From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I had hoped to share a salt-rising bread with you tonight, but as my loaf rose and fell and my frustration grew, I could hear James Beard, speaking from the grave, clearly reminding me that I had been warned. Indeed I had. Salt-rising bread is an "iffy" thing and years ago he unceremoniously warned anyone who would listen, that it failed as often as it succeeded. Mine failed, but I still wanted a bread recipe to help round out the "Beans, Biscuits and Bread" series that I've been featuring lately. Fortunately, a play on words helped save my bacon. Years ago, salt-rising bread was also called Pioneer Bread. It was not, however, the only bread that was given that name. The quick bread I'm featuring tonight, also called Pioneer Bread, has a history that can be traced back to the westward movement and the days of the covered wagons. I found the recipe in Christopher Kimball's cookbook, America's Best Lost Recipes. As you might suspect, this is a very easy bread to make, and, if it's allowed to ripen for a day before it's served, I think you'll be really pleased with the results. The loaf is dense and mildly sweet and it keeps extraordinarily well. It makes wonderful toast, and it's a great snack when topped with a schmear of cream cheese. It also happens to be great with baked beans. I hope curiosity will lead you to try this bread. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. Here is how it's made.
