New member with a strange question

[mamabear84]

I searech google but could not find anything Thank you for the insight
There are very few recipes with the + in them but I will post one for you when I get home.

 

[mamabear84]

1- water
1- eggs
-1 1/4 yeast

-4 sugar
-4 short
+2 powd. milk
-1/2 salt
3 1/4 - b. flour

 

[Lardeffect]

And what is it for?

 

[CWS4322]

I'm guessing this is for either rolls or bread.
Here's what I would try:

1 c water
1 egg
1-1/4 tsp yeast

I'm guessing one combines that first and that the water would be warm.

4 tsp sugar
4 tsp shortening
2 T powdered milk
3-1/2 c flour -- don't know what the "b" means.

If you post a few more, the "code" might be easier to decipher.

 

[Lardeffect]

b. flour would be either bread flour or bleached flour
I think that's right, - is teaspoon and + it tablespoon
More recipes would indeed help

 

[CWS4322]

Who knew my training re: recognizing patterns in unknown languages could transfer to decoding recipes!

I will ask the 72-yr old retired, works p/t, chef tomorrow if he knows anything re: using this type of notation in recipes.

 

[chopper]

I bet the b is bread flour.

 

[mamabear84]

I'm sorry I was in hurry and forgot to write the recipe name It was for soft rolls. I assumed the b was bread flour. Since ya'll asked for more recipes here is another one:

High Ratio Yellow layer cake
cake flour 5-
140 2-4
pow. milk -8
salt -5
baking pow. -4
sugar 6-8
eggs 3-
ice water 1-8
flavor as desired
The more I read the more I discover she really liked baking more than anything. Can't find another recipe with a + in it though of course I am just reading the typed ones because it is easier.

 

[CWS4322]

I'm sorry I was in hurry and forgot to write the recipe name It was for soft rolls. I assumed the b was bread flour. Since ya'll asked for more recipes here is another one:

High Ratio Yellow layer cake
cake flour 5-
140 2-4
pow. milk -8
salt -5
baking pow. -4
sugar 6-8
eggs 3-
ice water 1-8
flavor as desired
The more I read the more I discover she really liked baking more than anything. Can't find another recipe with a + in it though of course I am just reading the typed ones because it is easier.

Okay--140 is high ratio shortening. It is used in commercial baking more so than at home. I'm still trying to figure out the range references (2-4, 6-8, and 1-8). I have some ideas, but am still noodling them and will stop by and see the pastry chef instructor next week--he might know. Also have emails out to 2 friends who are pastry chefs to see if they can "translate" this recipe.

When did your great-great aunt attend JH Cooking School? I'm guessing 1930-1940, but was it before that?

 

[mamabear84]

She attended in the 60's and come to find out I added one to many greats so she is just my great aunt. I never had the pleasure of meeting her but I hear great things. Thank you all for you insight, I am off work this week and will attempt a recipe, maybe bread, just to see if it works out.

 

[Addie]

Radcliff College for Women in Cambridge, MA now intergrated into Harvard University has a library of cookbooks written by women. Some of their books date back to the 1600's. You could contact them and see if they could come up with an answer for you.