Q.: I have an old recipe from the 1930s that calls for graham flour. Is that the same as whole wheat?
— Lidia Schlosser, Copley Township
A.: Graham flour is a whole wheat flour, but it is not the same as traditional whole wheat flour.
Graham flour contains all three parts of the wheat berry — the germ, the endosperm and the bran. The endosperm is ground finely into a traditional-looking flour, while the germ and bran are ground coarsely. The three are then combined to give the flour its signature look with coarse flakes mixed into the ivory-colored flour.
Most of us are used to thinking that graham flour is only for making graham crackers, but it also can be used in breads, pie crusts and scones. If you can’t find it in the specialty flour section of your local grocery store, look for it in a health-food store.
The flour is named for the Rev. Sylvester Graham, who invented it. A Presbyterian minister, he was one of the country’s earliest advocates of healthful eating and a vegetarian lifestyle, and invented the graham cracker made from this flour in the 1800s.
Got a food question? Lisa Abraham has the answer. Call 330-996-3737; email her at labraham@thebeaconjournal.com with “Ask Lisa” in the subject line; or write to her at 44 E. Exchange St., P.O. Box 640, Akron, OH 44309-0640. Please include your name (initials will be printed on request), hometown and phone number.