Thanksgiving and lungwort breadWritten by George Ellison I have
perused Kephart’s Camping and Woodcraft many times, but somehow
or other had consistently overlooked his entry on lungwort bread
(vol. 1, pp. 324-325): On the bark of maples, and sometimes of
beeches and birches, in the northern woods, there grows a green,
broad-leaved lichen variously known as lungwort, liverwort,
lung-lichen, and lung-moss, which is an excellent substitute for
yeast. This is an altogether different growth from the plants
commonly called lungwort and liverwort — I believe its
scientific name is ‘Sticta pulmonacea.’ This lichen as partly
made up of fungus, which does the business of raising dough.
Gather a little of it and steep it over night in lukewarm water,
set near the embers, but not near enough to get overheated. In
the morning, pour off the infusion and mix it with enough flour
to make a batter, beating it up with a spoon. Place this
“sponge” in a warm can or pail, cover with a cloth, and set it
near the fire to work. By