Talk:Amish friendship bread

Prolonged storage?

How can you store the starter if you don't want bread again in 10 days? Catherine cat@cohen.us —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 68.2.53.27 (talk) 01:51, 26 August 2003 (UTC)

Starter can be frozen once it is ready (usually day 10) and can then be thawed and used immediately to bake with or can become the "mother" for your next batch of starter. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2001:56A:F97E:6000:C562:68C9:6833:F667 (talk) 02:52, 9 October 2019 (UTC)

Extra Loaves?

shit shit shit bread that day? Does that make since? I have been saving my starters to make extra for my hubby to take to work and I have like a million starter bags and I was thinking there has to be a better way!!!!! Sarah sarahtaras@gmail.com —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 24.32.175.84 (talk) 20:49, 15 July 2005 (UTC)

The good news is, you can bake up the entire final batch of starter into loaves if you wish. While the instructions seem pretty stringent on what to do each day, you have great flexibility on how much of the final product you can make. Use one cup of the batter for each recipe (makes 2 loaves). If you don't want to pass them on to friends but want to keep one for yourself to repeat the process, make up 3 batches of the recipe (6 loaves) and keep one cup of the starter for yourself. The bread freezes well, so keep it for the in-between times when the starter isn't ready. In the past, I have made 2 batches (2 cups of starter for 4 loaves) and given a loaf with a starter to a friend, so they know what the final product is. Also, if you are too busy on Day 6 to add the sugar, flour and milk, just mush the bag and do it the next day. Same with Day 10: if you don't have time to make the loaves, just mush the bag and do it the next day. It will turn out just fine.Rhowell40s 17:56, 29 September 2007 (UTC)

Failed AFD

This article was nominated for deletion but got consensus to keep. Johnleemk | Talk 11:10, 30 November 2005 (UTC)

Amish?

Is there any evidence that this has any actual relation to the Amish (i.e., did they originated it)? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 67.165.78.124 (talk) 03:36, 3 July 2006 (UTC)

Maybe the fact that its called Amish? "There is no reason to think that the bread has any connection to the Amish people." Doesn't even make sense. Even if there is no other evidence that its related to the Amish, the fact that its called that seems like a pretty good reason to at least think its related. JediRogue (talk) 21:04, 7 June 2008 (UTC)

That would be logical, but apparently logic does not apply. Every source I've seen says that there's no connection to the Amish people. WhatamIdoing (talk) 01:06, 12 June 2008 (UTC)

Think about it for a moment by taking a step back. How many Omish people would use Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix? First, that goes against their lifestyle and second, if they have been making this for as long as implied, that would be before the time instant pudding mix existed. A traditional sour dough starter is just starter, water, and flour. The starter is made from typically rye flour and water and it take around ten days to get the starter active and to a point of use. It would appear the association to Amish is that they have a sense of community and sharing, which seems to be the point of sharing this recipe. Someone should ask them and see if they even know about this bread. 97.118.92.109 (talk) 18:40, 23 July 2008 (UTC)TradBiner

It seems odd to me. When I first encountered friendship bread in England in about 1982, it was just called friendship bread. Only now, in America, with the craze for all things Amish in full swing do I hear it referred to as being Amish. DavidFarmbrough (talk) 07:08, 29 April 2011 (UTC)

Herman

Just wanted to mention that Herman is a cake, not bread. 81.201.238.210 10:49, 23 February 2007 (UTC)

And that the reference on the page is to the German wikipedia article... that seems a little superfluous.

Leavening

The recipe calls for baking soda and baking powder...if it's a yeast starter, why do you need these? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 65.244.78.22 (talk) 19:08, 7 March 2007 (UTC).

Because the bread isn't left to proof (rise in the pan) after the dough is stirred together (in your recipe). The yeast-based starter is used for flavor rather than leavening power. WhatamIdoing (talk) 04:06, 4 November 2016 (UTC)

No Metal

I was given Amish Friendship Bread starter, and the chain letter instructions, the instructions state do not use any metal no metal forks or spoons to stir, no metal bowls till its time to cook, then you can cook in metal pans. I was wondering why no metal. If anyone can tell me the answer please respong to BPMDulude@hotmail.com. Thanks Brenda

From what I've read, metal (utensils or containers) will kill the yeast. Will email.

Dan 02:48, 5 June 2007 (UTC)

Bread dough and the yeast mixture are both acidic. Using some metals with an acidic food can be problematic, especially cast iron and some hardened steels; as they can cause oxidisation (rust) and contaminate your food. This is why you should avoid making tomato dishes in cast iron pans, and wash your carbon steel knives straight after cutting up lemons. However stainless steel is non-reactive. You can cut up lemons and tomatoes and leave your stainless steel knife dirty for hours without a problem. You can cook up tomato sauce in a stainless steel pot without any contamination, etc. So bread dough and starter isn't going to have a problem with the stainless steel either, use it with impunity!

Generally the things which will kill yeast are lack of food and high temperatures. There seems to be some consensus that the contaminants from reactive metals can harm the yeast too; so make sure you use stainless steel in good condition, or ceramics if you're worried about these kinds of things.

