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.

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. 

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.)