Economical people heat ovens with pine wood, fagots,
brush, and such light stuff. If you have none but hard wood, you must
remember that it makes very hot coals, and therefore less of it will
answer. A smart fire for an hour and a half is a general rule for
common sized family ovens, provided brown bread and beans are to be
baked. An hour is long enough to heat an oven for flour bread. Pies
bear about as much heat as flour bread: pumpkin pies will bear more.
If you are afraid your oven is too hot, throw in a little flour, and
shut it up for a minute. If it scorches black immediately, the heat is
too furious; if it merely browns, it is right. Some people wet an old
broom two or three times, and turn it round near the top of die oven
till it dries; this prevents pies and cake from scorching on the top.
When you go into a new house, heat your oven two or three times, to
get it seasoned, before you use it. After the wood is burned, rake the
coals over the bottom of the oven, and let them lie a few minutes.
Those who make their own bread should make yeast too. When bread is
nearly out, always think whether yeast is in readiness; for it takes
a day and night to prepare it.
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