I can't answer directly but, my mother used Sapphire flour exclusively and swore it was the best.  She made a lot of bread.  I haven't seen Sapphire in years and wonder if it is a regional product.  I live in SC.  monica

I have never seen it in regular grocery stores around here, either.  I buy mine in bulk at an Amish market.  I really like the bread it makes a lot.

I live in Ohio and we are very near a small Amish community.  I get all of my bread making supplies there, in bulk.  Fortunately, I purchased 120 lbs. of Prairie Gold wheat berries at the end of last summer there.  It has been a real savings in bread cost.  I think my Nutrimill, which I purchased at an Amish hardware store, has now paid for itself.  Terry

Weavershouse, I go to Beiler's Penn Dutch Market in Uniontown, 13160 Cleveland Ave. NW.  I bought my first 50 lb. bag of wheat berries at Lehman's hardware when I bought my Nutrimill. 

At the end of last summer I purchased 80 lbs. at Beiler's.  They only sell the white wheat berries by the 40 lb. case, 8-5 lb. bags.  You have to order it, then pick it up when they call.  I ordered it over phone.  They are very trusting and do not make you prepay.  They sell it to you at their cost. They sell smaller bags of the red winter wheat berries in bulk bags on the shelves.  It takes over a week or two if you order in the wrong part of the order cycle

I live close enough to shop there once a week.  I like shopping there for bulk supplies.  If you order enough wheat, there is enough other stuff there to make it and interesting and worthwhile trip. 

You can make a day of it and go on down the road a little ways and go to the large hardware store, shops and to the Hartville Kitchen.  They have a huge Flea market at the Hartville Kitchen.  You would have to check out which days.  I think it is one of the larger ones in Ohio.  In the summer they sell local produce.

No, I do not think they have organic flour there.  The wheat berries are from Wheat Montana and they are not organic, but they are chemical free.  When I called and talked to them, they said to farm wheat as organic, as mandated to be called organic, was worse than chemical free, because of the risks from the diseases that could be introduced by the organic fertilization.

Beiler's if very close to the corner of 619 and 91.  A BP station sits on the corner and Beiler's is right beside it.  Hope that helps.  Terry

I guess I'm a little late to this thread, but I had dinner at a local artisan bakery/restaurant last night and got them to sell me some of their staple flour, which they call Sapphire.  I did a google search and didn't find much information, and it let me to this thread.  It seems to be a regional product, as all the comments I've read by bakers who use this are from people in Ohio.  I live in Wooster, so that explains why the local bakery uses it.  I'm trying baguettes with it today.  The dough seemed very easy to work with.

I'm from Medina County Ohio. Was it Broken Rock Cafe that you bought the flour from and was it the Sapphire flour sold at the local grocery stores? At least it used to be in all the stores, I don't know if I've seen it lately. I'm wondering if it was unbleached and unbromated, do you know?

If it was Broken Rock, I've been there several times and think it's great.

Good to see a local fellow baker here.

weavershouse

Weaverhouse, I have a bag of Sapphire flour in front of me.  It states that it is unbleached enriched flour (malted barley flour, niancin, reduced iron, thiamine, monotitrate, riboflavino.  It does not seem to be bromated.  Terry R 

Weavershouse,

Yes it was Broken Rock, and yes it is a great restaurant.  They even had Bell's Hopslam on tap (if you know anything about beer)!  I have only lived here a couple of years so I'm not sure where else they sell it around here.  Hmmm . .  come to think of it, yes, I think I've seen "Sapphire" flour at a bulk foods store in the area.  I haven't seen it at any grocery stores though.

It has been 8 months since this topic came up, and I have an update for those of you in Ohio who would like to try it. The Giant Eagle stores in NE Ohio have been carrying 5# bags of Montana Sapphire (over $4 per 5# bag) and 25# bags for $14.50. Personally, I go to B&R Bulk Foods in Middlefield, Ohio to buy flour, and I paid $19 for a 50# bag.

B&R Bulk Foods

16099 Nauvoo Road,

440-632-5584,

Mon-Wed 8-5, Fri 8-7, Sat 8-4, closed Thursday and Sunday.

Here is another thread where I show some of the results using this flour.