OUR FLOUR
Corn is the general name given to all cereal plants which produce an edible seed or grain. The plant is normally cut or harvested after a growing season and the grain extracted by threshing.
The most common forms of grain in this country are wheat, barley, oats and rye. Elsewhere in the world maize and rice are widely used.
Many other seeds can be added to these basic grains to provide different flavours such as sunflower, linseed, pumpkin, millet and poppy.
Most basic grains can be successfully milled between stones such as those at Stanway, but as wheat is the most popular grain, the stones have been dressed or grooved to produce the best results for this product.
Wheat grain produces a good balance of protein and gluten, starch and carbohydrates. The grain consists of three components.
The bran or brown outer skin or casing (12% of total)
The germ, which is the embryo for producing a new plant (3% of total)
The endosperm, which is the white kernel (85% of total).
When the grain is milled, the whole is crushed between the stones and nothing is removed. The result is known as wholemeal flour. This is one of the products available at Stanway and is particularly suitable for making a traditional wholemeal loaf with a rich roasted nutty flavour and soda bread.
If the wholemeal flour is then passed through the grader, the bran is separated from what is then white flour. Additionally, we can produce three different grades of white flour by passing it through different sized holes in a sheet of mesh within the grader.
We use wheat grown on the Stanway Estate less than two miles from the mill, and the flour is distributed to local outlets such as restaurants, bakeries and retail food outlets including delicatessens. It is also available in 1.5 kilo bags directly from the mill during opening times.
The most common forms of grain in this country are wheat, barley, oats and rye. Elsewhere in the world maize and rice are widely used.
Many other seeds can be added to these basic grains to provide different flavours such as sunflower, linseed, pumpkin, millet and poppy.
Most basic grains can be successfully milled between stones such as those at Stanway, but as wheat is the most popular grain, the stones have been dressed or grooved to produce the best results for this product.
Wheat grain produces a good balance of protein and gluten, starch and carbohydrates. The grain consists of three components.
The bran or brown outer skin or casing (12% of total)
The germ, which is the embryo for producing a new plant (3% of total)
The endosperm, which is the white kernel (85% of total).
When the grain is milled, the whole is crushed between the stones and nothing is removed. The result is known as wholemeal flour. This is one of the products available at Stanway and is particularly suitable for making a traditional wholemeal loaf with a rich roasted nutty flavour and soda bread.
If the wholemeal flour is then passed through the grader, the bran is separated from what is then white flour. Additionally, we can produce three different grades of white flour by passing it through different sized holes in a sheet of mesh within the grader.
We use wheat grown on the Stanway Estate less than two miles from the mill, and the flour is distributed to local outlets such as restaurants, bakeries and retail food outlets including delicatessens. It is also available in 1.5 kilo bags directly from the mill during opening times.
BAKING BREAD WITH STANWAY FLOUR
Why Stanway flour bakes such good bread
Stanway flour contains wheat and nothing else. It is milled from Solstice wheat grown on the Stanway Estate less than a mile from the mill.
Most bread you buy in the shops contains additives and chemicals to “improve” it, which in fact debase its taste. The texture and flavour of bread made with Stanway flour evokes memories of how bread used to be. Children and young people love it. What’s more, if kept in cool, dry conditions it actually lasts longer than modern supermarket loaves.
Our different flours and their characteristics
Stanway Mill produces four distinct grades of strong, high protein flour using a mechanical grader powered by the waterwheel. When the flour leaves the millstones, still slightly warm from the grinding, it can either fall straight into a paper bag as wholemeal flour or, by moving a flap, it can be directed to the grader, a giant sieve, where the different sized particles are separated. The bran will not pass through the sieve and is given to cattle or horses.
Wholemeal is, as the name implies, exactly that –the whole grain, straight from the millstones, full of all the goodness of the grain, with nothing removed, with a rich, slightly malty flavour, giving a robust texture to bread and rolls, delicious with cheese, cold meats, honey, or toasted with marmalade for breakfast.
