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Canadian versus U.S. flours (Bread digest V4, #14)

close@lunch.wpd.sgi.com (Diane Barlow Close)
Tue, 13 Apr 93 19:00:00 PDT
v004.n015.3
Steve writes:

> In the grocery stores we have up here in Canada, the only "Bread Flour" I can
> find is a mixture of white and whole wheat flour.  The package doesn't mention

The reason for this is that Canadian all purpose flour *is* the
equivalent of American bread flour.  For some reason (and I don't know
what it is), Americans use all purpose flour with most of the gluten
removed, whereas Canadian flour (like Robin Hood brand, etc.) leave
the gluten content much higher -- high enough to easily make bread.

When I moved to the U.S. I tried to make bread with all purpose flour,
just like I had been doing in Canada, but it turned out awful.  That's
when I saw bags of "bread flour" (teeny things at too-high prices,
imho) being sold in U.S. supermarkets.  I asked baker friends
(professionals) in both places and was told what I have related above.
I later read this same explanation in an American cooking magazine.

--
Diane Barlow Close
	close@lunch.wpd.sgi.com
	I'm at lunch today.  :-)