Short of grinding your own. I would recommend Great Harvest as a source for the freshest whole wheat flour in the TC area. As each location is under different ownership, the price varies from store to store. IE. Minnetonka charges .75 cents per pound whereas the Linden Hills location is almost double that price. Tonka = great deal, not so at Linden Hills location. None the less, they grind daily and the difference can be tasted in the final product.
If you are going with store bought, King Arthur brand is a solid choice. They take their flour very seriously and I have had great results with all their varieties. Dakota Maid brand is also a decent choice and cheaper than the KA brand. I roll through over 10#/week so my flour is never around for very long. I give away 50% of my product to friends and family. I have chosen to not grind my own just because Great Harvest is so convenient and I don't want to deal with the storage of grain etc. in my house.
Reports of new bread bakers are filtering in slowly from the followers of this blog. A snowy day like today is a perfect excuse to get some loaves started. Enjoy the storm...Minnesota and its four seasons are truly something to appreciate everyday.
Tom
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My first shot at bread baking...I made the dough, following the bloggers instructions carefully last Thursday. I divided it and froze it. This beautiful wintery morning I removed the loaves from their frosty, dark dormancy, and left them in the warm kitchen to thaw and rise. The bread was baked this evening good flavor, crispy crust, family loved it...but I am wondering if it was too dense. It might be some latent guilt about punching it down after it had worked so hard all day to rise...
ReplyDeleteI will make the bread again this week, but wonder if I could get a sample from the master blogger, just a taste test, so I know where the mark is!
Yes, you may. This is the current flour mixture I have been going with lately.
ReplyDeleteSponge is 1c of each of the following. Rye,Whole Wheat & Unbleached KA All Purpose White.
Next two cup add is 1c. Whole wheat and 1 c. White.
Next two c. add is 50/50 again and the kneading flour is whole wheat or white whichever bag is closer.
This mix makes for a little lighter loaf which is very tasty.
I'm also wondering if you added a bit too much flour as a beginner, quite a common problem. As you are kneading, some dough should be sticking to your hands or you have added too much flour. It is a fine line that you will learn over time. I just finished two loaves this AM and could get a slice to you if you are around my neighborhood....Thanks for posting and great first effort!
Tom