# Is there a difference in the brand of flour you use?



## Laser (Jan 12, 2009)

Do you have a preference on the brand of flour you use? Gold Medal, King Arthur, generic store brand, etc...I was just curious if there is much of a difference in the different brands of flour.  Thanks for your responses; you guys are always very helpful.


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## Maverick2272 (Jan 12, 2009)

Yes, I think there is a difference. I have generic stuff I use for breading or coating stuff, or in recipes where it is not the main ingredient. Then I have whole wheat and white flour for my breads that are from Whole Foods 365 brand and are organic.
Otherwise I like Gold Metal, I don't think I have seen King Arthur around here for awhile.


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## Constance (Jan 12, 2009)

Maverick2272 said:


> Yes, I think there is a difference. I have generic stuff I use for breading or coating stuff, or in recipes where it is not the main ingredient. Then I have whole wheat and white flour for my breads that are from Whole Foods 365 brand and are organic.
> Otherwise I like Gold Medal, I don't think I have seen King Arthur around here for awhile.



For everyday cooking, flour is flour. 

In discussing different types of flour, have you ever tried using Wondra flour for gravies and sauces? I highly recommend it, especially for the beginner.

No one has mentioned self-rising flour, either. It's great for making biscuits and pancakes. It's also cheaper than Bisquick, but you have to cut in the shortening


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## Maverick2272 (Jan 12, 2009)

Wondra yes, I love that stuff for gravies and sauces. I don't think I have any self rising flour, I cheat with the mixes LOL. Bad I know...


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## Katie H (Jan 12, 2009)

I use the cheapest all-purpose flour for "bench" flour which is for dusting my work surfaces, sauces, gravies, etc.  I always have a container of Wondra but don't use it very often.  As Connie mentioned, it's great for beginners.  Essentially no lumps when making gravy or sauce.

Have cake flour for cakes and delicate baked goods.  Otherwise I keep King Arthur flour on hand.  It's more expensive than Gold Medal or house brands, but I find I have a much better product when I use King Arthur.  I also have a small quantity of self-rising flour, but don't use it very often so it lives in the freezer.


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## JoeV (Jan 12, 2009)

I also use the cheapest All Purpose flour for bench flour, cooking and for No-Knead bread recipes. Always buy it unbleached. For bread flour I was buying Bob's Redmill organic, but my local store has not had it in stock for a month or more. Also use their white whole wheat flour. I just bought 25# of Montana Sapphire unbleached to try out for bread. Got it at the Amish Co-op store for about $.49/lb.based on the recommendations of a couple of fellow bread makers. We'll see how it takes to my yeast. I have a box of cake flour but have never opened the vacuum sealed pouch. Not even sure why I bought it.


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## PieSusan (Jan 15, 2009)

I love Montana Sapphire unbleached flour. In fact, when Nick Malgieri comes to town to teach at The Western Reserve School of Cooking, he always buys a lot and ships it home. He noticed that his baked goods turned out higher and he was quite impressed with it. It was something that my mom and grandma had taught me so I was happy that Nick Malgieri agreed.


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## LadyCook61 (Jan 15, 2009)

PieSusan said:


> I love Montana Sapphire unbleached flour. In fact, when Nick Malgieri comes to town to teach at The Western Reserve School of Cooking, he always buys a lot and ships it home. He noticed that his baked goods turned out higher and he was quite impressed with it. It was something that my mom and grandma had taught me so I was happy that Nick Malgieri agreed.


 
I would love to try a bag if I could source any online.  No stores near me carry it.  Must  be an Ohio only product.


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## merstar (Jan 15, 2009)

I always bake with Gold Medal Unbleached All Purpose Flour with consistently good results.
Here's an excellent article:
Choosing Flour For Baking
http://www.finecooking.com/articles/choosing-flour-for-baking.aspx


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## AMSeccia (Jan 16, 2009)

Laser said:


> Do you have a preference on the brand of flour you use? Gold Medal, King Arthur, generic store brand, etc...I was just curious if there is much of a difference in the different brands of flour. Thanks for your responses; you guys are always very helpful.


 
I am really a King Arthur girl, but it is getting mighty difficult to justify $5/bag ... I haven't seen the Sapphire brand mentioned above, but do use unbleached Gold Medal for non-baking use.  Bob's Red Mill and another "H" brand (can't remember) are widely available, as is Pillsbury and the store brands.  I always wonder who produces the store brands.

Thanks Merstar for the link to fine cooking article!


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## jlkm (Jan 16, 2009)

I prefer King Arthur flours - unbleached, whole wheat and bread varieties.  After trying this you'll never go back to the store or familiar brands.  Heard their presentation, King Arthur has a very tight control on the protein/gluten content they use.


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## Mama (Jan 16, 2009)

I use White Lily for pretty much everything.  If I don't have White Lily Self-Rising Flour, I won't make biscuits.


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## LadyCook61 (Jan 16, 2009)

AMSeccia said:


> I am really a King Arthur girl, but it is getting mighty difficult to justify $5/bag ... I haven't seen the Sapphire brand mentioned above, but do use unbleached Gold Medal for non-baking use. Bob's Red Mill and another "H" brand (can't remember) are widely available, as is Pillsbury and the store brands. I always wonder who produces the store brands.
> 
> Thanks Merstar for the link to fine cooking article!


The H brand is Hodgins Mill perhaps ?


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## JoeV (Jan 16, 2009)

LadyCook61 said:


> I would love to try a bag if I could source any online.  No stores near me carry it.  Must  be an Ohio only product.



