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bread flour

fred smith <fredex@fcshome.stoneham.ma.us>
Sun, 19 Dec 1999 19:14:53 -0500
v099.n068.17
 > From: "Jazzbel" <jazzbel@grouper.batelnet.bs>
 > Subject: Re: Digest bread-bakers.v099.n066
 > Date: Sat, 11 Dec 1999 18:59:37 -0500
 >
 > > From: Jack Elliott <edieell@worldnet.att.net>
 > > 	In seeking a larger than 5 lb. bag of bread flour I find the local Sam's
 > > Club offers a 25 lb. bag.  It is labeled  as Bread Flour, however it is
 > > also bleached and enriched.  The protein content seems to me to be low,
 > > sorry I do not recall the precise number.  Is this a suitable flour for
 > > home baking?
 > >
 >
 > No self-respecting bread flour should have less than 12% protein content.
 > I, too have seen "bread flour" or "baker's flour" with low protein content.

These last few  years I've been using (mostly) King Arthur's unbleached
which I usually get in 25 pound bags at Costco.

However, in years past I've purchased flour from an area bakers supply
wholesaler who happens to be kind enough to sell anything he has to
anyone who walks in off the street. You can walk in and buy one bag of
yeast, or 15 pounds of rolled oats, whatever. (In case you're in the
Boston area, this is "Savage Co." in Waltham MA). You may find it worth
the afternoon working your way thru the yellow pages calling all of them
in your region, maybe you'll find one that'll sell you flour a bag at a
time. When I do buy white flour from them it's "Rex Royal" a General
Mills product, in 50 lb bags.  I don't know the percentages, but it
feels like a lower gluten flour than does King Arthur, though it beats
the pants off the generic (or brand name, either) cheap all purpose
flours from the grocery store. It still makes a nice batch of bread.
They also sell a nice (though I can't recall the brand) stone-ground
whole wheat flour, which I've used to make many a loaf of 100% whole
wheat bread which rises up beautifully, if you knead it rather thoroughly.

Good luck!

Fred
--
---- Fred Smith -- fredex@fcshome.stoneham.ma.us ----------------------------
                But God demonstrates his own love for us in this:
                          While we were still sinners,
                               Christ died for us.
------------------------------- Romans 5:8 (niv) ------------------------------