Bread-Making Machine Advice Needed for Silicon Valley!
#39677 - 01/22/04 07:03 AM
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belinda
Reged: 10/09/03
Posts: 474
Loc: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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I frequently make 10-day trips to visit my boyfriend in Silicon Valley, CA. So far I have been unable to find IBS-safe bread I can tolerate there and I have had to bring my own bread with me from Canada (stuffed in my onboard flight bag). I've been bringing my own bread for 3 1/2 years now. I realize this is very pathetic on my part!
Some months ago I posted my bread problem on this message board and some people wisely suggested I buy a bread-making machine. Being the dinosaur that I am, I resisted this idea because I'm not much of a cook.
Well, a co-worker has finally convinced me a bread-making machine is the way to go! I've just tried some IBS-safe bread she made for me and she has given me the machine's instruction booklet and it looks so EASY and the ingredients are so BASIC!!!
Could anyone provide me with some advice on what brand/model of bread-maker to purchase? I need a machine that makes horizontal bread loaves (as opposed to verticle loaves) and one that is not too complicated.
Also, where would be the best place (with a reasonable price) to buy the machine? My boyfriend lives in Sunnyvale, CA. (near Palo Alto) so any store in that whole area (including San Jose) would be fine.
I also need advice on what brand of white flour to buy for the machine, and where to get it. (Organic would be best, but I would consider conventional flour too.) My co-worker says U.S. flour is different than Canadian flour. She says our flour here contains more gluton than U.S. flour. As a result, she says, I would either have to add gluton to the U.S. flour or buy a U.S. flour that is specifically meant for a bread-making machine. Does anyone know anything about this?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
Belinda
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Quote:
As a result, she says, I would either have to add gluton to the U.S. flour or buy a U.S. flour that is specifically meant for a bread-making machine. Does anyone know anything about this?
Belinda,
Can't help you on make/model, but my mom always had perfect results with just regular US flour. Her booklet said the same thing, but she's a great cook and just ignored it. Her bread has always been fabulous. So my advice is don't worry about the flour, just get bakin' and have fun!
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Laura
Keep it simple!
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Hi Belinda,
Not sure if there's a Whole Foods Market in Sunnyvale, but I know Campbell is near by and has a one with IBS safe bread. The type of bread is made in Campbell (which is why I think it's only sold at that one) and has no added preservatives. I believe there's only 5 ingredients listed. I live just on the outskirts of Campbell in San Jose so I go to that one all the time.
Unfortunately I don't know what the ingredients are or the name of it (pretty sure it's made by Campbell Bakery)as I got a Betty Crocker bread machine and make my bread with that. I'm pretty sure my mom got it at Target, but I know Wal-mart sells them too. Wal-mart is pretty much the place to go around here for the cheapest price.
I believe Whole Foods Market also sells gluten-free flour. I buy the bread flour (although I can only find it at Albertsons) to use for my breads, but I don't know what the difference is between bread flour and all-purpose flour.
Hope this helps.
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- Jennifer
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Bakers Catalogue
#39730 - 01/22/04 10:09 AM
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Bevvy
Reged: 11/04/03
Posts: 5918
Loc: Northwest Washington State
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Belinda, I love my bread machine -- it's a Breadman Ultimate, I believe the same kind as Mags. I make a lot of bread with it.
You asked about flour, including organic. Go to: web page . I get all my King Arthur flour from this company; I order it by mail. It's super fresh, and they have a WIDE variety. I did a post about this when we are all talking about bread machines a week ago -- have you searched?
Bakers Catalogue has a lot of great stuff; I get my yeast from them because it's guaranteed fresh (and yeast really HAS to be fresh). Another thing they offer that I like a lot is their flour base, special formulations of dried ingredients designed to be added to a basic bread dough to make specialty loaves -- such as French Herb, Olives Plus, Herb & Garlic, Honey Cracked Wheat, Pumpernickel Plus, Savory Tomato, Seeds Plus, Potato Dill Onion, and -- my VERY favorite -- Apple and Spice! You wouldn't believe how incredible it is. You can get a sample pack of each to see which you like best.
Check it out!
Bev
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<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~letsrow/smily3481.gif">Bevvy
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I purchased my bread flour at Costco. They sell 20# bags at a very low price and I found it to be excellent for breadmaking. Be sure and get bread flour wherever you purchase it, I tried regular flour and the results weren't acceptable. The market sells smaller 5# bags.
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Yeah, my mom uses those mixes -- they're great, just like you say, Bevrs.
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Laura
Keep it simple!
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Yummy!! Those dried ingredients sound great. Will have to do some searching and see if I can get them here.
My breadmaker is a Breville (not sure if you have that Brand). I love it, but should use it more often.
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