Episode 3: White Bread with Cheryl Whitesitt
Welcome to Rural Food Traditions, a podcast series of Rural Remix. We’re starting where many meals across diverse food traditions begin: with bread. Food is a uniter; and across culinary traditions, bread is a common thread. On this episode, we are speaking with Minnesotan Cheryl Whitesitt about her grandmother’s recipe for white bread. Cheryl makes the recipe with her children and grandchildren.
Cheryl Whitesitt is the Executive Director of the Minnesota Future Problem Solving Program where students are taught how to think, not what to think. Cheryl lives in Brownsville, Minnesota, on a farm that has been in her husband’s family for many years, where she shares her love for breadmaking with her children and grandchildren.
Grandma Davy's White Bread
As shared by Cheryl Whitesitt, her granddaughter.
Ingredients
- 8 cups or so of flour (measure generously)
- 1 tablespoon (not heaped) of salt
- 3 teaspoons of granular yeast
- 3 cups of warm water (120-130 degrees)
Instructions
- Mix dry ingredients. Add 3 cups of warm water (120-130 degrees) Mix well with a large fork. You might need to add a bit of flour - a little at a time before and during kneading. Then knead well. (I knead for at least 10 minutes until it squeaks.) Cover with a towel. Let rise for an hour or so. Knead down. Cover, let rise another half hour. Make into 3 large loaves and put in pans. Cover and let rise another half hour. Preheat over to 350 degrees. Uncover loaves and bake for 30 minutes. If you want a softer crust, spread butter over the top when it comes out of the oven. If you want a fancier, glossy look, spread a beaten egg over the top just before baking. Let cool a bit before cutting as it will slice more easily. However, be sure to eat some while it’s still warm so the butter can melt! Old bread is wonderful toasted. Good luck having any old bread!
Rural Food Traditions is a production of Rural Remix. Original music was composed by Quincy Ponvert and Leo Posel. This series was written and produced by Teresa Collins and edited by Susannah Broun. Assistant producers are Tracy Staley and Anya Slepyan. The Executive Producer is Joel Cohen. Rural Remix is a co-production of the Daily Yonder and the Rural Assembly, projects of the Center for Rural Strategies.
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Rural Food Traditions: White Bread
Welcome to Rural Food Traditions, a podcast series of Rural Remix. We’re starting where many meals across diverse food traditions begin: with bread. Food is a uniter; and across culinary traditions, bread is a common thread. On this episode, host Teresa Collins talks about white bread with Minnesota home baker Cheryl Whitesitt.
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Rural Food Traditions: Fry Bread
Welcome to Rural Food Traditions, a podcast series of Rural Remix. We’re starting where many meals across diverse food traditions begin: with bread. Food is a uniter; and across culinary traditions, bread is a common thread. On this episode, host Teresa Collins talks with chef Nico Albert Williams about fry bread. They discuss the bread’s Native American roots, controversial history, and Nico’s personal relationship to the language of food.
