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HI, I'M ALTON BROWN.
AND AFTER YEARS OF TIRELESS RESEARCH, I'VE COME TO THE CONCLUSION
THAT THE MAELSTROM OF MEDIOCRITY
IN WHICH OUR CULTURE CURRENTLY FINDS ITSELF SPASTICALLY SPINNING,
WAS SET INTO MOTION BY AN EVENT
THAT TOOK PLACE RIGHT HERE,
AT THE VERY EPICENTER OF OUR CIVILIZATION...
THE DINNER TABLE-- AND FURTHERMORE, I PROPOSE
THAT THE STRAW THAT BROKE THE CAMEL'S BACK WAS IN FACT A PARTICULAR EDIBLE--
AND I IMAGINE THE SCENE WENT SOMETHING LIKE THIS...
(Alton speaking in boy's voice) HEY, SIS, GIVE ME ROLL.
(Alton in deeper voice) HEY, CAREFUL THERE, SPORT, DON'T FORGET YOUR MANNERS.
(Alton exasperated boy's voice) OKAY, DAD... PLEASE PASS A ROLL.
(Alton speaking in girl's voice) GEE, RICKY, I DON'T EVEN SEE ANY ROLLS.
(Alton in deeper voice) SAY HONEY, WHERE ARE THE ROLLS?
(Alton in woman's voice) I DIDN'T BAKE ANY TODAY.
(exasperated boy's voice) AW, MOM!
(deeper voice) GEE HON, WHAT GIVES?
(exasperated woman's voice) WELL, SINCE YOU GOT YOUR HOURS CUT, I HAD TO GET A JOB,
SO I BARELY HAD ENOUGH TIME TO GET DINNER ON THE TABLE.
SO IF YOU GUYS WANT ROLLS, YOU CAN JOLLY WELL LEARN TO MAKE THEM YOURSELF.
OH...WHO'S FOR GOING OUT?
YAY!!!!
ONCE THE SOFT, AROMATIC, WARM, YEASTY, EVER-SO-SLIGHTLY-SWEET,
EDIBLE HUG THAT IS THE DINNER ROLL
DISAPPEARED FROM THE AMERICAN TABLE,
OUR CIVILIZATION BEGAN TO QUIETLY CRUMBLE.
IS IT TOO LATE TO GET OUR HUG BACK?
MAYBE NOT, BUT WE'RE ALL GONNA HAVE TO BAKE TALL,
AND ANSWER THE ROLL CALL OF...
♪
Closed Captions Provided by Scripps Networks, LLC
EACH AND EVERY CULTURE THAT BAKES
BAKES SMALL BREADS, AND SOME OF THE CULTURES IN QUESTION
BAKE HUNDREDS OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF SMALL BREADS.
IN AMERICA, SUCH BREADS BECAME KNOWN AS ROLLS
BECAUSE YOU TYPICALLY ROLLED THE DOUGH TO SHAPE IT.
NOW, 100 YEARS AGO, ROLLS WERE CONSIDERED FAST FOOD
BECAUSE THEY WERE SO MUCH QUICKER TO MAKE THAN LARGER LOAVES,
WHICH TYPICALLY REQUIRE LONG RISE AND BAKING TIMES--
A FACT THAT CAN EASILY BE GRASPED BY
THESE COMPARATIVE ILLUSTRATIONS.
NOW JUST TO BE CLEAR, ROLLS ARE DIFFERENTIATED
FROM MUFFINS AND BISCUITS BY VIRTUE OF YEAST, (loud belch)
WHICH ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR LIFTING ALL ROLLS AND BUNS,
WHICH ARE NOTHING MORE THAN SWEETENED ROLLS--
UNLESS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HAMBURGER BUNS, BUT THAT'S ANOTHER SHOW.
NOW, AS IS THE CASE WITH BIG BREADS,
ALL ROLLS FIT INTO ONE OF TWO CATEGORIES,
LEAN AND RICH...GET DOWN.
NOW, WHILE OUR CULTURAL FOREFATHERS, THE ENGLISH,
TENDED TOWARDS LEAN, HARD ROLLS, HERE IN AMERICA,
THE INFLUENCE OF GERMANIC CULTURES, UH,
STEERED OUR ROLLS TOWARDS THE RICH SIDE OF THE SPECTRUM
BY INTRODUCING MILK, BUTTER, AND A BIT OF SUGAR TO THE EQUATION.
