Wow! Have you noticed the dramatic increase in the
price of
wheat flour?
Ever loyal to the bulk
department, I wondered a bit as I continued to scoop wheat flour into
my
plastic containers. What’s going on?
Here’s what’s happening: In
2004, wheat went for $4 a bushel; on April 7, 2008, wheat prices hit
$13 a
bushel. The United States exports more wheat than any other nation; the
current
weak dollar means that more countries can buy more American wheat.
Adding to
the problem, inclement weather affected crops in the Midwest, so there
was less
wheat to harvest.
Compounding
the issue of wheat’s availability is that many American farmers are
turning
from wheat to corn, which is now more profitable — ethanol is proving
to be a
valuable fuel source.
Marketing 101: Supply and
Demand
More people want our
diminishing supply of wheat. And, to top it all off, gas prices
continue to
increase. is not a local crop, and it has to get transported to Albany
using
carbon fuels. (I’ve heard that if one is to be a true locavore here,
one has to
forgo all wheat products.…)
And so, food prices are increasing
for a number of reasons — hence the uncomfortable rising prices in the
bulk
aisle. Wheat prices affect other costs, as well. Newspaper articles
mention
pizzeria owners around the nation bemoaning having to raise the cost of
a slice
of pizza. Other flours have also been affected by the weak dollar as
bad
weather, increased interest in ethanol, and carbon footprints continue
to drive
up prices.
Good news, perhaps — if
there’s a good crop of winter wheat, prices might decrease soon.
Solutions in Bulk
Wheat flours, Coop Scoop
readers might be pleased to know, are not the only flours available in
bulk. Of
course, nothing beats wheat flour for baking bread. Wheat contains
proteins
that
produce gluten, necessary for
producing dough that can incorporate the air pockets caused by
fermenting yeast
or by the chemical reactions of baking powder and liquids.
But many flours can
supplement wheat when baking.Flours
made of buckwheat, millet, oat, potato, rye, soy, brown rice, garbanzo
beans
(chick peas), white rice and tapioca — just
to name a few — are all
available in the bulk aisle. There, Co-op shoppers will also find
pre-made
mixes: a six-grain blend, as well as one for pancakes. The former is a
mix of
wheat, barley, rye, corn, millet and buckwheat (which is not a member
of the
cereal family, and is best known in its
kasha form). The latter mix
contains buttermilk solids; and to prepare pancakes one adds only water
and a
little oil, making it perfect for camping trip breakfasts.
Our recipes take a different
approach this month. Instead of focusing on the outcome (the dish),
these
recipes give Co-op shoppers ideas for how to use a couple of flours.
Sources:
Crescent Dragonwagon,
Passionate Vegetarian. 2002. New York: Workman.
