[Toymeister]

Is anyone into milling wheat or other grains?

The advantage is taste. Unlike store bought whole wheat flour there is no risk of the flour becoming rancid.

[ThirdOfFive]

My wife, born and raised in Thailand, will sometimes make her own rice flour for some of the more traditional Thai dishes. Her family did that when she was young: they made desserts for sale and couldn't afford to buy ready-milled flour.

It it quite a process: first she cooks it, then dries it, then grinds it into flour by hand with a mortar and pestle. I have to say that the results are worth the effort.

[Rainger99]

Originally Posted by ThirdOfFive

It it quite a process: first she cooks it, then dries it, then grinds it into flour by hand with a mortar and pestle. I have to say that the results are worth the effort.

At least worth her effort!

[Rainger99]

Originally Posted by Toymeister

The advantage is taste. Unlike store bought whole wheat flour there is no risk of the flour becoming rancid.

Why won’t it go rancid?

[Toymeister]

Originally Posted by Rainger99

Why won’t it go rancid?

Wheat had three parts, the covering (bran), starch (endosperm) and the germ. The oil in the germ goes rancid when exposed to oxygen. Until it is ground up it is protected by the bran.

There is some evidence that the nutrients fade with time, some as early as 48 hours after milling. White flour doesn't have bran or germ which is why 5 of the 40 nutrients that are in the germ are added back as 'enrichment'.

[Toymeister]

Originally Posted by ThirdOfFive

My wife, born and raised in Thailand, will sometimes make her own rice flour for some of the more traditional Thai dishes. Her family did that when she was young: they made desserts for sale and couldn't afford to buy ready-milled flour.

It it quite a process: first she cooks it, then dries it, then grinds it into flour by hand with a mortar and pestle. I have to say that the results are worth the effort.

Buy her an electric mill. I am nominating you to RetiredGuy123's annual tight wad of the year semifinals.

[ThirdOfFive]

Originally Posted by Toymeister

Buy her an electric mill. I am nominating you to RetiredGuy123's annual tight wad of the year semifinals.

Apparently the word "traditional" means different things to different people.

[asianthree]

Originally Posted by ThirdOfFive

My wife, born and raised in Thailand, will sometimes make her own rice flour for some of the more traditional Thai dishes. Her family did that when she was young: they made desserts for sale and couldn't afford to buy ready-milled flour.

It it quite a process: first she cooks it, then dries it, then grinds it into flour by hand with a mortar and pestle. I have to say that the results are worth the effort.

Your wife honors her family past and present, by carrying on a tradition, pasted down many generations.
Our grandchildren, spend a week every year in the kitchen with their grandmother, learning to make traditional Vietnamese dishes. Each year they improve learning how to hand mill flour, traditional kimchi, and try as they will a tighter spring roll. Our granddaughter fiancé is Chinese, so she is adding a second layer of Asian cuisine from her future in-law. I add in Native American traditional healing herbs to keep healthy, using a flat stone to grind things from the garden.

Now I just need to teach that her nose will tell her when to turn the fried chicken, not time on a clock. Grits are a day long process, that time is passed by story telling.My great granny would be proud southern roots are alive and well.

[shaw8700@outlook.com]

I learned from a neighbor. He milled his own and it had a wonderful smell. Sadly he moved to Portugal and took all of his stuff with him.

[BrianL99]

This thread is a spoof, right?

[villageuser]

Originally Posted by asianthree

Your wife honors her family past and present, by carrying on a tradition, pasted down many generations.
Our grandchildren, spend a week every year in the kitchen with their grandmother, learning to make traditional Vietnamese dishes. Each year they improve learning how to hand mill flour, traditional kimchi, and try as they will a tighter spring roll. Our granddaughter fiancé is Chinese, so she is adding a second layer of Asian cuisine from her future in-law. I add in Native American traditional healing herbs to keep healthy, using a flat stone to grind things from the garden.

Now I just need to teach that her nose will tell her when to turn the fried chicken, not time on a clock. Grits are a day long process, that time is passed by story telling.My great granny would be proud southern roots are alive and well.

That is beautiful!

[Stu from NYC]

Why not a food processor for final step?

[asianthree]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

Why not a food processor for final step?

Hand milled is about control of the texture. It’s about feel, site, and believe it or not a calm peace while working with your hands.
Food processor is just that over processed can change texture quickly. Similar to making mashed potatoes. By hand you have perfect mashed, maybe a few lumps but still good. Use anything motorized and potatoes can quickly become glue.
It’s not about saving time, it’s the journey to your end results

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

I have a set of millstones connected with some kind of metal bolt thing through them. They're small, maybe only 6" each. The bottom 3 are almost 2" thick, the top one is around 1" thick. Four platens total, and they weigh around 40 pounds combined. No idea what they're made out of but it doesn't appear to be lead (which is the only thing I could think of that could possibly be THAT heavy for such a small size).

I thought maybe they were some kind of gears, but they definitely look more like millstones. The bolt doesn't go through the center of the stones though. It's outward near the edge, and each stone can turn independently in either direction.

[ChilePepper]

I mill barley seeds into flour using a coffee grinder. It makes wonderful Greek bread. Then I make Dakos with the bread. Google it!