Taystee Bread

How I Use New Process Taystee Bread (1933, 32 pages) was published by Purity Bakeries. Agnes Carroll Hayward is the "I" in the title. She has her name on the cover and a short testimonial-type introduction on the first page. She is also associated with other Taystee Bread cookery pamphlets.

Although the entirety of page two is devoted to telling us how great New Process Taystee Bread is, Purity doesn't go into any specific detail as to what this new process was.

"NEW PROCESS TAYSTEE BREAD--the new discovery of the Purity Bakers, is truly a revolation in bread-baking. This new method of baking gives TAYSTEE Bread a better flavor, a smoother, finer and whiter texture and a rich, tender crust."

Funny they should mention the tender crust. Nearly every recipe calls for the crust to be removed from the bread, whether it's for toast or sandwiches. In some instances circles, squares or other shapes are cut from the center of the bread slice, again leaving the "tender" crust behind.

But this crust wasn't wasted. Readers were advised to save all pieces of bread from which the crust has been removed, and all other crusts, to use for bread crumbs.

Bread crumbs are used in all of the remaining recipes that aren't sandwiches or toast. The white crumbs are used for coating croquettes, oysters, etc. and the brown crumbs for buttered crumbs or au gratin dishes.

Besides all the crust removal (isn't the crust the best part of bread anyway?) the other thing that stands out to me about this booklet are the terrible black and white illustrations. Dark, grainy and plainly unappetizing. The only color is on the cover. The black and white illustration shown here is one of the nicer ones.

And of course, Taystee Bread is perfect for Baked Bean Sandwiches.

BAKED BEAN SANDWICHES

1 loaf Taystee Bread
1 large can baked beans
butter
tomato catsup

Drain of the sauce from the baked beans, mash with a fork until well broken, add tomato catsup to taste and spread on the bread.

If a hot sandwich is liked, heat beans in the can, mash, add catsup and spread on the bread. Put together sandwich fashion, and toast until well browned on both sides.

A very hearty sandwich is made by covering one slice of bread with the beans and the other with broiled or fried bacon, then put together in sandwich fashion.
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Although there was evidently a Taystee Bread bakery in Dallas, I don't remember this brand while growing up in Houston. Kiterik, the local television female kiddy show host who dressed up like a cat in a black leotard and fishnet stockings, pushed another brand of bread. Every afternoon she would ask the guest children what their favorite food was and they always replied with either "spaghetti" or "bread". I forget the brand now, but it wasn't Taystee Bread.