Yippee!

[Faroe]

We ordered a grain mill today. Country Living, with the handle extension, and the bean and corn auger. The reality of hand mills is that it is that it is a pain to switch grains, because there is always a bit left in the hopper, taking the machine apart to switch augers can be messy, but I wanted the flexibility. My biggest concern is that I should have ordered the repair kit, and an extra set of grinding plates too. Maybe next month.

About ten years ago, I had a Diamant, and wished I'd ordered the CL instead. The Diamant was BEAUTIFUL, and did do a good job of grinding, but was hard to adjust, and I didn't trust the finish to not get into the food. I gave it away for a cross country move.

I love baking bread, and usually make a loaf a couple times a week. For the last few years, I never ate what I baked because wheat (apparently) was giving me HORRENDOUS stomach aches. BF said they were tasty - I just had to take his word for it. Now, I don't know what is/was going on because over Christmas, our neighbors flooded us with cookies, and I was just too tempted and sampled a bit - and no bellyache. So, I've been eating some bread, and maybe I shouldn't, but its TASTY!

I originally learned to bake bread from Laurel's Kitchen, but, IMHO the Peter Rhinehart (spell ?) books are the best. My favorite is the one written after ( I think its called, The Bread Baker's Apprentice). His most useful advice, to me, was that once you have a viable sourdough type culture going, make sure to shake it often - several times a day when it is sitting out at room temperature. The incorporated oxygen will keep the culture healthy.

Happy baking.

[goatlady]

Most probably your digestive system was not acclimated to whole wheat, especially if it was not finely ground. Maybe start out making your bread with 1/2 finely ground whole wheat and 1/2 store bought flour. After a few weeks start reducing the store bought gradually and see how your tummy reacts. lso remember the hard red wheat berries have a much stronger flavor and a "tougher" grain - which is why it stores so well for a long time. Other types of wheat berries might be gentler on your tummy.

[Faroe]

I don't know, goatlady. The stomachaches started in my early twenties, but they were intermittent - an inconvenience, but I could live with them. By my late thirties they were nearly constant and so bad I could hardly hold down a job - my only solution at that point, such as it was, was not to eat.

One day, I read an article about celiacs, which I'd never heard of before, and that week, BF mentioned that he had a friend who was one. So, I stopped eating wheat to see if that was the problem, and the difference was like night and day. Finally, and consistently pain free. The occasional pains turned out to be from foods I hadn't expected to be a problem - like flour thickened soups or sauces.

I don't go to doctors, so I've never been tested.

[hunybee]

you sound classic celiac/gluten intolerant faroe


you figured out what was the problem for your body and fixed it

[Faroe]

Huny, I agree.

I'm thinking that perhaps the Christmas cookies weren't noticeably damaging because after having been very careful for the last few years, I regained a healthy gut, and that the damage each time, while minor, is cumulative. After a few days of enjoying bread I'm noticing some discomfort again - so, no more wheat for me, at least for a very long time.

Good thing other people can enjoy it.

[hunybee]

i do miss it. alot


the smell of toast cooking sometimes is unbearable, but....


as i and the others agree, i like the way i feel when i don't eat it much more than the toast













i do still miss it though.....