Friendship

Amish Friendship Bread

Please note the following:
*Do NOT use any type of metal spoon or bowl for mixing.
*Do NOT refrigerate.
*If air gets into the bag, let it out.
*It is normal for the batter to rise and ferment.

Day 1: Do nothing (This is the day you receive the batter. The bag is dated.)
Day 2: Mash the bag.
Day 3: Mash the bag.
Day 4: Mash the bag.
Day 5: Mash the bag.
Day 6: Add to the bag--1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup milk. Mash the bag.
Day 7: Mash the bag.
Day 8: Mash the bag.
Day 9: Mash the bag.
Day 10: Follow the directions:
1. Pour entire contents of the bag into a non-metal bowl. Add 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 1/2 cups sugar, and 1 1/2 cups milk.
2. Measure out 4 separate batters of 1 cup each into 1 gallon zipper bags. Keep a starter bag for yourself and give 3 to friends with a copy of this recipe (note: if you keep a starter bag, you will be baking every 10 days). The bread makes a great gift. Should this recipe not be passed on to a friend on the first day, be certain to tell the friend which day the bag is in the cycle when presented to them.

Baking Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. To the remaining batter in the bowl add:
3 eggs
1 cup oil (or 1/2 cup oil and 1/2 cup applesauce)
1/2 cup milk
1 cup sugar (or 1/2 cup)
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour
1 box instant vanilla or chocolate pudding
raisins or nuts to taste
3. Grease two large loaf pans. Mix an additional 1/2 cup sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Dust the pans with half of the mixture.
4. Pour the batter evenly into the two pans. Sprinkle the remaining sugar mixture over the top.
5. Bake for 1 hour. Cool until bread loosens evenly from the sides of the pan (about 10 minutes).
6. Turn onto a serving dish. Serve to friends and loved ones.

*My friend notes that various internet sites indicate you can refrigerate or freeze the starter to delay using it. There are also other recipes that use the starter.

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Perhaps you have seen the above recipe before. It is the ultimate chain letter--better than the book swap, sock exchange, or recipe go-round--because the sender actually hands you a bag of oozy goo. This morning, my friend, who is quite a baker and craftswoman was visiting with her partner from out of state, generously presented me with said goo.

I was so excited.

I received my first bag of goo--it looks like a zipper bag of glue--when I coordinated the docent program of a large midwestern museum--a very kind docent was begging people to take these bags of goo from her and I agreed. At that point, I had vague memories of my great grandmother keeping a similar jar of goo on her counter. I think she added fruit cocktail to it on baking day. But that's all I can recall (and my mom doesn't really remember). I dutifully kept up my starter, cheerfully made the bread, and prepared three more bags of goo to give away. I'm not sure I ever found anyone who would take those bags. And I think, feeling guilty and overwhelmed by too much goo, I had DP dispose of the bags because I just couldn't.

And so now, years later, I'm going to try again. It's day 4 for us, so I mashed the bag. I'll probably spend the rest of the evening searching for alternate recipes and information--I mean, I'm not sure the Amish use instant pudding. Or zipper bags. How in the world did this get started?

But I have a few ideas for people to give those bags of goo too. And so at least that part of the title is right. It's all about friendship.

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Note: If you want to start your own friendship bread bag of goo, my original recipe included the following information:

Starter:
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
Mix in a large zipper bag or other non-metallic container. Metal makes it taste funny. Begin 10 day cycle.

[Alternative: 1 package Active dry yeast, 2 ½ cup warm water, 2 cups sifted flour, 1 tablespoon sugar. Dissolve yeast in ½ cup of warm water in a glass or plastic container. Stir in remaining warm water, flour, and sugar. Beat until smooth. Begin 10 day cycle.]