>>
>> I have to question your bread flour theory though. Bread machines
>> came out in 1986. Maybe "bread flour" became popular with the advent
>> of bread machines, but I'm sure it existed before that.

The millers saw a golden marketing opportunity to package a flour for
those with breadmakers. In Canada, one brand of flour is labelled "Best
For Bread" and is aimed at that market. Before such blends appeared,
keen bread bakers could get large bags of high-gluten, bread flour from
Costco and the like and strong flour was carried by some supermarkets.


>
> I use KA AP flour for bread with some White Whole Wheat subbed for
> some of the AP. I have a bag of KA bread flour. Maybe I will use it
> the next time I make bread. I will also sub the WWW to make a fair
> test.
>
> Right now KA AP flour is on sale for $2.98 for a 5 LB bag. I have
> stocked up.
>
AP flour varies in protein content. Canadian AP flour (and AIUI, KA) has
a protein content of 12% which is adequate for bread. After all, French
bakers use a bread flour with a slightly lower protein content than
that. A Belgian boulangère who set up in Calgary some years ago told me
that he had a helluva job adjusting to the strong bread flours that
local mills produced.
Graham