BEHOLD THE FANTASTIC FOUR OF BREAD-DOM--
FLOUR, WATER, YEAST, SALT.
WITHOUT THEM, BREAD JUST AIN'T BREAD.
NOW, THE STARCH AND PROTEIN OF THE FLOUR
PROVIDE FOR BREAD'S STRUCTURE,
AND IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT UNLESS YOU'RE MAKING REALLY CRUSTY, RUSTIC LOAVES,
BREAD FLOUR WITH ITS ADDED PROTEIN CONTENT JUST ISN'T NECESSARY.
ALL PURPOSE, OR AP FLOUR WILL DO US JUST FINE.
AND THEN THERE'S THE WATER, WHICH HYDRATES THE FLOUR COMPONENTS
AND PROVIDES THE MOISTURE THE YEAST NEED IN ORDER TO--TO--
(belching) TO BREAK DOWN AND CONSUME THE FLOUR, THUS PRODUCING CO2.
UM, LOOK, YEAST...
LOOK, WE NEED TO--TO TALK.
UM, I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN PORTRAYING YEAST
FOR A LONG TIME ON THE SHOW,
BUT FRANKLY, WE'VE HAD SOME COMPLAINTS...
YOU SEE, YOU GUYS DON'T EVEN LOOK REMOTELY LIKE REAL YEAST,
I MEAN, YOU GOT EYES AND MOUTHS, AND WHATEVER THOSE THINGS ARE ON YOUR HEADS,
AND WELL, WE'VE BEEN ASKED TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING MORE LIFE-LIKE.
AND SO WE'RE GONNA TO BE GOING WITH UH, THESE... (record scratching)
YEAH, I KNOW, IT'S-- IT'S HARD FOR ME TO, BUT...
I HAVE TO LET YOU GUYS GO.
NO, NO SEVERANCE...
BUT I WILL PROVIDE EXCELLENT REFERENCES FOR ALL OF YOU, I WILL-- I WILL.
GOOD LUCK!
BYE.
NOW, AS I WAS SAYING, THE YEAST WILL,
IN THE PRESENCE OF WATER, WARMTH AND FOOD, COME TO LIFE,
PRODUCING A LOT MORE YEAST, WHILE GIVING OFF CO2 IN THE PROCESS--
CO2 IN THE PROCESS.
SPEAKING OF YEAST, MANY RECIPES THESE DAYS
CALL FOR RAPID RISE, OR INSTANT YEAST,
AND IN PAST EPISODES, I, MYSELF, HAVE EXTOLLED THEIR VIRTUES,
BECAUSE THEY ARE SUPERCHARGED MICROBES, THEY FERMENT QUICKER THAN STANDARD ACTIVE DRY YEAST,
BECAUSE THE GRANULES ACTUALLY CONTAIN MORE LIVING YEAST
AND THEY'RE PACKED WITH STIMULANTS, SUCH AS VITAMIN C.
AND YET, I HAVE FOUND THAT WITH PROPER TREATMENT,
ACTIVE DRY YEASTS ARE JUST AS GOOD.
AND, WHEN BOTH SUGAR AND FAT ARE ADDED TO THE MIXTURE,
I ACTUALLY THINK THEY DO AN EVEN BETTER JOB.
MORE ON THAT IN A MINUTE.
NOW, UH, OH LET'S TALK ABOUT SALT.
A LOT OF WRITERS THESE DAYS ARE FOND OF SAYING THAT IT'S OPTIONAL,
BUT IN BREADMAKING, THAT IS SIMPLY NOT THE CASE.
UM, WITHOUT AT LEAST A LITTLE SALT, BREAD TASTES...
DEAD. UNPALATABLE--
NO MATTER HOW MUCH BUTTER YOU SMEAR ONTO IT.
SALT ALSO STRENGTHENS GLUTEN,
WHICH WE'LL GET TO SHORTLY,
AND IT ALSO HELPS TO PREVENT STALING.
OF COURSE, I DO PREFER TO USE KOSHER SALK IN BAKING,
BUT YOU COULD USE SEA SALT, COARSE SALT, OR EVEN REGULAR TABLE SALT,
IF YOU ARE SO INCLINED.
