On Tue, 09 Mar 2004 19:05:09 -0500, Fred wrote:

> The local supermarkets have all stopped carrying fresh yeast. Any ideas on
> where to get consumer quantities of it by mail order? Or does anybody have
> a foolproof conversion from fresh to dry yeast by weight? My formulas all
> call for fresh yeast.

i buy my yeast in a 1 pound block (it is really powder, but vacuum packed
- it loosens up when you open it) from a chain called "Smart & Final"
which is kind of a restaurant supply place, open to the public as well.
i think a lot of people buy similar things. i keep mine in a zip-lock in
the fridge for about a year, spooning out a scant tablespoon for a
breadmachine loaf (3c flour) or two scan tablespoons for a mixer (6c four)
batch.

i think 2 3/4 teaspoons are supposed to equal a packet, but i never felt i
had to be that exact.

fwiw, www.smartandfinal.com shows them in California, Idaho, Oregon and
Washington. not sure what the odds are of a random poster being near one
of their stores ;-), but there is probably something similar nearby.

(the good news is that a pound of yeast costs like $2.75)