Millstone - A Natural Foods Baking Journal
In the late 1970's there was a surge of interest in Natural Foods and Natural Breads. Much of today's artisanal bread movement has it's roots in this time. Ed Lambdin and Norman Zwagil created "Millstream, A Natural Foods Baking Journal" starting in the late 1970's Through the generosity of Martin Barrett, we have gotten our hands on a number of copies, scanned them, and are making them available for download. The documents we scanned were printed from 1977 to 1979, which is longer than you'd expect the paper to hold up.
Norman Zwagil gave us permission to scan these magazines and make them available. These are a fascinating look into the concerns of our philosophical progenitors. And you know what? It wasn't all hippie lead bread!
If you happen to have additional issues you could share with us, we'd be delighted to post them here.
A disclaimer - the positions in these magazines are those of the article writers, not even the magazine publishers claimed to agree with all the positions in the articles.
Volume 1 Number 1, Spring
1 Note from the editor
2 A Conversation - Way of Baking, No. 1 in a series
5 Rosemary and Sage: Extending Shelf-life Naturally
6 Letters From Readers
7 Millhouse Tour
Volume 1 Number 2, Summer
2 Note from the Editors
3 Food and People 1977 by Frank Ford
5 A recipe - Whole Grain Health Bread
6 A Conversation: Ways of Baking, No. 2 in a series
9 Ways with the Wayfarer - Packaging: Pollution of Solution? by Manuel Freedman
11 Howie Speaks: The Baking Community as a Whole"
16 Meet the Blessed Thistle Bakery, Rochester, New York by Ken Kutner
Volume 1 Number 3, Fall 1977 - The Sweetener Issue
2 The Sweet Balance by Murray Snyder
3 Dealing Direct by George Crane
3 North of the Border by Gary Coppola
8 A Conversation: Ways of Baking, No. 3 in a series
11 Abundant Life Health Foods by Joe Berta
12 Deaf Smith County by Frank Ford
13 Ways With The Wayfarer: Sweetening That Pie: Whom Shall I Please? by Manuel Freedman
14 Cooking With Maple by Gary Coppola
21 Somadhara Bakery by Ms. Rere Sojourner-Hasset
Volume 1 Number 4. Winter 1977 - 1978
2 Editorial
3 The Perfect Wedding Cake by George Eastman
6 Moonrise Breadworks by Ken Kuttner
7 Atlandic City by Robb Lacy
7 Shop Talk by Ed Lambdin
11 The Story of Deaf Smith County Wheat by Frank Ford
14 Ways With The Wayfarer: A Banana WHAT For Her Wedding? by Manuel Freedman
20 Greetings From The Pacific Rim
21 Meet The Mainstay Baker by Robin Roland
Volume 2 Number 1, 1978 Spring
1 Guest Editorial by Henry David Thoreau
3 Letters From Readers
5 All American Pie: Apple Tahini by Howie Grundland
9 The Diough Works
13 What is the Farm Strike All About? - Restimony to U.S. Congress by Frank Ford
14 Fats & Oils by Daryl Smith
15 Ways With The Wayfarer - A Good Turnover With A Good Turnover By Manuel Freedman
18 Desserts Through The Eyes of Yin/Yang by Murray Snyder
23 Truth Baking by Rev. Kim Turin
Volume 2 Number 2, 1978, Summer
1 Guest Editorial by Scott Van Derbeck
2 Ways With The Wayfarer: HEY! Let's Start an Organic Bakery by Manuel Freedman
5 Hearings Before Congress, American Agriculture, Testimony of Frank Ford
6 Meet the Staff of Life by Robert Lacey
9 Reza Quality Bakery
10 Shoptalk: Principles of Bakery Layout by Ed Lambdin
11 The Flavor of Nature.... Malt
13 The Dough Works: New Baking
14 Meet The Columbia Union Bakery
16 Lifestream by Arran Stephens
18 Letters From Readers
Millstream Magazine - Natural Baking Trade Magazine
Volume 2 Number 3, Fall
4 Editorial by Jaques D Langre
7 Table of Contents
8 Dear Millstream (Letters from Readers)
11 Bread on the Rise - Naturally
14 Sourdough Bread
15 Ways with the Wayfarer
18 Why We Make Traditional European Sourdough Bread
21 Bread Can be "The Staff of Life" Again
24 Pleasures - The Flying Baker
26 Recipes
Millstream Magazine - Natural B
Volume 3 Number 1, 1979 Spring
2 Editorial by Dick Margulis
5 Table of Contents
6 Dear Millstream
9 Ways with the Wayfarer: Getting Money to Start a Bakery by Manuel Freedman
15 Put Your Best Foot Forward - Bakery Logos and Labels
24 Recipes
Thanks for sharing these historical treasures. It certainly it an interesting and entertaining glimpse into the 70’s natural foods movement.
I was curious if you have baked any of the recipes? If so, any recommendations? I was too young in this era to recall more than carob brownies, duped by a claim they were “natural” chocolate ones and better (NOT!) and some doorstop whole grain cakes. I am sure my experiences were not reflective of all baking during the 70’s but let’s say I lean towards trusted, personal recipe endorsements when it comes to that particular time, lol.
Cheers,
Annie
Hi Annie!
It is easier and faster to scan and collate scans than to read them, so at this point I am still working my way through the magazines. There is a lot to unpack there, and there are a lot of opinions that are dubious, at least from where I am sitting.
Frank Ford, the founder of Arrowhead Mills, wrote that the highly mechanized and chemical dependent agricultural systems of the day (1977) would lead to the collapse of civilization within 5 years, or by 1983. While I have concerns about how agriculture fails to act as a steward of our lands, as far as I can tell, that collapse has not happened. Other claims seem excessive as well.
A number of writers seem to think you have to add sugar, in one form or another, to dough to get it to rise. That is flat out wrong. Yeast can break starches into sugars and then digest the sugars they have created. Many bakers make good breads with no sugar added. Similarly, a number of the articles are skeptical about leavened bread, where others see bakers yeast as evil. Yeah, sourdoughhome.com is all about sourdough bread, but I see nothing wrong with judiciously used bakers yeast. It is a natural product.
As to recipes, we’ve only tried one, the recipe that Joe Berta shared on page 5 of Vol 1, Number 2, entitled, “Whole Grain Health Bread”. The bread tastes good enough, but has so much whole wheat kernels and seeds in it that it can’t rise well, despite an absurd amount of yeast. It is a crumbly mess with so many seeds that it can not hold together. Soaking whole kernels of wheat overnight doesn’t really result in a good product. I prefer to soak cracked wheat, rather than intact wheat. I’m curious how the other recipes will work out.
Despite my kvetching, I am enjoying reading the magazines!
-Mike