Finest Sifted The silky texture of our finest flour forms an elastic dough which when stretched becomes almost translucent. It bakes into a pale coloured loaf with a rich tan crust, perfect for sandwiches, and it can be used for delicious pizza bases, and is similar in particle size to Italian 00 grade flour.
Fine Sifted A little coarser than the finest, this bakes into a hefty loaf for the perfect ploughman’s lunch, or sprinkled with sesame seed makes a truly wonderful burger bap. Similar in particle size to 0 grade, this makes an ideal general purpose flour for everyday baking.
Semolina Literally “semi mulina” or half milled, this has a finer granular texture and a pronounced nutty flavour. Not to be confused with the pudding your mother used to make with milk and served with a dollop of jam, this is a very tasty flour that can be used to make pasta, or added to your favourite bread recipe to produce a nutty crust.
These flours can of course be mixed afterwards to suit individual preferences.
It is possible to produce bread using Wholemeal flour only, but more commonly a mixture of equal quantities of Wholemeal and Fine Sifted is found to give better results. Several local bakers produce wonderful bread using this combination.
For further information a visit to the Real Bread Campaign website is strongly recommended. Here is a portal to the world of real bread, covering every aspect of what is an enormous and fascinating subject.
Why other flours are not the same
All flour (except wholemeal flour) sold in the United Kingdom is required by law to contain four additives to the basic product.
These additives, namely calcium carbonate (chalk), iron, thiamin and nicotinic acid are deemed necessary partly because, apart from chalk which is added for enrichment purposes, the complex modern milling operation removes some of the naturally occurring other three ingredients.
In addition, a raft of other additives such as processing aids, artificial additives, flour “improvers”, dough conditioners, preservatives and chemical leavening are introduced by the modern day bakeries to enhance the appearance, flavour, texture and usability of their products.
Incidentally, as things stand now, none of the additives have legally to be listed on the wrapping of the product, so consumers can be totally unaware of what they are actually eating.
Stanway flour contains wheat and nothing else. It is milled from Solstice wheat grown on the Stanway Estate less than a mile from the mill.
Most bread you buy in the shops contains additives and chemicals to “improve” it, which in fact debase its taste. The texture and flavour of bread made with Stanway flour evokes memories of how bread used to be. Children and young people love it. What’s more, if kept in cool, dry conditions it actually lasts longer than modern supermarket loaves.
Our different flours and their characteristics
Stanway Mill produces four distinct grades of strong, high protein flour using a mechanical grader powered by the waterwheel. When the flour leaves the millstones, still slightly warm from the grinding, it can either fall straight into a paper bag as wholemeal flour or, by moving a flap, it can be directed to the grader, a giant sieve, where the different sized particles are separated. The bran will not pass through the sieve and is given to cattle or horses.
Wholemeal is, as the name implies, exactly that –the whole grain, straight from the millstones, full of all the goodness of the grain, with nothing removed, with a rich, slightly malty flavour, giving a robust texture to bread and rolls, delicious with cheese, cold meats, honey, or toasted with marmalade for breakfast.
Finest Sifted The silky texture of our finest flour forms an elastic dough which when stretched becomes almost translucent. It bakes into a pale coloured loaf with a rich tan crust, perfect for sandwiches, and it can be used for delicious pizza bases, and is similar in particle size to Italian 00 grade flour.
Fine Sifted A little coarser than the finest, this bakes into a hefty loaf for the perfect ploughman’s lunch, or sprinkled with sesame seed makes a truly wonderful burger bap. Similar in particle size to 0 grade, this makes an ideal general purpose flour for everyday baking.
Semolina Literally “semi mulina” or half milled, this has a finer granular texture and a pronounced nutty flavour. Not to be confused with the pudding your mother used to make with milk and served with a dollop of jam, this is a very tasty flour that can be used to make pasta, or added to your favourite bread recipe to produce a nutty crust.
