I've used both, and didn't really notice a difference. I only use King Authur's now. It's supposed to be one pretty good, and it isn't that much more than other flours. I think the gluten content is higher or something like that. And, it's unbleached. They even sell it in Wal-mart which is nationwide, so I'm sure it is available no matter where you live.

Mostly notfussy for AP flour....but I add gluten when making anything but cookies or such.
And I often buy supermarket brand....frankly I can't tell a whit of difference between the 1.19 buy and the Pillsbury 1.89 stuff.
But I really REALLY like King Arthur for bread and yeast doughs!
Robinhood is good also.
Linda C

Cloudy Christine: What were the unhappy experiences with Gold Medal. Maybe mine were the same.

Lindac: I'll have to get some King Arthur for bread.

I didn't know Walmart carried it. Thanks Bobbie.

LOU

Lou,
King Arthur for all the bread baking, wonderful results, and Pillsbury or Gold Metal for all other baking. Cannot recall ever having a problem w/either one of those two, in fact those two interchangeable for me. Whatever of the 2 are on sale dictates which one I'll grab, but not store brands, haven't tried them.

What kind of problem did you encounter w/Pillsbury??

Lucy

I can't tell any difference in any of the white flours I buy. Pillsbury, Gold Medal or store brands. I always buy unbleached. Have never tried King Arthur, have never seen it here, not even in Wally World.

Maybe I'll have to order some and see what all the fuss is about....

Linda

I buy only unbleached AP.

Mostly I try to stick to Ceresota or King Arthur, but of course have bought Pillsbury, GM and store brands occasionally. Really haven't had any kind of problem with any of them

Lou, I bought Gold Medal once or twice because it was very cheap; Giant seems to have more specials for it than for any other flour. I think it was stale-smelling and full of little hard balls of flour, but really it's some time ago, and I'm not sure exactly why it seemed sub-standard, but it did.

AP flour seems to be much the same to me for my use. I buy whatever is the bargain at the time. If I need a light cake, I buy cake flour. If I am making bread, I add gluten flour. If I'm making gravy I buy Wondra flour. That stuff is great for gravy and sauces, lump-less results.

I use all kinds of flour and have never had any problems with any of them. Just check the date on the pkgs before buying.

Linda

Lucy : I didn't have a problem with Pillsbury.
I was wondering if anyone had any problems with either.
I'm like you, i wait till they go on sale. Lately they haven't been.
The only problem I had was with a Store brand, so I used it up a little at a time.

Barnmom: You don't have lumps in your Gravy???
How can you deprive your family like that. LOL!

I use Cornstarch to thicken. I'm a Cornstarch nut.

The bad experience I had with flour was with a store brand not Gold Medal.

Lou

Aw gee Lou, I don't like cornstarch thickened gravy! It just seems wrong, slimy or something. I like it in some things but not my turkey or beef gravy.

Mind you if someone else is cooking for me, I won't be complaining about the gravy.

Peter Reinhart uses Gold Medal for his bread and says it's just fine, even though he's taught classes for King Arthur Flour. He also says bread flour is unnecessary. I think from his perspective the skill of the baker is much more important.

I like King Arthur's specialty flours (like First Clear) for loaves heavy in rye, that sort of thing, but for general baking, including breads, I've used a variety of All-purpose unbleached brands and haven't noticed enough of a difference to justify the cost. (For me that generally includes shipping.) I prefer Gold Medal to store brands, though.

I do use bleached flour sparingly for some kinds of cookies and cakes. There I have noticed a difference.

This Artisan bread site provides a "Flour Treatise" and "Flour Test." Just check the frames to the left. The Flour Test offers a comparison of the commonly available brands bread bakers might use. Interestingly, although Gold Medal says their flour is the same nationwide, the test results for California Gold Medal and Tennessee Gold Medal were radically different. That may explain some forum members' dissatisfaction. If you explore the site you'll find an addendum with info on Gold Medal's newer Harvest King Flour, which Rose Levy Beranbaum is promoting.

Carol

Here is a link that might be useful: Flour Treatise and Flour Test

I use King Arthur mostly, but if I buy the store brand, I also add VWG.

For gravy, I use potato flour or potato starch - I much prefer it to a roux or to constarch, and it doesn't lump and can go directly into hot liquid.

Lars

Barnmom: Slimy ???????????????? I resemble that remark !!!

Trully , I never made slimy Turkey Gravy.
It is always delicious but again I use a lot of ingredients and spices.

I do like Lars sometimes but use Instant Potatoes
LOU

Okay, I'm wondering how y'all have the space for so many different flours for so many different purposes. Isn't 'all purpose' supposed to be just that? It never occured to me to buy one brand of all purpose for one purpose and a different brand for a different purpose. Isn't that defeating the, well, purpose of all purpose? I figure it's enough have an unbleached ap flour, a white whole wheat flour, a traditional whole wheat flour and a cake flour, and a bread flour, which I rarely use. My freezers half full just with all those options. Now I have to buy different brands of ap for different purposes? Forget it! LOl.

Oh, as for brand, I usually get King Arthur, since everyone here raved about it, but I at least make sure whatever I buy is unbleached.

Sally

White Lily!

Always excellent results.

I am no baker, but for reasons I really can't remember, I have been buying "Hecker's Unbleached Forever" well, forever. Now that my #3 offspring, a son, is trying his hand at baking, I guess he'll be telling me I have to get this or that brand/type of flour, and of course...'if you give a son the special flour, he'll probably want some yeast...'

I'm one of those "lots of flours" people. I like King Arthur for bread, and I seldom add gluten unless I add a lot of whole grain flour to my loaf. I never buy regular bread flour, I just use King Arthur.

I do use it for other baking too, along with Pillsbury or Gold Medal or Robin Hood, whatever is on sale and the store has in stock right then, I haven't really seem a difference in any of those brands.

I also keep rye and whole wheat flour in my freezer so they don't go rancid, I have cornmeal in my pantry and I like White Lily for biscuits. I also have wheat bran and ground flax seed for bread baking in the fridge.

Yeah, lots of flours. I seldom buy the store brand, the one time I did I was unhappy, I opened it and it had bugs so back to the store it went.

Annie

I remember reading a test comparison from Cook's Illustrated (?) that gave a higher rating to Gold Medal. That said, I always bought Pillsbury Unbleached All-Purpose for years, but now I sometimes pick up Gold Medal Unbl. A-P and I did get some of the Artisan bread flour also. Yep, I've got lots of flours in my kitchen......Teresa

I use just about any except store brand & get good results. Stuff came out tasting odd, sort of old tasting with store brands. King Arthur only recently became available here, & even now Walmart only carries it in bread flour. I can't really tell any difference in it from Pillsbury or Gold Medal. I know I've read somewhere that White Lily is best for biscuits/pastry, Gold medal best for general baking, KA something else. I get a bread flour & plain flour in whatever name brand is cheapest.

Years ago, I used bleached white flour, then switched to unbleached, which I used until Wegmans opened here. They carry KA flour, so I started buying that. Now, all the stores carry KA flour. I also keep whole wheat, whole white wheat, rye, whole wheat pastry, cornmeal and rye flour on hand in my extra refrigerator. Never bought White Lily, but maybe I should try it one of these days. It's self-rising flour, isn't it? Supposed to be good for angel biscuits, right?

I tried making biscuits from White Lily self-rising flour once. I used the recipe on the bag. The texture was okay (I obviously lack an experienced hand with biscuits) but I found them very salty. I admit I am taste sensitive to salt since I began low sodium cooking. I didn't add more salt so for me the salt already present in the self-rising flour mix is too much for me.