Yeast Shortages?

[tvguy]

Just back from two stores, still no yeast.

 

[punkin]

Just back from two stores, still no yeast.

Nothing at costco, but I got 25 pounds of all purpose king arthur flour.

 

[tvguy]

Nothing at costco, but I got 25 pounds of all purpose king arthur flour.

LOL. I was afraid you got 25 pounds of YEAST!

 

[mommy2allyandaveri]

My kids have been wanting to try to make soft pretzels so I was looking for the little packets, or anything really. Haven't seen any since all of this started. I mostly shop at Walmart and they have been out of flour this whole time too.

 

[Gordon Gekko]

What good is yeast if you can't get any flour? Lol.

I had to buy a 25 lbs. sack of flour from Wal-Mart literally all they had left.

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

No flour and no yeast in any of the stores I've looked at in the Bay Area for weeks. I tried ordering from King Arthur but they are all out of stock, too.

I kept a sourdough starter going for years and it used a ton of flour. It was incredible, but I don't have the need for that much baking any more. I wish there was a way of keeping it for long periods in between baking. I was able to do so in the freezer for a while, but it eventually died. My husband still talks about the sourdough bread and bagels I used to make. I used Nancy Silverton's La Brea Bread Bakery (the same woman who has a restaurant in Downtown Disney) to make my starter with grapes. Highly recommend her book for anyone new to sourdough baking.

 

[punkin]

I had to buy a 25 lbs. sack of flour from Wal-Mart literally all they had left.

I just did the same at Costco.

 

[punkin]

No flour and no yeast in any of the stores I've looked at in the Bay Area for weeks. I tried ordering from King Arthur but they are all out of stock, too.

I kept a sourdough starter going for years and it used a ton of flour. It was incredible, but I don't have the need for that much baking any more. I wish there was a way of keeping it for long periods in between baking. I was able to do so in the freezer for a while, but it eventually died. My husband still talks about the sourdough bread and bagels I used to make. I used Nancy Silverton's La Brea Bread Bakery (the same woman who has a restaurant in Downtown Disney) to make my starter with grapes. Highly recommend her book for anyone new to sourdough baking.

I vaguely remember reading that you can dry your starter and keep it for months between uses. Freezing it doesn't work well.

ETA: I found this: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/blog/2015/05/01/putting-sourdough-starter-hold

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

I vaguely remember reading that you can dry your starter and keep it for months between uses. Freezing it doesn't work well.

ETA: I found this: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/blog/2015/05/01/putting-sourdough-starter-hold

This is great--thanks! I'd heard of drying but never looked into it. I was making it about 20 years ago (hard to believe!). Maybe we'll give it another shot if we can find flour. The "kids" (20 & 23) would love it.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Some small, independent bakeries are selling small amounts of sourdough starter (and yeast and flour, too). So it can't hurt to check the internet and to call around to see if there is any for sale In your area.
Just for clarification, I don't think that Nancy Silverton has ever owned the La Brea Bakery in DTD -- that chain and the breads sold in supermarkets belong to a Swiss company (I think). Nancy did retain the rights to the original starter (valuable!) and the original bakery (which is now in its 2.0 form on La Brea in L.A.). The original location of the La Brea Bakery is now Republique on La Brea and is a fabulous restaurant and bakery owned by Walter and Margarita Manzke.

 

[QueenIsabella]

Hmm. My DH was going to Walmart yesterday, and I asked him to pick up a jar of yeast. So, he did. No problem. I think it's like a lot of things, it really depends on where you live and what your stores have gotten delivery on. I bake homemade bred occasionally, and we make our own pizza dough. So, when I read this thread about yeast shortages, I figured getting another jar might be prudent.

 

[havaneselover]

Hmm. My DH was going to Walmart yesterday, and I asked him to pick up a jar of yeast. So, he did. No problem. I think it's like a lot of things, it really depends on where you live and what your stores have gotten delivery on. I bake homemade bred occasionally, and we make our own pizza dough. So, when I read this thread about yeast shortages, I figured getting another jar might be prudent.

