# Damn Yankees kill another Southern institution: White Lily flour **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 23, 2008, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-yankees-kill-another-southern-institution-white-lily-flour/453939 "2008-06-23T17:15:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-yankees-kill-another-southern-institution-white-lily-flour/453939/1 "2008-06-23T17:15:24Z")
> **[Biscuit Bakers’ Treasured Mill Moves North (Published 2008)](https://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/18/dining/18flour.html?ex=1214452800&en=c7fed15309132e12&ei=5070&emc=eta1)** > > For generations of Southern bakers, the closing of the White Lily flour mill is causing ripples of anxiety that Southern biscuits will never be the same. This upsets me to no end. White Lily is the ONLY damn flour to use for biscuits and cakes. Generations of Southern cooks have sworn by it. There’s a demonstrable difference in its structure, makeup, and milling. After the Smucker’s company promised that the new flour (milled at a midwestern facility) would be indistinguishable from the old flour (milled for over 100 years in Knoxville, TN), blind taste tests reveal that the new flour is NOTHING like the old, and is easily distinguished, being heavier, grayer, and more dense than the old White Lily. Goddamn it, goddamn it, goddamn it. You fucking bastards. My mother would only use White Lily. My grandmother would only use White Lily. I ONLY USE WHITE LILY. Fuck off and die. ---
**Author:** ![Archergal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Archergal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Archergal)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-yankees-kill-another-southern-institution-white-lily-flour/453939/2 "2008-06-23T17:37:54Z")
[QUOTE=Ogre] [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/18/dining/18flour.html?ex=1214452800&en=c7fed15309132e12&ei=5070&emc=eta1](http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/18/dining/18flour.html?ex=1214452800&en=c7fed15309132e12&ei=5070&emc=eta1) This upsets me to no end. White Lily is the ONLY damn flour to use for biscuits and cakes. Generations of Southern cooks have sworn by it. There’s a demonstrable difference in its structure, makeup, and milling. [/QUOTE] WHAAAAAA??? No more original White Lily??? /cries/ > [@](#): > > Fuck off and die. Seconded. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-yankees-kill-another-southern-institution-white-lily-flour/453939/3 "2008-06-23T17:45:11Z")
I read about this crap over the weekend. So anyone know how to repair a fist-sized hole in sheetrock? Goddangit… don’t mess with a man’s biscuits. ---
**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-yankees-kill-another-southern-institution-white-lily-flour/453939/4 "2008-06-23T18:05:58Z")
Will the old mill be sold? Anyone want to buy a flour mill? Dope White Flour Company? ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-yankees-kill-another-southern-institution-white-lily-flour/453939/5 "2008-06-23T18:10:28Z")
You can always secede. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-yankees-kill-another-southern-institution-white-lily-flour/453939/6 "2008-06-23T18:20:58Z")
[QUOTE=Vinyl Turnip] You can always secede. [/QUOTE] Yeah - finally, the South will rise again, as they’ve been threatening for over a hundred years! And all because of flour. ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-yankees-kill-another-southern-institution-white-lily-flour/453939/7 "2008-06-23T18:22:17Z")
Never underestimate the efficacy of flour power! ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-yankees-kill-another-southern-institution-white-lily-flour/453939/8 "2008-06-23T18:27:01Z")
[QUOTE=woodstockbirdybird] Yeah - finally, the South will rise again, as they’ve been threatening for over a hundred years! And all because of flour. [/QUOTE] Your levity, which, I’m sure, is not malicious and reveals only that you’re unfamiliar with the brand, is still somehow slightly offensive. That’s how strongly a lot of Southerners feel about White Lily. …unless you and **Vinyl Turnip** are a couple of the perennial “teh South suxxors” types to be found in the recent threads on the subject; in which case, fuck you. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-yankees-kill-another-southern-institution-white-lily-flour/453939/9 "2008-06-23T18:30:21Z")
[QUOTE=woodstockbirdybird] Yeah - finally, the South will rise again, as they’ve been threatening for over a hundred years! And all because of flour. [/QUOTE] Nah, they won’t rise over flour. Yeast, on the other hand… ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-yankees-kill-another-southern-institution-white-lily-flour/453939/10 "2008-06-23T18:32:34Z")
