The Sponge: Pour the water into a large bowl and dissolve in it the sugar and yeast. Stir in the flour and set aside until the mixture is bubbly and expanded. Don't worry about lumps, and feel free to give the mixture a stir after a few minutes to break up and distribute any clumps of yeast.

The Dough: Scald the milk. Remove from the heat and add the butter, sugar, salt and optional lemon peel. Stir to dissolve and then let the mixture cool to lukewarm.

*In these days of fat phobia, you can cut this amount of butter by half or substitute vegetable oil to eliminate some cholesterol and saturated fat. Remember, though, that there is a lot of flavor (as well as Vitamin A) in butter, and that in one slice of bread, you will have only a teaspoon or so.

Beat the eggs and yolk together until frothy. Add them and the milk mixture to the proofing sponge. Stir in 6 to 7 cups of flour, one cup at a time, until the dough comes cleanly away from the sides of the bowl.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board. Scrape the bowl and add the bits of dough. There is no need to wash the bowl at this time; just lightly oil and set it aside. (A Jubinsky technique which avoids taking time to wash out the bowl and demonstrates that there are lots of ways to skin a cat.)

Knead the dough, adding only enough flour to keep the dough from sticking to your hands and the board. When the dough is smooth and satiny (it should be relatively soft rather than stiff), place it in the oiled bowl. Turn to lightly oil the entire surface of the dough. Cover the bowl with greased plastic wrap (to keep the dough from sticking to it) and a clean towel. Let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Punch the dough down and divide into two equal pieces. Shape into two round loaves and place in two greased 9-inch cake pans.

Cover loosely with plastic wrap (again greased) and cover with a clean towel. Let the loaves rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Preheat your oven to 375°F for at least 15 minutes. Brush the loaves with the egg white and water mixture.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the loaves sound hollow when tapped on the bottom with a finger. When the bread is done, remove it from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.