Does anyone know where I can find some decent white bread flour. Preferably Canadian or French with a protein level higher than 12%? I have tried the usual sources: Lidl, Portuguese supermarkets, etc. Currently, I am getting friends to bring bags of flour across from the UK.

Ask at your local bakery, they buy in big sacks but would surely weigh you off a smaller quantity (and give you proper yeast too !) - the danger of imported product from Canada being that it could be from GM crops..

Not sure where you’re based but have you tried Apolonia (Almancil, Galé, Lagoa)? Sort of thing they’d stock

Based in Tavira and yes, tried Apolonia - they don't have anything.

I make do with the Food Company in Almancil. They have strong white and brown bread flour from the UK. I blend it with Aldi's integral flour and make a decent small loaf every other day.

Thanks - I will have a look for that. I don't suppose you could please tell me the brand and protein level of the white?

The brand of the white flour is Co-op and the label sys 11g of protein in 100g of flour.

Thanks for the help. I'm looking for something with higher protein.

What would be the difference between white bread made with 11% protein and 13% protein flour?

Better gluten development.

Celeiro do some. They've got a shop at MAR Shopping Loulé.

Doves Farm Strong White should fit the bill. Bit of a hefty price tag though.

Thank you - will be worth buying a large quantity every few months.

Not wanting to go too off tangent but you can use xantham gum to replicate some of the gluten development if your flour has a low protein content, I know it is usually used in GF dough development but it can also be used in this context.. Might need some playing about to get the mix right but worth a go if you cannot easily get a higher protein content of flour.

Thank you but I'd rather keep things as unadulterated as possible: flour, sourdough starter, salt, water and produce this:

Personally I like wholemeal bread and, in my experience, good quality integral flour has been hard to find in the Algarve over the past 20 years. The best wholemeal strong bread flour I have found at a sensible price is the UK flour available at the Food Company in Almancil where there is sometimes a choice of Allinson and supermarket own brands. The Allinson flour has 12g of protein per 100g of flour and makes a very good brown loaf in my opinion. I sometimes blend it with Aldi's integral flour for a slightly lighter texture.