Calling expert bakers: Where to find fresh yeast?
I’ll be the first to admit that I’m no expert when it comes to baking. I know the difference between all-purpose flour and self-rising flour and I can follow a recipe, then pray that it turns out well. But when it comes to expert-level baking questions? Well, I defer to the experts.
Just such a question came from one of my colleagues the other day. Here’s what she wrote:
“Hey, could you ask your blog readers where to find fresh yeast? I have a friend whose mom just moved here. She makes this incredible Polish sweet bread around the holidays but says she can only make it using fresh yeast. She’s called around the grocery stores and nobody seems to carry it. When I checked online I saw some suggestions for inquiring at a local pizza shop or bakery that might sell her some. But maybe a blog reader might point me to one they know does this or have another option.”
Situations such as this are perfect examples of why I love being a journalist. I often get an opportunity to learn right along with my readers. First, let’s begin with the basics (thanks to help from the trusty Food Lover’s Companion, otherwise known to me as the Food Bible).
What IS yeast? Yeast is a tiny living single-cell organism. As these organisms multiply and grow, they convert food into alcohol and – in the case of breads – carbon dioxide. This fermentation is what causes doughs to rise. The two commercially available kinds of yeast are baker’s yeast and brewer’s yeast.
What’s the difference? Brewer’s yeast is used to make beer. Baker’s yeast is used as a leavener. There are three kinds of baker’s yeast: active dry yeast, compressed fresh yeast and yeast starters.
Active dry yeast is dehydrated and is still alive, but the organisms are dormant. To wake them up, they have to be mixed with warm liquid. You can get active dry yeast in regular or quick-rising form.
Yeast starter is a mix of flour, water, sugar and yeast – like a batter – that is fermented. After fermentation, a portion of it is used to make some kind of bread recipe, but the starter can be fed flour and water periodically and can last for a loooong time (like years) if stored in the proper environment and properly fed. Has anyone ever given you one of those Amish friendship bread starters? It’s like a chain letter, except if you follow all of the instructions it results in some tasty bread instead of good luck for life or true love. That’s kind of like a yeast starter.
Compressed fresh yeast is, well … it’s alive! It is moist and very perishable. Over time, the active dry yeast has largely replaced the use of fresh yeast (one cake of fresh yeast = one envelope of dry yeast, according to the Food Bible). But I can understand why some recipes just shouldn’t be altered. So if the Polish mom’s out-of-this-world sweet bread has always been made with fresh yeast, then by golly why not try as hard as possible to find some fresh yeast?
So there you have it. And there’s a lot more detailed information about yeast on Joy of Baking. But if you are a professional baker or a baker by hobby and you have some idea as to where fresh yeast can be found, then please let me know! You can leave a comment on this entry or email me at lindsey.nair@roanoke.com. If I hear from someone outside of this blog community who knows where it can be found, I’ll be sure to pass it along. Because, you know, that would be the yeast I could do.
August 24, 2012 - 5:30 AM
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I’m not much of a baker, either. They say that cooking is an art, baking is a science. That probably explains it for me, I just enjoy improvising and “tweaking” recipes too much to worry about weighing flour.
Anyway.
My understanding with fresh yeast is that it is so delicate it is usually already dead when you get it home. I don’t know how true that is, but I’ve read it a couple of different places from people who should know what they’re talking about.
Have you called On The Rise or Bread Craft?
All in the air around you. Get a starter inoculated and have at it.
Granted that’s fresh “wild yeast” that will get you more of the sourdough variety, but I will say that Roanoke has some ok yeast floating about.
Blue Ridge Hydroponics & Home Brewing Company on Williamson Road sells yeast at Williamson Road Plaza,
5327 D Williamson Road
Roanoke, Virginia 24012
540-265-2483 or maybe Roanoke Railhouse Brewery? They use it, so maybe they would sell you some.
Alex Eliades at Bread Craft said it might be hard to find fresh yeast around here. He suggested a substitution of dry yeast.
