Making Bread With No Yeast In Early America - 18th Century Cooking

Поделиться
HTML-код
  • Опубликовано: 28 июн 2024
  • Visit Our Website! ➧ www.townsends.us/ ➧➧
    Help support the channel with Patreon ➧ / townsend ➧➧
    Facebook ➧ jas.townsend
    Instagram ➧ townsends_official

Комментарии • 1,8 тыс.

  • @tiggytheimpaler5483
    @tiggytheimpaler5483 4 года назад +1341

    It's kind of amazing to me that we have industrialized so much that what used to be symbols of poverty, like lobster and sourdough bread, are now fairly pricey compared to modern staples in the United States.

    • @gravity4950
      @gravity4950 4 года назад +193

      Ted Kaczynski had a point My grandmother hates lobster because she grew up in a poor town where it was abundant and had to eat it all the time. It’s the same with stuff like polenta and quinoa. It’s crazy how stuff like this happens.

    • @adrianelvis9931
      @adrianelvis9931 4 года назад +70

      I presume it's a measurement of supply and demand. It is amazing how things are quantified over time.

    • @bryanhumphreys940
      @bryanhumphreys940 4 года назад +97

      Poor people don't have money so they must spend time to do things. Now since you pay people for their time to make you things, anything that requires a lot of time to make will be expensive. It makes sense for sourdough, I don't know about the lobster thing except that it probably has more to do with them being really easy to catch back then and really hard now. Oysters are a good example, any person could go along the shores of New York in the 1700s and pick up enough oysters to fill their belly in no time and then go about their day not worrying about food. Now oysters are pretty rare and need to be farmed to satisfy demand.

    • @MonaLisaFire
      @MonaLisaFire 4 года назад +26

      Ted Kaczynski had a point indeed

    • @Sassy_Witch
      @Sassy_Witch 4 года назад +29

      sometimes it feels like people back then ate better

  • @NS-pf2zc
    @NS-pf2zc 4 года назад +442

    The dough bowl made me think of the viking tradition of using a special "magical" stirring spoon for their mead, batch after batch. We now realize it was inoculated with yeasts and bacteria. I love this type of cooking!!

    • @Matthew-ir1ed
      @Matthew-ir1ed 4 года назад +43

      i still use these spoons. i have one for my sourdough culture, and one for my brewing!
      they make great insurance policies just in case i lose the starter.

    • @Willy_Tepes
      @Willy_Tepes 4 года назад +49

      In Scandinavia we had "yeast sticks" to make beer. You used the yeast at the bottom of your mash container and smeared it onto a piece of wood with holes drilled into it. This was hung to dry until the next batch of beer was brewed.

    • @JordanBeagle
      @JordanBeagle 4 года назад +23

      When magic is actually science!

    • @katherinetutschek4757
      @katherinetutschek4757 4 года назад +32

      Ancient people had a lot of wisdom, just called it different things:) i could easily see myself thinking this particular stick or spoon was lucky or had special powers or was blessed somehow if it was the only one that could make good bread.

    • @isaacgraff8288
      @isaacgraff8288 4 года назад +24

      Believed to be the origin of Magic Wands. Yeah.... stirring spoons for mead.

  • @jamesosirisb
    @jamesosirisb 4 года назад +1961

    I've kept a sourdough starter for going on 2 years now. If it's well-cared for, it will live longer than I will. Starters are basically pets; I called mine Fluffy.
    It makes delicious bread.

    • @hannayoung9657
      @hannayoung9657 4 года назад +120

      My wheat sourdough was Lola , but sadly she became drunkard and couldnt be saved and then I Professor Suris, which was rye dough but as I went on vacation it went to friend and stayed there. I am about to start another one.

    • @jamesosirisb
      @jamesosirisb 4 года назад +158

      @@hannayoung9657 Sourdough starters are robust enough that you can dry them, in case you didn't know. You dry thin sheets of starter paste and store them in a cool dry area. Soak them in warm water, and you can revive a dead starter.

    • @hannayoung9657
      @hannayoung9657 4 года назад +58

      @@jamesosirisb We tried and had the same problem . It could be the fungus or bacteria we got in it, but instead of doing nice bubbles it just made hooch and lots of it. It smelled like beer vomit. So I rather start a new one and hope it doesnt go wild.

    • @QuantumMechanic_88
      @QuantumMechanic_88 4 года назад +182

      My mothers side of the family has a sour dough starter which is supposed to be over 130 years old and has been passed from one family to another . It's a traditional wedding gift and a jar full was often kept in a well .

    • @hannayoung9657
      @hannayoung9657 4 года назад +119

      @@QuantumMechanic_88 Yeah I have a friend that has very old sourdough, if I am lucky I am getting some this weekend. It also been passed down as wedding gift for as long as they can remember. It is even in a will from 1789, who got the sourdough.

  • @DesertFox01
    @DesertFox01 2 года назад +39

    My grandfather told me if you don’t have yeast boil potatoes and let the starchy potato water sit out covered with cheese cloth or a dish towel and once it starts bubbling you can use it for bread.

  • @bringingtolightnj9127
    @bringingtolightnj9127 4 года назад +766

    "Don't eat bread when still warm, right out of the oven". Pass the butter.

    • @pupplementarypupplements5804
      @pupplementarypupplements5804 4 года назад +61

      who tf has ever said this

    • @bringingtolightnj9127
      @bringingtolightnj9127 4 года назад +45

      Some people believe that. Of course he disagree as much as we do :)

    • @thekingsdaughter4233
      @thekingsdaughter4233 4 года назад +220

      You know what will happen if you eat bread right out of the oven, with butter? Stomach ache. Why? Because you can't stop, that's why. It's that good, you will eat and eat and... and when you feel full you are actually STUFFED to the max and will feel miserable.
      Listen to grandma. Don't eat bread while it's still warm! 😉😂

    • @adammoore7059
      @adammoore7059 4 года назад +17

      Exactly butter is good on bread

    • @anjarasch8332
      @anjarasch8332 4 года назад +76

      @@thekingsdaughter4233 This warning stemms from times and areas, where bread was only baked once a week or even less frequent. So the bread had to last till the next baking day. If it was eaten warm and therefore too much of it right away you had none at the end of the week. And it actually meant you had nothing to eat for a day or so.
      If one baked small loaves (like in the video) every day it didn't really matter how fast they were eaten, because they were made only for that day.

