Proper Storage of Whole Grain Flours

Expectation: That whole grain foods are dry, heavy and bitter.

As you know from reading my page about whole grains, one of the things that makes grains "whole" is the vitamin-rich germ. In refined grains, this germ (along with it's good fats, fiber and nutrients) is stripped away, leaving a finer flour.

The main reason why whole grain foods taste bitter is because they contain healthy oils that, once oxidized, can go rancid. This rancidity is actually the cause of the bitter taste that many of us associate with whole grains. Although it does not affect the safety or performance of the flour, the rancid germ has certainly affected the popularity. Don't let it stop you from baking healthier treats! In order to prevent this bitter taste, store whole grains in the refrigerator or freezer to minimize the oxidation.

Or, if you have a ton of time on your hands (and an electric grinder), you can grind your own flours just before you bake with them. Happy baking!

The Squeaky Wheel Gets the New Appliances!!

Some of you may remember my post New Town New Kitchen where I talked about the oven in our new apartment. It was a sturdy old thing - definitely use-able. But for somebody with such immediate baking needs (hello, I have a blog!), it just wasn't cutting it. The main issue was that it was 100 degrees hotter than what I set it to. Thank goodness I had a little thermometer that I could stick in there. It turned out that the stove portion wasn't quite right either - it worked on the higher temperatures, but if you set it to "medium" it was pretty much just "off". So, we complained.

We are not really complainers (at least not outwardly), but this particular issue seemed enough of a big deal to merit a complaint. A repairman came to look at it and determined that the thermostat was the problem (good thing we called a repairman to find that one out!), and he called his supplier to find out how much a new one would cost. Apparently these thermostats are expensive, because lo and behold - a new range is here!!

It arrived this morning and is shiny-and-clean-and-brand-spanking-new! This could possibly be the only time in my life when I have a brand new appliance (especially on somebody else's dollar) and boy am I going to take advantage of it!

Now we're working on a new dishwasher... does that come in stainless steel, please?