EXPERIENCED THE FLOUR FRENZY FIRST-HAND.
ON CAMBRIDGE STREET STANDS A BAKING SHOP AND CAFE WHERE FRESH MILLED FLOUR TAKES CENTER STAGE.
>> MOST PEOPLE DON’T KNOW WHERE IT COMES FROM.
WE ARE HERE TO OPEN UP THEIR MIND A LITTLE BIT.
THERE IS NOT JUST ONE TYPE OF FLOUR, THERE ARE TONS OF TYPES.
ANTHONY: MORE THAN 10 VARIETIES HERE ALONE.
THAT WAS THE PLAN WENT TED AND ADDY OPENED THEIR SHOW.
THE NAME PAYS HOMAGE TO ADDY’S GRANDPARENTS IN GERMANY.
>> PEOPLE WALK AROUND AND IT IS NICE.
>> WE THOUGHT IT WAS THE END BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN PHONE CALLS STARTED COMING IN.
>> IT SEEMED LIKE EVERYBODY WAS BAKING WHICH IS GREAT.
ANTHONY: SUDDENLY THEY FOUND THEMSELVES -- >> MILLING A LOT.
WE MILLED MORE IN ONE MONTH THEN WE DID IN A YEAR.
ANTHONY: SELLING OUT OF THESE HOME MILLS.
>> IT IS PRETTY SIMPLE.
IT LETS YOU BUY WONDERFUL GRAINS AND GRIND THEM YOURSELF LIKE YOU WOULD COFFEE AT HOME SO YOU HAVE THE MOST FRESH GRAIN AT A MOMENT’S NOTICE.
ANTHONY: NEARLY EVERYTHING BAKED HERE IS WITH FLOUR MILLED HERE.
THEIR JOURNEY HERE START WITH GRANTS.
-- GRAINS.
FOR EXAMPLE, THESE FIELDS.
>> THEY TAUGHT US SO MUCH ABOUT HOW TO HANDLE GRAND, HOW DO STORE GRAIN.
>> THEIR GRAIN IS SO BEAUTIFUL, IT IS DELICIOUS.
>> K YOUR FARMER,NOW -- KNOW YOUR FARMER, KNOW YOUR GRAIN.
ANTHONY: BARBARA HONED HER EXPERTISE WHEN SHE SERVED AT THE FLESH IN YOUR LIBRARY -- AT THE LIBRARY.
SHE DEVELOPED A CULINARY COLLECTION AND A FRIENDSHIP WITH JULIA CHILD.
>> THE COLLECTION GOT TO BE WELL-KNOWN BECAUSE JULIA CHILD GAVE HER PAPERS TO THE LIBRARY AND WAS GIVING HER BOOKS.
SHE GOT EVERY BOOK EVERY PUBLISHER PUT OUT AND SHE WOULD LOOK AT THEM AND PASS THEM ON TO ME.
I SEE BAKING AS ALCHEMY, IT CHANGES FORM.
YOU ARE DEALING WITH FLOUR AND THEN SOMETHING WET, AND THEN SOMETHING THAT RAISES THE FLOUR.
YOU GET SOMETHING DELICIOUS.
THESE COMBINATIONS ARE INFINITE.
IT IS LIKE GARDENING IN MY HEAD.
THERE IS ALWAYS MORE TO LEARN.
THERE HAS BEEN A REVOLUTION IN BREADMAKING.
IT WAS SOFT AND SPONGY AND THAT IS WHAT PEOPLE THOUGHT IT WAS.
I’M REMEMBER MY GRANDMOTHER WOULD GO ACROSS TOWN TO AN ITALIAN BAKERY TO BUY A DECENT LOAF OF BREAD.
IN THE LAST 25 YEARS, ASPIRING BAKERS HAVE GONE TO ITALY, FRANCE, THEY HAVE WORKED WITH THE MASTERS AND DEALT WITH THE SCIENCE OF FAKING.
CAROL FIELD WHO WAS A WONDERFUL NONPROFESSIONAL, A FOOD WRITER, DID A BOOK AS SHE TRAVELED.
SHE GOT FASCINATED BY THE VARIOUS KINDS OF ITALIAN BREADS AVAILABLE.
IT WAS KIND OF A TRAVEL LOG ALONG WITH GOOD RECIPES FOR ALL THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF REDS AVAILABLE.
-- BREADS AVAILABLE.
IT WORKED.
ANTHONY: SHE, TOO, HAS A RECIPE THAT WORKS AS FOR GO TO BREAKFAST BREAD.
>> YOU CAN EAT IT WITH CHEESE OR BUTTER, BUT IT HAS TO BE GOOD AND HEALTHY.
WHOLE-WHEAT HAS MORE FIBER AND MORE FLAVOR.
THIS IS A LITTLE BIT ENRICHED.
THIS HAS EVAPORATED MILK AND MOLASSES.
I THINK THE MOLASSES BRINGS OUT THE SWEETNESS OF THE GRAIN.
I AM WONDERING HOW MUCH THIS FASCINATION WITH BAKING WILL CONTINUE WHEN LIFE GETS BACK TO NORMAL, WHEN MOMS AND DADS ARE BACK AT THEIR JOBS AND NOT EVERYBODY IS AT HOME COOPED UP
TOGETHER.
ANTHONY: FOOD FOR THOUGHT FOR ANOTHER TIME.
ANTHONY: -- BACK TO ELMENDORF CAFE THE APPLEBAUMS DID SO MUCH MILLING WHEN THE PANDEMIC HIT, THEY WORE OUT THEIR MILLS.
AND THOSE HOME MILLS WERE IN SHORT SUPPLY, TOO.
THEY SOLD OUT HERE AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
ELMENDORF NOW HAS A NEW, LARGER STONE MILL READY FOR ANOTHER WAVE OF HOME BAKING, AS THE WEATHER GETS COLDER.
COMING UP, AN AMATEUR BAKE