  • @rawnuhld
    @rawnuhld 4 года назад +1322

    This channel is the sweet escape from other RUclips channels

    • @cyrene7784
      @cyrene7784 4 года назад +41

      Incredibly true. I wish this video was two hours long. I want to hear Jon tell me all the things about bread.

    • @christophermorin9036
      @christophermorin9036 4 года назад +24

      More peppery and nutmeggy than other RUclips channels, for sure, but I don't know about sweet. 😏

    • @peteywheatstraw3583
      @peteywheatstraw3583 4 года назад +8

      BE SURE TO SUBSCRIBE AND HIT THAT BELL ICON. THERES LINKS TO MY MERCHANDISE BELOW AS WELL AS LINKS TO MY PATREON.

    • @Neonagi
      @Neonagi 4 года назад +7

      If you like this, you'll also enjoy Modern History TV. He focuses on Medieval topics from peasantry-duchy food to horseback riding techniques.

    • @Fives_2011
      @Fives_2011 4 года назад +5

      You certainly get into a different mindset here :)

  • @LisaMarli
    @LisaMarli 4 года назад +597

    Yep, rye sourdough is good stuff. To think it was the poor man's bread, now it is a gourmet bread.

    • @akashanumberfive199
      @akashanumberfive199 4 года назад +94

      Same goes for lobster and salmon. Lobester used to be prison food. Salmon was common food for the local gentry and chicken was for the upper classes. Who can afford to kill an egg layer? Only he. The man in the mansion

    • @ArcadiyIvanov
      @ArcadiyIvanov 4 года назад +37

      Same with oysters. In 19th century NYC oysters were poorman's food they were sold in street carts and you would never find them in expensive restaurants.

    • @qualqui
      @qualqui 4 года назад +18

      same happens with corn smut, the english and spanish looked down on this humble fungus that turns corn into rich in amino acids shrooms, now its regained a place in leading 5 star restaurants in my country, so next time any of you corn farmers see an "infected" ear of corn, don't shuck it into the trash, eat it, its so GOOD! :)

    • @joshschneider9766
      @joshschneider9766 4 года назад +10

      Can we call it somethi mg other than corn fungus though sounds like a foot disease lolol

    • @qualqui
      @qualqui 4 года назад +10

      @@joshschneider9766 lol....yeah you're right about that. How about the aztec word for the stuff: huitlacoches(pronounced: wheat-la-coe-chez), Negritos(on its finished color) or maybe Mexican Truffles?

  • @emccoy
    @emccoy 4 года назад +183

    My mom's great aunt Gladys was a traditional farmers wife, who was considered such a good cook that the hired hands would take less than the going rate in the county for there work, because they got 2 meals made by her a day.
    And her bread was one of the highlights of her already good cooking. My mom even after almost 50 years still raves about her bread.
    And how amazed she was that her Great Aunt Gladys never used yeast or a starter. She just kneaded the dough and let it sit out in the kitchen and it would proof like bread should.

    • @drpepper2519
      @drpepper2519 2 года назад +31

      Hate to tell you, she must of been a bread witch.

    • @winocmatthys6491
      @winocmatthys6491 Год назад +7

      Or had some sort of infection on her hands

    • @terryt.1643
      @terryt.1643 Год назад +17

      There is yeast in the air of any kitchen that has been used. You can make starter by from flour and water. Often potato water was used and that made a more active starter.

    • @fabiennemitchell2371
      @fabiennemitchell2371 Год назад +2

      If your mother's aunt's bread rose, she used a natural yeast (like sourdough starter) or leaven.0

    • @k.h.6991
      @k.h.6991 2 месяца назад

      It must have been a sort of sourdough. Perhaps she didn't clean the wooden utensils, like he says in the video. It would have been colonized by bacteria and yeast.

  • @michaelmorris440
    @michaelmorris440 4 года назад +464

    Mr Townsend your such a treat of a channel. The history,Your voice,Production value is not only great and informative but it gives off this ambience of comfy and relaxation I enjoy it very much thank you for your hard work and dedication you've put into this.

  • @MollyWinter
    @MollyWinter 4 года назад +321

    Now that yeast is flying off the shelves and we're in lockdown, I'm going to use this as a good excuse to try this recipe.

    • @susanbonnewell8949
      @susanbonnewell8949 4 года назад +7

      I can't even get flour in any of my local stores... Crazy

    • @stacyrussell460
      @stacyrussell460 4 года назад +1

      First it was hard to find flour of any kind (as well as sugar). Now flour is found easily yet yeast is not. This video found me at the right time.

    • @PJDAltamirus0425
      @PJDAltamirus0425 4 года назад +7

      Basically Townsends is teaching people how to eat decentally if they lose power.

    • @infoanorexic
      @infoanorexic 2 года назад

      One variant I tried was to make a starter with some flour, water, pinch of sugar and a bit of yeast that was left in a jar. Just a few grains that had stuck to the bottom or sides. Let stand in a clean jar for a day or two. Let it develop, feed it, refrigerate it. Wasn't as 'sour' as sour dough, but it wasn't the same as today's bread that was started with a full measure. No real concern it may grow something you didn't want. I managed to keep it going for over a year. Some would call that "being frugal." Others call it "being cheap."

    • @boxelderinitiative3897
      @boxelderinitiative3897 2 года назад +1

      @@infoanorexic I've done this to make mead before as well, good instructions

  • @elizabethlundin3112
    @elizabethlundin3112 4 года назад +39

    Something interesting I found when studying sourdough in cold climates is that apparently many of the housewives took the dough to bed with them! They’d keep it under the covers and then bake it the next day, so the body heat would help it rise.

