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Potato Yeast

Have in readiness a kettle containing three quarts of boiling water; peel and thoroughly wash three large potatoes and place them into a basin to soak. Next put half a teacupful of flour into a bowl with an equal amount of sugar and a tablespoonful of salt; over these grate the potatoes quickly and stir the whole well with a wooden spoon so that it will not become of a dark color, which it will attain if not done very quickly. Pour a pint of the boiling water over the grater into the bowl, stirring it into the mixture, and add enough more of the boiling water to make the mixture of the consistency of thin starch. Should the preparation refuse to thicken put in a double boiler over the fire and stir it constantly until it does thicken; then pour it through a fine sieve into a bowl and let it cool. When lukewarm all through stir in a breakfast cupful of yeast, place a light covering over the bowl and set in a warm but not hot place and let it remain there until it is light and covered with a white foam. When it commences to rise beat it well and when it has thoroughly risen pour it off into wide-mouthed earthen jars, let it remain for twelve hours, then cover the jars over tightly and put in a cool place. Half a pint or so of the yeast should be put into a glass jar for making the succeeding lot of potato yeast. The jars should always be well shaken before the yeast is used and should be kept in a cool place.