The highest grade, or best quality,
is called _high-grade patent_; the next grade, _bakers'_; and the next,
_second-grade patent_. The lowest grade, or poorest quality, is called
_red dog_. This grade is seldom sold for food purposes, but it is used
considerably for the making of paste.
The quality of flour used in bread making is of very great importance,
because flour of poor quality will not, of course, make good bread.
Every housewife should therefore be familiar with the characteristics of
good flour and should buy accordingly.
19. Several tests can be applied to flour to determine its kind and its
quality. The first test is its color. Bread flour, or flour made from
spring wheat, is usually of a creamy-white color, while pastry flour, or
that made from winter wheat, is more nearly pure white in color. A dark,
chalky-white, or gray color indicates that the flour is poor in quality.
The second test is the feel of the flour. A pinch of good bread flour,
when rubbed lightly between the thumb and the index finger, will be
found to be rather coarse and the particles will feel sharp and gritty.
When good pastry flour is treated in the same way, it will feel smooth
and powdery. The third test is its adhering power. When squeezed tightly
in the hand, good bread flour holds together in a mass and retains
slightly the impression of the fingers; poor bread flour treated in the
same way either does not retain its shape or, provided it contains too
much moisture, is liable to make a damp, hard lump.
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