SO , THIS HUMBLE QUARTET CAN CERTAINLY YIELD SOME SATISFYING LEAN ROLLS,
BUT IF WE'RE GONNA PRODUCE THE EDIBLE HUG THAT IS THE AMERICAN SOFT DINNER ROLL,
WE HAVE TO BRING SOME MODIFIERS ONLINE...
MILK, BUTTER, SUGAR AND EGGS CAN ENHANCE BOTH FLAVOR AND TEXTURE.
SUGARS, INCLUDING SUCROSE AND LACTOSE FROM THE MILK
CARAMELIZE TO CREATE COMPLEX FLAVORS.
SUGAR'S ALSO HYGROSCOPIC, SO IT CLINGS TO WATER TENACIOUSLY,
PREVENTING THE FINAL BREAD FROM DRYING OUT.
FAT, IN THE FORM OF BUTTER AND EGG YOLKS, ALSO LUBRICATES
GLUTEN STRUCTURES AND ADDS CONSIDERABLE FLAVOR.
EGG YOLKS ALSO CONTAIN EMULSIFIERS, WHICH CAN HELP INTEGRATE FAT
INTO THE DOUGH ITSELF.
BEST OF ALL, WE DON'T REALLY NEED A LOT OF ANY OF THESE TO AFFECT BIG CHANGES.
HAVING CONSIDERED THE SOFTWARE,
WE NOW TURN TO OUR METHOD OF ASSEMBLY.
NOW THESE STEPS COMPRISE WHAT IS CALLED THE STRAIGHT DOUGH METHOD.
WE HAVE...
I'VE ADJUSTED THIS LIST SO THAT IT BETTER REPRESENTS THE ACTIONS
THAT WE WILL BE UNDERTAKING HERE.
IT'S A TOUGH LIST TO MEMORIZE,
WHICH IS WHY I PENNED THIS HANDY PNEUMONIC PHRASE...
NOW THAT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU'RE LIKELY TO FORGET ANYTIME SOON.
OUR DOUGH BEGINS WITH...
HEATED TO 100 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT,
IN THE WORKBOWL OF YOUR STAND MIXER,
FOLLOWED BY...
GO AHEAD AND FIT THAT TO THE MIXER AND WORK WITH THE PADDLE ATTACHMENT--
THAT'S IMPORTANT-- FOR ABOUT A MINUTE,
OR UNTIL THE DOUGH JUST COMES TOGETHER.
LOW SPEED IS ALL YOU'LL NEED.
BRILLIANT-- NOW THAT THE FIRST, OR ALPHA, INTEGRATION IS COMPLETE,
WE WILL MOVE TO THE HYDRATION PHASE.
WE'VE GOT TO CHANGE THE PADDLE FOR THE DOUGH HOOK,
SO JUST GO AHEAD AND PULL THAT OFF--
I FIND THAT A POWDER-FREE LATEX EXAM GLOVE FROM THE DRUGSTORE
IS IDEAL FOR THE JOB.
OF COURSE, IF YOU HAVE LATEX ALLERGY ISSUES, YOU SHOULD USE VINYL-- WORKS JUST AS WELL.
NOW THE HYDRATION PART OF THE PROGRAM IS GOING TO LAST
10 TO 15 MINUTES,
AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR SEVERAL REASONS.
ONE, IT WILL GIVE THE FLOUR TIME TO SOAK UP SOME MOISTURE,
MAKING THE DOUGH EASIER TO KNEAD LATER ON.
TWO, IT WILL ALLOW TIME FOR THE PROTEINS
GLUTENIN AND GLIADIN TO COME TOGETHER
TO FORM THE ALL-IMPORTANT GLUTEN STRUCTURES.
AND AS FOR THE YEAST,
THIS WILL GIVE THE LITTLE CRITTER PLENTY OF TIME
TO WAKE UP AND SPRING INTO ACTION...
REALISTIC? MAYBE.
BORING? DEFINITELY.
WELL, IT'S BEEN TEN MINUTES AND, HEY, WE'VE MADE PROGRESS.
GOOD THING TOO, BECAUSE I WAS STARTING TO THINK MY SPORE WAS ON DEATH'S DOOR.
TIME FOR THE SECOND, OR BETA, INTEGRATION.
TURN THE MIXER TO LOW
AND WORK IN...
CUT INTO, UH, JUST LIKE FOUR PIECES.
NOW YOU MAY ASK WHY DO THIS NOW?
SIMPLE-- BECAUSE FAT INTERRUPTS GLUTEN FORMATION,
AND WE NEED US SOME GLUTEN.
