Categories: Breads, Alcohol 
      Yield: 2 loaves 
  
  1 1/2 c  Beer, buttermilk, milk, or 
           -potato water (water 
           -reserved from cooking 
           -potatoes) 
      2 tb Butter or margarine 
      1 ts Salt 
      1 pk Dry yeast (about 1 tbsp) 
    1/2 c  Warm water 
      1 tb Sugar 
      2 c  Dark rye flour or light rye 
           -flour or rye meal (rye 
           -flour with bran) 
  3 1/2    - 4  cups unbleached white 
           -flour 
  
  Will have a more or less sour taste, depending whether it is made with 
  beer, buttermilk, potato water, or milk, in that order. 
   
  Heat 1 1/2 cups liquid to lukewarm.  Stir in the butter and salt. Set aside 
  to cool. 
   
  Dissolve the yeast in the warm water (a temperature comfortable on the 
  inside of the wrist) with the sugar.  Let stand for 5 minutes or until the 
  yeast bubbles. 
   
  Stir the yeast mixture into the cooled liquid.  Add the rye flour and beat 
  until smooth.  Add the white flour, a cup at a time, stirring after each 
  addition until enough is added to make a stiff dough. Dust a work surface 
  with white flour.  Form the dough into a rough ball, place it on the work 
  surface, cover it with a damp cloth, and let it rest for 15 minutes. 
  Generously butter a large bowl or pot. 
   
  Adding only as much flour as necessary to prevent sticking, knead the bread 
  dough until smooth, about 5 minutes.  (The gluten in rye is more fragile 
  than in wheat.  It needs a resting time to recuperate and reform and does 
  not need as lengthy or vigorous a kneading). Form the dough into a smooth 
  ball and place it in a buttered bowl, turning it to coat all sides with the 
  butter. Cover it and let it rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, 
  about 2 hours. 
   
  Punch the dough down, gently knead it for one minute, and divide it into 
  two parts.  Form each half into a round loaf and place the loaves in two 
  lightly buttered 9-inch round cake pans or on a large, buttered baking 
  sheet.  Press a hole through the center of each loaf to give it a 
  traditional shape if you wish. Cover and let rise until almost doubled in 
  size, about 1/2 hour. 
   
  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  BRush the loaves with water and gently 
  puncture the surface all over with the tines of a fork, in a design if you 
  wish. 
   
  Bake for about 30 minutes or until the bread is golden brown and sounds 
  hollow when tapped on the bottom.  While it is hot, brush it with butter to 
  glaze, and then let it cool on a rack. 
   
  Yields 2 round loaves. 
   
  From:  SUNDAYS AT MOOSEWOOD RESTAURANT, Simon & Schuster/ Fireside, New 
  York.  1990. Posted by: Karin Brewer, Cooking Echo, 7/92 
   
  From: Sharon Stevens                  Date: 03-22-94