Servings: 2 loaves

Sponge Sponge
2 c. milk 2 c. milk
1 tsp salt 1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar 1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp shortening 1 tbsp shortening
Flour Flour

To make the bread, set the sponge in the evening.
To set the sponge, place all the yeast in a large mixing bowl. Add 2 cups warm milk (or unsalted potato water), 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 ½-cups flour to make a stiff batter.
Beat well. Cover and let stand overnight (or until bubbly).
Before making bread, take out 5 heaping tablespoons of the sponge and put in a jar. Cover with foil and put in the refrigerator. This is your yeast for the next bread making. Repeat this process with the sponge each time you make bread.
Add enough flour to make a dough you can handle.
Turn out onto a floured board and knead well. Put in a greased bowl and let rise until double (about 1 ½ hours).
Punch down and shape into 2 loaves.
Put in greased pans and let rise until double.
Bake in preheated 350-degree oven for 45 minutes or until golden brown and bread has pulled away from the sides of the pan.
Turn out of pans and butter top and sides of loaves.

As Mom, describes, this is how Granny would make bread when she was a little girl. If her starter went bad, she would borrow from Aunt Ruth.  As Mom, describes, this is how Granny would make bread when she was a little girl. If her starter went bad, she would borrow from Aunt Ruth.