BY HOLDING OFF WITH THE BUTTER, WE'VE GIVEN GLUTEN A HEAD START.
OKAY, WHEN THE DOUGH LOOKS LIKE THAT,
BOOST THE SPEED TO MEDIUM...
AND WORK IT FOR EIGHT MINUTES--
NOT ONE SECOND MORE OR LESS, IF YOU PLEASE.
NOW, IN THE STRAIGHT DOUGH PROCEDURE,
THIS PHASE OF THE OPERATION IS REFERRED TO AS KNEADING,
BUT IN THE UH, WELL, RULE OF THE RABID PLATYPUS,
IT IS STRETCHING AND ALIGNING,
BECAUSE DURING THIS TIME, THE GLUTEN STRANDS CREATED DURING HYDRATION
ARE STRETCHED AND ALIGNED,
SO THAT THEY MAY FORM SHEETS CAPABLE OF CAPTURING
THE YEASTS' EFFERVESCENT EFFLUVIUM.
BRING IT DOWN, BRING IT DOWN.
OH BOTHER.
ALL RIGHT, IF OUR STRETCHING AND ALIGNMENT HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL,
THEN WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET A GOOD WINDOW PANE OUT OF THIS.
JUST TAKE THE DOUGH AND STRETCH IT BETWEEN YOUR FINGERS THE WAY YOU WOULD, UH,
WELL KIND OF THE WAY THAT YOU WOULD WORK BUBBLE GUM WITH YOUR TONGUE
RIGHT BEFORE BLOWING A BIG BUBBLE.
KIND OF LIKE THAT,
STRETCHING, PULLING AND TURNING.
THERE, THAT'S WHAT GOOD DEVELOPMENT LOOKS LIKE RIGHT THERE.
PERFECT, THIS IS DONE.
SO WE EVACUATE THE WORKBOWL AND MOVE TO THE COUNTERTOP,
THAT'S JUST LIGHTLY DUSTED WITH FLOUR.
TOO MUCH FLOUR AND THE DOUGH WILL TAKE IT IN AND GET DRIED OUT.
JUST MASH IT DOWN AND THEN KIND OF FOLD IT UNDER ITSELF TO CREATE A SMOOTH SKIN.
THERE, THEN ROLL THAT BETWEEN YOUR HANDS JUST LONG ENOUGH TO KIND OF CREATE A BALL,
AND THEN MOVE THAT TO A STRAIGHT-SIDED CYLINDRICAL VESSEL SUCH AS THIS...
CLEAR, WHICH MAKES VIEWING A LITTLE EASIER,
AND THE RUBBER BAND HELPS YOU REMEMBER WHERE THE DOUGH STARTED BEFORE DOUBLING.
INTO A WARM SPOT, 78 DEGREES WOULD BE IDEAL FOR AN HOUR,
OR UNTIL THE DOUGH HAS INDEED DOUBLED IN SIZE.
ONE OF THE REALLY GROOVY THINGS ABOUT ROLL DOUGH
IS THAT IT CAN BE CRAFTED INTO A WIDE ARRAY OF SHAPES AND SIZES.
THESE INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, UH, PAN LOAVES,
SPIRALS, TWISTS, KNOTS, CLOVER LEAFS AND BUTTERFLAKES,
WHICH, OF COURSE, ARE COOKED IN MUFFIN TINS.
AND THEN, THERE IS THE NAUGHTY PARKER HOUSE ROLL.
NAMED FOR BOSTON'S PARKER HOUSE HOTEL WHERE IT WAS INVENTED
IN THE LATE 19th CENTURY,
THIS IS THE QUINTESSENTIAL AMERICAN DINNER ROLL,
EASILY RECOGNIZED BY ITS FOLDED TOP,
WHICH CONCEALS A LITTLE PAT OF BUTTER,
HENCE, THE NAUGHTY.
NOW I ESPECIALLY ENJOY PARKER HOUSE ROLLS AROUND HALLOWEEN
UH, BECAUSE IT CAN BE USED TO COMPLETE YOUR ANGELINA JOLIE GET-UP...
OR YOUR INCREDIBLE MR. LIMPET LOOK...
REMEMBER MR. LIMPET?
MAN, I FEEL OLD.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S SEE WHAT WE'VE GOT HERE, HEY...