I wonder if the yeast at Blue Ridge Hydroponics is brewer’s yeast, though. Still worth a shot. Thanks, Deb.
International Gourmet Foods a distributor out of Washington DC sells Bricks of it you can keep frozen. I buy it occasionally because it makes really great rustic pizza dough. I am not sure if they sell retail but if you call them they may be able to tell you sells it retail. I will be buying from them in then next few weeks and will keep some on hand. Chef Andy Schlosser
Go to http://www.amazon.com and do a search for:
yeast+fresh+compressed+wet
It’s pricey, but less than the amounts sold commercially that I found. I also found a shop that sells smaller amounts buy it’s in Europe, so I don’t know if they ship here. You could contact them to find out their shipping policy.
http://www.thebertinetkitchen.com/shop
Good luck!
I buy bulk dry yeast at the Bread Basket in Floyd (a baker’s heaven) and it always works really well. I keep most of it in the freezer and it lasts. For the fresh yeast, some places may be willing to order it for you. I’d see about working out a dry yeast substitution, myself.
You all are great. I know my colleague has been monitoring these comments. FYI, Andy Schlosser is the chef at Metro. Thanks for stopping by, Andy!
Have you tried the Coop? Also the Fleischmans site lists fresh cake yeast as one of their products so it seems that someone in town should be able to order it for you. Just a thought.
Just found this link…
http://www.shoprite.com/pd/Fleischmanns/Household-Fresh-Active-Yeast/2-oz/040100007714/
I really like to use these rules when converting recipes I like to use these rules: http://www.sfbi.com/fresh_yeast_vs_instant_yeast.html
A bit off topic, but none the less a bread-related question; is anyone aware of a local outlet where one can purchase poppy-seed hot dog rolls? Thanks!
King Arthur’s located on the web and they are a local employee own companyin Vermont.
Martin’s, in Staunton and Waynesboro always has fresh yeast in their refrigerated foods section – top shelf.
maybe fresh air foods in Lynchburg. I dont know if anyone has tried Fresh Market, or maybe Wildflour Mill?
can i buy yeast and have it sent to my house.
In Denmark where i am from – dry/dormant yeast is a rarity. So I only have experience with fresh yeast its true that it perish faster but its CHEAP at least in dk one pack cost 0.50 kr = 0.074 $ and why buy it if you don’t intent to use it within a week.
moving to the states has sets its limits for my passion for baking I cant make the dry yeast rise at all. my breads that were wonderful in dk are flat doughy and well almost non eatable it could also be that gas oven is new to me.
but I’d love to find a place that sells fresh alive yeast for baking not for making beer.
Any online kosher store!! You can get some and
use them as needed.
For example:
http://www.rocklandkosher.com/seesearch.aspx?SearchTerm=Yeast
I order my supply of fresh yeast from New York Bakers (nybakers.com). Don’t know why it’s called that when it comes from California. . .
Unless things have changed recently, they ship fresh yeast only on Monday of each week to arrive within two days. These one-pound blocks of Red Star fresh or compressed yeast come packaged with an ice block to keep it fresh. The yeast used to cost $4.95, but the price had gone up the last time I ordered (but I can’t remember how much). Still, it was worth it to me.
Upon receipt, I immediately refrigerate the yeast until I’m ready to divide it into usable amounts (this should really be done the same day). To do this properly, you will need a food scale. The amount, which equals 1 pkg. of dry or instant yeast, should weight at least .6 oz. or 17 grams. The block will crumble anywhere you touch it, so you’re mostly weighing out bits and pieces of yeast. I wrap each portion in plastic wrap, then in foil, put several in a Ziploc sandwich baggie, then put the baggies in a gallon Ziploc freezer bag. Although some sites say to use within 2-3months, my last batch of fresh yeast lasted me slightly over a year and was still perfectly good! I only use fresh yeast for white loaves and rolls; I don’t think the wonderful smell and flavor is very noticeable in whole grain breads–this is why my supply lasts so long.