Sourcing flour

soappie

Have been listening to the radio this morning about how the price of wheat has risen by about 22% and the consequent knock on effect of the price of flour/bread etc. etc.

I recently brought the Panasonic bread maker (thanks to the rave reviews from this board) and am delighted with it so at least I won't have to pay the knock on price increase that's bound to hit the supermarkets any day now.

However, I was wondering where other bread making people source their flour. I've been buying Allison's bread flour which has been on offer (61p per 1.5 kilo bag) and last week bought up several bags knowing the offer price was about to end) so I'm well stocked up for the moment.

Do you buy in bulk from somewhere or just source the flour from the local supermarket, chopping and changing when different brands are on offer?

It does seem a little daft buying it in 1.5 kilo sized bags when it would probably be cheaper to buy it in larger sizes. Trouble is, I don't know where.

rockie4

We buy ours direct from a mill - not the cheapest but it makes fantastic bread, cakes etc
It's about 20 miles from home in a beautiful part of Derbyshire so we have a 'day out' 2/3 times a year and stock up on different types of flour, take a picnic (weather permitting) have a walk and generally make a day of it. Makes it seem worthwhile then.
Try searching the internet for flour mills?
Sometimes Health food shops/co-operatives sell sacks of flour.
Sorry if that's not a lot of use!!

poodlehorse

I have never done it as I don't get through that much flour but I was in Costco yesterday and they were selling sacks of Manitoba flour - DH was quite indignant about it as he can't understand why we need to import flour from Canada. Unfortunately I didn't look at the price as it isn't something I was going to be buying and we were in a bit of a rush.

odds-n-sods

Bread flour comes from where they grow hard wheat, Canada being one place. British wheat isn't usually used for bread flour.

Gingernutmeg

Odds-n-sods is right, Canadian wheat has been used in the UK for a very long time, we don't really have the right sort of weather in the UK to grow wheat that has enough gluten to make the best bread.

Rockie4, is that Caudwell's Mill? Their wholemeal flour is lovely stuff

To the OP, you could try asking at a local bakery (if you're lucky enough to have one near you that bakes on site) but they'd probably be reluctant to sell it to you and tbh, you probably would be able to get it cheaper if you chop and change and take advantage of special offers at the big supermarkets. My mum owns a small bakery and the wholesale price of flour at the moment is shocking.

Seakay

If you Google (UK) buy flour then you will find several outlets, eg Graig Farm, Shipton Mill. Trouble is, these are all organic/specialist flours, and so are more per kilo than you are paying even when you buy in bulk.

odds-n-sods

An advantage is that the flour is often fresher, has a lower water content because it hasn't sat around, you know where it has come from.......

doddsy

I asked at our local bakery and he was happy to sell me a sack of wholemeal which worked out at 30p per lb. I did look on line for bulk buying but the cost of delivery was prohibitive.
hth

trying-very-trying

If the thought of a great sack is maybe too much, I was in Lidl's this afternoon, and there bread flour is 48p for 1.5kg. I've used it before, and it's good flour for bread. I can't remember if they only had white, or if they do wholemeal.

kethry

trying-very-trying wrote: »

If the thought of a great sack is maybe too much, I was in Lidl's this afternoon, and there bread flour is 48p for 1.5kg. I've used it before, and it's good flour for bread. I can't remember if they only had white, or if they do wholemeal.

they only do white, or at least, my local only does white - i was up there this afternoon, grabbing a couple of bags of it for bread!

keth
xx

moonrakerz

Been making my own breading for couple of years now, Lidl's is the best and the cheapest that I have found. My local only does white too.