We’re speaking with Jack Jenkins, Country Living Grain Mills, who manufacturers and markets grain mills that are hand-powered, bike-powered, horse-powered, wind-powered, water-powered, and even machine-powered! And he sells them around the world.
Get the instructions on making your own levain here.
To learn more about Country Living Grain Mills – made here in Washington – visit CountryLivingGrainMills.com.
Jack tells us how to tame wild yeast so we can use it to make bread. Listen to how he does it:
Hi. It is my understanding that even among those who have tamed the wild yeast there is not much good to talk about ??
I am 73, disabled, have had the Retsel mill which I loved, but it became much too expensive for me to have fixed or replaced. I purchased a new plastic mill – but no stones – no soft powdered flour when I need it…all those concerned about the temp. of flour I wonder how they feel about it’s temp when it is being baked ??? What’s the big deal. Right now I’m sitting here. Not making bread cause I just don’t care about the quality of flour out of my plastic, electric mill. Soooo wa da ya think? Marianne
Marianne,
I don’t have a mill either – I’d love to but it’s beyond my budget too. But I can get whole grain flour at the market (we shop at a food co-op) that is ground right before it’s shipped to the store. That means we’re getting whole grain in our bread and it’s relatively fresh.
Conventional flour – whether it’s whole grain or not – is not that fresh.
Keep experimenting with artisan flours; yes, they are a little bit more expensive, but the end result is much better. You might check at one of your local farmers markets as well; we have several growers who sell their whole grain flour at a pretty reasonable price.
Take care, eat well, be well!
Gail Nickel-Kailing