New to this forum
I just found this forum while researching places to purchase durum wheat for bread. I have been baking sourdough breads off and off for about 6 years and have lots to learn. I have purchased many starters from Ed Wood and use his book quite a bit. I am excited to see this forum and all the options for learning. I prefer whole grain baking and like to use organic ingredients as much as possible. I just re-awakened my San Francisco starter and we baked two loaves yesterday but that was not enough for me so I now have two loaves of Durum Sunflower bread in the oven. I love the flavor of the durum breads but also like to try lots of new recipes. I moved to Santa Fe, NM two years ago and am still adjusting to baking at 7200' after 17 years in Tucson, AZ. I look forward to learning from all of you and sharing my experiences along the way. I am also a quilting so I seem to use up every single minute I have doing what I love along with a full time day job. Melody in Santa Fe
Welcome to TFL, Melody!
There's a Whole Grains thread here, as well as one for Sourdough and Starters that will interest you, I'm sure.
Who's your supplier for durum flour? Here in the Northeast, the finely-milled durum used in baking bread is amazingly expensive. (Last time I looked, King Arthur was selling 3 pounds for 8 or 9 bucks!)
Show us some pictures of what you're baking?
David
I used my San Francisco sourdough starter for these and right now I only have the small expensive bag of durum purchased from KAF. www.Barrry-Farm-Foods.com sells the berries for $1.59 a pound and the flour for $2.59#. I was considering buying the 25# bag of Durum wheat berries from Heartland Mill but the shipping is the kicker so I will only do this if I can find someone here in Santa Fe to go in on the order. Another source I found is www.purcellmountainfarms.com and they have a flat rate of $14.95 for orders of $60 or more so that may be my best option plus the cost of a 10# bag is $16.95. I have the names of a couple farmers and am working from that angle as well. I have a grain mill my husband bought me several years ago so I much prefer to grind my own flour as I need it, or would that be knead it??
Hi Melody,
I've been to some of the same websites in pursuit of affordable durum flour, and the shipping costs have always been the last straw. Since KAF isn't all that far from me, it always winds up being the only viable option for durum flour.
I think milling your own (not kneading yet, not until you mix in the water and the elbow grease!) is a fair solution. I don't have a proper grain mill, however, only the KA grain-mill attachment for my mixer. It doesn't mill fine enough to make a silky flour like KAF's durum. And some people say you can't bake proper bread with semolina (coarser durum).
It sounds as if you have an impact grain mill, which certainly will get you a usable durum flour. So splitting 25 lbs. of durum berries with someone else would be a great solution.
And now that you've mastered the photo thing, show us some semolina bread!
Happy baking!
David
After making the semolina sandwich bread with SAF yeast last weekend and a couple 1/2 durum - 1/2 semolina sourdough loaves I had to make 100% semolina sourdough. They are rising right now and the oven it heating since these seem to rise quickly here in Santa Fe. Everyone loved the loaves last weekend and I am trading one of the these for fresh eggs with a co-worker. I told him I would have to cut off one of the heels since he only brought me 11 eggs on Thursday:-) I will post pictures of these tomorrow. I also just started another batch with 1/2 multi-grain mix and 1/2 unbleached organic flour to which I will add pecans and some dried fruit (whatever I have not already packed) and I expect it will turn out just as nice.
I will purchase whole berries after we get settled into the new place in a couple weeks since it really is the only cost effective and freshest option. I will need to locate the best source for semolina flour though since this one is a real hit.
The mill I have says Jupiter on it and it is made in West Germany. It can be hand cranked or use regular household power. I told my cyclist husband I wanted to buy the one you can attach to a bike so he could earn his bread and butter;-) It does grind a nice fine flour from just about anything.
Melody - baking late in Santa Fe
Too bad you chose to go north instead of due east, to Silver City.
I've had the same homemade (potato water and flour) SD starter for the past 5 years, and it has gone from liquid to dry and back again, with variations in between. I made the best tasting (though not so good-looking) SD loaves, the other day, using 100% KA Organic White Whole Wheat flour, and starter straight from the fridge which had been fed 4 days before (no expanding to dilute the sourness). It didn't rise much, and the dough looked like it wanted to fall apart. But the taste was heaven. With green chile chicken soup, it was perfect!!
I've never done much with durum (except pasta), but may try in bread, now that you mention it.
Silver was a consideration but when the state offered me the position I have Santa Fe was the final destination. My husband taught in Silver City many years ago and really loved the area.
I have never captured my own starter and would love to learn the best ways to do this. I have used many that I purchased from Ed Wood and they have been wonderful to work with. Still it would be fun to have my very own unique starter so any suggestions would be much appreciated.
I have made pasta and found it great fun but the flavor of this durum sunflower bread I have made many times and now the semolina bread I baked last weekend are two of my very favorite breads.
Melody
I live in Silver City; where's Carson?
I am trying to find a good Italian Bread 5 or 7 grain bread recipe using whole grains rather than grain flour.
They have it at some supermarket bakeries but just purchased a bread maker and want to make my own.
Thanks
Linda