Again this weekend while going though some old boxes of stuff from the year 2000 that have been in storage I came across a Amish Friendship Bread (Cinnamon Bread) recipe. I believe someone at work gave me the bread starter and this recipe was attached. Back then this was like a chain letter that just kept going around our office. This is when you wonder is your friend really a friend? Now I have this bag of goo that I now need to give a little massage to every day. Let’s not forget to feed it on Day 6 either.

I remember these friendship breads being a “thing” in the early to mid 1980s. A little research shows that before that time there were similar breads and sourdough recipes. One bread recipe was called a Herman Bread. Very similar process of mixing and feeding a fermented starter and at the end of 7 or 10 days you have plenty of starter to make more bread every 10 days or to give to friends or maybe your enemies. Dare I compare friendship bread as a analog version of the digital pets of the 1990s like the Tamagotchi or the Digimon? Better exercise them, feed them, and love them or they will die. Or even compare them to chain letters, though no bad luck here!

Friendship Bread starter is a sweet, fermented starter that forms the base of the bread. It’s a type of sourdough starter but sweeter. Here’s is the recipe to get you started:

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Friendship Bread Starter

Ingredients

1. 1 packet active dry yeast (2 ¼ teaspoons)
2. ¼ cup warm water (110°F or 45°C)
3. 1 cup all-purpose flour
4. 1 cup granulated sugar
5. 1 cup milk (whole, 2%, or skim)

Instructions

1. Activate the Yeast:
   • In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water. Let it sit for about 10 minutes until it becomes frothy.
2. Combine the Ingredients:
   • In a large, zip-lock bag or a non-metal bowl, mix the flour and sugar together.
   • Slowly stir in the milk and the yeast mixture. Make sure all the lumps are dissolved.
   • Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel.
3. Let it Ferment:
   • Leave the bowl or bag at room temperature. The mixture will start to ferment. This is your Day 1.
   • For the next 10 days, handle the starter according to the following schedule:

Maintenance Schedule for Amish Friendship Bread Starter

Day 1:

• Do nothing (This is the day you combine all the ingredients from above or you received your starter from a friend or an enemy).

Day 2-5:

• Mush the mixture once each day.

Day 6:

• Feed the starter with 1 cup of plain flour, 1 cup of sugar, and 1 cup of milk and mush the bag. Burp the bag twice this day.

Day 7-9:

• Mush the mixture once each day.

Day 10:

• Feed the starter again with 1 cup of flour, 1 cup of sugar, and 1 cup of milk. Stir well.
• Divide the starter into 4 equal portions (about 1 cup each).

Using the Starter

• Keep one portion to continue your starter cycle (start from Day 1 again).
• Give away two portions to friends along with the instructions.
• Use the last portion to bake your Amish Friendship Bread.

Tips:

• If you’re not planning to bake or give away the starter, you can refrigerate it. If refrigerated, feed it once every 5-7 days with 1 teaspoon each of flour, sugar, and milk.

This starter can be used to make a variety of recipes, not just bread, including cakes, muffins, and pancakes. In the old print out that I found there is a recipe if you’d like to give it a try! Enjoy your baking!

Chain Letters?

Amish Friendship Bread is often compared to a 1970s-style chain letter because both rely on the concept of passing something along to others, creating an ongoing cycle of participation and sharing. Here’s why the analogy fits:

Chain Letters in the 1970s

A chain letter was a message sent through the mail (long before email or social media) that encouraged recipients to copy and send it to a specific number of other people. Often, chain letters promised good fortune, recipes, or even financial rewards if the instructions were followed—or dire consequences if they weren’t. These letters were notorious for their viral nature, spreading rapidly from person to person, much like a grassroots social network.

Amish Friendship Bread as a Chain Letter

1. The Starter: Amish Friendship Bread starts with a sourdough-like “starter,” a gooey mixture of flour, sugar, and yeast. The starter ferments over 10 days, and during this time, you’re instructed to periodically feed and stir it. At the end of the cycle, you divide the starter into portions.
2. Sharing the Starter: You keep one portion to bake a loaf of bread and pass the remaining portions (usually three or four) to friends, along with instructions on how to care for and use the starter. Your friends then repeat the process, passing on new starters to their friends.
3. The Viral Element: Like chain letters, Amish Friendship Bread thrives on the expectation that participants will continue the chain. Each new recipient keeps the tradition alive by baking and sharing, which can spread the bread (and the responsibility!) far and wide.
4. Community Connection: Both Amish Friendship Bread and chain letters evoke a sense of community and shared experience. They’re reminders of a time when people communicated and connected in slower, more tangible ways.

The Key Difference

While chain letters often carried a tinge of obligation or superstition (e.g., “Break the chain and bad luck will follow!”), Amish Friendship Bread carries no such threat. Instead, it’s a way to share a sweet treat and a sense of warmth and connection—though some might joke about the “responsibility” of keeping up with the starter or finding friends willing to take it!