    • @ratbagley
      @ratbagley Год назад +6

      Thus starting the yeast infection.

    • @james0000
      @james0000 Год назад

      @@ratbagley Funny, but in reality it was often the other way around. Sounds nasty.... but facts.

    • @GarysBBQSupplies
      @GarysBBQSupplies Год назад +1

      Oh boy! talk about sowing wild Oats!

    • @saisarmayelemanchili2276
      @saisarmayelemanchili2276 3 месяца назад +1

      I am doing research on this. What people of west used to eat before yeast ,baking soda and baking powder. Now I got the answer. I will definitely try it

    • @Proletarian-ud8du
      @Proletarian-ud8du 3 месяца назад

      Please don't. 🥺

  • @cecilyerker
    @cecilyerker 4 года назад +66

    Jon Townsend’s channel is a balm for my world-weary soul

  • @doctorcatnip2551
    @doctorcatnip2551 4 года назад +94

    This is the hands down the best channel on RUclips.
    Wholesome, happy, no negativity.
    Thank you Townsend!

  • @mcdudette
    @mcdudette 4 года назад +255

    I grew up poor in a rural area, and when I was a kid this is the kind of bread we often had. I guess it's still a thing for poor rural folk 😺.

    • @-_-hi8964
      @-_-hi8964 4 года назад +9

      @@sojourneroftheland do you remember where you read that or maybe have a link I am very interested.

    • @GabrielWarlock
      @GabrielWarlock 4 года назад +17

      It's still a thing and, sometimes, a technological requirement. Sourdough bread popularity hasn't passed away, I'd dare to say it even grew in the last years

    • @MK-us9bk
      @MK-us9bk 4 года назад +2

      @@sojourneroftheland I'm celiac, can you please let me know what uni, what study, or a link to where you read it and I'll chase it down myself

    • @lemmonsinmyeyes
      @lemmonsinmyeyes 4 года назад +2

      @@sojourneroftheland well soaking wheat flour is how they get 'vital gluten' which is just the gluten part separated from the flour. So, there might be something to do with that but I too would like to see this university study

    • @AnimatedStoriesWorldwide
      @AnimatedStoriesWorldwide 4 года назад +1

      @@sojourneroftheland The hard way is almost always the better way, unless the time saved can be be used on something offsetting the loss with greater benefit.

  • @matthewmerritt6844
    @matthewmerritt6844 4 года назад +20

    Some of you may be interested in looking up recipes for salt risen (rising) bread. It's one of the oldest bread recipes of Appalachia made similar to this. I love having it toasted and smothered in butter.

    • @christajennings3828
      @christajennings3828 10 месяцев назад +2

      As a kid, we called it "stinky feet" bread, because of the smell, but it was so delicious! I haven't made it in decades!

  • @leal536
    @leal536 4 года назад +12

    I made a starter using an organic apple! It was started in an open jar so the natural yeast on the skin of the apple and the natural bacteria from the air made a sour starter. It was a tad bid sweeter than other sour dough starters but it worked well.

  • @HaraldHofer
    @HaraldHofer 4 года назад +263

    Here in Austria we still call it saur dough and we can buy this kind of bread in the bakery.
    It's even healthier than the standard yeast bread.

    • @railsworld8367
      @railsworld8367 4 года назад

      I love cooking out could you support me here?

    • @metalheart16
      @metalheart16 4 года назад +4

      That's not right. The correct name is Sauerteig. Do you even speak German?

    • @KairuHakubi
      @KairuHakubi 4 года назад +69

      I think he was trying to translate it for us. sauerteig literally means sour dough

    • @sejemandhaha
      @sejemandhaha 4 года назад +12

      it isn't more healthy because made with it's sour dough. It's one part because usually sour dough bread is a less processed bread (doesn't have to be), and one part because letting your dough sit for several hours (8-20 or so) releases the minerals in the capsules of seed be used by the digestive system

    • @KairuHakubi
      @KairuHakubi 4 года назад +1

      Quick, what's the "process" in question?

  • @cowboyyoga
    @cowboyyoga 4 года назад +269

    The yeast is prevalent in the grains if they are whole and alive. Yes there are yeast in the air and hands but not so much. Some grains have more yeast than others, rye is a great grain to obtain a good starter yeast culture. Then it can be used again and again with other grains. Hope this is helpful. )))

    • @sevenandthelittlestmew
      @sevenandthelittlestmew 4 года назад +7

      Gary, is it lactobacillus in sourdough bread? And wild yeast (in the air) seems to be quite prevalent in my kitchen. I’ve got sourdough starter in my kitchen, and I tried to make kraut, but ended up with kahm yeast in it. 🙁
      Should I make the sauerkraut in a different room than the kitchen where my starter is?

    • @alexgrover1456
      @alexgrover1456 4 года назад +7

      Recent studies indicate half the microbes come from the grain and the other half come from hands.

    • @coppersandsprite
      @coppersandsprite 4 года назад +4

      @@sevenandthelittlestmew , yeast collects on cabbage leaves. You may just need to rinse your cabbage a few more times.

    • @jamesosirisb
      @jamesosirisb 4 года назад +8

      Rye is great. I used buckwheat and good whole wheat flour (King Arthur and/or Bob's Red Mill) with warm filtered water. Before adding the water, I used it to rinse wild blackberries, salmonberries and huckleberries I picked in a forest area near us. The forest is where we rode our horse.
      The buckwheat starter is extremely robust, able to ferment at refrigeration temperatures. At room temperature, it visibly seethes and bubbles. Rye starters are often similarly sturdy.

    • @sevenandthelittlestmew
      @sevenandthelittlestmew 4 года назад +3

      Rhonda, thanks! I appreciate you helping with that. I will give my cabbage a second dunk and scrub in water before slicing, salting and pounding!

