When the smell of baking bread is one of the earliest of childhood recollections it means that bread baking will have someone to carry on the baking tradition. And so it has come to be.
The Krueger Dutch Charlie Creek Farm was graced with a traditional farm house featuring a large kitchen and a wood burning kitchen rang. Corncobs, twigs, straw and other miscellaneous combustibles provided additional fuel. Bread baking was one of the prime functions of that range. Mathilda Krueger was the master baker.
All this is called to mind by Bill Bryson in "At Home: A Short History of Private Life". In chapter IV on "The Kitchen" he points out that in nineteenth century England bread was 80% of the food used in a home. People spent 75% of their income on food and bread was central ." For a poorer family the daily diet was a few ounces of tea and sugar, some vegetables, a slice or two of cheese, and just occasionally a very little meant. All the rest was bread". Page 68
The German tradition farm home in Minnesota had a more generous diet especially in the meat and vegetables category but bread was a central feature always. An especially vivid scene is that of the summer threshing ring. The threshing machine ("Separator" was the term usually used) was taken from farm to farm and neighbors would help each other bring in the wheat, oats, barley, or flax. Long days in the summer meant steady work for hours in the fields and at the farm house.
The wife and family of the hosting farm would prepare food for large noon meal and lunches to be taken to the field by the children. This means many loaves of bread which had to be freshly mixed, risen and baked. The kitchen range needed the right mix of fuel to keep the temperature steady and there really was no back up in case of a mistake. The housewife had to manage and do most of the heavy labor of food preparation and serving while also carrying on the tasks of raising children, caring for an elderly relative, and being a pleasant hostess. I do not recall men helping in the preparation of food.
Pies and cakes were also expected at the meals. In times of economic strains on all farm families one pleasure of life that lifted the spirits of hard working people were those Chocolate Cakes and Apple Pies, to mention two of the favorites.
Bread made the world go round on those "threshing ring" days on the prairie. Today there is talk of Iron Chef contests. The farm home generated skilled women cooks who had no peers in the high society restaurants of the city. Formal contests were not necessary on the farm - every threshing season meal was a display of talent and no doubt judgments were made.
We of the Krueger family were honored to have one of the best of bread bakers in Mathilda Pooch Krueger. He traditional recipe book has many pies and cakes. Bread was taken for granted.
Written by Delton
