Many years ago I began baking our own bread. I used to use a bread machine, but it wasn’t too long before one loaf of bread wasn’t enough to feed our growing brood. That’s when I started using Granny’s recipe for our everyday bread and an even bigger batch of whole wheat for our pizza and stromboli dough.
Even though, the amount of baking has changed over the years, one thing has not…
The Baking Cabinet
This is the 3rd house we’ve lived in since instituting a baking cabinet, and I still manage to find a spot for it. It is that important!
So, what is a baking cabinet? Simply put, it is a cabinet used solely to house all my baking ingredients and supplies.
It’s a mess in there, but I know where everything is!
I like to have a cabinet right above my Bosch mixer, with a drawer for measuring cups and spoons right below. That way everything is compact and within reach.
A couple of years ago, I started grinding our own wheat using the VitaMix dry container {we use Prairie Gold from Wheat Montana Farms}. I often only grind per recipe, but occasionally I do a bit extra for those early mornings or late nights when grinding wheat might wake up the children. The ground wheat goes in a large plastic container that fits nicely in the baking cabinet.{in the picture it’s behind the unbleached flour, of which I keep a bit on hand because you always seem to need it for something here and there}
We also buy our organic sugar in bulk, so I have another medium plastic container for it sitting next to the flour container. I keep the sugar sack and the 5 gallon bucket of wheat berries on the floor of my pantry and scoop out from them as needed.
The baking cabinet holds everything I need for my everyday baking as well as my special occasion baking. There are chocolate chips, powdered sugar, brown sugar, baking cocoa, carob, sprinkles, pickling salt, cinnamon, honey, etc. It keeps me from having to search for what I need or leave the kitchen to go to my pantry to find what I need. {my pantry is in the dining room}
This post is linked to:
Works for Me Wednesday
and
Real Clean Wednesday
mama4x says
Is there a LDS food storage store near you? I get a 25# bag of wheat for less than $7 at mine. Love your setup! You always think of something new to write about!
Amy says
I get my wheat in bulk at an Amish bulk food store. I believe it is 50# for $20 or so.
Melissa says
I have a baking cabinet also! Best thing!!
Wendy says
I have a baking cupboard, but my breadmaking cupboard is separate, above my Bosch mixer, and the drawer with the measuring cups, and next to the sink. The other baking cupboard is next to the oven, and the spice drawer, and is bigger, and over the cupboard with the cookie sheets, etc. I have a second set of measuring cups in my spice drawer. I made it so I didn’t hardly have to move a foot (literally) when I was baking! (Do you think that’s why I gained so much weight after we moved in?? Hmmm.)
Thanks for sharing! Great ideas–I need to start making bread again–we haven’t in a long time.
Blessings,
Wendy
Faith’s Firm Foundation
http://www.wendygunn.net
Wendy says
Amy,
You have the Sunshine Award waiting for you over at my blog! You truly are a ray of sunshine.
Blessings
Wendy
Faith’s Firm Foundation
http://www.wendygunn.net
mandi@itscome2this says
great idea!! I normally keep all mine together on a shelf in the pantry, but a cabinet makes alot of sense!
Christine (iDreamofClean) says
I can honestly say I’ve never heard of a baking cabinet. My stuff is scattered throughout the kitchen. It makes perfect sense though! And, I’ve been wanting another bread recipe so I’m so excited you linked one!
.-= Christine (iDreamofClean)´s last blog ..Nashville 2010 Flood =-.
Betty says
I love my baking “shelf” Don’t have enough cabinet space, but I got a sturdy baker’s rack at an auction right before we moved 5 years ago. All my baking supplies go on two shelves there. WONDERFUL time saver.
.-= Betty´s last blog ..Our Strawberry Bed—Recycled Round Baler Belts. =-.
Natalie says
Wow, yours looks a lot like mine! Mine is right above my kitchenaid, which is nice and handy. I do also have all my spices in that cupboard too, which I’d like to find a better system for (they’re so disorganized!) but works ok for now…
.-= Natalie´s last blog ..Long Stemmed Dandelions =-.
Deb says
What a timely post! My mother in law just gave me a Bosch and I am So! Excited! to start making my own bread. Tell me, can you freeze the dough? Does it bake up well (like for pizza), or is it better to bake, then freeze? I am going to re-arrange my kitchen today and try to make room for a baking-only center. Such a great idea!
Amy says
Congrats on the new Bosch! You’re going to LOVE it! I’m probably not the best person to ask about freezing dough because I’ve never had really great luck with it. I’ve always heard if you are doing pizzas to bake them a bit before freezing. I’ve frozen already-baked bread, and it’s done well, but freezing dough does not seem to be my forte’.
You’ll love having a baking center…it is just so much easier to have everything in one place!
Blessings,
Amy
Jenifer Parris says
What a good idea! I have the same with my coffee setup! Why didn’t I think of it with bread! Where do you get your sugar Amy?
.-= Jenifer Parris´s last blog ..God sent me……….a Boston Butt =-.
Amy says
I buy my sugar in bulk from an Amish bulk food store in the area. The brand is Florida Crystals I believe and it is Organic Raw.
Candy says
I’ve always had baking cabinets, or baking shelves in a pantry. In our new house, we are blessed to have a pantry, to my baking and canned goods go in there.
Kate says
I love it! I sort of have one. I have a cabinet that has my spices and flavorings (vanilla, mint, etc.). Then in my pantry there is the sugar and other things (choc. chips, etc.) all in a box. The flour is kept in the freezer, and I, too, grind my own. But I sprout it first so I have to. 🙂
.-= Kate´s last blog ..Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil Review =-.
Corrie says
I love the idea of grinding wheat. I’d heard of friends doing this, but never knew it could be so easy. Thank you for sharing! I just set up a baking cabinet and now I just need to get baking!
chanel says
I recently moved all of my baking supplies out of the pantry to under my island. It was one of my better ideas 🙂 I wonder why I never thought of it before 🙂
Amy says
You know, I’ve found that when we do something a certain way for a long time, we quit thinking about it. Suddenly one day we realize it just isn’t efficient! I do the same thing ALL the time!
Christine @ Lily of the Valley says
Hi Amy! How do you like using the Vita Mix to grind wheat? I have a wet container, and it would be a while before I could afford a grain mill. I was hoping that the Vita Mix dry container would not leave the grain too coarse, but would chop it finely.
.-= Christine @ Lily of the Valley´s last blog ..The Wonders of Breastfeeding =-.
Amy says
At first, I thought it was too coarse, but I realized I wasn’t grinding it long enough. Now, that I’ve learned that lesson, I am quite pleased w/ the quality of the grind! I’m also thrilled to have one machine doing the work of two!
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