  • @alicelengauer8805
    @alicelengauer8805 4 года назад +14

    Here in Germany is a tradition of a sour dough called "Hermann" (i dunno why it´s called that), which is passed on like some kind of chain letter. It is splitted, fed for multiplying the bacteria and used for baking the "Hermann Cake", a dense and moist cake often spiced with cinnamon. Very tasty. You give a part of the dough to a friend to keep the chain of cakes intact until everyone has a bubbling jar of Hermann in the kitchen XD

    • @countryside_guy
      @countryside_guy 8 месяцев назад +3

      I've had that, it's amaaaaazing stuff. My late mum used to make it.

  • @helena8999
    @helena8999 4 года назад +18

    This entire channel has just become a “how to cook in quarantine” channel

  • @michaelbyrd2043
    @michaelbyrd2043 4 года назад +44

    That's how my grandmother made her bread I always wondered why she did it the way she did thank you so much now I know

  • @revmaillet
    @revmaillet 4 года назад +301

    a lot of families even today have a sour dough starter that you feed and use for daily bread

    • @louiealbrecht1088
      @louiealbrecht1088 4 года назад +9

      Mine!

    • @wanderer4125
      @wanderer4125 4 года назад +5

      And mine

    • @OutOfNamesToChoose
      @OutOfNamesToChoose 4 года назад +51

      I used to, but then I got lazy.
      RIP Starter 2017-2019. You deserved better for what you gave me, but I failed you.

    • @SpiralBreeze
      @SpiralBreeze 4 года назад +13

      My mama used to have one and my late husband kept one too before we moved. I’d keep one now but I don’t bake bread that often.

    • @wowdanalise
      @wowdanalise 4 года назад +19

      @@OutOfNamesToChoose If you have scraps, you can revive it. Starter also freezes very well and can be kept for years.

  • @PrivateUsername
    @PrivateUsername 4 года назад +22

    Kinda like the nordic "beer stick" used to stir wort. Each family had a different stick, and each family's beer had a different flavor.

  • @janbaer3241
    @janbaer3241 4 года назад +14

    Your passion for history makes this all the more enjoyable.

  • @kylefisher8362
    @kylefisher8362 4 года назад +20

    Genuinely the most pleasant and relaxing channel on RUclips, I'm so glad the algorithm got me here.

  • @wanderer4125
    @wanderer4125 4 года назад +199

    We maintain a starter, and for less than $1 I can make a loaf they charge $5-8 for in store.

    • @ElizaKnows
      @ElizaKnows 4 года назад +14

      I just started a starter, I just wanted to ask, how do you know that it is not going bad?

    • @joeofloath
      @joeofloath 4 года назад +14

      @@ElizaKnows I've never seen a starter "go bad" unless it's been left un-fed for weeks and goes mouldy.

    • @ElizaKnows
      @ElizaKnows 4 года назад +7

      @@joeofloath Oh good. I just did a bunch of research and I think my starter just isnt getting warm enough to really raise.

    • @wanderer4125
      @wanderer4125 4 года назад +15

      @@ElizaKnows we store ours above the stove, but have cooked it on accident. Lol

    • @roefane2258
      @roefane2258 4 года назад +4

      Samantha Plant I’m having the same problem. I have moved it in between my toaster and coffee maker and if I start the stove or oven I move it next to it. Seems to be helping a little.
      As far as it changing colors, I read a story about a women who found a starter in her mothers fridge almost a year after her moms passing. It was apparently unrecognizable (black and dry) but the daughter fed it and stirred it up, and cooked with it a week later.
      We buy DRY yeast at the store, and since we are catching yeast in a starter, it should be very hardy. As long as it smells along the lines of a fruity vinegar or beer we seem to be ok.

  • @ethanireland939
    @ethanireland939 4 года назад +167

    Considering how good you thought the bread was fresh out of the oven, they probably said it was bad for you so you wouldn't eat it all right away!

    • @robertcowley-yamamoto4880
      @robertcowley-yamamoto4880 4 года назад +29

      It makes the loaf lose a lot of water in the form of steam and go stale faster, so I guess it is bad for you when you go have sad bread the next meal

    • @Jejak_Pengangguran
      @Jejak_Pengangguran 4 года назад

      Cool name

    • @purplealice
      @purplealice 4 года назад +32

      Freshly baked bread was considered "bad for you" because it was soft and moist inside, which supposedly made it "hard to digest". The irresistable flavor of fresh bread made it likely that a person would eat too much of it at once, which *would* be hard to digest. (I have on occasion made up a batch of bread dough, baked a reasonable-sized baguette for myself, and called that dinner.)

    • @katiearbuckle9017
      @katiearbuckle9017 4 года назад +3

      @@purplealice I don't blame you ...I would do that to Baguettes you break with like Garlic Butter prepped on them and just ate that.

    • @nilespeterclemens8328
      @nilespeterclemens8328 2 года назад

      @@robertcowley-yamamoto4880
      we don’t want sad bread now do we

  • @TheSocius
    @TheSocius 4 года назад +12

    We bake our sourdough weekly.
    It´s all about consistency, really. The mix, the flour selection, the temperature to leaven the dough... the more consistent you are, the better you understand what is going on.
    Keeping the same set of bacteria by recycling a part of the mix and using the same wooden bowls helps, too.
    But be careful. 3 years in this and we´re almost unable to eat bread from the store. Factory bread just tastes "wrong" to us.

  • @Ro-Bucks
    @Ro-Bucks 4 года назад +68

    I always love the bread videos. Don't know why but I have a thing for bread and the history of bread. they used a stick they never washed for beer brewing and wine just like your bowl .

    • @jonncatron7381
      @jonncatron7381 4 года назад +1

      I wish I had my Gma's dough trough it was similar to the one he has but bigger and deeper never got washed just wiped out. Family member dropped it and it's split in half

    • @adr9653
      @adr9653 4 года назад +1

      I love bread history!

