Flour is a powder made by grinding grains like wheat, used for baking bread, cakes, and other foods. It can also be made from other plants, like corn or rice.
“Flour” comes from Old French “fleur de farine,” meaning “flower of the meal,” or the finest part of ground grain. Over time, English shortened it to “flour,” keeping the idea of the best, softest part.
Flour and flower were once the same word in English, because “flower” meant the finest or best part of something. So flour is literally the “flower” of the grain—the soft, useful center.
Flour and baking have historically been tied to domestic roles that were coded as female, contributing to the idea that cooking with flour is 'women's work.' This has obscured the professional contributions of women bakers and chefs while also excluding men from domestic competence.
When discussing cooking or baking with flour, avoid assuming the cook's gender; use neutral terms like 'baker,' 'cook,' or 'home baker.'
["baker","cook","pastry chef"]
In culinary history involving flour-based foods, acknowledge women bakers and cooks whose innovations and labor underpinned many cuisines but were rarely credited in formal records.
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