I am currently using KA artisan select at $29. a bag. Is it worth it ? I was wondering about the benefits of artisan flour, and the proper use of it. While still maintaining a mostly whole grain sourdough bread.
$29 a bag? Wow. I use grocery store/whole foods store varieties and don't even spring for King Arthur at that, but I'm just baking for home consumption and occasional gifting.
So, according to my calculations that would be the equivalent of about $1.55AUD per kilo of flour here, which is a very good price for quality produce - far better than we can get unless, maybe, we buy in commercial bulk quantities. KA artisan flour would be stoneground organic, I assume (I know their flours are premium quality)?
Of course, you've got to compare with your prices, but just as an example, I pay around $4AUD per kilo for my premium stoneground biodynamic/organic flours. There is no equivalent to this quality of flour on the supermarket shelves, but cheap unbleached plain flour goes for about half that price, or less. I'm happy to pay double for far superior quality, and since as a home baker I don't use huge volumes of flour, the ingredient cost still works out very reasonably per loaf, and the bread that emerges from the oven is generally far nicer than that available from most bakeries. So, good deal as far as I'm concerned - that's the way I look at it.
I guess you need to determine whether the extra cost of the KA flour is reflected in the quality of the bread you're turning out. I'm interested to know how the KA flour compares in cost with the equivalent (if there is one) at your supermarket? If there is no equivalent, how much is run-of-the-mill AP flour at the supermarket per pound?
Replies
$29 a bag? Wow. I use grocery store/whole foods store varieties and don't even spring for King Arthur at that, but I'm just baking for home consumption and occasional gifting.
How big is the bag - ie: what does the flour you buy @ $29 actually weigh?
Cheers
Ross
It is a 50 lb bag, its just more expensive than normal flours and I am trying to weigh out the benefits to the added price.
So, according to my calculations that would be the equivalent of about $1.55AUD per kilo of flour here, which is a very good price for quality produce - far better than we can get unless, maybe, we buy in commercial bulk quantities. KA artisan flour would be stoneground organic, I assume (I know their flours are premium quality)?
Of course, you've got to compare with your prices, but just as an example, I pay around $4AUD per kilo for my premium stoneground biodynamic/organic flours. There is no equivalent to this quality of flour on the supermarket shelves, but cheap unbleached plain flour goes for about half that price, or less. I'm happy to pay double for far superior quality, and since as a home baker I don't use huge volumes of flour, the ingredient cost still works out very reasonably per loaf, and the bread that emerges from the oven is generally far nicer than that available from most bakeries. So, good deal as far as I'm concerned - that's the way I look at it.
I guess you need to determine whether the extra cost of the KA flour is reflected in the quality of the bread you're turning out. I'm interested to know how the KA flour compares in cost with the equivalent (if there is one) at your supermarket? If there is no equivalent, how much is run-of-the-mill AP flour at the supermarket per pound?
Cheers
Ross