The lighter side of whole grains - includes recipes and a guide to different types of grains and flour - Cover Story

Vegetarian Times, March, 1996 by Nancy Ross Ryan

8. RYE FLOUR: Milled from rye, one of the most ancient cereal grains, this is available stone-ground or commercially ground. Stone-ground is preferable because more nutrients are retained. Low in gluten, rye flour must be mixed with unbleached white flour or a blend of white and whole wheat flours.

9. GLUTEN FLOUR: A mixture of white flour and concentrated wheat gluten extracted from specially processed wheat flour; it can boost rising capacity. Gluten acts like a web that traps carbon dioxide gas caused by yeast fermentation. The gas bubbles cause the bread to rise. Unbleached white flour and whole wheat flour contain gluten.

10. HARD WHEAT: A higher protein variety (10 percent to 13 percent) that yields a flour high in gluten especially suitable for yeasted breads. Durum wheat, although high in gluten, is not good for bread because it produces a dense flour that does not rise well. It is used to produce semolina flour, the basis for high-quality pasta.

11. SPELT: An ancient form of wheat lower in gluten than regular wheat, it is now available at specialty stores. Good for individuals with gluten intolerance.

12. WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR: Made from ground wheat kernels. Purchase stone-ground whole wheat flour, which contains all the wheat germ and bran.

13. OATS: Some bread, muffin and scone recipes call for rolled oats. Oats are also low in gluten, and must be mixed with white flour or a blend of white and whole wheat flours.

14. WHITE WHEAT FLOUR: A new type of flour that contains the bran and germ of the wheat. White in color like all-purpose flour, but has flecks of germ and bran. It is milled from 100 percent hard wheat, and is a nutritionally attractive substitute for regular unbleached white or whole wheat flour.

15. WHEAT GERM: The embryo of the wheat kernel separated in milling, used especially as a source of vitamins. Makes a nutritious addition to bread and muffin recipes. Substitute 1 tablespoon wheat germ for 1 tablespoon flour per cup measure.

16. BARLEY FLOUR: Low-gluten flour milled from ground whole hulled barley and sieved to remove the outer hull. Mix it with unbleached white flour, or a mixture of white and whole wheat flours.--N.R.R.

Whole wheat flour is unquestionably more nutritious than even unbleached all-natural white flour, so why use white flour at all? Because it is mild in flavor, because it is light in texture, because it supplies gluten in recipes using whole grain flours low in gluten such as rye and buckwheat, and because it keeps fresher longer than whole wheat. Whole wheat flour contains all the natural oils of the wheat kernel and is subject to oxidation, giving the flour a rancid flavor. While it's certainly possible to make breads from unadulterated whole grain flours, you will end up with dense, dark, chewy loaves that are heavier and less finely textured than their mixed-flour counterparts.

It is best to store all flour in labeled plastic bags in the freezer. Flour picks up odors like a magnet, so fresh plastic bags should be used for each batch of flour. The same is true of yeast. Store it covered airtight in the freezer.