    • @bunnyslippers191
      @bunnyslippers191 4 года назад +1

      @@jonncatron7381 Oh, that's sad! Wooden bowls and things similar to bowls do tend to dry out and split over time, but it's always a tragedy when one does that after decades or even generations.

    • @jonncatron7381
      @jonncatron7381 4 года назад +2

      It was over 100 years old her grandfather made it as a wedding gift for her

    • @annecaunce
      @annecaunce 4 года назад

      Same here. Oh and cheese, don't forget the cheese.

  • @joshschneider9766
    @joshschneider9766 4 года назад +23

    It's like naturally fermented beer. How crafty those old timers were.

    • @Copyright-di4we
      @Copyright-di4we 2 года назад

      Or wine, mead, cheese, yoghurt, all kinds of fermented stuff. Truly crafty they were.

  • @nelumbonucifera7537
    @nelumbonucifera7537 4 года назад +16

    One-off wild fermentations are used to make some Indian breads (dosa, appam, idli), as well. Things go faster due to the warmer climate. I'd wondered if the technique was utilized elsewhere.

  • @sherry866
    @sherry866 4 года назад +16

    Omg, I Remember when you guys Built this fireplace. Seeing you sitting in front of it REALLY Shows how Large you all built it. Very Impressive Build. Thanks for this video as well, Great thanks 👍👍👍😁

  • @OtoyaYamaguchi777
    @OtoyaYamaguchi777 4 года назад +5

    Your original bread videos got me massively into bread baking & sourdough, glad you guys are revisiting it.

  • @armoristif1410
    @armoristif1410 4 года назад +67

    God bless this channel and all behind it.
    When im:
    •sick
    •sad
    •angry
    •worried
    or otherwise, this channel never fails to lift my mood.
    Subbed for life

    • @joelbizzell1386
      @joelbizzell1386 4 года назад

      Yes!

    • @MeowHoots
      @MeowHoots 4 года назад +2

      Yah I discovered this channel when I was going through some major anxiety and depression little over a year ago. It's really just so interesting and soothing to watch. I'm glad this channel is doing great.

  • @pjstatenisland1575
    @pjstatenisland1575 4 года назад +21

    I have a starter that is several years old now. I feed it once a week and keep it out for a day or two, then pop it back in the fridge. I've read some reports online that sourdough may be easier on the digestive system and possibly be tolerated by some with gluten issues, although I don't know for sure if this is proven.

    • @naverilllang
      @naverilllang 3 года назад +4

      There's people with Celiac who have an allergic reaction and there's people with a sensitivity or intolerance, the mechanism of which is not yet understood. My mother falls into the latter group and she can eat some sourdoughs.

  • @HerrMichaelKohlhaas
    @HerrMichaelKohlhaas 4 года назад +6

    Your channel is one of the treasures of the internet. Thank you!

  • @jamstagerable
    @jamstagerable 4 года назад +67

    When we humans of the 21st century hear the word bacteria most will typically be pushed away in fear of something bad coming from it.
    But reality is not all things in nature that can be harmful are always dangerous.
    This is why experiencing, learning and then sharing the knowledge gained is so important for our species.

    • @cyrene7784
      @cyrene7784 4 года назад +13

      I think that's why food allergies and other illnesses are increasing. Our germ phobia is killing our immunity to these things.

    • @GabrielWarlock
      @GabrielWarlock 4 года назад +6

      Fun fact: nearly 80% of what we eat has been fermented or partially processed by bacteria or micro organisms

    • @zuthalsoraniz6764
      @zuthalsoraniz6764 4 года назад +7

      And bacteria are important in lots of food - the same bacteria that are used to produce sour milk products, and also the ones that make vinegar from wine, are also found in a sourdough, and they are what make it actually sour.

    • @GabrielWarlock
      @GabrielWarlock 4 года назад +8

      @@zuthalsoraniz6764 According to what I've studied, sourdough is a real pool party of bacteria and yeasts. No two sourdoughs have the same composition, and we didn't even isolated all of the species yet

    • @AgentTasmania
      @AgentTasmania 4 года назад +8

      There’s more bacteria in a human body, doing beneficial things, than human cells

  • @SandyzSerious
    @SandyzSerious 4 года назад +28

    The cabin is amazing.

    • @_salaryman_
      @_salaryman_ 4 года назад +2

      Not. This cabin is a piece of crap. Clay is located between the logs, but it passes wind and does not retain heat. The fireplace does not heat the room, but the air outside. In a real log cabin, in which people live in very severe frost in Canada and Siberia, everything is different. The joints between the logs are filled with green moss. In the center of the cabin is a stove made of bricks, not a fireplace. This type of stove allows you to accumulate heat and warm the room even when the fire is off. The roof should be isolated from the living room with a layer of green moss between the roof and the room. This video from the Survival Russia channel shows in great detail how such a house looks like in reality in Siberia. watch?v=r_TO30jzyUA

    • @railsworld8367
      @railsworld8367 4 года назад

      @@_salaryman_ need support bro

    • @SandyzSerious
      @SandyzSerious 4 года назад +3

      @@_salaryman_ It was built this way to replicate the earlier way that cabins were built. A lot of hard work went into this project. Please be respectful.

    • @Pygar2
      @Pygar2 4 года назад +2

      @@_salaryman_ This was built specifically as a replica of a quick, temporary-use cabin, meant to keep you alive while the real cabin was built. Snow hit before the chimney was even done, which is why there is no lining or smoke shelf to make the chimney radiate some heat.

    • @EuropeYear1917
      @EuropeYear1917 4 года назад

      @@_salaryman_
      Says the person whose screen name comes from a culture of people who build houses with paper walls...
      I'm sorry, but given the choice of surviving a winter in the American Midwest in that cabin, or in a traditional Japanese house with paper walls, and bamboo or wood framework, I'd take the cabin. Less likely to freeze to death.

  • @UndrState
    @UndrState 4 года назад +10

    I need this dose of wholesomeness

  • @bangbangfukanawa6951
    @bangbangfukanawa6951 4 года назад +9

    I might be trying this soon, as the stores in my area are completely out of yeast.