Montana Sapphire is not just local to Ohio. I just saw it in my local Giant Eagle store yesterday for $3.89 for a 5# bag. If you have a GE you could try them. If you have an Amish Community nearby you could check with them. My local Amish bulk food store carries it, and the proprietor said that is what they use to make their bread. He showed me the catalog he buys from (he can also get Bob's Red Mill from the same source), and there are at least a dozen mills from which they buy flour and other grains. An Amish bakery could also tell you where they get their flour from, and might be able to source it for you as well.


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## toni1948 (Jan 16, 2009)

The "H" brand might be Heckers.  It is pretty good for baking.  Never used it for making bread, but it did just fine for pastries.


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## Katie H (Jan 16, 2009)

toni1948 said:


> The "H" brand might be Heckers.  It is pretty good for baking.  Never used it for making bread, but it did just fine for pastries.




You might be correct, toni.  If I recall, Martha Stewart commented that Heckers was a good brand.  She's also endorsed King Arthur.

I've never had the opportunity or source for Heckers, but I love, love, love King Arthur products.  But, as AMSeccia said, it's getting a bit expensive at about $1 per pound.


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## JoeV (Jan 16, 2009)

Katie E said:


> I've never had the opportunity or source for Heckers, but I love, love, love King Arthur products.  But, as AMSeccia said, it's getting a bit expensive at about $1 per pound.



Here in NE Ohio, KA bread flour is $4.89 and up for 5#. IMHO, that's outrageous for bread flour. I just don't see where the added value is, especially after using other brands of bread flour around $2.50 with good results. Can someone give me good reasons to pay that much? I use 20-25# of flour each month.


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## LadyCook61 (Jan 17, 2009)

JoeV said:


> Montana Sapphire is not just local to Ohio. I just saw it in my local Giant Eagle store yesterday for $3.89 for a 5# bag. If you have a GE you could try them. If you have an Amish Community nearby you could check with them. My local Amish bulk food store carries it, and the proprietor said that is what they use to make their bread. He showed me the catalog he buys from (he can also get Bob's Red Mill from the same source), and there are at least a dozen mills from which they buy flour and other grains. An Amish bakery could also tell you where they get their flour from, and might be able to source it for you as well.


thanks Joe. Unfortunately , there isnt a GE here or near here.  Also Amish Community is 3 hrs away.  oh well.


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## ChefJune (Jan 17, 2009)

Maverick2272 said:


> Wondra yes, I love that stuff for gravies and sauces. I don't think I have any self rising flour, I cheat with the mixes LOL. Bad I know...



Did you know you can make your own "Wondra" by whirling a-p flour in your food processor?  Saves money and storage space.  The same way you can make superfine sugar out of regular cane sugar.


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## ChefJune (Jan 17, 2009)

I have never understood what all the fuss about "bread flour" is.  I've been making bread for eons with regular all-purpose flour.  I've never had any problems with it.  Lately I've been using 365 Organic flour from Whole Foods. It's quite a bit less expensive than KA.

For whole wheat, I buy from a farmer at the Greenmarket, and for rye flour, now it's Bob's Red Mill. For biscuits and dessert baking, it's White Lily all the way, until I run out of the Knoxville-milled stuff. Don't know what I will do then, but I have decided to cross that bridge when I get there.


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## LadyCook61 (Jan 17, 2009)

ChefJune said:


> Did you know you can make your own "Wondra" by whirling a-p flour in your food processor? Saves money and storage space. The same way you can make superfine sugar out of regular cane sugar.


 
Yes I knew that and thanks for the reminder.


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## justplainbill (Jan 17, 2009)

We still use KA's flours but water their higher priced flours with more affordable Bob's, Pillsbury and Gold Medal flours.


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## bethzaring (Jan 17, 2009)

I feel about all purpose flour like I feel about all purpose potatoes; I don't like them. If I want to make mashed potatoes, I want russets. When I make potato salad, I want a waxy potato. All purpose things are too much of a compromise for me.

But to be honest, I am a one person flour. I like to find one flour, learn its sublities, and stick with that flour.  I only like to make yeast breads with King Arthur Traditional WW flour and make cookies and such with an organic soft whole wheat flour.  I'm after flavor, and the care that was taken in producing the grain.  And I am willing to pay for it.  Although I have never paid over $4.00 for a 5# bag of KA ww flour, I certainly would pay $5. or more.


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## justplainbill (Jan 17, 2009)

bethzaring said:


> I feel about all purpose flour like I feel about all purpose potatoes; I don't like them. If I want to make mashed potatoes, I want russets. When I make potato salad, I want a waxy potato. All purpose things are too much of a compromise for me.
> 
> But to be honest, I am a one person flour. I like to find one flour, learn its sublities, and stick with that flour. I only like to make yeast breads with King Arthur Traditional WW flour and make cookies and such with an organic soft whole wheat flour. I'm after flavor, and the care that was taken in producing the grain. And I am willing to pay for it. Although I have never paid over $4.00 for a 5# bag of KA ww flour, I certainly would pay $5. or more.


 
KA is selling a lot of flours in dinky 3 lb bags.


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## Max Sutton (Jan 21, 2009)

*King Arthur Flour*

  I only use King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour.


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## les (Jan 21, 2009)

For general cooking, I used to buy the well known brands, but after trying the cheap "own brand" supermarket flour, I found there was no difference.
 However for breadmaking I buy Allison's.


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