SC - beer bread, OOP

[Decker, Terry D.]

Let me interject my tupence.

I use a number of flours.  I tend to use unbleached white Gold Medal flour
for my general baking, because I can get it inexpensively.  The quality of
the Gold Medal is (in my opinion) better than the generics, the price (if I
catch it at one of the regular sales) is comparable to the club flours, and
I don't have to make a 40 mile round trip to the club.

Whole wheat, barley, rye, and etc. flours are usually Hodgson Mill or
Arrowhead Mill because of availablity.  I also use a bulk whole wheat pastry
flour (which I suspect is also Arrowhead) from a local health food store.  I
also have some Wondra and Softasilk tucked away for fine baking requiring
soft flours.

There are differences in the baking qualities of the flours.  As a baker, I
try to use the best quality ingredients available.  Beyond that, my
understanding of the characteristics of my ingredients and my skill in
properly blending them largely determines the quality of the finished bake
goods ( handling the @#!^^% oven being part of those skills.  Fortunately,
my oven was recently replaced and the new thermostat is accurate.)

So, since I largely agree with Margali, why would I consider using King
Arthur flour?

King Arthur Flour is a mill which provides flour to the commercial baking
trade.  They have expanded into the home baking field and their flours are
becoming available through local outlets.  They produce a superb strong
bread flour, a high quality soft flour blend, and a number of commercial
specialty flours.  If I can obtain high quality ingredients without undue
expense, why not use those ingredients?  If I can get it through a local
source, I'll probably try King Arthur flour. 

If King Arthur flour is so good, why use all-purpose flour?

All-purpose flour is a blend of hard and soft wheat.  It can be used in
bread or cake.  Strong bread flour is primarily for bread.  Soft flour is
primarily for pastries.  Outside of the task for which they are blended,
strong bread flour and soft flour are not as efficient as all-purpose flour.
Additionally, specialty flours command a higher price, as they are usually
for the commercial market.  So where space or money are limited, all-purpose
flour may be a better buy.

As for bread machines, I have yet to see one that can identify problems with
the dough or prepare it as well as the human hand and a good oven.

Margali, you said you knew how to extract gluten from flour for "mock
meats".  I can't recall ever coming across that.  If it wouldn't be too much
trouble, would you please post that information to the list?

Bon Chance

Bear
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