Ingredients
Flour
Flour
Flour
I only use 100% whole grain, organic flour grown in Montana and milled right here in Whitefish, thanks to The Wicked Good Farm.
I use these flours because they're local and insanely fresh! Whole grain flours still contain the bran and germ, the exact stuff removed from all-purpose flour to increase shelf life. The bran and germ contain th
I only use 100% whole grain, organic flour grown in Montana and milled right here in Whitefish, thanks to The Wicked Good Farm.
I use these flours because they're local and insanely fresh! Whole grain flours still contain the bran and germ, the exact stuff removed from all-purpose flour to increase shelf life. The bran and germ contain the grain's fat and fiber (the good stuff) but spoil quickly - hence their removal for shelf stability. Not only does using 100% whole grain flour make the bread taste better, but also makes it better for you.
I use organic flour because I want the grains unadulterated and the pesticides sprayed on commercially grown grains aren't great. The quality of the ingredients and the lives of the farmers growing the ingredients are also important to me. And it's better for the soil, the land, the water, etc...So many wins.
Water
Flour
Flour
Pretty self explanatory. - use water that's good enough to drink. Water frees up the starches/sugars in the flour so the yeast can eat them. As they eat, they produce carbon dioxide bubbles and these bubbles are what cause the dough to expand and rise. Behold fermentation!
Salt
Flour
Salt
Salt helps regulate fermentation, helpful in warm weather (when yeast is super active) and when using a high percentage of whole grains. My sourdough Miyagi explained it to me like this:
"Yeast is having a throwdown. Salt is security keeping that shit in check."
It also acts as a preservative and influences the color of the crust and the flavor. I use a fine sea salt.