Building Better Bread: The Grind

The low drone of the stone grinder has been humming away in my kitchen for 15 years. Stone grinding has long been considered the superior method to uphold the highest nutrition, flavor, and texture of milled grains. It is a very slow process which keeps milling temperature low enough to maintain the integrity of the grain. You can adjust the grind from very fine to coarse for cracked wheat or corn. Stone grinders are the oldest type of mill. They are extremely durable and last for generations. Burr grinders have steel burrs which shred grain into flour. While this type of grinder is great for making nut and seed butters but it can be difficult to get a very fine grind for flour. The impact mill is characterized by the rotating blades which pulverize the grain. While they are capable of producing a very fine flour some impact mills produce too much heat which destroys the vital nutrients. The best start for any bread is freshly ground flour.