A Dutch oven was used to bake bread in the fireplace. A Dutch oven was a cast iron pot which was placed on hot coals. More hot coals were placed on the lid. The bread dough was heated from the top and the bottom. Biscuits were also made in a Dutch oven.

a Dutch oven

Some fireplaces had built-in ovens on the side. Bread was also baked in outdoor ovens.

Once a family had enough money they bought a stove. A few loaves of bread could be baked at one time in the oven. "Yeast breads" were made once or twice a week, so 6 to 12 loaves were made at a time. First the dough was kneaded and left to rise in a large pan overnight. Then the dough was shaped into loaves, put in bread pans, left to rise once more and then baked. The house got very hot in the summer if bread was baked indoors.

The First Nations Peoples showed the settlers how to make different kinds of bread .

CHURNING BUTTER

After cows were milked, the milk was strained and poured into a can. The milk was placed in cold water (well, river) or a cool place like a cellar. After several hours the cream rose to the surface. The cream was skimmed off the top and the "skimmed milk" was left. The cream was allowed to become slightly sour. Then it was made into butter in a churn. The butter was taken out and washed several times. A little salt was added.

butter mold and paddle (used to press the butter into the mold)

Some of the butter was made into one pound blocks to be sold or exchanged for goods at the store. Some butter was salted and packed in crocks for winter use. The crocks were kept in the root cellar.

Buttermilk was the liquid that was left in the churn. The buttermilk spoiled quickly so it was used for baking or drinking. Skim milk was fed to calves and pigs or made into cottage cheese.

make your own butter

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