Participation Type
Paper
Session Title
Session 8.06 Foodways and Nutrition
Presentation #1 Title
Salt Rising Bread: Keeping the Tradition Alive
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
SALT RISING BREAD: KEEPING THE TRADITION ALIVE Our West Virginia mountain heritage is full of wonderful traditions. One that I cherish and which I am dedicated to keeping alive is the tradition of baking and eating Salt Rising Bread. Salt Rising Bread is an early American bread, known in the United States since the early 1800s. It is a dense, white bread and has a fine crumb and a unique, cheese-like flavor. It is traditionally prepared by first making a starter of either cornmeal, milk, and baking soda or potato, water, and salt, then a sponge and, finally, the dough. The most unique aspect of this bread is its process of natural fermentation by wild bacteria. Salt Rising Bread is known primarily in the Appalachian Region of the United States. While many generations of (mostly) women once baked this wonderful bread, today very few people bake Salt Rising Bread. For those who know about Salt Rising Bread, however, you can be sure that they each have a story to tell about it. I have collected and read hundreds of Salt Rising Bread recipes, as well as many stories from people who love this bread and who hold precious memories of it. I believe it would be a shame for this tradition to be lost. I would very much appreciate the opportunity to tell others of the interesting history and science of this bread, and to share with them some of the stories that make this Appalachian tradition worth keeping alive.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
I grew up in Hampshire and Greenbrier counties. I graduated from West Virginia University and have worked as a social worker for many years. I live on a farm near Morgantown and have two children.
Salt Rising Bread: Keeping the Tradition Alive
Corbly Hall 268
SALT RISING BREAD: KEEPING THE TRADITION ALIVE Our West Virginia mountain heritage is full of wonderful traditions. One that I cherish and which I am dedicated to keeping alive is the tradition of baking and eating Salt Rising Bread. Salt Rising Bread is an early American bread, known in the United States since the early 1800s. It is a dense, white bread and has a fine crumb and a unique, cheese-like flavor. It is traditionally prepared by first making a starter of either cornmeal, milk, and baking soda or potato, water, and salt, then a sponge and, finally, the dough. The most unique aspect of this bread is its process of natural fermentation by wild bacteria. Salt Rising Bread is known primarily in the Appalachian Region of the United States. While many generations of (mostly) women once baked this wonderful bread, today very few people bake Salt Rising Bread. For those who know about Salt Rising Bread, however, you can be sure that they each have a story to tell about it. I have collected and read hundreds of Salt Rising Bread recipes, as well as many stories from people who love this bread and who hold precious memories of it. I believe it would be a shame for this tradition to be lost. I would very much appreciate the opportunity to tell others of the interesting history and science of this bread, and to share with them some of the stories that make this Appalachian tradition worth keeping alive.
