# Bread - a staple in our lives



## Auntie (Oct 4, 2014)

On another forum (not a preppers forum) I asked what are the 5 most common things you get at the store. Some of the answers were surprising to me. Who goes out at 2 a.m. for Coca-Cola or makes a special trip for Little Debbies? The 5 top things ended up being, milk, bread, eggs, jam, and butter/margarine. I have the milk, eggs, jam and butter/margarine covered. The bread however got me thinking about what I use to make it.

Flour - yes
Salt - yes
Sugar - yes
Yeast - 3 months worth if I am lucky

Sourdough bread doesn't work for everything, it makes really yummy pancakes too. Irish soda bread doesn't need yeast but again not good for everything. 

How will you make bread?


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## RNprepper (Apr 5, 2014)

Tortillas, biscuits and pancakes will work for us. There are many places in the world that do not use wheat at all. Whole cooked grains/legumes also work as substitutes - corn, millet, quinoa, buckwheat, lentils.


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## Auntie (Oct 4, 2014)

RNprepper said:


> Tortillas, biscuits and pancakes will work for us. There are many places in the world that do not use wheat at all. Whole cooked grains/legumes also work as substitutes - corn, millet, quinoa, buckwheat, lentils.


Do you know how to make Tortillas? I have never tried, that is something I should look in to.


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## RNprepper (Apr 5, 2014)

Auntie said:


> Do you know how to make Tortillas? I have never tried, that is something I should look in to.


Oh my goodness, making tortillas is second nature to us here in the southwest. The type of flour makes all the difference as to how stretchy the dough will be, but we'll have to make due with what we have when SHTF. I don't know how stretchy the bucket wheat will be, but it will do. Start with a cup of flour with a little salt. Add enough oil/grease/lard to make it barely hold together when you squeeze it into a ball. Start adding water until you get some dough that you can knead. The amount of water depends on humidity and moisture content of flour. Then knead, knead, knead until it becomes smooth and sort of silky. Pinch off balls and then roll them in greased hands. Let them sit out for a few minutes and then start rolling them out with a rolling pin and flour on the counter top. Stretch as you roll, turn, roll, turn, roll. With practice you will get perfectly round, thin tortillas. Pat off extra flour a plop them on a hot skillet (I use cast iron) without any oil or grease. When you see bubbles popping up, flip them over. They cook really quickly. If the pan starts to smoke, just brush off the burnt flour. There you go. Tortillas to eat with all those beans and rice! Eazie-peazie once you get the hang of it. If they turn out too crispy, add a bit more oil/grease/lard next time. You can't go wrong. The crispies you can just eat like chips and when you get a nice stack of beautiful, warm, soft tortillas, you will be so proud of yourself! Yummy! Kind of cool and cloudy here today - a good day for homemade chili and tortillas!

PS: Auntie - you are there in Colorado. If you want the best instruction, get together with an Hispanic neighbor or ask around to find an Hispanic lady to give you a lesson. You will love seeing how the real pros do it. Many of these ladies do not even use a rolling pin......but again, it depends on the flour. They can also show you how to make corn tortillas. Oh... then go for lessons on tamales! That is the best! These simple techniques have been around for probably thousands of years and are absolutely ideal skills for preppers. Making fast, easy, nutritious meals over a fire with one pan (or a hot flat rock) is pretty good stuff to knowl


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

RNprepper said:


> Oh my goodness, making tortillas is second nature to us here in the southwest. The type of flour makes all the difference as to how stretchy the dough will be, but we'll have to make due with what we have when SHTF. I don't know how stretchy the bucket wheat will be, but it will do. Start with a cup of flour with a little salt. Add enough oil/grease/lard to make it barely hold together when you squeeze it into a ball. Start adding water until you get some dough that you can knead. The amount of water depends on humidity and moisture content of flour. Then knead, knead, knead until it becomes smooth and sort of silky. *Pinch off balls and then roll them in greased hands*. Let them sit out for a few minutes and then start rolling them out with a rolling pin and flour on the counter top. Stretch as you roll, turn, roll, turn, roll. With practice you will get perfectly round, thin tortillas. Pat off extra flour a plop them on a hot skillet (I use cast iron) without any oil or grease. When you see bubbles popping up, flip them over. They cook really quickly. If the pan starts to smoke, just brush off the burnt flour. There you go. Tortillas to eat with all those beans and rice! Eazie-peazie once you get the hang of it. If they turn out too crispy, add a bit more oil/grease/lard next time. You can't go wrong. The crispies you can just eat like chips and when you get a nice stack of beautiful, warm, soft tortillas, you will be so proud of yourself! Yummy! Kind of cool and cloudy here today - a good day for homemade chili and tortillas!


I really should READ the entire posts instead of just SCAN them. For a moment I was a bit concerned when I saw the words in red above... All I could think was that my friend RNPrepper was one "passive/aggressive gal"!...until I re-read it. By the way, I apologize if this is in the Ladies Only section, I didn't check.


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## sideKahr (Oct 15, 2014)

Irish soda bread for me. It's easy, quick, tastes good.


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## RNprepper (Apr 5, 2014)

Slippy, you are a bad bad boy. No tortillas for you!


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## HuntingHawk (Dec 16, 2012)

flour. salt, sugar, baking soda, & baking powder to make pan bread.


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## HuntingHawk (Dec 16, 2012)

Short term there is Rhodes frozen bread dough. Keeping it frozen isn't much of an issue for me with two generators & one 5cuft chest freezer that runs off solar.


