... the baker's field has been widening steadily since women have long been willing to rely on the baker for their daily supplies of baked goods. It is this patronage of bakers for all the baked goods consumed in the home that marks the difference between modern housekeeping and the days when commercial products were bought only as "emergency rations." Paul Richards

{HISTORY}

First published in 1923, Breads, Rolls and Sweet Doughs was a baking guide and recipe book for commercial bakers. Written by Paul Richards, an authority on the commercial baking industry from the early 1900s to the 1930s, this comprehensive baking book was updated in 1932 to accommodate more modern machinery and baking techniques along with a new understanding of how the baking industry had become instrumental to servicing the daily grocery needs of households.

Published by Baker's Helper, a baking industry magazine that covered all issues of import relating to commercial bakeries from ingredient sourcing to proven methods and techniques to delivery trucks and industry pricing guidelines. As a columnist for Baker's Helper, Paul Richards answered industry questions relating to breads and cakes.  Keeping abreast of the modern-day problems that 1920s era bakers faced, helped inform the new  information he included in his 1932 revision of  Breads, Rolls & Sweet Doughs so that it would remain, up-to-date, accurate, and most importantly useful for bakers regardless of operational size and scope. 

Readers (and bakers) of this petite, but very thorough book will find not only large quantity recipes but also important technical details relating to timing, temperature, fat ratio, equipment, pan sizes, proofing methods, specialty ingredients, etc., to produce reliable baked goods on a commercial scale. For example, a recipe for French Bread includes 35 lbs of flour; pumpnickernickel bread includes two versions - one made with yeast and one made with a German method incorporating a rye sour dough starter.  Muffin recipes are dolled out in 12 dozen portions; icings are made in five and six pound quantities. 

All manner of baked goods is included from meat pies to classic sandwich breads to holiday confections, fillings, icings, rolls, doughnuts cakes, and biscuits. International recipes include French Apple Cake, Swedish Bread, British Brown Bread, German Stollen, Streussel, Pullman Rye Bread, Bath Buns, Danish Pastry Dough, German Cheese Cake, Holland Rusks, English Muffins, Scotch Scones, and Irish Soda Bread.  

There are also mini chapters on bakery shopkeeping for presentation, cleanliness, efficiency, and good practice. All of Paul Richards’ books were bestsellers in their day. A true gem from history, this little book offers such a unique look at the baking industry 90 years ago. With historic accuracy and relevancy, these recipes offer a  fun look at what people were eating in the 1930s, what types of baked goods were being stocked at local neighborhood bakeries, and how they were being made. 

Additional photos included here are the cover of Baker's Helper circa 1903 and an advertisement featuring Paul Richards endorsement of Royal Flour circa 1906. 

{SPECIAL FEATURES}

• 2nd printing of the 1937 edition of the 1932 revision
• 352 pages not including detailed index
• Small size

{CONDITION}

In lovely vintage condition, this cookbook is clean and bright throughout with no cooking spots, stains, or notations except for a light stain that appears at the bottom spine area on the first 60 pages in front and the last 50 pages in the back. The orange coverboards are clean and bright. The interior end papers contain some foxing and staining. The spine is tight and all pages are intact. 

{SIZE}

Measures 7" inches (length) x 4.25" inches (width) x .75" inches (thickness) and weighs 12 oz. 

{FOR THE LOVE OF BAKING}

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