WELL I GUESS THEY WEREN'T DEAD AFTER ALL.
HUH, OH WELL, I'LL JUST LEAVE 'EM HERE, I GUESS...
OH BOTHER. THERE.
WELL CLEARLY WE HAVE MADE IT THROUGH "I HAVE IMAGINED SEEING A DEMENTED..."
AS CLEARLY THE DOUGH HAS DOUBLED.
IT IS NOW TIME FOR RABID, THAT IS, REDISTRIBUTE.
A LOT OF STRAIGHT DOUGH PROCEDURES REFER TO THIS AS PUNCHING DOWN THE DOUGH.
UM, NUMBER ONE, I DON'T THINK
THAT'S A FAIR EXPLANATION OF WHAT'S GOING ON,
AND NUMBER TWO, WE ALL KNOW THAT FOOD DOESN'T LIKE VIOLENCE.
THERE, REDISTRIBUTION IS COMPLETE,
WE NOW MOVE TO, UH, PLATYPUS...
TIME FOR PLATYPUS, WHICH OF COURSE STANDS FOR...
YEAH, WHICH OF COURSE STANDS FOR PORTION.
NOW, USE YOU TRUSTY DOUGH BLADE OR BENCH SCRAPER,
WHICHEVER YOU PREFER TO CALL IT AND BIFURCATE THE LOG,
AND CONTINUE BIFURCATING UNTIL YOU'VE REACHED THE MAGIC NUMBER OF 16.
OKAY, NOW WE'RE DONE WITH PORTIONING, WHICH IS PLATYPUS,
AND...
NOW WE MOVE TO CARELESSLY, WHICH IS FOR CONFIGURE.
NOW THE CONFIGURATION IS ACTUALLY A TWO-PHASE PROCESS.
FIRST, WE'RE GOING TO CREATE BALLS, DOUGH BALLS,
AND WE NEED A SMOOTH EXTERIOR, SO PRESS DOWN EACH PIECE
INTO A DISK AND THEN FOLD IN ON ITSELF,
AND THEN KIND OF MAKE AN "OKAY" SIGN, WITH THE FINGERS OF ONE HAND
AND PUSH THE BALL THROUGH WITH THE OTHER,
AND JUST PINCH THE BOTTOM.
PLACE SEAM SIDE DOWN ON THE COUNTER, AND THEN ROLL WITH AN OPEN HAND LIKE THAT--
JUST TO KIND OF TIGHTEN THAT SKIN UP A BIT.
NOW THE PARKER HOUSE PART--
TAKE EACH OF THESE LITTLE BALLS AND WE'RE GONNA ROLL INTO A 3-INCH CIRCLE,
OR AN OVAL WOULD BE FINE AS WELL.
NOW YOU COULD USE A FULL-SIZE ROLLING PIN FOR THE CHORE,
BUT I FIND THAT A SMALL, 7/8 INCH DOWEL DOES THE TRICK EVEN BETTER.
JUST ROLL IT OUT-- YES, I DO SUGGEST YOU MEASURE EACH ONE.
THERE, NOW TAKE YOUR DOWEL, OR THE SIDE OF YOUR HAND,
AND PRESS DOWN MAKING A DENT, EITHER RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE
OR JUST OFF TO THE SIDE A LITTLE, IT'S COMPLETELY A PERSONAL PREFERENCE,
BUT I LIKE IT RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE.
AND THEN, PLACE ONE SMALL PAT OF BUTTER--
LITTLE BITTY KIND OF NUGGET-- RIGHT HERE.
FOLD OVER AND LIGHTLY SEAL, LIKE THAT.
AND I LIKE TO PUT THESE BACK ONTO THE PAN
WITH THE CRIMP SIDE DOWN.
NEXT, WE HIT 'EM WITH A LITTLE BUTTER, LIBERALLY, IN FACT.
NOW THE BUTTER, BESIDES TASTING GREAT,
WILL ALSO HELP TO KEEP THE PLASTIC WRAP FROM STICKING DURING THE PROCESS.
HOW LONG WILL THIS TAKE? WELL IT DEPENDS ON ROOM TEMPERATURE,
BUT I WOULD EXPECT, UH, 30 TO 40 MINUTES FOR THE ROLLS
TO ACTUALLY DOUBLE ONCE AGAIN, AND THAT IS OUR GOAL.
