup dried hops
2 Tbsp. sugar
4 cups corn meal (approx.) - Either white or yellow cornmeal may be used.  The appearance is different, but bread making results are the same.
1 dried yeast cake (optional) – normally left from the last batch to be used as a booster.

Boil 3 or 4 peeled potatoes in unsalted water. When very tender, drain the potatoes and mash them well, saving the potato water to use later. Cover the hop blossoms with water and bring to a boil. Drain off the water and save it, too. Put flour in a pan and slowly stir in the potato water you saved. Be very careful not to use too much water. Mix slowly so that the flour won't be lumpy. If the mixture is too liquid it may be necessary to cook it until it forms a thick paste-like dough. Add mashed potatoes and sugar. Mix well and then slowly add the hops water until you have a medium soft dough. Let rise double. Then punch down and work in enough corn meal to make a stiff dough. Roll out the dough on a board to about 1/2 inch thick and cut into cakes. Let these cakes dry, turning them often so they will dry evenly. When they appear to be good and dry, hang them up in a muslin bag for a few days to make sure they won't mold. After this you can store them in fruit jars or however you wish. This recipe makes two large pans of yeast cakes. This amount is fine in a large family where bread is made often, but you might want to reduce it, especially the first time you make it.

Bread [made from Hop Yeast Cakes]

1 quart warm water
2 yeast cakes
1 Tbsp. sugar

about 10-12 cups flour

1 cup melted butter
1 Tbsp. salt
3 Tbsp. sugar

Crumble the yeast cakes into the warm water, add one tablespoon sugar and put in enough flour to make a soft sponge. Beat the mixture until it is very smooth. Let this rise over night. The next morning add butter, salt and remaining sugar. Work in enough flour to make a smooth dough that doesn't stick to your hands. Knead well. Many felt the dough should be worked or kneaded for about one hour. After kneading, put the dough in a warm place and let it rise double. Grease the bottoms and sides of the baking pans.

Hops "Yeast" Cake

Air pockets form bubbles in the bread as it bakes so do try to knead the loaves well. Many women named each one of the loaves after a family member that they might be a tad bit frustrated with being sure to give an extra "spank" as an extra precaution to get rid of air pockets. Remember not to cut but to pinch off dough to form the loaves because metal reacts with the acid in both the yeast and bread dough to spoil the flavor. For this reason one should use wooden utensils and preferably a wooden bowl, but some type of non-metallic bowl will do.

After the loaves are formed, lay them in greased pans and turn them over to oil the tops of the loaves. Then let them rise once double again, baking at 350°F for about one hour or until the tops are golden brown.

A second type of yeast, “everlasting yeast starter” is a living yeast that has to be kept alive by regular feedings or use. This is one of the oldest known forms of yeasts, dating back to 4000 B.C., and must be stored in a cool place. Normally it was necessary to make bread as often as twice a week in order to keep this starter alive.

Everlasting Yeast Starter Recipe

1 medium potato (peeled)
4 cups water
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar

Boil potato in unsalted water until done. Drain, saving the water. Mash potato adding sugar and salt. Cool to lukewarm. Add to mixture enough potato water to make one quart. Cover and set in a warm place to ferment. If you prefer, you may add a package of "store bought" yeast to speed up the fermentation process; however, it is just as good if it is allowed to ferment without the additional yeast. This recipe is about the right amount for a family requiring more than one loaf of bread at a baking. 

Many families enjoyed using left over or “stale” bread, cut into cubes, to make mouth watering bread puddings and those great tasting dishes of baked stewed tomatoes.

Another Everlasting Yeast Starter Recipe

1 potato (about the size of a large hen egg)
3/4 cup potato water
2 Tbsp. sugar
flour

Boil potato, drain and save the unsalted potato water. Mash potato well, and add potato water, sugar and enough flour to make a fairly stiff batter or a soft dough. Keep in a warm place until well fermented. Then, put it into a wide mouth jar and cover loosely as the odor will transfer to other foods, do not ever use a tight fitting lid. In approximately five or six days the starter should be ready for use…meaning the mixture should be nice and bubbly.  If it is not, the bread will flop and you might as well just start over. 

Use the sponge and the following ingredients to make yet another bread dough.

2 cups potato water or scalded milk
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. melted shortening
flour

To what remains in your bowl after taking out your starter, add unsalted potato water or milk, salt, sugar and cool, meaning not hot, melted shortening. Add enough flour to make dough that will handle well. Beat until the batter can't be beaten, then turn out on a well-floured board and knead until it is soft and smooth. Put in to a well-greased bowl, cover with some type of woven cloth and let set in a warm place until the dough has doubled in bulk. Punch the dough down and pinch off your loaves. Shape and put into pans. Let your loaves rise double or until they almost reach the rims of the pans. Bake in moderate (350°) oven for about 45 minutes. When done turn the loaves out of the pans at once and grease sides with butter or shortening. This recipe will make two small loaves or one medium size loaf and a pan of rolls.
  

Both of these yeasts are much slower working than commercial yeast. If you are use to using the store-bought variety of yeast, be sure to allow enough time for this dough to rise.