THE MILL
WHAT WE DO:
THE MILL
Here at Elmendorf we mill more than 20 varieties of grain in small batches to make the freshest, most flavorful flour you can possibly imagine! Our grain comes to us directly from small family farms, locally whenever possible, which allows us to offer a range of really special options, including a large selection of heirloom and organic grain.
Our gorgeous Vermont-built stone mill is the heart of our shop, grinding the incredibly fresh and flavorful flour that goes into our retail packages and gets baked into many of our pastries. Our goal is to bring the extraordinary work of local farmers to you with as little processing as possible so you can taste the splendors of grain in all its unedited glory.
The main mill at the shop is a New American Stone Mill built in Vermont by Andrew Heyn. What we do at the shop is pretty much what millers have been doing for thousands of years: milling grain in a single pass through two granite stones quarried in Vermont. It's pretty simple. And that's the point: grain is pretty awesome in its most simple form.
FARM TO MILL
THE GROWERS
Working with small family farmers is incredibly important to us, strengthening the connection between farmer, miller, and baker. We think it's integral to a properly functioning food system. Small farmers care deeply and personally about their crops, and that love translates to the flour we mill.
Whenever possible we work with local farmers to support a regional economy. If the grain can grow well in our area we're committed to sourcing it locally.
We do bring in a smaller selection of grain from other parts of the country when it doesn't grow well in our region.
FARMER SPOTLIGHT
Whitesfields Farm
We happened across Stan and Abbie's wonderful Redeemer wheat at a farmers market and were immediately hooked. Their wheat is extremely flavorful, perfectly cleaned, and grown about two hours away in Hardwick, MA.
In addition to grain, the Whites raise sheep and maintain a beautiful garden full of rare fruit trees. Their operation is truly a family affair with their sons Simon and Evan pitching in to maintain the farm. Recently the renowned restaurant Blue Hill at Stone Barns began baking with their wheat after it won a blind taste test!
WHAT WE'RE MILLING
FROM THE HOPPER
OUR CURRENT GRAIN LIST
(changes frequently; call for availability)
Bread Wheat
Red Fife, Gianfotre Farm, NY, heritage/organic
Glenn, Buck Farm, ME
Redeemer, Whitesfields Farm, MA, organic
Redeemer, Nitty Gritty Farm, VT, organic
Øland, Buck Farm, ME, heritage
Pastry Wheat
Frederick, Peter & Hanna Martens Farm, NY, organic
Sonora, BKW Farms, AZ, heritage/organic
Corn
Ruby Red popcorn, Hurricane Flats Farm, VT, organic
Shaman's Blue popcorn, Hurricane Flats Farm, VT, organic
Wapsie Valley dent, Peter & Hanna Martens Farm, NY, organic
Narragansett White Cap flint, Harry Here Farm, RI, heritage/organic
Longfellow Yellow flint, Harry Here Farm, RI, heritage/organic
Beans
Kidney, Peter & Hanna Martens Farm, NY, organic
Black Turtle, Peter & Hanna Martens Farm, NY, organic
Pinto, Peter & Hanna Martens Farm, NY, organic
Ancient Grain
Danko Rye, Oechsner Farm, NY, organic
Durum, BKW Farms, AZ, organic
Khorasan, BKW Farms, AZ, organic
Einkorn, Peter & Hanna Martens Farm, NY, organic
Spelt, Peter & Hanna Martens Farm, NY, organic
Emmer/Farro, Peter & Hanna Martens Farm, NY, organic
Oats
Rolled Oats, Aurora Farm, ME, organic
Steel Cut Oats, Aurora Farm, ME, organic
Oat Groats, Aurora Farm, ME, organic
STORAGE
We recommend storing all of our flour and grain in the freezer if possible to maintain maximum freshness and quality. Fresh-milled grain is more perishable than the stuff you buy at the supermarket. While our flour should stay fresh and delicious for several months at room temperature it's more susceptible to spoilage, humidity and temperature variations, and pests (most of our grain is organic!). The best way to ensure fresh, delicious flour is to order in small quantities and use it relatively quickly.
BAKING & COOKING
We could go on all day about what makes our grain special and different than the stuff you're used to buying. We won't. Instead we'll highlight a few general things that make our flour different to help you use it successfully and enjoy it as much as we do.
Because our flour is so fresh and comes from a variety of farms with different climates, harvest, and storage conditions, it tends to be more variable than the flour you're used to. If you've ever bought a farmers market tomato you understand that even the same varieties change from farm to farm and year to year. We think this is part of the fun of working with fresh-milled flour. But it can also make it more challenging. Sometimes it will require more or less liquid in your recipes. We always recommend following your recipe the first time you use a flour, and then adjusting it the next time. We also find that allowing our flour to sit a bit longer in doughs and batters to hydrate before baking tends to help as well. That's because it's not ground as finely as industrial flour (which uses a different type of milling).
Our best advice is to trust your instincts and have fun. Industrial flour is designed to be super consistent but at the expense of flavor (and with the addition of loads of processing). Our flour is all about flavor. Getting back to the basics. The difference between a good muffin and a great one. Play with it and enjoy the results.