Nothing "artisanal", actually quite the opposite. I use either Pillsbury AP or Gold Medal AP flour (both owned by General Mills). At ~$3 / 5 lb. bag. I get what I'd consider good results from them. "Better flours" would do a better job? I dunno, never use them. I'm pretty happy with what I use.
I like Bob's Red Mill. I've tried their various flours up against pretty much every other flour brand, even the super-swanky Anson Mills, and have always been quite happy. I'm sure others will have input on their favorites.
I'm using KAF AP for some of my pizza dough and feeding my starter. A 10 lb bag is under $7.00 at the local Walmart. I've also used the excellent Wheat Montana Natural White AP.
I use Bob's at home in Portland. Its a local company. I'm spending the winter in British Columbia and our local grocery carries Wolfgang's, a small BC company that has organic land race varieties. They've got red fife whole wheat. They're white AP is just labeled "hard winter wheat"
When I get back to Portland I'm going to try Shepherd's grain. Its what Ken Forkish uses and most of the bakeries in town.
I use Shipton Mill flour. Their White No. 4 is 12% protein. They have higher protein/gluten flours though, but I've not tried them. I use it for my pasty pastry, but use local low protein/gluten flour for cakes and patisserie.
I've also experimented with Stoates - Cann Mill. Good flour and they have an 81% extraction flour too, but I wasn't that impressed as their white is stoneground & bolted - its not as white as Shipton Mills - made good bread, but baguettes looked a bit weird to some folks.
Looking at moving to Marriages though - they have better bulk delivery options than Shipton Mill - their flour is good - but a limited organic range. Just made a batch of bagels with their strong Manitoba flour (14.9% I think) - will see how they taste later this morning...
Unbleached and un-bromated but I do want enriched and malted or balanced with enzymes. I prefer LaFama from Hermosillo, Sonora Mexico for AP flour. At 11.2% protein it has more than Pills or GM which is 10% and at 39 cents a pound for 2# bag or 30 cents a pound for #5 it can't be beat. Works fine for everything I make since most of my breads have quite a bit of home milled whole grain flour too
I use cheap private label for cakes since the protein is less and cheaper than Pills and GM. For bread flour I use WInco bins but I rarely use it even though it is 69 cents a pound and I use KA too when on sale for 70 cents a pound for #5 . For hi-gluten I use smart and Final in the bins - 1 pound for 69 cents and I don't use much of it either - just for bagels and sometimes pizza.
KAF AP has 11.7% protein, which is a little higher than most flours used in artisanal baking. Still, it's what I use. I suspect that most of us are more limited by our skill than our flours.
You can order some genuine artisanal flours from Central Milling; I understand that many professional shops use them.
As an Minnesotan both Pillsbury and Gold Medal are on every grocery store shelf. My choice though is Dakota Maid from North Dakota Mill. I buy 25# bags for about 9$ and it never lets me down. I use it for everything and about the only time i substitute is Caputo 00 for Pizza,
Mostly use KAF, but, when I have it, I use Central Milling's "ABC" flour. And sometimes use WFM's 365 Organic AP which is another Central Milling flour. The ABC flour, in particular, is significantly more extensible than KAF AP, making it especially nice for baguettes.
Nothing "artisanal", actually quite the opposite. I use either Pillsbury AP or Gold Medal AP flour (both owned by General Mills). At ~$3 / 5 lb. bag. I get what I'd consider good results from them. "Better flours" would do a better job? I dunno, never use them. I'm pretty happy with what I use.
I like Bob's Red Mill. I've tried their various flours up against pretty much every other flour brand, even the super-swanky Anson Mills, and have always been quite happy. I'm sure others will have input on their favorites.
I'm using KAF AP for some of my pizza dough and feeding my starter. A 10 lb bag is under $7.00 at the local Walmart. I've also used the excellent Wheat Montana Natural White AP.
I use Bob's at home in Portland. Its a local company. I'm spending the winter in British Columbia and our local grocery carries Wolfgang's, a small BC company that has organic land race varieties. They've got red fife whole wheat. They're white AP is just labeled "hard winter wheat"
When I get back to Portland I'm going to try Shepherd's grain. Its what Ken Forkish uses and most of the bakeries in town.
I use Shipton Mill flour. Their White No. 4 is 12% protein. They have higher protein/gluten flours though, but I've not tried them. I use it for my pasty pastry, but use local low protein/gluten flour for cakes and patisserie.
I've also experimented with Stoates - Cann Mill. Good flour and they have an 81% extraction flour too, but I wasn't that impressed as their white is stoneground & bolted - its not as white as Shipton Mills - made good bread, but baguettes looked a bit weird to some folks.
Looking at moving to Marriages though - they have better bulk delivery options than Shipton Mill - their flour is good - but a limited organic range. Just made a batch of bagels with their strong Manitoba flour (14.9% I think) - will see how they taste later this morning...
-Gordon
Whatever's cheap and unbleached, which in my case means either Gold Medal AP, or private label. "Artisan" part comes from elsewhere.
Unbleached and un-bromated but I do want enriched and malted or balanced with enzymes. I prefer LaFama from Hermosillo, Sonora Mexico for AP flour. At 11.2% protein it has more than Pills or GM which is 10% and at 39 cents a pound for 2# bag or 30 cents a pound for #5 it can't be beat. Works fine for everything I make since most of my breads have quite a bit of home milled whole grain flour too
I use cheap private label for cakes since the protein is less and cheaper than Pills and GM. For bread flour I use WInco bins but I rarely use it even though it is 69 cents a pound and I use KA too when on sale for 70 cents a pound for #5 . For hi-gluten I use smart and Final in the bins - 1 pound for 69 cents and I don't use much of it either - just for bagels and sometimes pizza.
KAF AP has 11.7% protein, which is a little higher than most flours used in artisanal baking. Still, it's what I use. I suspect that most of us are more limited by our skill than our flours.
You can order some genuine artisanal flours from Central Milling; I understand that many professional shops use them.
As an Minnesotan both Pillsbury and Gold Medal are on every grocery store shelf. My choice though is Dakota Maid from North Dakota Mill. I buy 25# bags for about 9$ and it never lets me down. I use it for everything and about the only time i substitute is Caputo 00 for Pizza,
Einkorn AP flour by Jovial Foods is what I use. Einkorn is the original form of wheat and is very different to bake with, I consider it challenging.
I like King Arthur which i buy in bulk semi-locally for pretty cheap. I want unbleached and unbromated.
Mostly use KAF, but, when I have it, I use Central Milling's "ABC" flour. And sometimes use WFM's 365 Organic AP which is another Central Milling flour. The ABC flour, in particular, is significantly more extensible than KAF AP, making it especially nice for baguettes.
David
I use Central Milling Organic AP, comes cheap at Costco, and is a local(ish) company.
If I'm out of that I typically get bob's red mill, king author, or gold medal "better for bread."
This is for use in yeasted breads, pastries like muffins and such I use a softer flour.