Also this was something I was able to see was in stock at my Walmart. I know that information isn't always correct but that's what got me to look at Walmart in the first place.

 

[undertheradar]

There is none showing available at any Walmart, Sam's Club, Costco or Dillon's(Kroger), within 150 miles!

 

[hsmamato2]

I've been playing with my sourdough starter since before all this craziness.... I've learned a few things....yes it really is super easy to start (see above article) and keep it alive. I keep it alive x4 (2 gf and 2 wheat) in the fridge,just in case something goes bad with one of them,I have an extra easily.
If you keep it on your counter,and use it daily,you must feed it daily. I don't want to waste that much flour, so I keep mine if fridge,and feed weekly. I only pour off excess when starter is outgrowing the jar,so not every time it's fed,only when it's too big.
I usually feed 3 tbsp-1/4 c flour and some filtered water each feeding.(once a week unless I'm baking something)
I am making bread once or twice a week so far, I love making pancakes and waffles with this stuff.... it's so good. And good for you.
You must take starter out of fridge and feed it at least 8 hours before you plan to make a recipe, so this requires a bit of planning. I usually take it out,feed,wait overnight and bake with it the next day.
To use the excess pour off, I simply pour on a baking sheet and bake. A few minutes later I have my favorite tangy treat,a flatbread that we all love with some butter- it's actuall the household favorite right now.
I turned a regular wheat starter into gf over two weeks time by starting with about 2 tbsp., and feeding it gf flour daily,until it was basically a whole new starter(gf) then I started using it in gf pancakes etc.
I have read that sourdough is an excellent way to 'predigest' a lot of the gluten that bothers some people... but not 100% about that, it's definitely an interesting concept.

 

[hsmamato2]

There is none showing available at any Walmart, Sam's Club, Costco or Dillon's(Kroger), within 150 miles!

this is how it is where I live...... I hope some of you try the sourdough..... it's an interesting project at the very least..... we've been testing various recipes to come up with a bread we really like....I think todays batch is gonna be it!
Again, bc at times it's hard to find flour around here,I learned the fridge method to feed it less

 

[undertheradar]

Just ordered a small amount of yeast from emporium spice. Found this tip on the Community Boards

 

[smiths02]

It's not that people are buying tons and tons, but that everyone is buying some all at once. Plus, lots of yeast is sold in larger containers than necessary. My stepmom recently bought a pound of yeast because that was the size of the container of yeast available. Luckily, she let us all know, and I was able to refill my jar of expired yeast from her supply.

I just wanted the little 3 packets of yeast container (like an ounce of yeast) on Clicklist, but that was all out so they gave me a giant jar. I really wasn't trying to hoard, it was just the only yeast the store had!

 

[LuckyMamaInDE]

To use the excess pour off, I simply pour on a baking sheet and bake. A few minutes later I have my favorite tangy treat,a flatbread that we all love with some butter- it's actuall the household favorite right now.
I turned a regular wheat starter into gf over two weeks time by starting with about 2 tbsp., and feeding it gf flour daily,until it was basically a whole new starter(gf) then I started using it in gf pancakes etc.
I have read that sourdough is an excellent way to 'predigest' a lot of the gluten that bothers some people... but not 100% about that, it's definitely an interesting concept.

Temp and time?

My sourdough has been going for 2 years. I use my discards for coffeecakes and pretzels and other things, but a flatbread sounds yummy!

 

[tvguy]

Temp and time?

My sourdough has been going for 2 years. I use my discards for coffeecakes and pretzels and other things, but a flatbread sounds yummy!

Ah, only two years? Boudine's has amazing sour dough bread, and their mother has been around since 1849.

 

[Andrea464]

I bought a few little packages of yeast when it first started getting real- probably around the time everyone was hoarding TP by no one had considered they'd need food in order to need TP. I got it in case we were stuck at home or the stores were closed and I needed to make bread instead of being able to buy it.