  • @ellaclaires
    @ellaclaires 4 года назад +15

    Your channel never cease to amaze me, Jon; it's always full of valuable knowledge yet so fun and enjoyable to watch at the same time! Thanks so much for sharing this with us 👍

  • @skullspaws7607
    @skullspaws7607 4 года назад +22

    Made 4 loafs of sourdough over the weekend with my 3 year old starter

  • @dylansavage7670
    @dylansavage7670 4 года назад

    Thank you for what you guys do on this channel. You have gotten me through some stressful times and it's nice to sit back and watch something so calming. Don't ever stop what you do because I'm sure I'm not the only one that feels this way about this channel. You guys are awesome!

  • @mrsta1267
    @mrsta1267 4 года назад +23

    There's a neat series out of Britain where they live for a year on a period farm. In one, the victorian farm I believe, they leave their mix outside to pick up natural yeast from the air. It's pretty neat! And it worked!

    • @mroxannevh
      @mroxannevh 4 года назад

      what's the name of the show

    • @mrsta1267
      @mrsta1267 4 года назад +6

      @@mroxannevh it's all "something era" farm. There are a bunch so you can search victorian farm, edwardian farm, etc on RUclips. Lots of really neat info!

    • @mroxannevh
      @mroxannevh 4 года назад +1

      @@mrsta1267 ty sounds interesting!

    • @yogawarriorgirl
      @yogawarriorgirl 4 года назад +3

      Y'all talking about the BBC's historical farm series with Ruth Goodman? I've read two of her books as well- she details how to catch yeast. All you do is mix some flour and water, and leave it out to "catch" some yeast by a grain field around harvest time.

    • @mrsta1267
      @mrsta1267 4 года назад

      @@yogawarriorgirl yes ma'am!!

  • @40lennie
    @40lennie 4 года назад +166

    How cold is the cabin - put a thermometer in there!

    • @dawnlovejoy8917
      @dawnlovejoy8917 4 года назад +37

      It would be interesting to discover the temperature differentiation between the different areas of the cabin.

    • @janishart5128
      @janishart5128 4 года назад +22

      *Lynette Weisenborn:* Must be pretty cold - you can see his breath!!

    • @dawnlovejoy8917
      @dawnlovejoy8917 4 года назад +38

      @@janishart5128
      I thinks it's probably scorching hot next to the fire and freezing everywhere else.

    • @janishart5128
      @janishart5128 4 года назад +5

      @@dawnlovejoy8917: Yes, I think you're probably right about that!

    • @OakKnobFarm
      @OakKnobFarm 4 года назад +19

      I'd love to know, too. I see a TON of light coming down the chimney, so I'm sure most of the heat goes right up and out. No doubt it's a historical design, however inefficient it may be :)

  • @hackbodies
    @hackbodies 4 года назад +16

    Y'all should invite brad from "its alive" on the show sometime

    • @lilaralston6314
      @lilaralston6314 4 года назад +1

      I second this! And Samin Nosrat (author of Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat). But don't ask them both together or there will be nothing but giggling.

  • @robertjacobs861
    @robertjacobs861 2 года назад +1

    I can’t get enough of Townsends since I discovered you about three months ago (thanks to my brother forwarding an episode). I get history lessons, new cooking information and ideas, I listen to John read as I’m going to sleep at night, so many things, and….it is such a refreshing way to get away from news and politics…there are so many more important aspects of life and how best to live it!! I hope Townsends continues to go on for a long time. THANK YOU! Louise Jacobs

  • @andremilanimartin3338
    @andremilanimartin3338 4 года назад

    Thanks for the nice drawing references. Such episodes are always nice to give your drawings and story boards a special touch.

  • @mikemathews9277
    @mikemathews9277 4 года назад +3

    Your amazing work is very much appreciated because it gives an insight into History that nobody knows about.Keep up your incredible insight into America’s History!!!

  • @robinlillian9471
    @robinlillian9471 4 года назад +8

    When you said no yeast, I thought you meant salt rising bread, which makes use of bacteria (Clostridium) that cause food poisoning. The baked bread is safe, but the dough stinks while it's rising. Sourdough bread DOES contain wild yeast and lactobacilli, which are both safe. The lactobacilli give it the sour taste like their relatives do to yogurt & kefir.
    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt-rising_bread

  • @obsidianwolf7113
    @obsidianwolf7113 4 года назад +1

    Sat here drinking my coffee, your videos are so informative and relaxing... made my day again!

  • @pielord33321
    @pielord33321 4 года назад

    I think this episode really put into perspective just how much real work goes into each of these videos. It's easy to see you list off a recipe from a book and not realize the painstaking research that had to be done before you could.

  • @railsworld8367
    @railsworld8367 4 года назад +8

    I am your new subscriber from asian...stay blessed and keep praying for us

  • @johnclarke6647
    @johnclarke6647 4 года назад +6

    Watch the BBC series, Tudor Monastery, where Ruth Goldman would put a bowl of bread sponge in the grain field until it started to bubble, endemic of yeast getting into the bread sponge from the air. Sourdough bread was a bread without yeast but you had to make your starter over about a week period. It would also pick up its yeast from the air. Our pioneer ancestors did not have access to good grocery store to buy their bread yeast.

  • @hellequingentlemanbastard9497
    @hellequingentlemanbastard9497 4 года назад +2

    My Sourdough cultures are now 25 years old (1 Wheat & 1 Rye) and I'm using it every second day to bake our Bread and for Friends and Neighbours.

  • @RemoraTrading
    @RemoraTrading 4 года назад

    Mister Townsend, I have to say that I have watched many of your videos (And loved all of them!) that have just come across in the you-tube algorithmic pool of various searches,. I have subscribed to your channel today and that was an an outstanding video! Thank you!

  • @eddvcr598
    @eddvcr598 4 года назад +8

    I love how you bring the undocumented people of the past to life again through your videos. I’m hooked!

