flourforward

Flourforward is a culinary concept that places flour at the forefront of cooking and baking. It describes recipes and techniques that treat flour and its derivatives—white, whole-grain, and ancient varieties—as the primary drivers of texture, flavor, and structure, rather than merely as background ingredients. The approach emphasizes milling, grain sourcing, hydration management, fermentation, and gluten development, with a focus on openness about process and grain biodiversity.

Originated in artisanal baking and grain-education circles in the 2010s, flourforward gained broader attention through culinary media and restaurant menus in the 2020s. Proponents describe it as a shift from product-focused menus to ingredient-focused thinking that foregrounds flour as a cultural and agricultural product.

Practically, it guides how recipes are written (specific flour types and milling dates), and how kitchens test doughs, pastas, and pastries. It encourages using local mills, adjusting water ratios, and employing preferments, sourdoughs, or long fermentations to express grain character.

Supporters say flourforward promotes grain biodiversity, supports local milling economies, and educates consumers about flour’s history. Critics note that the term can be vague, may exclude gluten-intolerant diets, and could become a marketing label without measurable standards.

Related topics include artisan baking, grain milling, fermentation, and gluten.