Flour 101: A Few of Our Favorite Flours

Let's face it, without flour our bread racks would be bare, our pastry cases empty, and there would be a little less bounce in our steps. It's a key ingredient in just about everything we make, so it's only natural that we put a lot of consideration into the brands and types we use.In honor of National Flour Month, we're dipping into the fluffy world of flour with a little series taking you from grain to loaf. First up, let's talk about our favorite flour suppliers and why Leslie selected each one.Fairhaven Organic Flour Mill - More and more we are reaching for Fairhaven Mill's flour for our products. The folks at Fairhaven strive to work with local farmers whenever possible, and as a result 70 percent of the grain used in their flour is grown right here in Washington. The whole-grain milled flour that we get from Fairhaven is made with grain grown on the Williams Brothers' farm in Walla Walla. Milling the grain completely intact preserves its nutrition and natural sweetness. That exceptional flavor and texture really shines through in our Vollkorn, Pane Francese, Greek Olive and Raisin Pumpernickel to name just a few.Cook Natural Products - Leslie chooses Cook's identity-preserved wheat flour, because it creates a very flavorful bread. Identity-preserved grain is never mingled with other grains nor is it ever modified, so bakers know exactly what to expect with quality and flavor. This fine ingredient is one of the reasons our signature Baguette is so delicious.Shepherd’s Grain - Shepherd's Grain flour is a favorite staple among many local bakers. Recognizing the benefits of sustainable agriculture, this brand sources grain from family farms built with those practices in mind. Their growers use no-till and direct seed farming to conserve soil, prevent erosion and increase fertility. You'll find Shepherd's Grain Low-Gluten Strength Flour in our Mrs. D's Vegan Cookie.As simple an ingredient as flour may be, sourcing the best not only impacts the food we make, it affects our environment and farmers too. You can find more information on the flour we use as well as recipes for many of our artisan breads in our More from Macrina cookbook.Now that we have the basics covered, check back next week when we'll get into the nitty gritty of working with wet dough!