A few observations. A PBS cooking show weighed those little packets of instant yeast made by a "well-known" brand, the one commonly on grocery shelves... they varied widely from one little packet to the next. If you introduce less yeast by weight into a recipe it might take longer to rise, which she says can change the flavor as well as proofing time. That makes perfect sense, I never thought about it! After all, yeast are living creatures that make byproducts while they grow. I don't use that brand, I've used Red Star ADY because that's whatever Costco sold at the time, some years ago. She's right: buying in bulk is cheaper. I store most of it in a Mason jar in the garage freezer, and it keeps years past the expiration date. I just draw off a smaller amount from the "mother jar" into a small bottle to keep in my kitchen freezer, where it's easy to grab. But after reading this article, I think I'll try SAF Red and compare proof time and flavor. PJ, your "show me" pictures are just what I need to understand! Thanks for doing the hard work... I love your sidelines. There's always something new to learn!

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