    • @qworky902
      @qworky902 4 года назад

      Lol, "undocumented people".

  • @kzonedd7718
    @kzonedd7718 4 года назад +182

    Stares at you in Caribbean: your rain looks particularly solid and cold, how do you survive?

    • @thebardisashieldmaiden1754
      @thebardisashieldmaiden1754 4 года назад +8

      We are acclimated to cold climate.

    • @ben-7403
      @ben-7403 4 года назад +12

      You just kinda ignore it after a while. Still isn't enjoyable, but it definitely makes you appreciate the warm months even more.

    • @kzonedd7718
      @kzonedd7718 4 года назад +19

      @@thebardisashieldmaiden1754 Me, from under three blankets: what is the secret? I've lived in Europe half my life and I still only feel comfortable when most people around me start contemplating going to work naked with a fan strapped to their head.

    • @robinlillian9471
      @robinlillian9471 4 года назад +5

      David Dylan: The fire gives off heat that keeps you from freezing to death. Also, people wear heavy clothing and/or huddle together for warmth. Modern people most often use radiators at home that spread heat from boilers that burn gas or oil. Some people heat with propane or just electrical energy used by baseboard heaters that work similarly to toasters (but safer). BTW Solid rain is called snow or hail.

    • @williamstewart1883
      @williamstewart1883 4 года назад +6

      Nude snow angels

  • @andreimaxwelmulbauer6020
    @andreimaxwelmulbauer6020 Год назад

    Oh my gosh! This was one of the most amazing videos I've seen recently on RUclips! Thank you so much.

  • @12stepsbeyondtheeventhorizon
    @12stepsbeyondtheeventhorizon 4 года назад

    This is one of those channels that I kind of always forget about, but whenever I watch any video on it I'm thoroughly satisfied. Very good content.

  • @craig9910
    @craig9910 4 года назад +84

    anybody who dislikes this video, needs a vibe check

    • @BeKindToBirds
      @BeKindToBirds 4 года назад +6

      They probably have big fingers and a small phone

    • @marcelletalksmma
      @marcelletalksmma 4 года назад +1

      👍

    • @Jimmygarn
      @Jimmygarn 4 года назад +1

      Well I considered disliking it because of the incorrect title

    • @junbh2
      @junbh2 3 года назад +1

      Anyone who actually cares what videos other people like or dislike needs some perspective on life.

    • @MC-pz1cq
      @MC-pz1cq 2 года назад

      I like this video but would be interested in a 17th century vibe check hosted by townsend

  • @BumbleBeeJunction
    @BumbleBeeJunction 4 года назад +3

    We maintain a sourdough starter for all of our bread baking here on the homestead. In fact, we recently put together a series for people wanting to make their own sourdough starter from scratch. And the older a starter is, the more mature (sour) the flavor is. They can be maintained forever, either daily, or weekly if refrigerated. Thank you for sharing this, as many of the practices of long ago are still practiced by homesteaders such as ourselves.

  • @Tmanaz480
    @Tmanaz480 4 года назад

    Always meticulously factual and well-researched without being too dry or academic. Kudos!

  • @juanmoreira8272
    @juanmoreira8272 4 года назад

    Very cool. Love the simplicity in this day of weighing your ingredients to make things. Thanks for your work.

  • @charityhebert2640
    @charityhebert2640 4 года назад +4

    This channel combines my two passions in life - history and home cooking! Definitely a calming escape for this student in these stressful times

  • @Kira1Lawliet
    @Kira1Lawliet 4 года назад +6

    This channel is the most wholesome f***ing thing in the entire world, and I will lay down my life and the lives of others to protect it!

    • @rucker69
      @rucker69 4 года назад

      Bro, chill

    • @Kira1Lawliet
      @Kira1Lawliet 4 года назад +1

      @@rucker69 THERE IS NO CHILL! ONLY COCAINE! AND MORE WHOLESOME COLONIAL VIDS!!!

  • @weirjf
    @weirjf 4 года назад

    Doesn't tell anyone to buy something - no special gadget, skills or unusual supplies; just another simple recipe and encouragement. Great channel.

  • @aarondarling6653
    @aarondarling6653 4 года назад

    I just want to say I am really enjoying the cabin videos. I think it adds a whole new level to your channel.

  • @ladeene06
    @ladeene06 4 года назад +5

    Absolutely priceless information. Before the internet...I searched for how on earth bread was risen. I remember coming across "friendship bread" and thought...VIOLA!" But so many questions were still unanswered. This info is priceless imo. Thank you.😉

  • @kimfleury
    @kimfleury 4 года назад +4

    I enjoy messing with dough starters! I've never tried different grains, though. Thanks for the idea!

  • @prattsgreenhousefarm9473
    @prattsgreenhousefarm9473 4 года назад +1

    Why do I get a great feeling when I see your videos come up. Your doing something right my friend.

  • @vanislekid
    @vanislekid 4 года назад

    I enjoyed this video more than any of your past videos. Not because of content specifically, I just enjoy your candour this time.

  • @violetholiday
    @violetholiday 4 года назад +3

    I've recently been making bread, a sourdough made from my own starter has been really intriguing.

  • @ShellyDenault
    @ShellyDenault 4 года назад +4

    I just started using raw milk kefir as my sourdough starter. It's so much easier than maintaining a regular starter and the bread is almost foolproof and tastes wonderful.

  • @delorissamuelson6988
    @delorissamuelson6988 10 месяцев назад

    WOW!! I did not expect the rise or beautiful smooth top on the bread.
    Amazing!! Thanks for this video

  • @cyansloth1763
    @cyansloth1763 4 года назад

    Thank you for your hard work finding these recipes!!!!!

  • @dpm4351
    @dpm4351 4 года назад +31

    Cabin roof looks great . So does the cabin. Thanks for the knowledge, im a crazy prepper that gains a lot from this channel

    • @tanngrisnr5076
      @tanngrisnr5076 4 года назад +5

      if you're a prepper the best thing you can learn is how to cultivate soil and learn about eco-system collapse.

