The wheat flour is white wheat flour, the most common all-purpose kind. Don't worry too much about the protein, this bread will not develop lots of gluten stran

The wheat flour is white wheat flour, the most common all-purpose kind. Don't worry too much about the protein, this bread will not develop lots of gluten strands anyway. You do want to mix it quite a bit, if possible, and you will get some gluten, but nothing like with white bread. I think the levain should be rye-based, but I do not have data to back that up. Never tried anything different. As to the quality of rye flour in America, the organic one from Hodgson Mill was good and very comparable to what I use in Poland. The non-organic one less so. I think the dark bread you described resembles a pumpernickel, but I'm not sure. I never liked pumpernickel much. Oh, I forgot one important thing in the US: the water in your tap! If it's chemical plant waste like in many places, it can't be used for bread baking. Specifically, if it's chlorinated, you might get away with keeping some in a jar waiting for the chlorine to evaporate. But if chloramines are used (like in San Diego, for example), you're screwed. I had to buy a good activated carbon water filter before I could bake bread in San Diego. I think it's a good idea anyway.