Starter
1 c. milk
1 tbsp. sugar
7 tbsp. white cornmeal
1 tsp. salt
2 cups lukewarm water
3 tbsp. shortening
2 tbsp. sugar
2 c. all purpose flour

Scald milk and stir in sugar, cornmeal and salt. Place in jar and cover with cheesecloth. Set jar in water as hot as the hand can stand. Allow to stand for 6-7 hours in a warm place-115 degrees until it shows fermentation. The gas can be heard escaping when it has fermented enough. At the end of fermentation add remaining ingredients. Beat well. Put in a container in a pan of water. Maintain heat at 115 until sponge is very light and full of bubbles.

To make bread: To light sponge add about 8 1/2 cups flour. Knead for 10 minutes. Mold into 4 loaves and put in greased loaf pans (9" x 5".) Cover and let rise to 2 1/2 times the original size. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes. Lower temperature to 350 and bake 25 minutes longer.