The Local Flour Hour

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Eating local food was a gradual process for me: it began as a weekly delivery of vegetables (no fruit option yet), and now, eight years later, has become my standard.  Of course, I still buy some foods that are not local.  Some of these will never be local (olive oil, coffee); some of these may be local some day (sustainably-harvested fish); and some of these feel like they should be local already (nuts beyond chestnuts and walnuts, flour).  This week, however, I was able to strike one from the should-be-local-already category: flour. 

At Sunday’s Headhouse Square Farmer’s Market, I found local flour at the Henry Farm stand. Coincidentally, I found this article in last Wednesday’s New York Times.  More than just timely, it actually mentioned a local flour company, Daisy Flour.  Unfortunately, Daisy Flour is unavailable in Philadelphia at the moment.  However, I contacted Bob Pierson of Farm to City, who informed me that Daisy Flour will be available at Tuesday’s Rittenhouse Square Farmer’s Market, and it may even be available this winter through Farm to City’s Winter Harvest. 

Thus far, the flour makes excellent flatbread, using The Breadmaker’s Apprentice as a reference.  Muffins, scones, and focaccia aren’t far behind.  Now, about that seafood…