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## Auntie (Oct 4, 2014)

Excellent idea RN. The lady behind me is Hispanic, she has asked about getting a baby goat from us. I told her that when she sees one in the pasture to stop by and we will talk. Maybe I should include a few lessons in cooking. I love to barter.

I love Soda Bread, it is the only bread my grandmother made or ate. My family doesn't enjoy it as much as me, I suppose if they are hungry enough it might taste better to them. Darn wonder bread has ruined what people think is good bread.


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## graynomad (Nov 21, 2014)

I agree you should have the makings for bread, and I plan to go one step further and grind flour as the wheat will last for years.


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## HuntingHawk (Dec 16, 2012)

Corn bread is somewhat of an option.


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## 1skrewsloose (Jun 3, 2013)

My father hated any store bought bread, said it was like chewing air. Mom either baked, or went to the bakery. Myself, I love hard rolls. I worked in a bakery many years ago, will have to brush up.


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## RNprepper (Apr 5, 2014)

HuntingHawk said:


> Corn bread is somewhat of an option.


As are hushpuppies. MMMMMM.


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## HuntingHawk (Dec 16, 2012)

Or fry bread but that is more a desert. I like raw pumpkin in my batter.


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## TacticalCanuck (Aug 5, 2014)

Bannock and flat wraps.


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## MI.oldguy (Apr 18, 2013)

My sil married a hispanic fella and,my bil married a puerto rican gal I am Sicilian/Irish and my wife is Finnish/german.between us all we should open a multi ethnic restaurant.we all share recipes and we all cook some good stuff.Mexican food is one of my favorites.any food we can cook actually is my favorites.
:bow:FOOD!


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## RNprepper (Apr 5, 2014)

Auntie said:


> Excellent idea RN. The lady behind me is Hispanic, she has asked about getting a baby goat from us. I told her that when she sees one in the pasture to stop by and we will talk. Maybe I should include a few lessons in cooking. I love to barter.


Sounds like a great plan. Let us know how it goes.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

Auntie said:


> On another forum (not a preppers forum) I asked what are the 5 most common things you get at the store. Some of the answers were surprising to me. Who goes out at 2 a.m. for Coca-Cola or makes a special trip for Little Debbies? The 5 top things ended up being, milk, bread, eggs, jam, and butter/margarine. I have the milk, eggs, jam and butter/margarine covered. The bread however got me thinking about what I use to make it.
> 
> Flour - yes
> Salt - yes
> ...


 Shame on you Sourdough bread was a gift from God. You are right bread is a main staple of life made with or with out yeast. We will have all the wheat, and corn we will need. Also Cattail acorn bread. We have plenty of both
CATTAIL Flour a plant every preper should know well.


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## TacticalCanuck (Aug 5, 2014)

Smitty901 said:


> Shame on you Sourdough bread was a gift from God. You are right bread is a main staple of life made with or with out yeast. We will have all the wheat, and corn we will need. Also Cattail acorn bread. We have plenty of both
> CATTAIL Flour a plant every preper should know well.


Dear god, what happens when you run out of cats?!


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## HuntingHawk (Dec 16, 2012)

Remember that with yeast bread there is a rise time before baking & that is going to be six hours plus. So making some takes planning to have it ready for a meal.

Unsalted butter you can freeze so I keep some in the freezer. I've froze it for up to four months & has been fine.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

HuntingHawk said:


> Remember that with yeast bread there is a rise time before baking & that is going to be six hours plus. So making some takes planning to have it ready for a meal.
> 
> Unsalted butter you can freeze so I keep some in the freezer. I've froze it for up to four months & has been fine.


 Should SHTF and we are forced to return to a past way of life , some will be involved in cooking as an almost full time job. It takes a smart well organized person to feed even one family.


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## Auntie (Oct 4, 2014)

I make a loaf of bread every day. There are two teenage boys in this house. I agree Smitty without the convenience of bread makers, rice cookers, microwaves, dishwashers and convection ovens it is going to be time consuming. That is why I practice cooking without these things. At least once a month I make the week-end meals over a fire. Practice, Practice, Practice is one of my favorite sayings.


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## HuntingHawk (Dec 16, 2012)

I agree & disagree at the same time Auntie. Not using things because some day they may not be available doesn't make sense to me but practicing for the day they aren't does. Its like not using electricity because some day it may not be available. Not using a refrigerator or freezer because some day electricity may not be available for them. JMO


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## Auntie (Oct 4, 2014)

I think people should practice cooking over a fire, practice using things that aren't in the fridge. The first time I cooked over a fire I burned everything. Now I can prepare a great meal. During the summer it is not unusual for us to sit by the fire have dinner and enjoy the evening. If a disaster does happen you sure don't want to be learning to do something.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

Skills not used are soon to become folklore. Stories about grandma told to children that no longer have a clue.


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## Stick (Sep 29, 2014)

When you run out of cats is when the dogs start looking nervous and a little stand offish.


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## RNprepper (Apr 5, 2014)

Auntie said:


> I think people should practice cooking over a fire, practice using things that aren't in the fridge. The first time I cooked over a fire I burned everything. Now I can prepare a great meal. During the summer it is not unusual for us to sit by the fire have dinner and enjoy the evening. If a disaster does happen you sure don't want to be learning to do something.


AMEN! AMEN! AMEN! Same with Dutch ovens - learn what recipes you like and how they work in your particular ovens. Same with solar ovens. Same with growing a garden. Buying a can of heirloom seeds and letting it sit on the shelf basically guarantees failure and starvation when the preps run out. Learning new skills involves lots of failure. Better to have that part of the learning curve out of the way with SHTF.


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