Dr Kathy Patterson: Anadama Bread
Some things in the Patterson/Montange household are not messed with…ever. The bread they bake for home and family is one of them. Recently I witnessed four loaves of bread disappear in one evening. Quietly, slice by slice, toddlers to parents to grand parents took slice after slice. Yum.
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Kathy, a retired Pediatric Pathologist with Children’s Hospital, Seattle, WA, shared why she started baking, and still bakes, Anadama Bread.
“When we first started our household in Bethesda, Maryland, I began baking bread recipes in search of a favorite homemade bread. I thought it might take a lot of baking. But, starting with A…Anadama…we’d already arrived. Charles declared it “the one!” and it’s remained our favorite for decades now. Of course I bake other bread, but It’s my husband’s and my favorite, our kids’ favorite and we’re on to grand kids now.
What are Kathy’s tips?
- Follow the directions.
- Keep dough covered with a dampened clean towel or cover as it rises.
- Bake more than one loaf! I double or quadruple it most of the time. Sometimes I shape it round, let double and bake on a sheet pan.
- I use the Anadama Bread recipe as is from the 1955 Betty Crocker Cookbook.
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Thanks to Arlene Cox, Family Cookbook Project for making it available.
Anadama Bread
Bring to boil in saucepan
1 1/2 cups water
1 tsp. salt
Stir in 1/3 cup yellow corn meal
Return to boiling point, stirring constantly.
Pour the water, salt and cornmeal mixture into large mixing bowl.
Stir in
1/3 cup molasses
1 ½ Tbsp. shortening
Cool to lukewarm. (105-115 degrees F.)
Dissolve* 1 pkg. active dry yeast
in 1/4 cup warm water (not hot- 110 to 115˚)
Add to lukewarm corn meal mixture. Mix well.
Mix in half of the 4 to 4 1/4 cups sifted GOLD MEDAL Flour
Add enough remaining flour to handle easily; mix with hand (dough will be
sticky). Turn onto lightly floured board; knead, and let rise (covered) as you would for White Bread.
To shape, place dough in greased 9x5x3′ loaf pan and pat into a loaf shape.
Cover and let rise until almost double (about 1 hr.)
Brush top with melted butter. Sprinkle with a little corn meal and salt.
Bake in a pre-heated oven at 375 degrees F. for 40-45 minutes, until a rich brown color.
*(Note: Today’s dry yeast (+ ¼ cup water) can be stirred directly into the cooled cornmeal mixture.)
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