Finally, it's the acidic nature of the yeast and bread dough that makes it so tasty, so it's not all bad  :) Jarich 09:59, 31 October 2007 (UTC)

It's a myth nothing more. I tryed it out my self, no difference in taste and consistency when i used metal Spoons or plastik spoons. --85.181.180.181 (talk) 22:52, 13 March 2008 (UTC)

It's not a myth. If you leave any acid on a reactive metal for an extended period of time, then the acid will discolor or (if the acid is sufficiently concentrated) eat away at the metal. That's the definition of a reactive metal: it chemically reacts. It doesn't kill the yeast, but it can turn the whole mess an unappetizing color. BTW, most cheap nonstick cake pans and cookie sheets are also reactive: if you'd like to destroy a nonstick cakepan, then pour a little vinegar or acidic fruit juice on it, and check back in a couple of days. Wipe it down, and the coating will probably come off in your hands. I'd definitely avoid these things for a long-term starter.

Stainless steel (which is practically all metal spoons in a modern kitchen) is not reactive. Food-strength acids do it no harm. Furthermore, using a spoon for five seconds a day is hardly an "extended" period of time. It is unsurprising that your brief use of a stainless steel spoon did not harm the spoon. WhatamIdoing (talk) 04:15, 14 March 2008 (UTC)

Article doesn't offer much information on making friendship bread

I think an article called "Amish Friendship Bread" should explain how friendship bread is made, in lay terms for non-cooks. If someone gives me a cup of starter and I want to use it to make a loaf of friendship bread, what do I do? The instructions I've found elsewhere on the Internet just tell how to make the starter without telling how to use the starter to make a loaf of bread. Surely someone can add a brief explanation to the article. Jdmaloney (talk) 03:23, 17 March 2008 (UTC)

Wikipedia doesn't do how-to information, which is why there are no recipes here. Just between us, you use it like any kind of sourdough starter. One cup can substitute for one "package" of yeast in just about any yeast-bread recipe. If you want "the" (easy, very sweet) recipe, then I've used something like this in the past. The link in the article (the bit about the Girl Scouts) also includes a recipe. (Look under "Day 7.") If you want more information, feel free to leave me a note on my talk page. WhatamIdoing (talk) 05:27, 17 March 2008 (UTC)

Thanks WhatamIdoing. I understand not giving how-to information but I think the article could better explain what the bread is. As it's written now I think it's confusing. I would be surprised if the article's current topic sentence is accurate, "Amish Friendship Bread (along with Amish Cinnamon Bread) is a type of sourdough starter which is often shared in a manner similar to a chain letter." Is Amish Friendship Bread the starter or is it the bread made using the starter? Wouldn't it be better to say something like, "Amish Friendship Bread is any bread made using Amish Friendship Bread starter? Also, wouldn't it be helpful to say what you said in your comment, that friendship bread can be any type of yeast bread made using friendship bread starter in place of yeast? Without those two clarifications someone who doesn't already know what friendship bread is is likely to be confused by the article like I was. Jdmaloney (talk) 00:48, 19 March 2008 (UTC)

Is that better? Is there anything else you'd like to know? I'm not sure if I've addressed all of your concerns yet. WhatamIdoing (talk) 06:38, 19 March 2008 (UTC)

Pudding

The article says something about the recipe requiring a package of instant pudding, but none of the several recipes i've ever used say anything about pudding. I know that Amish Friendship Bread may refer to several different breads made from the starter, so maybe it should be changed to something like "some of the recipes require a package of instant pudding" just thought i'd make a suggestion. Funbox360 (talk) 19:03, 6 May 2008 (UTC)

Thank you for your suggestion. When you feel an article needs improvement, please feel free to make those changes. Wikipedia is a wiki, so anyone can edit almost any article by simply following the edit this page link at the top. The Wikipedia community encourages you to be bold in updating pages. Don't worry too much about making honest mistakes — they're likely to be found and corrected quickly. If you're not sure how editing works, check out how to edit a page, or use the sandbox to try out your editing skills. New contributors are always welcome. You don't even need to log in (although there are many reasons why you might want to). WhatamIdoing (talk) 03:31, 8 May 2008 (UTC)

I thought the same thing. Funbox360 is correct, and yet, after nearly two years has failed to make the change, so I shall do it now. DavidFarmbrough (talk) 07:10, 29 April 2011 (UTC)

The version that uses instant pudding mix is pretty common (see, this, for example), but I have no objection to the change. I wonder if we should also remove references to the cinnamon? It's also a common flavoring choice, but not really "required". WhatamIdoing (talk) 23:27, 29 April 2011 (UTC)

Chain letter?

"often shared in a manner similar to a chain letter": what does that even mean? Unlike an email, how can one bread or sourdough be sent to multiple people? The article mentioned in the reference no longer exists.Avman89 (talk) 05:09, 2 January 2012 (UTC)

The sentence before says, "A common recipe using this starter suggests using one cup (240 ml) of it to make bread, keeping one cup to start a new cycle, and giving the remaining two cups to friends". Two cups of spare starter = two friends who receive starter. Two = multiple.

(How do you not send baked goods to multiple people? Have you never baked treats for your friends?) WhatamIdoing (talk) 06:31, 2 January 2012 (UTC)

Making the Starter

You totally cannot make sourdough starter with storebought yeast. Every guide to sourdough starter I've ever read says left and right to definitely not ever add yeast. happythoughts (talk)

There are many recipes for starter that specify adding yeast, e.g., [1][2][3][4][5]

I think that what the guides you're reading mean is that if you're working in a kitchen where you've been baking yeast breads anyway, and if you're willing to wait longer and take a chance on whatever may land in your open bowl being the kind of yeast you want, then adding yeast to the mother isn't strictly necessary. But I think more casual bakers would rather have the mother safely sealed away from the cats/kids/flies/etc., and therefore are going to benefit from a boost. WhatamIdoing (talk) 04:03, 4 November 2016 (UTC)