Susan (97,27) mentioned Red Star yeast meant for commercial use.
Health food stores and regular grocery stores routinely rip off consumers
for about $8 for a small bottle (about 4 onces).
The large commercial product she mentioned is only $4 for a whole blasted
bag. The difference? Zilch, nada, bupkas, zero, NONE.
Oh, except the outrageous price that's charged for the nice small bottle.
I buy bags of yeast at Sam's, two to a package. No refrigeration is needed
as long as it's kept sealed.
Once opened, however, I just put it into an airtight container (Rubbermaid,
whatever) and use a tablespoon plus a teaspoon plus a half-teaspoon to
equal a package of Fleishmans. The container, of course, is kept
refrigerated.
As a woman who bakes everyday I am OUTRAGED (well, pretty tourqued off)
about how the price of yeast as shot through the roof since bread machines
have become popular. There's no "yeast shortage," mind you, it's just
out-and-out greed on the part of the suppliers.
The Red Star yeast is wonderfully convenient and unfailingly forgiving. If
I'm baking a recipe that calls for three cups of whole wheat flour, plus
gluten, I'll just toss in a heaping tablespoon and be done with it.
Proof it? Never! Just toss it into the dry ingredients (along with the
salt and sweetners, if any) and then I crank up the Cuisinart and get my
dough going. (I hand knead to finish the job, of course, but no WAY can I
knead as quickly and beautifully as a commercial Cuisinart can.)
If I am using a recipe that calls for more flour I, of course, use more
yeast. But Red Star seems to be very flexible. I've yet to have a failed
rise. In fact I haven't had a failed rise since I started baking and
that's more years ago than I care to recall.
"Proofing" the yeast is something our grandmothers had to do. It seems an
anachronism and a waste of time and effort to continue that practice.
I'm sorry to be so reticent about telling y'all how I feel (grin), but them
thar's the facts the way I sees 'em.
Ciao!
Bev
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