Lachesis Lapponica; Or, A Tour in Lapland, Volume 1Linné, Carl von
History
Lachesis Lapponica; Or, A Tour in Lapland, Volume 1
Linné, Carl von
Lapland -- Description and travel; Natural history -- Lapland
occasionally, that it may not burn. Much time indeed is not required for
the baking. When sufficiently done, the cake is hung over a bed-post, or
some kind of rail, and the two sides hang down parallel to each other.
Other cakes when baked are hung near to, or over, the first. When the
whole are finished, they are laid by, one upon another, in a large heap,
till wanted.
Some people make bread of the bark of fir-trees. For this purpose they
choose the bark of such trees as are of a large size, with but few
branches, because the branches, as well as the younger trees, are more
resinous, and therefore more strongly flavoured. The bark taken from the
lower part of the tree is esteemed the best. The hard external coats
require to be carefully removed. Stores of this bark are often laid by
for winter use. Previously to its being ground into four, it is laid
over a slow fire in order to be warmed thorough, and rendered more
friable, for it becomes by this means much thickened and very porous. It
is next ground and baked, in the same manner as the barley above
mentioned. The dough made of fir bark is more compact than barley dough,
and almost as much so as that made of rye; but the bread has a bitterish
taste.
_Missen bread_ is made of the Water Dragons (_Calla palustris_). The
roots of this plant are taken up in spring, before the leaves come
forth, and, after being extremely well washed, are dried either in the
sun or in the house. The fibrous parts are then taken away, and the
remainder dried in an oven. Afterwards it is bruised in a hollow vessel
or tub, made of fir wood, about three feet deep; as is also practised
occasionally with the fir bark. The dried roots are chopped in this
vessel, with a kind of spade, like cabbage for making sour kale (sour
crout), till they become as small as peas or oatmeal, when they acquire
a pleasant sweetish smell; after which they are ground. The meal is
boiled slowly in water, being continually kept stirring, till it grows
as thick as flummery. In this state it is left standing in the pot for
three or four days and nights. Some persons let it remain but
twenty-four hours; but the longer the better, for if used immediately it
is bitter and acrid; both which qualities go off by keeping. It is mixed
for use, either with the meal made of fir bark, or with some other kind
of flour, not being usually to be had in sufficient quantity by itself;
for the plant is, in many places, very scarce, though here in such
abundance that cart loads of it are collected at a time. This kind of
flummery, being mixed with flour, as I have just mentioned, is baked
into bread, which proves as tough as rye-bread, but is perfectly sweet
and white. It is really, when new, extremely well-flavoured. _Cattle
Misne_ (_Menyanthes trifoliata_) is very seldom used for making bread,
being too bitter; but the roots are given to domestic cattle, who devour
them fresh. This plant grows plentifully in all the rivers of this
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