On the qualities of bread flour
Oh how very pretentious. Sandra from Wetville is pontificating about the qualities of bread flour.
Well yes.
I ordered 20kg of organic flour from Terrace Farm in Methven, Canterbury, a couple of months back. Even including freight charges, prices were below $3 per kilo. Compares favourably to ordinary flour in the shops and very favourably to the organic Australian flour I saw for over $7 per kilo in the supermarket recently. Terrace Farm mill to order, so beautifully fresh.
They offer stoneground flour and also zentrofan, which is very finely ground wholemeal flour. I ordered 4 x 5kg bags: zentrofan rye, stoneground rye, zentrofan purple wheat, zentrofan otane wheat. I'm continuing with my rye bread experiments and each loaf is an improvement on the last. I noticed a big difference once I used up my zentrofan rye and switched to stoneground rye, which is what my recipe calls for. Less wet and gluggy. I must remember to adapt the recipe for zentrofan next time. The zentrofan otane makes lovely muffins. That fine flour is nice for replacing white flour and still keeping a fairly delicate texture.
I had to buy my semolina flour from Bin Inn and made Altamura bread with that. It was very nice and I'd make it again.
Today was my second attempt at hot cross buns. This time I did include raisins and sultanas and I also remembered to add a glaze on top after they came out of the oven. I was very pleased with these. We might have Easter a few more times this year.
It is far too wet in Wetville for us to grow our own wheat. Apparently, it is the drought-surviving qualities of wheat which ensured it's survival following the last ice age. Some local farmers are experimenting with growing maize though and initial signs are good. Perhaps 2010 will be the year of the quinoa for us...
Well yes.
I ordered 20kg of organic flour from Terrace Farm in Methven, Canterbury, a couple of months back. Even including freight charges, prices were below $3 per kilo. Compares favourably to ordinary flour in the shops and very favourably to the organic Australian flour I saw for over $7 per kilo in the supermarket recently. Terrace Farm mill to order, so beautifully fresh.
They offer stoneground flour and also zentrofan, which is very finely ground wholemeal flour. I ordered 4 x 5kg bags: zentrofan rye, stoneground rye, zentrofan purple wheat, zentrofan otane wheat. I'm continuing with my rye bread experiments and each loaf is an improvement on the last. I noticed a big difference once I used up my zentrofan rye and switched to stoneground rye, which is what my recipe calls for. Less wet and gluggy. I must remember to adapt the recipe for zentrofan next time. The zentrofan otane makes lovely muffins. That fine flour is nice for replacing white flour and still keeping a fairly delicate texture.
I had to buy my semolina flour from Bin Inn and made Altamura bread with that. It was very nice and I'd make it again.
Today was my second attempt at hot cross buns. This time I did include raisins and sultanas and I also remembered to add a glaze on top after they came out of the oven. I was very pleased with these. We might have Easter a few more times this year.
It is far too wet in Wetville for us to grow our own wheat. Apparently, it is the drought-surviving qualities of wheat which ensured it's survival following the last ice age. Some local farmers are experimenting with growing maize though and initial signs are good. Perhaps 2010 will be the year of the quinoa for us...
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