Book excerpt: A Handful of Flour is not simply a book of recipes but, like Shipton Mill itself, is grounded in the belief that flour matters. A simple ingredient which, if chosen and treated with care, can make all the difference. Shipton Mill's flour is the one that professional and home bakers namecheck, from Richard Bertinet to Andrew Whitley to Darina Allen, Raymond Blanc, Jamie Oliver, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Yotam Ottolenghi. In this, their first, much-anticipated book, Tess Lister will show you how to choose the best flour for breads, pastry, pizza, cakes, tarts, biscuits and more. As well as covering the well-loved varieties of white and wholemeal flours, Tess will introduce you to ancient grains such as spelt, einkorn, emmer and khorasan. The book also explores the stunning flavours of many gluten-free flours, including rice, almond, chestnut and teff. Whether you simply want exciting recipes that explore the full range of flours available to us or to understand how best to employ them in your baking, this book will become as enduring as the Mill itself. Shortlisted for the Best First Book Award by the Guild of Food Writers 2017.