GRINDING GRAIN...BAKING BREAD
I have a tremendously generous neighbor who has been tutoring me in the art of grinding grain and making fresh, yummy, whole grain bread. A couple months back she made our family two loaves after we spent a whole Saturday over at her house. My husband was blown away at how delicious this bread was. I had mentioned in the past that I might be interested in getting into this bread making thing but he wasn't interested until he tasted the end result. Now he will be purchasing a grain mill for me for Mother's Day and I am busy trying to practice my techniques. My neighbor has lent me her Whisper Mill and I have been researching the Nutri Mill. My first try was abysmal but the second one was a whole lot more promising.
There are a lot more families out there doing this than I thought, especially around here. I guess it's the influence of the Breadbeckers. We are blessed to live less than 30 minutes away from them. Does anyone else out here do the bread making thing? I'd love to hear your thoughts on grain mills and bread making techniques. I'll let you know soon which mill I get. I'm off to go research some more.
Blessings.
10 comments:
Oh how neat, Meredith. I've always been inspired by the Breadbeckers too, especially after tasting their samples at homeschool conferences in Atlanta.
For me, that would be the key -- finding someone who already does it and who can show me the ropes. I'm glad you've found that in your neighbor. :)
Oh how neat, Meredith. I've always been inspired by the Breadbeckers too, especially after tasting their samples at homeschool conferences in Atlanta.
For me, that would be the key -- finding someone who already does it and who can show me the ropes. I'm glad you've found that in your neighbor. :)
I bought whole grains for Y2K. It never happened, so they just sit. :-( I even bought a hand-grinder (which in retrospect is why I haven't used the grain...I've heard so much about the electric grinders, I'm despairing getting a good loaf out of the manual). I have no idea who/what the Breadbeckers are! Must be a South'rn thang! ;-D
Karen,
Go to breadbeckers.com and you'll find out all you need to know about whole grains. Using one of the new mills makes the whole process really easy. It takes less than 30 seconds to grind enough grain to make 4 cups of flour, and it is so fine and light in texture. You can also use your mill to grind cornmeal for cornbread and a lot of other stuff. After using the mill you can then use your bread machine to do all the mixing and kneading and some of the rising. Then you can take it out and form it into your own loaves to bake in your own pans in the oven.
It comes out really yummy and as soft and light as Wonder bread!
Well, I don't have a bread machine, but the process inspires me. I have all of the Sue Gregg cookbooks and programs. The whole kit-n-kaboodle. Erik LOVES it when I bake bread, and I know it makes him so happy...I really should do it every week. Let me know the details on your grain mill, and maybe I can get one too! ;-)
And I'll check out that site, to learn about the Breadbeckers! ;-)
~Karen
Yummy!
For now I use Bob's Red Mill Flour in my bread machine. Someday I'd love to grind my own grain into flour. I'm also interested in "sprouted wheat" breads. Anybody done that or familiar with that?
Roberta :)
Thanks for the info atlantic. Your explanation of using the manual grinder is making me think of what we read aloud at lunch time today - The Long Winter. The Ingalls family had to grind their wheat in a coffee mill and had to keep theirs going nonstop in order not to starve. I'm sure yours isn't THAT laborious :)
Roberta, I've tasted this bread called Ezekiel 4:9 bread. I can buy it here in organic groceries. It's a sprouted grain bread and is delicious in my opinion.
Yes, I buy Ezekiel 4:9 bread too! The sprouted wheat bread and sprouted wheat tortillas at Trader Joes. They are so delicious. My friend gave me the book 'The Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book-a guide to whole grain breadmaking'. I think it's a great resource.
Roberta :)
I have been doing the "bread thing" for a few years now. I go in spurts though.
I have a Golden Grain Grinder. It works great but it’s really cumbersome. I wouldn’t recommend it unless you have space. I’ve heard a lot of good things about the Whisper Mill.
Some of my first attempt were, well…bad. We joked about using those dense loaves for doorstops or bricks to build a small cottage.
My advice just keep working at it, it’ll come. And find a recipe you like and stick with it. Have fun!
Meredith, we have a Nutrimill and I am soooo grateful for it! We grind 1.5 cups of wheat in it every morning for fresh cream of wheat--7 steaming bowls full. And since we bought the Nutrimill and the Bosch a year and a half ago, we have bought bread less than a handful of times....b/c even the children can basically do it! This wk the 7 yr old ground the wheat for the bread, and put all the ingredients into the Bosch except water and yeast, which I did...and an hr later, we had 5 loaves popped out of the oven. You can do this!~
Ann holyexperience.blogspot.com
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