Living in California in Fall 2015

[Whitestripe]

Butter is generally sold in 1 lb (435 g) packages and flour in 5 lb (2.27k) bags.

[IheartIheartTesla]

If there was an Amish community, I'm sure they would have some yeast for sale. Presumably they dont even own a bread machine, the luddites. Unfortunately there wouldnt be any that far west.

 

(Apologies to any Amish reading this post, how did you get access to a computer?)

 

Also, when I wanted Indian spices or something similarly exotic, I tried to find the nearest Indian store. Sure, you'd get them in a supermarket or Trader Joe's, but your options would be more limited and price more expensive. Not sure if there are any [insert European nation] stores over in Berkeley, they wouldnt be as common as Asian stores I imagine.

[Filippa Eilhart]

bakeries sometimes sell "real" yeast.

[Jo498]

I think package sizes are not a very good indication for the food culture. E.g. in Germany you get fresh yeast almost everywhere I think (and you usually still get decent bread, so not too many people bake it themselves, yeast is more for pizza, cakes and similar things) and the traditional standard size for a package of butter is only 250 grams and for flour 1 kg bags are very common (although there are bigger ones as well).

[Happy Ent]

By the way, one thing that the US [i]has[/i], and which is impossible to find in Sweden, is buttermilk. Yummy.

[Lyanna Stark]

I still don't quite understand what "real yeast" is... I have the ingredients at home to bake some bread, and I got some packets of yeast, but yeah... I don't understand the difference.

 

 

Fresh yeast is generally soft and you buy it in small blocks, like this. When you use it to bake, the liquid you bake with needs to be 37C (99F) or it won't rise well. If you use fluids that are too hot, you will kill the yeast (yes, it is alive).

 

Dried yeast is like a powder, something like this, and to make the dough rise efficiently you will need somewhat warmer liquid for your bread. It's still alive, just inactive. Generally cookbooks tell you to aim for 40C (104F) to make it rise well. When in doubt, you can "proof" it, by putting the yeast in some warm water with sugar/honey or similar and it should start to grow and create bubbles.

 

Fresh yeast is in mine (and apparently HE's as well) easier to bake with than dried. In my experience it makes the dough rise quicker and more evenly, and it's more reliable than dried. Unless it's too old.