I often think that the more worn a recipe is, the more beloved it was. This well used note with the rye bread recipe appears to have been a note between friends, as it includes some words of advice on the method and “good luck” at the end!

Rye Bread

Place in a bowl or large kettle the following:

1 qt of very warm water

2 heap tablespoons lard

1 tablespoon salt

4 tablespoons sugar

4 tablespoons dark molasses – Aunt Dinah brand

4 cups medium rye flour

4 cups Post 40 pct Bran Flakes

2 pkg dry yeast dissolved in 3/4 cup warm (not hot) water

Mix and add white flour until stiff. Scrape out onto bread board or table top and kneed adding flour til it gets quite hard. Make into large ball, grease bowl and place dough in it. Cover with towel, put in a warm (not hot) place, let raise about 1 hour. Punch down and let it rise again. Then make it into 4 loaves. If you have large enough baking pan to hold 4 or place it in several pans. Grease each one and if more than one put some lard in between loaves. Cover with towel and let it rise until 1/2 inch over rim of pans. Bake in preheated oven 375 for 15 min then lower it to 350 for 45 min more. Watch it. Cool and wrap in waxed paper or bags, put some in freezer. Keeps a long time. This kind of bread molds if kept in too warm place. I keep my extra loaves in the refrigerator. Use only the Post Bran Flakes and the darkest molasses sometimes called black strap (Briar Rabbit is too moist). Good luck.