<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Listmates,

In July there were two mentions of Expandex:

Item #64673 (20 Jul 2006 17:52) - SUMMARY: Alternate/exotic Flour Comments
and Opinions
<http://listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.EXE?A2=ind0607C&L=CELIAC&P=R2396&I=-3>
One person had recently read about a new flour in a recent newsletter from
Carol Fenster called Expandex modified tapioca starch. Reportedly goods were
more crispy and had a nicer texture with this starch.

Item #64627 (16 Jul 2006 10:45) - Summary: GFG
<http://listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.EXE?A2=ind0607C&L=CELIAC&P=R504&I=-3>I
have the same questions ... What I'd really like to see is a comparison of
this product with the new Expandex www.expandexglutenfree.com

I have just purchased Expandex in 1 pound bags from Celiac Specialties in
Michigan: http://celiacspecialties.com/ . I ordered on Sunday, and the
parcel arrived on Friday prior to 1:00 p.m.. They are speedy! (I have no
financial interest in Celiac Specialties). In addition to the Expandex, I
ordered two types of their bread - hamburger rolls and pumpernickel. I
wanted to see what commercial products would be like when baked with
Expandex. The pumpernickel is a very tall loaf with nice texture and good
flavor even at room temperature. It is not excessively crumbly. It is even
better lightly toasted where it becomes really aromatic. The hamburger buns
are best warmed and are quite acceptable. Don't expect gourmet bread in the
class of a wheat-based bread, but that having been said, the breads are very
good. And they are not exceptionally expensive, particularly for GF breads.

We also bought some other products from Celiac Specialties that were very
interesting - particularly Mayacamas GF brown gravy mix. This plus real
mushrooms is a treat. Yeah, it is a bit "middle America" (hmmmm we out here
on the left coast), but that poured over meatloaf is a treat I haven't had
in a long time. Mayacamas makes a number of GF sauce mixes, and they have
posted their ELISA results on their website (www.mayacamasfinefoods.com).
Celiac Specialties carries an interesting mix.

We will be testing Expandex in the bread recipe the manufacturer recommends
as well as in bread recipes that we are currently using. I'll publish
results when I have them. My immediately past successful results - not yet
published here - involved following directions from a baker friend of mine.
He told me to make a "poolish*" to improve the taste of the rather bland GF
flour mixes. I also followed the lead from the baguettes of Spain which I
sampled in early May (http://home.comcast.net/~vhdolcourt/CD) by adding
baking powder on the second rising of the bread (same time as you add salt).
The bread was very good when it was hot; however, typical of gluten-free
breads, it became hard and crumbly the next day. However, it responded very
well to warming, becoming pliable and aromatic. I guess that is why the
Spanish baguettes were shipped slightly under baked and had brown-and-serve
instructions.

Watch this space for an evaluation of Expandex in various bread recipes.
Earlier this week one of the list mates recommended reading:
http://www.foodproductdesign.com/articles/671health.html . This article fits
well with the baking topic.

Vic-Sunnyvale, CA

* Poolish - for you to try: Make your bread using all of the liquid
ingredients in the normal way. Use all of the flour components but leave out
the salt until later. Use only 1/3 of the flour. Let the yeast
mixture ferment until tripled in bulk - 5 - 8 hours at normal temperatures,
less when it is hot. Now add the rest of the flour plus the salt. At this
point I added 1-1/2 teaspoons of baking powder (1-1/2 t to 3-1/2 cups of GF
flour, but I will experiment with more in the future). I also added dough
conditioner, the components of which I got from King Arthur Flour - 1 T
lecithin mashed with 1 T GF flour and 1/6 t ascorbic acid (vitamin C which
is destroyed in the baking) Dough conditioner enhances the yeast. Look
poolish up in Google as well as Wikipedia - searched by all of the engines.

* Please include your location in all posts about products *
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