>From: Ed Okie <okie@digital.net>
>Subject: Flour - is every bag the same?
>Date: Sat, 26 Jul 2003 18:50:37 -0400
><snip>
>Is flour different bag to bag? "Looks" doesn't give a clue. White is
>white. More irony: General Mills (maker of the Gold Medal brand) produces
>an extensive line of professional grade flours manufactured to very tight
>tolerances (unlike the retail Gold Medal brand), sold in 50-lb bags. It's
>the perfect solution. "Harvest King" was the specific "just what I need"
>flour. And then my dream unravelled: A local major-chain grocery store
>couldn't special order it. SYSCO, a national food supplier could get it,
>but only if they purchased a full pallet. Just what I need, a huge pallet
>of flour stored in the kitchen!
><more snippage>
Around here (Boston area) there's a bakery wholesaler who will willingly
sell to "walk-ins". Though I haven't bothered to make the trip for the last
few years, many a time I've gone there and bought one or two bags of flour,
or a bag of yeast, or 15 lb of rolled oats (they will even split a 50-lb
bag of oats for you!
They sell General Mills' unbleached white "Rex Royal", which is a nice
all-purpose unbleached white flour, and I've made many a hundred loaf with
it. I have to admit that I like KA's all purpose better, and that's what
I've been using in recent years despite the higher price, but the Rex Royal
is nevertheless decent stuff.
Anyway, my point is, you may be able to find a wholesaler in your area who
will let you buy one 50-lb bag at a time. Good luck!
---- Fred Smith -- fredex@fcshome.stoneham.ma.us --------------------------=