Flour Container

[SCChris]

Re: Flour Container

I trying to convince my wife that a kitchen remodel will kill the pantry moths for good.. I'm sure that the new layout with cabnets and stone counter tops will take care of the problem. Only one limiting factor... $


Chris

[blacknoir]

Re: Flour Container

Wow, you guys are really serious about these moths.. I can't say I've ever seen anything like what you're describing and we keep flour in our pantry for quite some time. Gross!

[SCChris]

Re: Flour Container

I have a few things that add to the problem.

1 - The Southern California weather provides what I'd guess is just about the perfect environment for hatching. Humid, warm weather all year long. An example; this, el Nino, year is that the tomato plants that never died. They stopped producing, but didn't die. BTW they have tomatoes set and I'll be getting a few pickings in the next week or so.

2 - A crappy pantry. Things get lost in the back and then found when they're full of hatchlings.

My kitchen layout is a mess.. No counter space and crappy storage.. Actually it was one of the reasons for building the WFO and eating area outside. The idea is to have this area to carry us through while the kitchen is gutted and rebuilt, as well as to enjoy the 200+ days a year that living outside is possible.

Chris

[texassourdough]

Re: Flour Container

Hi Elizabeth...

I find two troublesome critters. The moths and the little beetles. The moths are easier for me to manage. The little beetles love my weekly baking schedule for it gives them a reliable period for procreation and feeding between interruptions! Solution is probably to bake more! Yeah, that sounds good for everything but my waist!

And to add to the drying out things...beans too. All need more water and time to rehydrate with age. (Sort of like people, huh?) )

But like you say freeze in sealed bags and hold at room temp works well for flour!
Jay

[dmun]

Re: Flour Container

The one thing you might want to consider if you store flour in the freezer in the paper bags it comes in is that it will lose moisture. As a result it may require a hydration adjustment over time to compensate for the lost water.

When I got my 25kg bag of Caputo, I put half of it into paper sandwich bags in 500 gram portions, and stored it in the bottom drawer of the fridge. (It was too cold down there, and occasionally freezing potatos.) The other half I stored in a friends underused freezer.

The bags of flour quickly lost about 10-12 grams, presumably in moisture, and I prepared the dough based on the original 500g weight. The funny thing is that when I went back, and portioned the rest of the flour, those bags lost weight too.

[SCChris]

Re: Flour Container

It's interesting the directions and discoveries, nessisary and otherwise, a WFO takes you. Bricks, mortars and I'm now trying to find a local micro-brewry to get spent grain to incorporate into bread recipies.. The WFO has changed the way I'll be setting up my new kitchen.


Chris

[egalecki]

Re: Flour Container

After watching me bake, make an oven, etc.,my husband started doing his own brewing...so I have a good supply of spent grain! Maybe you can get someone hooked on brewing?

[SCChris]

Re: Flour Container

I'm sure I'll find a local brewmaster that can help out. I'll keep you all up to speed on this in the bread area..

Chris

[blacknoir]

Re: Flour Container

Wait, you can use spent/used grain to make bread? Hmmm.. how can I work that to my advantage..

[SCChris]

Re: Flour Container

I only have so much time in a year, to add brewing might be pushing it.. I pretty sure that the tasting part wouldn't add to the available, focused, time that I'd have. Although it might add to the comradery.. Mabey you'd have better luck.

:-)

Chris

[texassourdough]

Re: Flour Container

Reinhart's Spent Grain bread in his Whole Grain book is really, really good! And every beer's grain gives a different profile. Porters are especially nice IMO.

[SCChris]

Re: Flour Container

Thanks Texas, that was where I was heading with the spent grain. I just recieved Peter Reinhart's Whole Grain, and picked it up because I'm enjoying the recipies from his Artisan breads everyday book...

And thanks for the tip on the porter.

Chris

PS Texas, do you use your Spent as is?

[texassourdough]

Re: Flour Container

Unfortunately, Chris I don't make beer. I recently learned one of my neighbors makes about two batches a year so he will become my regular source. Getting it from microbrewers has been a bit of a pain. They will gladly trade it for bread but they have so much of it that they sell it and the system is set up for me to get a couple of pounds.

I have used a variety of brew bases and all have been wonderful so I would suggest spent grain of any kind is a good start. Reinhart's recipe doesn't use much as I recall - only a quarter pound or so per loaf/pair of loaves. A little goes a long way. Best strategy is to put it in appropriate size baggies and freeze it so you simply pull a bag from the freezer and thaw it and you have the makings for a batch.

The whole grain book is a bit more trouble than Artisanal Breads Every Day but the flavor profiles are pretty awesome. Be sure and make some Volkornbrot. It is amazing. I make it in small (2 inch diameter by 6-8 inch) "cocktail" loaves for use with cheese and appetizers. Seriously good!

Good luck!
Jay

[SCChris]

Re: Flour Container

Thanks Again Texas!!

Chris