Those bastards. Is there still time to stock up? ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-yankees-kill-another-southern-institution-white-lily-flour/453939/11 "2008-06-23T18:35:58Z")
[QUOTE=Maus Magill] Those bastards. Is there still time to stock up? [/QUOTE] Hopefully. Production is supposed to be moved “at the end of June.” I’m assuming that it’s still the good stuff for now, and am buying and freezing whatever I can get my hands on. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-yankees-kill-another-southern-institution-white-lily-flour/453939/12 "2008-06-23T18:45:23Z")
Can’t say as I’ve ever had occasion to try White Lily biscuits, but I empathize wholeheartedly. Damn them! ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-yankees-kill-another-southern-institution-white-lily-flour/453939/13 "2008-06-23T18:45:34Z")
Serious point, though: White Lily is described in the article as an allegedly all purpose flour, but the article is emphasizing it’s a low protein high gluten flour. Which, AIUI, defines a cake flour. And there are plenty of cake flours on the market already. I can see that the price differential may be a problem, but that’s not the same as saying that there won’t be cake flours available once White Lily changes. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-yankees-kill-another-southern-institution-white-lily-flour/453939/14 "2008-06-23T19:01:40Z")
[QUOTE=Miller] Nah, they won’t rise over flour. Yeast, on the other hand… [/QUOTE] Yeast? Bah! We Southerners are _self_-rising. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-yankees-kill-another-southern-institution-white-lily-flour/453939/15 "2008-06-23T19:09:29Z")
We peckerwoods are in complete solidarity with our cracker cousins! First Mrs Bairds Bread, Pearl Beer, and now this! Is Piggly Wiggly next? ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-yankees-kill-another-southern-institution-white-lily-flour/453939/16 "2008-06-23T19:26:29Z")
[QUOTE=woodstockbirdybird] Yeah - finally, the South will rise again, as they’ve been threatening for over a hundred years! And all because of flour. [/QUOTE] White flour! ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-yankees-kill-another-southern-institution-white-lily-flour/453939/17 "2008-06-23T19:55:01Z")
[QUOTE=Ogre] Your levity, which, I’m sure, is not malicious and reveals only that you’re unfamiliar with the brand, is still somehow slightly offensive. That’s how strongly a lot of Southerners feel about White Lily. …unless you and **Vinyl Turnip** are a couple of the perennial “teh South suxxors” types to be found in the recent threads on the subject; in which case, fuck you. [/QUOTE] Bless your heart - getting a bit defensive there, aren’t you, sugar? I don’t think I implied the South was teh suxxors. In fact, I lived in Alabama myself for a bit, and I found it quite life-like. ---
**Author:** ![AimeeB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@AimeeB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AimeeB)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-yankees-kill-another-southern-institution-white-lily-flour/453939/18 "2008-06-23T19:58:00Z")
[QUOTE=OtakuLoki] Serious point, though: White Lily is described in the article as an allegedly all purpose flour, but the article is emphasizing it’s a low protein high gluten flour. Which, AIUI, defines a cake flour. And there are plenty of cake flours on the market already. I can see that the price differential may be a problem, but that’s not the same as saying that there won’t be cake flours available once White Lily changes. [/QUOTE] The article says, “While White Lily can be used in cakes, it is not bleached as much as cake flour, which gives White Lily a better, less acidic taste, Ms. Corriher said. Pastry flour is also made from soft wheat, but it is not chlorinated.” ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-yankees-kill-another-southern-institution-white-lily-flour/453939/19 "2008-06-23T19:58:59Z")
> [@](#): > > Bless your heart - getting a bit defensive there, aren’t you, sugar? I don’t think I implied the South was teh suxxors. In fact, I lived in Alabama myself for a bit, and I found it quite life-like. Yes, I am. After all the bashing the South has taken on this board for, well, EVER, I find it defensible to be defensive. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-yankees-kill-another-southern-institution-white-lily-flour/453939/20 "2008-06-23T20:01:10Z")
We’ll take our flour back when the war is over. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-yankees-kill-another-southern-institution-white-lily-flour/453939.md?page=2)