These flours can of course be mixed afterwards to suit individual preferences.
It is possible to produce bread using Wholemeal flour only, but more commonly a mixture of equal quantities of Wholemeal and Fine Sifted is found to give better results. Several local bakers produce wonderful bread using this combination.
For further information a visit to the Real Bread Campaign website is strongly recommended. Here is a portal to the world of real bread, covering every aspect of what is an enormous and fascinating subject.
Why other flours are not the same
All flour (except wholemeal flour) sold in the United Kingdom is required by law to contain four additives to the basic product.
These additives, namely calcium carbonate (chalk), iron, thiamin and nicotinic acid are deemed necessary partly because, apart from chalk which is added for enrichment purposes, the complex modern milling operation removes some of the naturally occurring other three ingredients.
In addition, a raft of other additives such as processing aids, artificial additives, flour “improvers”, dough conditioners, preservatives and chemical leavening are introduced by the modern day bakeries to enhance the appearance, flavour, texture and usability of their products.
Incidentally, as things stand now, none of the additives have legally to be listed on the wrapping of the product, so consumers can be totally unaware of what they are actually eating.
WHERE TO BUY STANWAY FLOUR
Stanway Watermill Flour Stockists
Broadway Deli
16 The Green, Broadway, Worcs WR12 7AA
01386 853040
Chadbury Farm Shop
Chadbury, Evesham, Worcs WR11 4TD
01386 446705
Teddington Stores
Teddington Hands, Evesham Rd, Teddington, Glos, GL20 8NE
01386 725400
Temple Guiting Shop & Tearoom
Temple Guiting, Cheltenham, GL54 5RP
01451 850577
Food Fanatics
12 North St, Winchcombe, Glos GL54 5LH
01242 604466
Hailes Fruit Farm
Winchcombe, Glos GL54 5PB
01242 603123
Nutrition Centre
133 Bath Road, Cheltenham, Glos GL53 7LT
01242 514150
Nutrition Centre
98 High St, Tewkesbury, Glos GL20 5TZ
01684 299620
Nutrition Centre
28 Winchcombe St, Cheltenham GL52 7LT 01242 529934
Oak Piece Nursery
Stanton, Broadway, Worcs WR12 7NQ
01386 584077
Spar Shop
Main Road, Toddington, Cheltenham GL54
0906 7840062
Toddington Garden Centre
Toddington, Cheltenham, Glos GL54 5DT
01242 621314
Wayside Farm Shop
Pitchers Hill, Wickhamford, Evesham WR11 7RT
01386 830546
Broadway Deli
16 The Green, Broadway, Worcs WR12 7AA
01386 853040
Chadbury Farm Shop
Chadbury, Evesham, Worcs WR11 4TD
01386 446705
Teddington Stores
Teddington Hands, Evesham Rd, Teddington, Glos, GL20 8NE
01386 725400
Temple Guiting Shop & Tearoom
Temple Guiting, Cheltenham, GL54 5RP
01451 850577
Food Fanatics
12 North St, Winchcombe, Glos GL54 5LH
01242 604466
Hailes Fruit Farm
Winchcombe, Glos GL54 5PB
01242 603123
Nutrition Centre
133 Bath Road, Cheltenham, Glos GL53 7LT
01242 514150
Nutrition Centre
98 High St, Tewkesbury, Glos GL20 5TZ
01684 299620
Nutrition Centre
28 Winchcombe St, Cheltenham GL52 7LT 01242 529934
Oak Piece Nursery
Stanton, Broadway, Worcs WR12 7NQ
01386 584077
Spar Shop
Main Road, Toddington, Cheltenham GL54
0906 7840062
Toddington Garden Centre
Toddington, Cheltenham, Glos GL54 5DT
01242 621314
Wayside Farm Shop
Pitchers Hill, Wickhamford, Evesham WR11 7RT
01386 830546