Strong/Bread flour supplier in Sydney (East Suburbs)?

[quote="TonyB"]
Hi

Can anybody give me advice on where to get strong flours and other breadmaking ingredients in Sydney (hopefully Eastern Suburbs and/or Inner/Middle West (Lidcombe/Homebush)? Coles/Woolworths only seem to stock white refined Bread flour and nothing else.

I'm just starting to make bread and finding ingredients seems like the first roadblock to success..
[/quote]

G'day Tony, some small bakeries will sell you limited quantities of 'bakers flour' which some call 'plain flour' although not organic. But there are a number of millers who produce 'stone ground' meal even organic meal. Weston Milling for one, and I'm almost certain Allied Mills also produce stone ground meal which you'd have to procure from a retail outlet. Perhaps you should ring them and ask for a retailer near you that stocks what you're looking for. Kialla also produces stone ground meal. Check the web for millers you may find thier phone numbers there.

Welcome, TonyB! What breads are you starting with? Hope you get the info you want. You don't need strong flours to make good bread. Plain flour works too.

Happy Baking!

Hi,

There's a lot to be learnt about flour and it's contribution to a great loaf. Protein levels, what's on the shelf, brands and all that stuff about hard and soft wheat. Try this link for some excellent information by brand and type.

http://donisbaked.wordpress.com/2012/02/14/key-ingredients-to-quality-pa...

Cheers,

John

 Hi Tony, I am getting fabulous results just using Aldi plain white flour at 79 cents a kilo.

Brasserie Bread at Banksmeadow sell Kialla Organic Flours in 5 kg bags. Just gone up in price from $16 to $19.50. If you want some, best to check as they often have plain but no wholemeal and vice versa. Noticed Kialla Rye in 5 kg bags when I was there on Sunday too.

Local health food stores are usually happy to order bulk flour in too.

As for Aldi flour I also find it bakes quite acceptable bread. Can't beat the price at 79c a kilo although I see some Aldi stores charge 89c.

http://www.brasseriebread.com.au/

There is also Alfalfa house at Enmore .

http://www.alfalfahouse.org/

Can I second Robear's recommendation of the Alfalfa House co-op in Newtown?  I have bought rye and spelt there.  I buy ordinary plain flour from Coles (95c/Kg).

John

The blog referenced above is incorrect in at least one place.

The Woolies Organic Plain that I use is 11.5 g protien per 100 g. I use it to bake with and feed my starter and it is great.

Is this the stuff Indica?

I also find it pretty good and at the moment its on special for $2.49 a kilo at my local Woolies so good value too.

Hi, Thanks for referencing my blog post. Writing that post was a labour of love for me and I am very passionate about flour, more so in the cake/pastry than bread space, but I am yet to explore that area further. In reference to the error highlighted by Indica, I'll check my info, but welcome your correction. I got a bit stroppy that you inferred there may be other sections of my post that were incorrect, I tried to make the information as accurate as possible but take on board any typo's. I took a long time writing and researching, which included making contact with flour mills and reading a lot! I also recently went to Hobart and saw the gorgeous Callington Mill flour for sale, the most beautfiul packaging, haven't baked with it yet. Thanks again and whilst I may have had a rant totally appreciate corrections where information is wrong. So pleased you found my blog xx  

Robear... that is the one I use.

dblake I was not having a go... merely highlighting the fact that was the mistake I found.

The information you had was great, I assume with the Woolies flour you mentioned per serve rather than per 100g.

Where I am in FNQ there is no choice at all but to go with the local supermarket.