James believes flour should reflect place, seasonality and farming practices, much like wine reflects vineyard, climate and vintage. He often reminds bakers to “get to know your miller”, because understanding where flour comes from matters.

For us, that resonates deeply.

At To Be Frank, we’ve always believed bread should be simple, honest and made with integrity. That means choosing ingredients carefully and working with producers who share the same values. Through our collaboration with James, we’ve been fortunate to use biodynamic rye flour grown by Burrum Biodynamics in our rye program, along with high-extraction and stone-milled flours that bring greater depth of flavour and character to our bread.

We’ve also experienced firsthand what James talks about when it comes to fermentation. Fresh stone-milled flour behaves differently. Doughs feel more alive, fermentation moves differently, and flavour develops with greater complexity. It’s subtle, but meaningful — the kind of difference that matters when bread is made slowly and thoughtfully.

Bread is often seen as something simple — and in many ways it is. Flour, water, salt and time. But behind every loaf is a long chain of people making thoughtful decisions. Farmers nurturing healthy soils. Millers preserving the character of grain. Bakers shaping and fermenting dough through the early hours of the morning.

We feel incredibly lucky to work with people like James, who care deeply about every step of that process. Because when you know where your flour comes from — and the people behind it — bread simply tastes better.