    • @JohnSmith-nk9qc
      @JohnSmith-nk9qc 4 года назад +1

      Bro I literally thought that was a turd in your hand my bad 🤣

    • @dpm4351
      @dpm4351 4 года назад

      @@JohnSmith-nk9qc it is !

  • @inoch07
    @inoch07 4 года назад +14

    Hears that the dish hasn't been washed
    Sprays screen with Lysol

  • @SSM654
    @SSM654 3 года назад

    You sir and so wholesome and delightful. So happy I found your channel, a nice change up from what RUclips recommends people watch.

  • @nunnoffyubehznass2150
    @nunnoffyubehznass2150 4 года назад

    I'm loving this channel! congratulations for having the will to do what you do, Sir!

  • @crownethorne
    @crownethorne 4 года назад +4

    Love this! All that was missing was a closeup of the interior texture of the loaf

  • @denellalleyn8938
    @denellalleyn8938 4 года назад +13

    When my kids were in their teens, my son decided he knew how hard a life the pioneers had when the internet went out over the weekend. If he only knew! If they didn't make it or grow it they didn't have it.

    • @ghettomama4299
      @ghettomama4299 4 года назад +2

      You should tell him to make or grow the internet😂

  • @burgerking220
    @burgerking220 4 года назад

    Thanks for the history lessons. I have been a subscriber for 7 plus years. love your vids!

  • @OswaldMosley-rr5fg
    @OswaldMosley-rr5fg 4 года назад

    I just wanted to say your channel is amazing. The values and lessons taught by those of yore are presented in a living, entertaining way. Keep up the amazing work sir.

  • @5argetech56
    @5argetech56 4 года назад +16

    This is made with the natural yeast spores that are in the air. I have done this and you make with called a Dysum That little ball becomes your starter. .

    • @fabioarrua
      @fabioarrua 4 года назад

      spores are from fungi only

  • @lifestudent55
    @lifestudent55 4 года назад +4

    I used to bake sourdough, but couldn't bring my starter back from overseas with me. I found a place online where I bought some dry yeast from some sourdough that originated on the Oregon Trail. I haven't reconstituted it yet though.

    • @ibsoarin
      @ibsoarin 3 года назад +1

      Jim, Get that dried sourdough starter reconstituted and make some sourdough bread. Use some of the reconstituted starter to spread very thin on a piece of aluminum foil and let it dry completely. It will flake up off of the aluminum foil. If you put the flakes in a plastic bag or jar and put in the freezer, it will preserve it for a long time (up to years). When you need it again, reconstitute it and bake some sourdough bread from your Oregon Trail starter.

  • @planetearth1705
    @planetearth1705 3 года назад +1

    This has become my new favorite channel.

  • @dudester873
    @dudester873 4 года назад

    This was awesome! Thank you so much for sharing this -- your love of the topic really shines through..

  • @e.s.r5809
    @e.s.r5809 4 года назад +14

    Oh, this is fascinating! Do you ever consider writing papers on the things you learn in the course of your work and publishing them in a journal-- or working with historical researchers and archaeologists in your field? Working class people's lives have been so chronically understudied in history and anthropology, and your practical approach is such a fantastic way to explore possibilities where we're relying on not-always-accurate literature for clues.

    • @joshschneider9766
      @joshschneider9766 4 года назад +3

      He has made vids all over the country with other reenactors on many topics just browse the vid list.

  • @alannatoomey6283
    @alannatoomey6283 4 года назад +3

    You are officially my celebrity crush.

  • @brodaviing6617
    @brodaviing6617 4 года назад

    Your videos are always soothing, informative and during these times ever so helpful :)

  • @churchoftheholymess
    @churchoftheholymess 3 года назад +1

    I've been experimenting with cultivating wild yeast for a few months now. This video makes it so simple. Thank you!

  • @darealblackmel1766
    @darealblackmel1766 4 года назад +15

    If I had to go back in time and live in that era I would be lost lmao😂

    • @lemmingscanfly5
      @lemmingscanfly5 4 года назад +2

      John will show us the way.

    • @purplealice
      @purplealice 4 года назад +2

      I wouldn't. One of my elderly relatives cooked with a wood-burning stove, and she taught me how. Since I've been stuck in the house with the quarantine and all, I've been doing a lot of baking and other cooking. It's useful to know alternative ways of doing everyday things.

  • @Katherine_The_Okay
    @Katherine_The_Okay 4 года назад +4

    That bread looks so delicious that I may have to go and bake some now.
    (Also, as much as I adore history and reenacting, as I sit here in my living room, watching this video on my computer and seeing your breath visible from the cold even thought you're sitting about a foot from the fire, I am so glad to live in the modern era. History should always be remembered and respected -- and learned from -- but wow is central heat nice at times.)

  • @enwhysee
    @enwhysee 4 года назад

    Really nice one. My kids love the channel, particularly as we're cooped up. A good way to learn that's engaging and fun.

  • @mangogyfufi6453
    @mangogyfufi6453 4 года назад

    I recently found this channel and I absolutely love the content. Keep doing what you do!

  • @kingrama27
    @kingrama27 4 года назад +12

    Nutmeg is a good substitute for yeast.

    • @kingrama27
      @kingrama27 4 года назад

      B Brunson dude I was making a joke because of you watch these videos regularly all the recipes have nutmeg in them.

  • @williamgraham5238
    @williamgraham5238 4 года назад +3

    This so cool, I play DND and I love the idea of using some of the recipes you put out to enhance immersion. I've already made the wonderer bread from a previous video and they loved it now I'm going to try this one too

  • @SeansMusicVault
    @SeansMusicVault 4 года назад

    Wow. This was an incredible episode. Well done, ya'all!

  • @kirkmarrie8060
    @kirkmarrie8060 4 года назад

    Truly, fascinating! Please, keep up the good work. YOU ROCK!