The flour most of us are familiar with—the inert, white powdery stuff from the supermarket with a long shelf life—is a very modern development in our long relationship with wheat, the most important food in history. Before industrial agriculture became dominant, milling was done at regional mills with diverse strains of wheat. The effort to create uniform flours that won’t spoil has taken much of the flavor and nutrition from our flour and the products made with it.One of the national leaders in the effort to restore flavor and nutrition to available wheat is located just north of Seattle in the Skagit Valley. Dr. Steven Jones runs The Bread Lab, an extension of Washington State University. He is devoted to bringing grain agriculture back to our region. A hundred years ago, fields of grains filled the Skagit Valley, but as industrial wheat brought the price of the commodity down farmers shifted to more valuable crops. Recently though, farmers, using wheat as a rotation crop to break disease cycles and to restore vital elements to the soil have discovered, or rediscovered, that many varietals grow wonderfully there. This is where The Bread Lab comes in. Jones is a wheat breeder dedicated to making regional grain farming viable again. His lab develops vigorous wheat hybrids full in flavor and nutritional value that grow optimally in particular climates.Over six years ago, I was invited to be part of The Bread Lab’s advisory board. Back then I had no idea how impactful it would be. At the time, I was happy with our flour and didn't imagine I would be looking elsewhere. A few bakers I knew in Seattle were experimenting with milling their own flours. I was eager to learn more. The Bread Lab proved to be an excellent resource. It gave me the opportunity to test wheat from smaller growers. Jones and his team check it for strength and provide us with its falling number, which indicates the speed of fermentation. As you can imagine, our baking schedule is pretty tight. A dough moving unexpectedly slowly or quickly can really throw things off.Using ingredients with the highest integrity has always been central to my mission at Macrina. In flours, flavor and high nutritional value are the two most important things I look for, along with consistency and a reliable supply. My earliest fascination was with whole grain milling. Most commercially produced flour is made only with the starchy endosperm of the grain. Both the nutrient-rich bran and flavorful wheat germ are discarded because the oils they contain will turn rancid in a few weeks. But the durability that commercial flour gains by discarding them comes at an enormous cost—the loss of flavor and nutrition.This is why, years ago, I started using freshly milled whole grain flours from Fairhaven Mills. I admire the nutty and natural caramel flavor that comes from the milled whole grain flours. When I first started experimenting with this whole grained milled flour, I was hydrating a portion of the flour to soften the bran. This worked to some degree, but I was still not getting the rise I wanted, resulting in a dense texture. The Bread Lab provided me with many strategies. With their help and plenty of experimenting, I got the results I desired. On another occasion, we had a difficulty with a flour we were getting from Fairhaven Mills. They’d had to substitute a wheat from Montana rather the Walla Walla wheat we’d been using. I sent a sample to The Bread Lab. They tested it and determined that the wheat had a smaller falling number, which means the dough develops quickly. We reduced the mixing time and with lots of tweaking got consistent results. When you’re mixing hundreds of pounds of dough destined for someone’s table in a few hours and the dough isn’t behaving you can imagine the frenetic scene that results.Every year The Bread Lab hosts an annual conference called Grain Gathering. Professional bakers, bread enthusiasts, brewers, farmers, and chefs from around the country descend on the Skagit Valley. Workshops, panel discussions, and demonstrations cover a range of wheat-centered topics (I’ve learned lots from these over the years). At the 2015 event, they held a bread tasting for a group of experienced bakers. We tasted seven breads, each made with a different locally grown wheat. For each loaf the recipe was essentially the same, with small adaptations made to create the best loaf with each flour. The varying tastes, textures, and the overall natural sweetness was a revelation. The flour made all the difference. The experience inspired my commitment to bringing more locally grown flours to the breads we make at Macrina.One of the challenges The Bread Lab faces is that making local wheats prevalent takes more than introducing them to local bakers. Local grain economies that existed before the mass produced flours drove them out of business must be rebuilt. That includes persuading farmers to grow the grains, mills to grind them, stores to sell them and buyers to purchase them. Contributing to a healthy and sustainable local food economy is not just a good thing for Macrina to do, it’s a great thing for our bread. You just can’t beat the taste that freshly milled whole grain flours provide.With the success The Bread Lab has experienced they’ve outgrown their small space and this summer will relocate to a 12,000-square-foot building. King Arthur Flour is partnering with them to add a full-scale mill and educational center. The state-of-the-art facility, and the passion and knowledge of Jones and his team, is a unique treasure. We are lucky to be so close to the innovation taking place in Skagit Valley, innovation with benefits that extend through the state and beyond.Leslie

