The Flour Incident

A stone floor covered in a wide drift of flour, with a dustpan in the middle of it. So from now on flour containers, and not bags, will be a thing for me. Oops.

Every baker has this photo. Most just don't post it. There is a practical lesson in it, though. Paper flour bags tear, tip and let in moisture and pantry pests. Professional kitchens keep flour in lidded, food-safe bins, labeled with the type and date. Stored airtight in a cool place, white flour keeps for about a year, while whole grain flours, which contain the oily germ, are best refrigerated or frozen.