Solutions for Whole Grain Bread Baking

When we first made the switch from white, traditional grocery store flour, I had so many questions. I had my grain mill and mixer set up and ready to run. I had 5 gallon buckets of wheat berries and other whole grain ingredients. Several pounds of SAF yeast were in the freezer. All I needed was a recipe. I thought I would be able to find all I needed online. I subscribed to bread blogs and baking forums. My bread was flavorless and misshapen; no one was talking about using fresh milled flour. Everything I found I had to modify, and the results were poor. I went to the public library and checked out an entire stack of books on topics from artisan baking to whole grain breads. I spent hours researching and more hours trying out recipes. Thankfully my husband is no picky eater; he will slather a little peanut butter or a chunk of cheese on most anything I bake and make sure it does not go to waste.

Finally, I found a book that answered all my questions and solved all my baking issues. I started producing wonderful, flavor loaves that rivaled anything I had ever made with store bought flour. The Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book was my boon! It was originally published by Random House in the 1984 and then released again in the 1990s with a new chapter on using fresh milled flour in a bread machine. It was written by Laurel Robertson with Carol Flinders and Bronwen Godfrey.

I found a used copy online for $6. I don't know if you will be quite so lucky in your online search; I have bought most all the cheap copies available to give to all the people that I have influenced into baking this way. Even if you must pay full price for the book, if you are serious about making bread for your family, this book is worth its weight in gold.

My book lives in a special place in my kitchen, for it gets used more than weekly. I have custom-made tabs marking all my family's most used recipes. Sometimes, I take it to bed with me and reread the introductory chapters to refresh my baking skills. I could not bake without it. Her recipes and instructions provide excellent bread for every occasion and everyday eating.

Since finding The Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book, three online sources have provided additional resources and recipes that have been helpful. These are listed to the left of the article. But, do not be tempted to start milling flour and baking without owning a copy of the book. It is an endless treasure and will eliminate many of the unforeseen challenges before you even encounter them.