breadequipmentstorage-method
For some reason I always thought bread boxes were supposed to be wood, and that some property of wood helped keep bread fresh. Like a cigar box, perhaps. But after looking for a bread box, I see that many are plastic and metal. Before I buy a bread box, I should probably understand what exactly I'm purchasing.
What is a bread box for, and do all types of bread boxes accomplish the intended purpose?
Get good metal
A decent pair of 23 to 30 cm (9 to 12") stainless steel tongs should weigh around 125 to 150 g (4.5 to 5.5 oz); if it weighs less than this it is not going to be strong enough to be truly useful, and will probably bend and break in short order
Longer tongs, say around 35 to 40 cm (13.5 to 15.5") are great if you operate a very hot grill frequently
If it has a locking mechanism (recommended) it should only lock when the tongs are pointed up and squeezed close. It should unlock when pointed down and squeezed. This is normally achieved with a pin just below the hinge pin that is engaged when tipped up. Locks that require fiddling or two hands to operate are a pain, and often fail over time
Go for plain metal, the plastic bits never last very long or stay hygienic, and you will be adding to the rubbish pile before long
I have various tongs like this that have lasted 20 years and are still great
Cheap Chinese tongs are often just chrome plated crap steel. They are bad in so many ways: hygiene, longevity, easy of use, etc
Examples
Good tongs 23 cm with internal locking pin. Cannot bend steel with hands.
Bad tongs with silicone ends that wear out quickly. The two handed locking mechanism that jams or breaks easily
Yes, and it is very easy. I do it all the time.
You only need a very simple calculation. You don't even have to be precise.
If you do want precision, you will have to find out 1) how much of your flour protein is gluten, 2) how much of your "vital wheat gluten" is gluten, and 3) how much gluten content you need for your recipe. Then use a simple rule-of-three calculation to get the amount needed to add.
I usually don't bother, because 1) and 2) is information which is very hard to find, and due to the large difference in gluten weight and complete weight, imprecision from not using true proportions is minimal. What I do is:
This doesn't produce exactly 12.5% gluten content, but I think that it is within the tolerance of most recipes; indeed, not all commercial flours are exactly 12.5%, they vary with brand and season.
I add the powder to the flour and mix it well before making the bread. If I am using a preferment, I add all the gluten to the preferment and make the non-fermenting part with AP flour only, so my gluten can benefit from longer autolysis.
I have no direct comparison with "true" bread flour, as I have never used it. But my breads requiring bread flour turn out good for my standards. There is no problem with bad distribution, the dough turns out very smooth and evenly elastic. There is a pronounced difference to using AP flour only.
Best Answer
In my experience, they're best at concentrating mold spores, and hiding away unsightly loaves.
While chic, and quite popular in the days before plastic bags, they're not much use now. Pretty much the same as the "pie safe"