COOKS IN TROUBLE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19126, 22 September 1936, Page 4

COOKS IN TROUBLE

N.Z. FLOUR QUALITY

ROME RAKERS TROUBLED

WIDESPREAD COMPLAINTS

Residents of this (list riel who arc accust,Dined to linking their own bread are up in anus eoueeriiing tlio quality Hour now being made available by the State authority controlling the distribution of stocks. It is stated that even the best station cooks are experiencing great, ditHculty in turning out eatable bread, so poor is the quality of the basic ingredient. Grocers in Gisborne affirm that they have received' numerous complaints from people living in the country regarding their failure with hatches of bread prepared by their usual methods.

“Even the Maoris are complaining, and when they complain things are pretty bad.” said one well-known retailer. "Maoris are usually the last to make a fuss, and long before we had any protests from natives we had a great many from European customers. Some of our regular patrons have tried brands other than those they have been accustomed to using, hut apparently there is nothing to be gained by a. change of brands, for the same trouble affects all the Hour available. After going through the usual process of preparation and baking, under home-cooking conditions, it turns out a soggy loaf which one would not care to tackle unless exceedingly hungry.”

Trade bakers who have every facility for handling the flour, and wide experience in the variations of quality in their ingredients, do not complain of the present supplies. Housewives generally, however, consider that the quality ol bread baked in Gisborne for retail sale reflects the lowering of the flour standard.

EMBARGO ON OVERSEAS FLOUR

From general inquiries, it appears that the prohibition of importations of flour from Canada and Australia has reduced all brands to practically the same level. Formerly New Zealand flour was blended in some instances with imported supplies, arq] when the prohibition was first placed on importations the bakers uf New Zealand voiced strong protests. The embargo on “foreign” flour does not wholly explain the present difficulty, however,' as prior to this year plenty of good bread was made with unblended Dominion-milled flour.

“It is common knowledge that much of 'the wheat harvested in New Zealand this year was affected by late rains, and already had deteriorated when sent for milling,” stated one man interested in the question, in conversation with a pressman to-day. “Flour milled! from that wheat will not stand up to breadmaking processes as it should, and while the Wheat Board has been able to devise means of improving the. product, o! trade baking ovens and so otfset the lack of quality in the flour, home cooks are having a bad time. One country resident brought in a sample of her bread-making the other day, and it seemed to justify her deeply indignant protest.

If the Government would 1 permit the importation of even a moderate quantity of Canadian wheat, it would be possible, by blending, to restore the quality of the flour, and in justice to the country users in particular!, it seems that something should be done."