#42 - How To Get (& Grind) The Best Flour For Bread
Ancestral Kitchen
How to Decant Your Grain
Weevils are a natural part of the ecology on farms that grow grains. They burrow into the grain and they consume the endosperm, the starchy part of the grain. So as long as they're sealed and no moisture can get in or out, they will be exactly the same coming out as they are when they go in. You do have to be careful for condensation when you bring them out. The sad thing about having actual weevil beetles is that they've been in your grain for quite a while in lava and then lava stage.
"Find a supplier of as locally sourced grains as possible...find a mill; a coop and support them!"
If you're a bread-maker, this episode's for you.
We welcome back the fabulous Elly from Elly's Everyday to the podcast to talk about the heart of bread, its raw material: grains and flour.
During this episode you'll hear Elly's wisdom on:
- Sourcing grains and flour for bread
- Grinding grains into flour at home, including why you would want to do it and how Elly grinds hers
- The vital difference between the two ways flours are produced: stone-grinding and roller milling
- Why and how Elly freezes her grains and what you must remember when defrosting
- How to get the best possible flour even when you can't afford a home-mill
- And Elly talks us through her whole grain process - from choosing and buying through to mixing the dough.
Elly has two hugely popular YouTube channels and has helped thousands of people with making wholegrain sourdough, we're so grateful to her for bringing us her wisdom!
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The Run Down:
6:20 Where Elly sources her grains
11.20 Why Elly grinds grains at home for sourdough and what the benefits are
"When you freshly grind, you really can tell the difference!"
17.40 Elly's home stone mill and how it works
19.50 The differences between Alison's and Elly's mills
21.50 The difference between roller-milled and stone-ground flour
27.30 The grains (and legumes) Elly uses
33.40 Elly's whole process, start to finish
"I freezer-treat all my grains"
38.00 Alison's weevil attack and how someone with a small freezer could freeze grains.
45.45 Freezing flour (listen here to hear *the* way to defrost too)
49.30 How long to do grains last and how does that differ from flour
53.10 Using freshly-milled flour for a sourdough starter
57.00 How to get the best possible flour when you're on a budget
55.30 What Elly's up to now on her YouTube channel
"It's the detail that overwhelms people...I explain the things that matter; that really make a difference and the gloss over the rest."
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Resources:
If you're thinking of purchasing a mill, Elly has discounts available! Check her page here for worldwide deals on Mockmills, Komo and bakeware.
Elly's Everyday Wholegrain Sourdough YouTube channel
Elly's post about grain storage and weevils etc.
Elly's video about grain storage at home
Elly's latest 'Mockmill update' video
Our previous episode with Elly #10
Burrum Biodynamics (where Elly buys the majority of her grains and pulses) on Instagram
"I feel like I'm more connected to what's happening on the farm...it's more satisfying."
Marie Tink's Sourdough Baking in Australia facebook group
Patrons can find the video of Elly grinding whole grains and mixing a dough on the private podcast feed & in the Treasure Trove. If you'd like to watch it and get loads more extra goodies, you can join us on Patreon at our companionship level here.
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The podcast is mixed and the music created by Alison's husband, Rob. Find him here: Robert Michael Kay
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