To Cleanse Wheat for Grinding

The English bread-book · Eliza Acton · 1857
Source
The English bread-book
Status
success · extracted 11 days ago
Not a recipe
No
Ingredients (1)
Wheat for washing and grinding
Instructions (4)
  1. Having raised or purchased a quantity of the best new wheat, it should be put away in clean casks or bins where it will keep perfectly dry and sweet.
  2. According to the size of the family, take, as they need it, one or two bushels of wheat and wash it thoroughly but briskly in two or three waters.
  3. Then spread it out on the drying sheet or table, made for the purpose, and which is considerably inclined, so that the water remaining with the wheat will easily run off.
  4. Being thinly spread out upon the sheet or table in a good drying day, it will be sufficiently dry in a few hours for grinding.
Original Text
TO CLEANSE WHEAT FOR GRINDING. I extract the following passage from a small pamphlet which has just fallen into my hands, entitled “ Our Daily Bread,” (written and published by Mr. William Horsell, 492. New Oxford Street,) because it appears to me to contain a simple and sensible suggestion for the improvement of bread, and in consequence to deserve consideration:— “ Those who have given little attention to this subject, will probably think that the trouble of washing all their bread-stuff before it is ground, would be much greater than any benefit which would result from it. But a short experience in the matter would convince every one who has a proper regard for the character of his bread, that the trouble of washing his grain bears no comparison to the improvement effected by it. Indeed, those who have been accustomed to wash their grain, will soon cease to regard it as a trouble; and the improvement in the whiteness and sweetness of their bread will be so great, that they would be very unwilling to give up the practice. “ Having raised or purchased a quantity of the best new wheat, it should be put away in clean casks or bins where it will keep perfectly dry and sweet; and, according to the size of the family, take, as they need it, one or two bushels, and wash it thoroughly but briskly in two or three waters, and then spread it out on the drying sheet or table, made for the purpose, and which is considerably inclined, so that the water remaining with the wheat will easily run off. Being thinly spread out upon the sheet or table in a good drying day, it will be sufficiently dry in a few hours for grinding. Let any one who loves good bread wash his grain a few times in this manner, and he will be very reluctant to return to the use of bread made of unwashed grain.”
Notes