Meme Gertrude's Never Fail Bread

As the Scavone Family has grown, we've taken in new recipes that become tradition in our own families. Paul Chalifour's mom taught me how to make bread using Meme Gertrude's recipe. Meme Gertrude is Paul's paternal grandmother. This recipe makes 8-9 loaves! You need a big bowl, or you can start it in a bowl and then pour the mixture onto a board or counter and continue working the flour in. I freeze the loaves and very rarely do I buy bread from the grocery store any more. Like the "Scavone" recipes, however, some of the directions are ambiguous; for instance, the recipe just calls for "flour". You end up adding approximately 20 cups, but you have to mostly go by feel.

2 Tbsp yeast

9 cups plus 1/2 cup warm water

1/2 cup plus 2 tsp sugar

1/2 cup lard or oil

2 heaping tsp salt

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

flour

Mix 1/2 cup water and 2 tsp. sugar until sugar is dissolved. Sprinkle yeast over top and let stand 10 to 15 minutes. The yeast should "proof" or bubble to the top. Mix until all yeast is dissolved. (In Canada, Fermipan Yeast is a special yeast that is readily available. If you are able to find it, simply add 2 Tbsp to the 9 cups warm water and you can avoid "proofing" the yeast altogether).

Add the remaining water and mix in oil, salt, the 1/2 cup sugar, and the cream of tartar. Mix. Slowly begin adding flour. You can use 1 or 2 cups whole wheat flour and the rest white flour if you like. With each addition mix in the flour well. After several cups, you will need to mix by hand. Do this by lightly "punching" and kneading the flour into the dough. When the dough is ready it will be soft, slightly elastic, and may have one or two sticky spots.

Pour a little oil into a large bowl. Place dough in bowl and roll it around to cover with oil. Cover with cloth and let rise in a warm place until double in bulk (about 1 hour). Punch the dough down and let rise again until double in bulk.

After dough has risen a second time, form loaves and place into oiled loaf pans. Brush tops with a little oil. Let rise to at least double in bulk. Bake loaves 35-40 minutes in pre-heated 375º oven.