Just saying, I gave up sifting decades ago, because I hated to clean the sifter or have little spots of flour left to fall in the cupboard. Sometimes, I’ll whisk the flour first (I think chefs say sifting aerates it. Maybe I read somewhere you can do that other ways, dunno.) I never have flour clumps in the finished product.
https://www.kingarthurflour.com/videos/baking-skills/how-to-measure-flour
This video on the King Arthur website shows the difference sifting can make when measuring flour by volume. I purchased a scale and now measure by weight and feel my baking has improved.
I agree with the above comment. Since following the King Arthur website, I now measure my flour by volume when I make pie crusts, and it has made a huge difference.
@my-3-sons @FlyMeToTheMoon do you have a scale you recommend?
https://www.cuisinart.com/shopping/tools-gadgets/scales/kml-ko3b
@mom60 This is the one I use.
@FlyMeToTheMoon , a “huge difference” in what way?
I’ve been looking at baking recipes that use almond flour and coconut flour and they recommend sifting as well. But they don’t really say why, other than it prevents lumps.
@Nrdsb4, you first need to understand that I could never make a flaky pie crust to save my life. So about a year ago I practiced, after reading lots of tips, and what I learned is that there needs to be the correct ratio of flour to shortening. And in order for me to get that, I had to weigh the flour instead of measure the flour. It worked for me. YMMV
@FlyMeToTheMoon , yes, I can imagine. I was just wondering what about it is better-fluffier, higher rising, just lack of lumps, or what have you. I’m not a big baker.
Yes, I found advice you can whisk instead of sift. But the flour can’t get quite as “fluffy.” That’s the word they used. So whatever you do or what tool you use, go for fluffy- which means well aerated. And despite the fact that many pros advocate weighing, fluffy implies volume, right?
Unless I’m using a scale, I always sift before measuring if the recipe calls for sifted flour. If the directions are to sift the flour with other ingredients before adding to a mixture, I think it’s OK to whisk well instead of sifting. But I always sift if fresh grated nutmeg is in the mixture because sometimes there are some larger, grittier pieces.
I have several scales and like this one the best.
https://www.amazon.com/OXO-Grips-Stainless-Pull-Out-Display/dp/B079D9B82W/ref=dp_ob_title_kitchen
It takes very little space in a drawer, handles up to 11 pounds, and the pull out display is very handy when weighing something large. I keep it in the kitchen but also use it to weigh packages when making my own labels from the post office site.
We keep our flour in the freezer to avoid flour bugs, and I think it helps the baking too. I don’t bake much - mainly we make pancakes and waffles with the flour - but I just used the fluff method for my honey cake. We’ll find out tomorrow if it helped! But I suspect the new oven was more of a help…
I’m kitchen scale shopping, so thanks for the examples posted above!
@HouseChatte , I have the oxo scale that @GRITS80 linked above. I’ve used it for years and it’s very reliable.
And you all have convinced me to start sifting again. I mainly bake bread, where the actual volume needed is variable.
Random question - perhaps without a good answer…
The tipping thread made me think about this - it does seem to be pretty customary to tip hair salon people pretty well. I’ve always done it because, well, customary!
But I really have no idea how much/well of a living hair stylists make salary wise. They may have to pay a booth fee? Not always? What % of the service cost do they see? A % of the service cost? Or do they receive a flat hourly fee?
I’m sure regionally $$ earned for hair stylists are all over the board. But they aren’t like servers are they? Where they make a “minimum” amount and then rely on tips? Or are they?
I believe they receive a % of the total cost of the haircut.
@Nrdsb4, my dough is easier to roll out, easier to handle, and it gets flaky as opposed to…not flaky. ?
Some salons hire hairdressers, others rent them a chair, they share supplies and etc, usually follow prices common to the salon. The old custom was not to tip anyone running their own business, but it’s vague whether hair folks are indepedent operators.
Mine, (at an upscale place,) owns her own charges but pays the salon owner to be there. Whatever, I do tip her. There’s an old thought that when you’ve got a great one, you cherish the relationship.
At Supercuts type places, they earn little.
I have routinely tipped all the people that they have do stuff on me at my salon, which gets pricey (one washes hair, one does color, owner does cut/blowout). And yes I tip the owner. But she did something recently that was very disappointing (see the "say it here " thread) so I tipped er very well as my swan song and won’t be returning. I could have tipped her poorly, but decided to do the opposite.
This is a big old “it depends.” There are 2 basic business models. The first is the stylist is an employee of the salon, working the schedule set by the salon, and is generally paid an hourly wage plus commission and tips. As an employee, the stylist may (or may not) get additional benefits like vacation and health insurance.
The second is the stylist is an independent contractor and rents the booth for a weekly/monthly amount and sets his/her own schedule. S/he keeps what s/he charges/sells but also pays for equipment and supplies.
I’m not sure the average customer knows the business model unless the stylist tells them, but I would never not tip a stylist because they rent the booth. For that matter, when I was in college, I got my hair cut by a guy that did own the place, and I still tipped him. I never understood the not tipping the owner rule; he cut my hair and deserves the tip and I’d look cheap by not tipping.
I have had the same stylist for 20 years. In her current situation, she doesn’t rent a chair, she rents by the hour. She sets her own hours and pays the salon owners a fixed hourly rate. She also pays a wholesale rate on any products she uses (bought by the salon). She buys her equipment from them or online. She’s been with this salon about 10 years, so she has priority status choosing the hours she wants (same every week unless she is on vacation). The salon’s receptionist handles scheduling her appts, but she handles all her own payments because she was losing too much in credit card fees to the salon. It was also a lot of work for her to be sure she got credited for every service, payment and tip she earned. She has Square attached to her phone and loves it.
I always tip her generously. She came in on her off Saturday to do my hair and both DDs when D1 got married.