August 2, 2013 - 12:08am
Baguiette Hopes Fade for some French Farmers on Low Protein Wheat
A long cold winter and a wet spring are having an adverse affect on French wheat farmers.
Wild-Yeast
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Baguiette Hopes Fade for some French Farmers on Low Protein Wheat
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I thought hard wheat was used for making bread. Why is this (only slightly) lower protein content in soft wheat going to be a baking problem? I guess I don't understand what is going on in the flour milling process. The article says that the wheat needs to be at least 11% protein, and suggests that it can be used for baguettes if it is at least that much. Then, it goes on to say that because it may be a few tenths of a percent lower protein, it is only good for livestock. How in the world did tolerances get so tight on soft wheat? And why don't we just sell the grain to a charitable organization, to feed the hungry, instead of dumping it into an already heavy livestock feed market? What am I missing here?
low protein soft wheat for their baguettes,which is why AP flour in the states works fine. Looks like the French will be buying higher protein soft wheat from other places to mix with the low protein crop or there will a shortage of VWG in France :-) They won't feed it to animals even though they say they will. They already are growing a feed crop for their animals. It would be great flour for cakes so maybe 'let them eat cake will work for the French this time'?
It won't be feed to animals in any event. They will find a way to use it.
Correcting a misattribution : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Let_them_eat_cake
That could spell more domestic problems if they keep their import standards high. That worries me. The people are having troubles enough without having a wheat shortage.
when the government reduced the bread subsidy - horrible riots .