Do you mill your own flour? I am often asked if I own a grain mill, and my answer is no. Even though a lot can be said about the usefulness of a grain mill and the blissful intrinsic beauty of freshly milled flour, I have found grain mills way too expensive to justify the investment.
I buy corn, oats and wheat berries (such as hard white wheat, hard red wheat, and farro) from Azure Standard to use mainly in soups and salads. To turn them into flour, I grind them in my coffee grinder over multiple rounds. The coffee grinder is not made to grind grains, and I always recommend a patient approach if going down this route. While the texture is not as “powdery” as the flour you buy at the grocery store, I find the coarser appearance & mouthfeel very charming and rustic.
A couple of important notes:
- Freshly milled flour absorbs more liquid, so you must start with a lesser amount of flour: “You can add more in but you can’t take it back out. Because the flour will absorb liquid wait before adding more flour. Mix until it sticks together, but is still tacky or sticky to the touch of your finger” (melissaknorris.com)
- Freshly milled flour spoils faster than commercially sold flour, and ideally you should only make as much as you need at a time, and if you do have leftover flour, you must store it properly.
For the most part, I still rely on store-bought flour, and on Bob’s Red Mill flours, in particular. In the US, KitchenAid offers the option to purchase a grain mill attachment for their stand mixers. I am still unsure if I should get one.
For a great basic bread recipe, you are welcome to check out my post here.
What are you baking this summer? Let me know in the comments 🙂
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