Today, we welcome a special guest, Author Alice Wisler. She's sharing a tidbit from history (yay for history!) and a historic recipe found in her novel, Still Life in Shadows, which is being launched today from her blog. Make sure to swing by to see what all the hoopla's about!
I like modern technology and that includes the oven and range, but when it comes to making bread, I don’t mind being old fashioned. Neither does Ashlyn. She’s the sheriff’s daughter in my new release, Still Life in Shadows. Ashlyn makes bread. Not just any
bread, but bread steamed inside a can. Generations ago when there were no stoves and only fires to cook over, bread was made this way. A coffee can was used to pour flour, milk, and other ingredients into and then the can was sealed and steamed in a
kettle of water. As the water boiled, the bread inside the coffee can, baked. After two hours, the can was removed from the pan and if greased well, out slid a round bundle of bread. Often known as Boston brown bread due to the color of the flour and the
molasses, some cooks also added raisins as an ingredient.
The recipe Ashlyn uses is truly a tasty and healthy treat. Her finance Luke, an ex-Amish man who left the Old Order lifestyle and now works as a car mechanic, likes it when she brings the bread to
his shop. Get a copy of Still Life in Shadows to read the rest of the story.
Alice was a dear and shared her recipe with just us. Everyone else has to buy the book! Aren't we special? Thank you, Alice!
Ashlyn’s Bread in a Can
½ cup whole wheat flour
½ cup corn meal
½ cup rye flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup molasses
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon cinnamon
Stir flours and cornmeal together in a large bowl. Add baking soda,
salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Stir. Pour in buttermilk. Add molasses and
mix well. Stir in raisins. Pour mixture into one greased 1-lb. coffee can
and attach lid securely. Fill large cooking pot with boiling water so that
it covers the can halfway when placed in pot. Put lid on pan. Steam
bread for two hours. Remove can from water. Carefully run a knife
around the inside of the can to loosen the bread from the sides and then
invert the bread onto a cooling rack. Serve hot in rounds with butter.
~ Alice J. Wisler loves reading about and experiencing new cultures and foods. She grew up as a missionary kid in Japan and has either lived in or traveled to over twenty-five countries. Although all are based in North Carolina, each of her five inspirational novels (two are Christy finalists) hold international aspects to them, as well as grief and loss. Alice's most recent, Still Life in Shadows (River North/Moody), has characters of Japanese descent. An advocate for grief-writing ever since the cancer
*guest post by author Alice Wisler
I like modern technology and that includes the oven and range, but when it comes to making bread, I don’t mind being old fashioned. Neither does Ashlyn. She’s the sheriff’s daughter in my new release, Still Life in Shadows. Ashlyn makes bread. Not just any
bread, but bread steamed inside a can. Generations ago when there were no stoves and only fires to cook over, bread was made this way. A coffee can was used to pour flour, milk, and other ingredients into and then the can was sealed and steamed in a
kettle of water. As the water boiled, the bread inside the coffee can, baked. After two hours, the can was removed from the pan and if greased well, out slid a round bundle of bread. Often known as Boston brown bread due to the color of the flour and the
molasses, some cooks also added raisins as an ingredient.
The recipe Ashlyn uses is truly a tasty and healthy treat. Her finance Luke, an ex-Amish man who left the Old Order lifestyle and now works as a car mechanic, likes it when she brings the bread to
his shop. Get a copy of Still Life in Shadows to read the rest of the story.
Alice was a dear and shared her recipe with just us. Everyone else has to buy the book! Aren't we special? Thank you, Alice!
Ashlyn’s Bread in a Can
½ cup whole wheat flour
½ cup corn meal
½ cup rye flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup molasses
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon cinnamon
Stir flours and cornmeal together in a large bowl. Add baking soda,
salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Stir. Pour in buttermilk. Add molasses and
mix well. Stir in raisins. Pour mixture into one greased 1-lb. coffee can
and attach lid securely. Fill large cooking pot with boiling water so that
it covers the can halfway when placed in pot. Put lid on pan. Steam
bread for two hours. Remove can from water. Carefully run a knife
around the inside of the can to loosen the bread from the sides and then
invert the bread onto a cooling rack. Serve hot in rounds with butter.
death of her son, Alice teaches Writing the Heartache Workshops both online and at conferences. Her devotional, How to Wake Up in the Morning: Reflections of Comfort in Heartache, comes out next year from Leafwood Publishers. Visit her website, follow her two blogs, and find her on Facebook. http://www.alicewisler.com
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Thanks for letting me be your guest here, April!
ReplyDeleteSounds yummy! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDelete