palatable, and sufficiently durable to stand
transportation. The durability is a very important consideration;
crumbly corn bread cannot be distributed by bakers nor served to
armies. Corn bread and the other quick breads are chiefly home-made
products.
OUR PRESENT PROBLEM, THEREFORE, IS TO MAKE THE MOST EFFECTIVE
POSSIBLE USE OF OUR WHEAT GLUTEN, TO MAKE IT GO AS FAR AS POSSIBLE IN
OUR BREADS. BOTH BAKERS AND PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS HAVE THEIR SHARE IN
SOLVING THE PROBLEM.
THE BAKERS' REGULATIONS. VICTORY BREAD
The bakers have co-operated loyally. Probably no other food industry
has been more vitally affected by the war. ALL BAKERS USING THREE
OR MORE BARRELS OF FLOUR A MONTH HAVE BEEN LICENSED AND SO ARE UNDER
THE CONTROL OF THE FOOD ADMINISTRATION. This means practically all
the commercial bakers of the country, and many hotels, clubs, and
institutions. About two-fifths of the bread in the United States is
made in bakeries and three-fifths in the home. The bakeries have used
35,000,000 barrels of flour each year, so the importance of this field
for conservation is plain.
The amount of wheat flour they are now permitted to have has been
reduced: at present 80 per cent of their last year's quantity, or,
if they are pastry and cracker bakers, 70 per cent. They must make no
bread wholly of wheat flour. Some substitute must be mixed with the
wheat. When the regulation went into effect in February, 1918, 20 per
cent was required and later, 25 per cent. In pies and cakes there must
be at least one-third substitute. The amounts of sugar and fat used
are limited. Even the sizes of the loaves are fixed, so that the
extravagance of making and handling all sorts of fancy shapes and
sizes may be avoided. Bread must not be sold to the retailer at
unreasonable prices.
Victory bread is bread made in accordance with these regulations.
The name "Victory" was chosen as representing the idea underlying
the conservation of wheat. The name is really a present to the Food
Administration, having been used by two large firms who gave up all
rights to their trade-mark.
Hotels and restaurants are required to make or serve bread containing
at least as much of the wheat substitutes as Victory bread. They may
not serve more than two ounces of bread and other wheat products to a
guest at a meal. Many of them have recently promised to use no wheat
at all till the next harvest. That means, of course, that only through
intelligent effor
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