WHEN YOU'RE ABOUT 15 MINUTES OUT, SET YOUR OVEN FOR...
AND PUT A RACK IN THE MIDDLE.
OH, THESE THINGS ARE STARTING TO CREEP ME OUT.
ALL RIGHT, THE ROLLS HAVE OBVIOUSLY DOUBLED IN VOLUME.
INTO THE OVEN-- THESE ARE PROBABLY GOING TO TAKE TEN MINUTES,
BUT I WOULD START CHECKING AT EIGHT,
AND IF YOUR OVEN HAS ANY UNEVEN BEHAVIOR IN ITS HISTORY,
SPIN THE PAN HALFWAY THROUGH THE PROCESS.
THESE LOOK FANTASTIC, BUT ULTIMATELY, DONENESS CAN ONLY BE DETERMINED BY
YOUR THERMOMETER-- 200 DEGREES.
WE ARE GOOD TO GO.
ALTHOUGH ROLLS ARE INDEED SERVED WARM, I STILL BELIEVE IN ALLOWING THEM TIME
FOR A POST-BAKE CURE.
THAT IS OF COURSE THE COCKTAIL PART OF THE SAYING.
DURING THIS TIME THE STARCHES WILL BEGIN TO FIRM UP,
AND EXCESS MOISTURE WILL STEAM OUT.
THE PROCESS IS ACTUALLY A PREAMBLE TO STALING, BUT WITH THIS MUCH FAT,
AND OF COURSE SUGAR, STALING WILL TAKE PLACE VERY, VERY SLOWLY INDEED.
SERVE IN A BASKET SWADDLED IN A CLEAN, LINEN SERVIETTE,
OR TEA TOWEL TO PREVENT CONDENSATION WHILE PRESERVING WARMTH.
YOU KNOW, I THINK OLD HARVEY PARKER WOULD BE DARN PROUD.
ROLL? NO? ROLL? ROLL?
NOBODY, NOBODY? FINE.
YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS A KID, I HAD AN AUNT WHO MADE BUTTERFLAKE ROLLS,
WHICH, I THINK, ARE EVEN EASIER TO CONFIGURE--
SO LET'S CONSIDER THE VERY SAME DOUGH, AFTER THE FIRST DOUBLING.
INSTEAD OF ROLLING AND PORTIONING,
YOU WOULD ROLL OUT INTO A 12x12 INCH SQUARE, THAT'S CLOSE ENOUGH.
THIS YOU WOULD LIBERALLY LUBE WITH ABOUT A TABLESPOON OF BUTTER.
OH, AND GET YOUR FAVORITE PIZZA CUTTER... I CAN'T BELIEVE THESE THINGS.
AND, UH, SPLIT THAT DOUGH RIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE.
THEN, EACH OF THOSE HALVES YOU WILL CUT INTO THIRDS,
AND THEN EACH OF THOSE IN HALF UNTIL YOU'VE GOT 12 EQUAL STRIPS,
OR CLOSE TO EQUAL.
STACK THESE INTO TWO STACKS-- THAT'S SIX PIECES FOR EACH STACK--
TRY NOT TO STRETCH THEM.
THEN LAY THOSE OVER ON THEIR SIDES, SQUEEZE SLIGHTLY TOGETHER,
AND THEN CUT INTO 2-INCH CHUNKS WITH YOUR PIZZA CUTTER.
THESE YOU WILL MOVE DIRECTLY TO THE CUPS OF A LIGHTLY LUBED MUFFIN TIN.
JUST LIKE THAT, DON'T PUSH DOWN.
COVER WITH PLASTIC, AND AGAIN, LET REST FOR ABOUT 1/2 HOUR
OR UNTIL DOUBLED IN VOLUME.
BAKE IN A 400 DEGREE OVEN, AGAIN FOR EIGHT TO TEN MINUTES,
OR UNTIL AN INTERNAL TEMPERATURE OF 200 DEGREES IS ATTAINED.
CURE BRIEFLY, AND THEN SERVE TO A GRATEFUL WORLD.
ROLL, ROLL, ANYONE?
ROLL? NO? FINE.
ALL THIS WONDERMENT MADE POSSIBLE BY A SIMPLE PHRASE...
I HAVE IMAGINED SEEING A DEMENTED RABID PLATYPUS
CARELESSLY DRINKING BLUE COCKTAILS.
AND THAT'S A FACT.
THE PLACE, AVON, FLORIDA.
