Recipes Voice Cooking Meal Plans Pricing About Blog

Sign In Sign Up

Chef Cecil

Celebrating all cuisines with a love for heritage recipes. Southern soul food is our specialty. Bringing grandmother's kitchen wisdom into the modern era.

Explore

Recipes
Meal Planning
Recipe Importer
About Us
Contact
FAQ

Legal

Privacy Policy
Terms of Service
Medical Disclaimer

© 2026 Chef Cecil by Windsor Industries. All rights reserved.

Built by Windsor Industries

Medical Disclaimer: This website provides general nutritional information and recipes. Always consult your physician or registered dietitian before making dietary changes, especially if you have chronic medical conditions (CKD, diabetes, heart disease). The information provided is not a substitute for professional medical advice.

Home-Made Yeast | Chef Cecil | Chef Cecil

Home-Made Yeast

Back to Recipes

Home-Made Yeast

A historical bread from The White House cook book; a comprehensive cyclopedia of information for the home .. (1913). Scalding the flour mixture makes the yeast keep longer. Let it stand in a warm place until thoroughly risen.

✨ Vintage Recipe

View source details

Original Historical Recipe

Preserved exactly as written in the original source

Original Ingredients

six large potatoes
three pints of water
a handful of hops
half a cup of sugar
half a tablespoonful of ginger
two of salt
a teacupful of yeast

Original Instructions

1
Boil six large potatoes in three pints of water

Community Notes

0 notes

Sign in to share your thoughts and connect with the community

Sign In to Comment

Loading notes...

UpdatedLast updated5 months ago

2

Tie a handful of hops in a small muslin bag and boil with the potatoes

3

When thoroughly cooked drain the water on enough flour to make a thin batter

4

Set this on the stove or range and scald it enough to cook the flour (this makes the yeast keep longer)

5

Remove it from the fire and when cool enough, add the potatoes mashed

6

Also add half a cup of sugar, half a tablespoonful of ginger, two of salt and a teacupful of yeast

7

Let it stand in a warm place, until it has thoroughly risen

8

Then put it in

Chef Cecil's Modern Tips Below

Chef Cecil's Modern Tips

Modern guidance to help you succeed with this vintage recipe

Scalding the flour mixture gelatinizes the starches, creating a more stable environment that inhibits spoilage bacteria while still supporting yeast growth. The potatoes provide additional sugars and nutrients that feed the yeast culture, while the hops contain antibacterial compounds (humulones) that preserve the starter by preventing unwanted bacterial contamination. The salt regulates fermentation speed and strengthens the yeast cell walls, and the ginger adds antimicrobial properties that extend shelf life.

Make Ahead

This is specifically designed as a make-ahead yeast culture. Once fully risen, it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Use approximately 1/2 to 1 cup of this starter in place of commercial yeast in bread recipes, reserving some starter to perpetuate the culture for future batches.

Storage

Store the risen yeast starter in a clean glass jar or crock with a loose-fitting lid (to allow gas to escape) in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Bring to room temperature before using. To maintain the culture long-term, feed it weekly with a mixture of flour and water, or make a fresh batch using 1 cup of the old starter in place of the 'teacupful of yeast' called for in the recipe.

AI-generated tips from Chef Cecil's culinary database

Make Ahead

This is specifically designed as a make-ahead yeast culture. Once fully risen, it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Use approximately 1/2 to 1 cup of this starter in place of commercial yeast in bread recipes, reserving some starter to perpetuate the culture for future batches.

Storage

Store the risen yeast starter in a clean glass jar or crock with a loose-fitting lid (to allow gas to escape) in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Bring to room temperature before using. To maintain the culture long-term, feed it weekly with a mixture of flour and water, or make a fresh batch using 1 cup of the old starter in place of the 'teacupful of yeast' called for in the recipe.

Popular in These Categories

historical

Common Sweet Sauce
Pop-Corn Balls
Pop-Corn Candy No. 2

You Might Also Like

View All Recipes

Pop-Corn Candy No. 2
hard
View Recipe
Everton Taffy, or Butter-Scotch
hard
View Recipe
Butter-Scotch
hard
View Recipe

Previous in historicalCompressed Yeast Bread

Next in historicalChili Sauce