In conjunction with The Bread Bakers Guild of America (BBGA), we are proud to participate the 4th Annual International Guild Open House! Everyone is welcome to take part in this event that showcases the people and products that define Macrina.The open house takes place this Saturday, June 21, from 2 to 5 p.m. at our Sodo location. Leslie Mackie and Jane Cho will take you behind the scenes at our bakery; sample some of our newly released breads, including the Raisin Pumpernickel, Pizza Bianca and Seeded Sardinian Flatbread; and share their baking tips and tricks. Attendees will also take home a Macrina Bakery 20th Anniversary tote bag and freshly baked loaf of bread while supplies last.More than 51 bakeries across the country are participating in this open house event, which was created by the BBGA as a way for communities to connect with their local bakeries. For us, the open house gives the Seattle community an opportunity to experience the art and passion we put behind our products.Comprised of industry professionals, educators, students, and home bakers from around the world, the BBGA formed in 1993 to shape the skills and knowledge of the baking community through education. Visit BBGA online for more information and events.

Interested in expanding your baking knowledge while sampling some of Seattle's finest baked goods? We are opening our kitchen doors to the public this Saturday! Join us on June 29, from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at our SODO location for the Bread Bakers Guild of America (BBGA) Third Annual Open House.“[We’re] inviting our customers to taste fresh, artisan breads, tour our labor-intensive baking facilities, and ask professionals those questions to help solve baking challenges at home,” says Macrina Founder and BBGA Board Member Leslie Mackie.More than 50 bakeries across the United States and Canada are participating in this event, which was created by the BBGA as a way for communities to connect with their local bakeries. For us, the open house is also an accessible avenue for our community to experience the art and passion we put behind our products.Comprised of industry professionals, educators, students, and home bakers from around the world, the BBGA formed in 1993 to shape the skills and knowledge of the baking community through education.For more information, visit the BBGA website or call 206-623-0919.

Back by popular demand, Macrina’s founder, author, and artisan baking artiste, Leslie Mackie will be sharing her flatbread knowledge and skills February 23rd and 24th at South Seattle Community College. The Bread Bakers Guild of America is reprising its greatest hits to honor 20 years of supporting the artisan baking community, and Leslie’s class is the first gig on the nationwide tour.In this two-day master class, Flatbreads for Sandwiches, students will learn to make Schiacciatta, Piadina, Francese, and Olivetta breads with a seed dough starter using professional equipment available at the college through the Culinary Arts Program.The class goes beyond making loaves of bread. Students will create sandwiches for their enjoyment: a BLT with the herbed Schiaciatta; a grilled Piadina with mortadella, mozzarella, and pepperoncini; a Banh Mi Vietnamese sandwich with the Francese bread; and a roasted pears, turkey, caper aioli, and Cambozola sandwich on Olivetta. Leslie will also share her tips of the trade with professionals. “Creating sandwiches is a way to showcase the breads…and create customer loyalty by offering more than just loaves,” Leslie explains.The class is a fundraiser for the Guild, which is dedicated to advancing the artisan baking profession through support and education, and is open to professionals and enthusiastic home bakers. Cost for the two-day, 11-hour master class is $340 for Guild members, $425 for non-members (fee includes 12-month Guild membership). Registration deadline is February 7th. Please visit the Guild website for more details and the registration form.This is one stop on the tour that you do not want to miss! And she might even sing for you.

We’re very proud that our founder, Leslie Mackie, has been elected as a board member of The Bread Bakers Guild of America! The Bread Bakers Guild is the nation’s premier organization that is devoted to the art and the science of bread.  More than 1,300 members from across the United States and around the world make up the Guild community. Leslie joined the Guild 19 years ago. She was eager to meet and connect with the other bakers, millers, farmers and suppliers that make up the membership of the Guild.  She says that it was and continues to be a great support system and resource. Thanks to the Guild, Leslie has met bakers who have become friends from all over the country.This appointment reflects the respect that the professional baking community has for Leslie and her dedication to making artisanal breads accessible to everyone.  Keeping in mind that there is always something new to learn, the Guild is committed to providing continuing education and educational resources to artisanal bakers, supporting them and celebrating their craft and passion.  Leslie’s enthusiasm and love of baking will serve her well as a member of the Membership and National Events committees. She is very excited to serve on the Board, noting that it will be “interesting and fun” to be closer to the visionaries of the Guild and will give her the chance to meet more bakers from around the country.Congratulations Leslie!