normanwisdom wrote:
Anybody know why ordinary yeast is deprecated for bread machines in
favour of 'easy-bake' with added vitC?

Flippin 'eck, Jacob. What about uk.food+drink.misc??? Why DIY?
"Because there are knowledgeable people here"? Since it's
you and not the other feller:

Fresh yeast is best (perhaps not with delayed start cycle). You can
get it free at Tesco (2 oz. or so, sometimes much more. You can
freeze the stuff in lots and use it when desired). Dried "ordinary"
yeast works, but isn't recommended, I think because the "bobbles"
are big, and take more time to mix in and start "working". I have
used "ordinary", mixing it in with warm water to "dissolve" it
first, it's OK. Even stuff "best before 2003" worked (see N/G
referred to above). In the 'fridge I have some (tramp tramp mutter
grumble....) Allinson's "easy bake", well well. It's got much, much
smaller "bobbles" than "normal" dried yeast. It's also got E491,
Sorbitan Monostearate, which helps "wet" and break up the minute
bobbles quickly so that the yeast starts to work quickly, and is
mixed in intimately with the dough. The vitamin C is used as a
"flour improver" and (IIRC) helps get the yeast going (ICBW). The
"easy bake" is best IME for the general bread machine "bung it all
in and let it go" process. Baker's yeast for bread, etc. "by hand".

P.S. A packet of Allinson's "Easy Bake" doesn't work well as a mouse.