Searching the web for salt rising bread again, not having done it recently, I was surprised to find a lot of good information. I am constantly surprised at how web content is growing exponentially. One site (linked below) was particularly rich in information. I won't try to even summarize it. But one author, who claims SRB is a conundrum, has largely removed conundrum by some extensive and smart experimentation. His experiments overthrow some of the main myths about making SRB. There is a page telling where SRB can be bought. Basically it is prevalent in the Appalachians and the Western New York (not Central NY, as she says) county where I grew up, plus a few other scattered places. I'm very familiar not only with all the NY towns where SRB is sold, but with some of the specific stores. So I can vouch for the accuracy of this information. The origin of SRB is more of a mystery than I thought. No one seems to know, other than it predates the availability of commercial yeast or baking powder. It requires no yeast and, since it is started from scratch each time, there is no need to maintain a starter. In fact, someone tried to keep a starter in order to maintain an especially good strain but failed. As one of the resident fermented food geeks, I found this extremely interesting reading. Jim Here is a link that might be useful: Salt Rising Bread Project

Teresa, this bread is so good even after making major screw ups. Decided to try it in the bread machine on dough cycle with baking in the oven. Just as I was preparing to drain the fruit and add it, I found out a person I'd contacted about getting some fertile chicken eggs from to set under my broody hen had six for me. Out of show quality roosters and for free. And he said come and get them now. The bell rang for the addition of the drained fruit and nuts. I knew I hadn't drained the fruit enough, but I was in a hurry. Took off and halfway to my destination realized the dough cycle would be over a good while before I'd get back home. Sorry, but I really wanted those special eggs. The guy showed me all his show birds and got a lot of info from him. By the time I got back home I think the dough cycle had been done for two hours. I had a very wet dough that had risen in the pan then collapsed. Oh well, try to save it. Dumped it out on a liberally floured surface and kneaded in more flour, put it in the pans and let it rise. It did rise a little over the top of the pans.Tried my best and stuck it in the oven. It came out at 25 minutes completely done and beautiful except I didn't get the fruit and nuts distributed well. I've already eaten nearly half a loaf. Love it! Next time I think I'll add more cinnamon, follow the recipe on draining the fruit and not running out in the middle of it to get fertile eggs. Madonna

Just as you thought. To "retard" bread dough you sit it in the refrigerator. Make sure it's tightly covered with plastic wrap (or you can place it in a large zip-lock bag) so it doesn't dry out. Naturally-leavened breads take much longer to proof than bread made with baker's yeast. It's an all-day process which starts the night before when you feed the starter. Chilling dough "retards" the action of the yeast (and that's why it's called "retarding" the dough). Retarding the dough also influences the texture by opening it a little more and it also creates more flavor. The down side to retarding the dough is that it reduces the volume. You can compensate for this by dissolving 1/2 t. of yeast in a few tablespoons of warm water and knead this into the dough before shaping. There are recipes specifically for refrigerator dough recipes and they usually have mashed potatoes (or other mashed vegetables) in them (or instant mashed potatoes can be substituted). The potatoes add moisture and keep the dough from drying out in the dry confines of our frost-free refrigerators. These recipes often have more yeast in them than a standard recipe. Betty Crocker Refrigerator Dough is a good classic recipe that contains mashed potatoes, and the dough could be left in the refrigerator for up to 5-days. So on day one you could make the dough, and each day thereafter you could bake something different - dinner rolls, hamburger or hot dog buns, braided dinner rolls, Parker House Rolls, Crescent Rolls... -Grainlady

The only method i found successful for mock panko is to take a fresh day old boule, or half a leftover one, remove the crust with enough "meat' to make some croutons, (for soups)....and cube the white crustless middles and toast low and slow and not brown. When cool and dry, pulse in the cuisinart to a crumb. Then back in the oven at a low 225, turn oven off and let rest in the oven for an hour...very dry but not toasted. A white bread, from a bbq white purchased bun left over, might be better but i rarely have that. (kids like a hot dog white bun)..... Just removing the crust from bread will make a good panko. When i make crab cakes or cod cakes, i don't want the crust flavor. i just want the simple white 'panko'...that does not gives a brown dried crust intrusion. I think of panko as texture and not a flavor. DH bought whole wheat panko by mistake over the holidays and it would have ruined my crab cakes. SO strong and odd. I used a smashed/crushed matzo instead. (always good in a pinch) The panko style works so well because they stick AND stay crisp. Neutral, non-toasted flavor.