Democratic Sentinel, Volume 21, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 October 1897 — African Bread. [ARTICLE]

African Bread.

"The staple article of food,” writes a traveler in Africa, “is guauga or cavassa bread. It is made from the manioc root, from which tapioca and man ioca are produced. The manioc resembles the eider bush; the roots form Into tubers like sweet potatoes. The way in which the guanga or cavassn bread is prepared is as follows; The tubers are thrown Into a bamboo basket and are kept under water for live or six days, until they begin to show signs of decomposition. They are then taken out, the skins are removed, and they are pounded into pulp in a morar. The dough Is rolled into balls ol about two pounds In weight, wrapped up in banana leaves, tied securely with rattan strings, and put Into a big earth en pot and boiled for three or foui nours. The cavassa bread Is then ready for use. It will keep for three weeks if properly made and taken care of. To see a company of natives stripping the covering off their two pound loaves and munching them in concert does not tend to whet the appetite. When you begin to experiment with It you And it has a sour smell and a sour taste. The natives In making it man ngs to get a lot of sand mixed Into it