Biodynamic Flour: Does it Taste Any Better?

in #foodphotography6 years ago (edited)


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So, ooops, I spent a small fortune on a big bag of Eden Valley Biodynamic Flour - at 50 bucks a bag, it's 30 more than we would normally pay for our unbleached bread flour. It was pay day and I was in a hurry and the guy at Wholefoods was like: 'This is the best flour evvvvvvaaaaaaaa' and I fell for his gushing.

I'd also been a little distracted by someone hear on Steemit (oh I'm soooo sorry I can't recall your name, and I can't find your comment - I promise it will come to me, but I'm in a rush to get back out into the garden right now!) who told me Australia was renowned for biodynamic flour farms. Really? That's pretty cool.

Biodynamic farming takes a holistic approach to organic farming. The whole land is considered an inter-related system, and the farming practice emphasise the idea of being self-sustaining, creating more nutritious and healthy plants and simultaneously healing the the earth, revitalising the soil, and enhancing the nutrition to the soil, plants and even livestock.

In an interview, Eden Valley Farms were asked what didn't go into your flours?

We’ve no need to add any “flour improvers” to our flour: no colourings or bleaching agents, no protein enhancers, no vitamin or mineral supplements, no preservatives. There’s just no need to add anything and doing so would deny people access to a natural and unadulterated food source. Our flour products cater for the home baker, so they aren’t overly-milled and blended and reformulated with additives to suit commercial baking processes. Further, biodynamic farming regulations mean that there are no synthetic chemicals involved in the crop growing and grain storage process, so there is no chance that any traces of synthetic herbicide, insecticide, fungicide, fertiliser or toxic fumigant chemicals are found on the grains or in the flour products. This also means that the farm is a much safer environment to work in than many conventional farms: mistakes and accidents with synthetic chemicals can’t happen.



Sounds awesome, right? But what difference did it make to the feel and the taste of the flour?

It made the bread baking process sexy again, that's what it did.

Just look at the sexy dough in the picture above. I couldn't take a photo of the bread mid knead as I didn't want my phone caked in flour. Doesn't it make you want to dip your fingers into it? Knead it's pliable deliciousness?

Maybe it's because I was enjoying a bit of my favourite reggae as I was getting into the dough.




But this bread smelt like honey and sunshine, rather than the white dust that flour normally resembles. I could almost close my eyes and see the wheatbelt in Western Australia and the breeze rippling the sun-licked field. It really smelt that good. The feel of the dough was different too, silkier and softer.

Last week I'd made a kick-ass cranberry, cacao and walnut bread, but Jamie can't eat walnuts, so I used essentially the same recipe for a linseed, sunflower seed, coconut and pepita loaf. If you'd like the recipe, just follow the instructions here and swap the ingredients over in relative proportions.


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The bread even smelt amazing when cooking

Baked bread smells incredible anyway, but this literally filled the house with the most exquisite smell. I've never smelt bread like it - it was just totally divine.

Did it taste better, though?



Undoubtedly. I really didn't believe the guy at Wholefoods, but I'm going to make an out of the way drive by just to tell him that dammit, he was right. This brought breadmaking to a WHOLE new level.

Here's the other bread musings, if you're interested...

Walnut Cranberry and Cacao Sourdough
Keeping it Simple Sourdough Recipe

Would I bake with biodynamic flour again? In a heartbeat.

Please feel to upvote and resteem the shit out of this post so I can afford to do just that! If that fails, I'll have to go back to poverty flour again - sob. Once you've tasted gold dust, how can you eat anything but?

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Delicious.... Yum!

Bought my mum a bread-maker a few years ago and now she bakes a loaf each week for us :)

Mixing up and changing ingredients to find alternatives is part of the fun.

I will let her know about this option to see if she is keen to try.

ahahah that's so funny!!!! Gotta try that trick!!! Hilarious!!! Let me know how she goes. Mother's Day here in Australia - happy Mother's day to your bread making mumma!

Will do, and I live in Adelaide :) #mallsballer

Ah so it's mother's day to you... in a different time zone 😁😙

I want some of your bread.

I see a Steemit bakery opening somewhere as we speak :)

Everyone wants a bit of my bread, @choogirl - you'll just have to get in line

he he he xxx

Urgh! I hate lines.

My bread brings all the boys and girls to the yard...
🎶🎶🎶📢📢📢
But you can jump the queue ...😘

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So happy happy happy to find bio-dynamics present here on Steemit.
It makes so much much much difference on the levels that really matter: thus including the olefactory ones!
If I might add one teeny weeny factor that makes that difference (which is not so much what they left out - which is no small but merely physical-body consideration): in this flour the spirit of the wheat is left in tact. With this come a whole bunch of itsy bitsy elemental energy (notably Salamander or fire-elemental force, that will be reactivated by the working/kneading and baking).
The Salamanders made the fruiting process possible (i.e. the production of the actual corn (kernel). It is to enable and further endorse (also evolve) these (four elementals, fire, air, water, earth) to work in harmony to make the perfect (=wholly made) plant that we choose to farm bio-dynamically. Pity no modern bio-dynamic farmer dares to tell that key part of the nature-cosmic story, which literally makes the difference between a Demeter label and a basic Organic one.
With love from your passionate bio-dynamic supporter.

You know, that's what I was getting at about being transported - there was a real sense of spirit in that flour!! I've read quite a bit about biodynamic practices so I definitely get the nature-cosmic story. I guess they are aiming their product at a mainstream market maybe - don't want to intimidate people with the real magic of biodynamics!! Thanks sooo much for your comment, glad you were excited!!

Ha what a great read, really loved how gou expressed your feelings in this, i need ti get some reggae on next time im neading 😁 im not sure i can get biodynamic flour in the uk but ill keep my eyes open for it👍

Yeah, that'd be interesting!!! I bet you can get it somewhere - they probably import it and it'll be mega pricey, but good luck!! It really is absolutely amazing. Glad you liked it @digitaldan - I kinda express my feelings in everything I do... It's who I am - if I don't, I'm not feeling for a change and just getting the job done. But jeez - if you smelt and tasted this stuff you'd be waxing lyrical as well!!! And yeah, the reggae whilst kneading is awesome!!!

That looks and sounds amazing and makes my mouth water. I bake my own bread too, mostly a Swiss variety called Zopf (it's braided) which people eat on Sundays. It's made with white flour though so not the healthiest but I will try a biodynamic version now which will make it a little healthier, right? At least I don't put any sugar or butter in the dough, I'd rather have that on top. I'll take a picture next time I make one and put it in a post, they look rather pretty. Glad to see there's a teamaustralia hashtag. I will surely use that in the future. I love Australia so much, the natural beauty is phenomenal!

That sounds really good!!!! Would looove to read about it.. make sure you tag me when you post!

I never new about biodynamic flour before thanks for the education.

Omg @j85063 wait til you see my vegan parmesan!!!!

I'm a waiting:)

big huge thumbs up for the choice you made! I truly believe that permaculture, biodynamic, home grown, going back to basics is the key to a happier, healthier and fulfilled life! and more importantly is sustainable... makes me really happy seeing more and more people aware of the choices they make and the impact of them on themselves and the world around! thank you @riverflows for sharing this awesome post ♡♡♡

Aw Thanks!!! I agree. And so glad to see you back on Steemit!!!

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