THE TIME, 1949.
A BAKER, NAME OF JOSEPH GREGOR, HAD JUST PARKED A PAN OF PARKER HOUSE ROLLS
INTO THE OVEN, WHEN THE TOWN FIRE ALARM SOUNDED...
(fire alarm going off)
BEING A MEMBER OF THE VOLUNTEER FIRE BRIGADE,
GREGOR HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO PULL AND ABANDON HIS STILL-PASTY ROLLS.
UPON THEIR SOOTY RETURN SOME HOURS LATER...
GREGOR DECIDED TO GO AHEAD AND BAKE THE ROLLS ONCE AGAIN.
THE RESULTS-- DELICIOUS ENOUGH THAT HIS POP-IN-OVEN ROLLS
WERE EVENTUALLY PURCHASED BY GENERAL MILLS
FOR A BIG BUCKET OF MONEY.
WELL, OUR BROWN-N-SERVE PARKER HOUSE ROLLS
ARE JUST AS GOOD.
HERE, WE HAVE A PAN OF OUR PARKER HOUSE ROLLS.
THEY'VE BEEN BUTTERED THEY'RE DOUBLED AND READY TO BAKE.
NOW THE BUTTER IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT HERE, OKAY?
UH, BECAUSE WHEN THE ROLLS UNDERGO STORAGE LATER ON
IT'LL PROVIDE A SEAL AGAINST BOTH OXIDATION AND MOISTURE LOSS,
SO DON'T GET SKIMPY WITH THE BUTTER.
NOW, INTO THE OVEN, BUT THIS TIME,
WE'RE GONNA MAKE IT 275 DEGREES.
BAKE FOR 30 MINUTES, OR UNTIL THE OUTSIDE OF THE ROLLS
JUST BEGINS TO SET.
AT THIS POINT, THE INTERNAL TEMPERATURE OF THE ROLLS
WILL BE ABOUT 185 DEGREES,
AND THE EXTERIOR WILL BE RATHER PALLID,
DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE EXTERNAL TEMPERATURE
HAS NOT YET REACHED THE BROWNING STAGE.
SO AT THIS POINT, REMOVE AND COOL ON THE PAN
ON A RACK FOR TEN MINUTES.
THEN REMOVE FROM THE PAN AND COOL DIRECTLY ON THE RACK
UNTIL THEY'RE AT ROOM TEMPERATURE-- IT'LL BE ABOUT 30 TO 40 MINUTES,
IN WHICH TIME I'LL CLEAN UP THE REST OF THESE DARN YEASTS.
WHEN THE ROLLS ARE COOL, YOU CAN BAG 'EM, TAG 'EM,
AND FREEZE 'EM, FOR, WELL, UP TO AT LEAST THREE MONTHS.
TO FINISH, THAW FOR 60 TO 90 MINUTES AND THEN PARK IN A 400 DEGREE OVEN
FOR 10 TO 12 MINUTES,
UNTIL THEY ARE DEEPLY BROWN
AND GOLDEN, AND BEAUTIFUL, AND BUTTERY,
SOFT, DELICIOUS, AND YEASTY.
WELL I CERTAINLY HOPE THAT WE'VE INSPIRED YOU
TO BRING BACK A LITTLE OF THE DINNER TABLE CULTURE
THAT MADE AMERICA GREAT. (phone ringing)
EXCUSE ME, I'M SORRY.
EXCUSE ME, PARDON ME.
(phone ringing)
BABY, BABY, DJ SID HERE...
SID, SID MAXBURG, AGENT TO THE FOOD STARS.
LISTEN, AMIGO, WORD IS OUT ON THE STREET
THAT YOU'RE SUFFERING FROM A SERIOUS YEAST PROBLEM.
THAT IS OUTRAGEOUS, WHO--WHO TOLD YOU THAT?
WELL, YOU KNOW HOW THIS TOWN TALKS.
I MAY JUST HAVE A SOLUTION FOR YOU, BUT IT'S GONNA COST YOU.
OH YES, IT'S GONNA COST YOU.
NO-NO-NO-NO-NO-NO... NO WAY.
I DO NOT HAVE A YEAST PROBLEM.
MY NEW YEAST ARE WORKING OUT FINE, WORKING OUT JUST GREAT.
THEY'RE... (glass shattering)
SEE YOU NEXT TIME ON "GOOD EATS."