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1
Combine dissolved yeast, sugar, salt, melted shortening, milk and water in a medium-size bowl.
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2
Add 3 cups of flour, a little at a time, and beat until smooth.
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3
Now add beaten egg whites and blend well.
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4
Add rest of flour, a little at a time, and beat until smooth.
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5
When dough is too stiff to beat, turn it out onto a floured pastry cloth and knead gently about 2 minutes, adding only enough more flour to prevent excess sticking, *keeping dough as soft as possible*.
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6
Place in a greased bowl, brush top with melted shortening, cover, and let rise until doubled.
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7
This will take about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
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8
After it rises the first time, knead it again for about 1/2 minute.
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9
Place it again in the greased bowl and let double - about 30 minutes.
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10
After second rising, turn dough out onto a floured pastry cloth and divide it into 3 uniform pieces.
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11
Roll each piece into a rectangle that measures about 8x16 inches, and shape it like a jelly roll, pinch ends well.
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12
Place it open end down on a 12x18-inch baking sheet that has been thickly sprinkled with white corn meal from a shaker.
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13
Place all 3 loaves on 1 baking sheet, leaving equal spaces between them.
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14
With a sharp knife make diagonal cuts in tops of loaves, about 1/8 inch deep, spacing them 2 inches apart.
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15
Let loaves stand in room temperature about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
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16
Do not force near heat; best temperature is about 70 to 75F (When cuts in bread are almost flat, bread is ready to be baked.)
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17
Bake at 325F about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
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18
After 1 hour, look at bread, and if it is brown, shut off heat and allow it to remain in oven a few minutes longer to make crust more crisp.
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19
After 30 minutes, loaves may be brushed several times during baking time with slightly beaten egg white combined with 1 teaspoon water.
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20
This will impart an attractive glaze to loaves, but is not necessary.
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21
To recrisp French bread after it has been stored in a covered container, reheat it about 10 minutes in a 400F oven.
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22
This is copied from the aged textbook (I am tempted to just call it an aged Culinary Tome) verbatim.
