Tag: ancient grains

Soft Wheat Wins Hard Hearts

Of all the ancient grains I’ve written about thus far, common wheat may seem like the most pedestrian, if not altogether unfit for consideration. The thing is, there are so many different types of wheat, which is part of the reason why it’s so omnipresent, and also why its so misunderstood. Modern wheat varieties, bred after the 1960s, are a shadow of their former kernels, diminished in flavor and nutrition alike.

Now more than ever, heirloom wheat needs champions, preserving the very qualities that made it so popular in the first place. My fervor started with a bag of soft white wheat berries from Grand Teton Ancient Grains, which challenged everything I thought I knew about America’s most essential yet overlooked staple.

Separating the Wheat from the Chaff: A VERY Short History of Wheat

Wheat’s story begins roughly 10,000 years ago in the Fertile Crescent, a broad swath of land stretching through parts of modern-day Iraq, Syria, Turkey, and neighboring regions. There, early farmers gradually domesticated wild grasses into dependable crops, laying the foundation for settled agriculture and, in many ways, civilization itself. The impact of wheat on humanity as we know it cannot be overstated. Over thousands of years, wheat spread along trade routes and across continents, adapting to new climates and cultures.

Why, Where, What, Which, Wheat?

Wheat comes in many distinct forms. In the United States, six primary market classes are grown, each defined by its hardness, color, and planting season.

  • Hard Red Winter: The everyday bread wheat, used for sandwich loaves and rolls.
  • Hard Red Spring: Higher in protein, favored for artisan breads and flour blends.
  • Soft Red Winter: Lower protein wheat for cookies, crackers, pastries, and cakes.
  • Soft White: Mild, pale, low-protein wheat for pastries, cakes, and pie crusts.
  • Hard White: Higher protein wheat with a milder flavor than red wheats, often used for whole wheat breads and tortillas.
  • Durum: The hardest wheat, milled into semolina for pasta and couscous.

Let Them Eat Cake

When it comes to soft white wheat, low protein content is an asset. Protein comes in the form of gluten, which is what contributes to stretchy doughs in bread, but a tougher crumb in more delicate baked goods. Thus, soft white wheat is one of the ideal starting points for creating cake flour. Unlike the cake flour you’ll find packaged in stores, which is usually sifted to remove much of the bran and germ before being chlorinated, very finely milled soft white wheat can achieve a similarly tender texture.

To make the best DIY cake flour from soft white wheat, remove one tablespoon from every cup and replace it with one tablespoon of cornstarch. Sift several times to evenly distribute the starch.

White Wheat, Whole Nutrition

Despite the connotations that come with “white” flour, these white wheat berries are the unrefined whole grain. Thus, when milled, you create the seemingly idiosyncratic white whole wheat flour. It has the light, buoyant texture and mild flavor prized in processed, bleached flours while keeping all the nutrition of the bran and germ intact.

That nutritional difference is significant. A 100-gram serving of whole grain white wheat flour provides roughly 13 grams of protein, 11 grams of fiber, and a wide range of essential minerals, including iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, and manganese. The bran layer contributes much of the fiber and antioxidant compounds, while the germ provides vitamin E, B vitamins, healthy fats, and more.

Cooking Whole Soft White Wheat Berries

Before you grind all your soft white wheat berries down into flour, you should really cook them to enjoy as is. Pleasantly chewy and subtly sweet, they’re an ideal introduction to wheat berries for the uninitiated. Unlike harder wheat varieties, which can take longer to soften, soft white wheat cooks relatively quickly and yields tender, almost creamy grains that work beautifully in both sweet and savory dishes.

  • Stovetop Method: Rinse one cup of soft white wheat berries under cool water, then drain. For the best texture, soak the berries overnight in plenty of water, though this step can be skipped if needed. Add the drained wheat berries to a pot with three cups of fresh water and a generous pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 45 – 60 minutes, until the grains are tender and pleasantly chewy. Drain any remaining liquid and let rest for a few minutes before serving.
  • Pressure Cooker Method: Rinse one cup of soft white wheat berries and combine with three cups of water and a pinch of salt in an electric pressure cooker. Cook on high pressure for 30 minutes, then quick release the pressure before opening the lid. Drain any excess liquid if needed. For a softer, more porridge-like texture, increase the cooking time to 35 – 40 minutes.

Cooked wheat berries can be refrigerated for up to five days or frozen for longer storage, making them an easy whole grain to prepare ahead of time and always keep on hand.

Milling and Baking with Soft White Wheat Flour

Grand Teton Ancient Grains recommends milling only what you need for the best results, and it’s advice I wholeheartedly agree with. Freshly milled soft white wheat flour offers a completely different experience from flour that has spent months sitting on a grocery store shelf. Once ground, the natural oils in the germ begin to oxidize, slowly diminishing flavor and nutrition, so milling only what you need delivers the fullest expression of the grain. A home grain mill can transform whole berries into a fine, fragrant flour in seconds, releasing aromas of sweet grass, nuts, and warm cereal.

Because soft white wheat is naturally low in protein, it excels in applications where tenderness is the goal. Use the finest grind to ensure the lightest, most tender baked goods. Freshly milled soft white wheat flour can generally be used in any recipe calling for all-purpose flour in equal amounts. When substituting for conventional flour, it may absorb liquid differently due to the presence of the bran and germ, so recipes may require slight adjustments.

Traditional Uses for Soft White Wheat

While soft white wheat has historically been valued not for making the strongest doughs, its greatest strength is in creating foods with exceptional tenderness, subtle flavor, and a delicate crumb. Whether used whole or milled into flour, this versatile grain has found its way into a wide range of traditional foods.

As Whole Wheat Berries:

  • Grain salads and pilafs: Cooked wheat berries add a pleasantly chewy texture and mild, nutty flavor, much like farro or other ancient grains.
  • Soups and stews: Whole wheat berries have long been simmered into hearty dishes, adding body, texture, and nourishment.
  • Porridge and gruel: Cooked wheat berries can be simmered with non-dairy milk, fruit, spices, and your favorite sweetener for a warming, cozy breakfast. Although the word “gruel” may conjure up bleak images of meager meals, the reality is far more comforting. The savory approach can be thought of as a whole grain soup, with wheat berries simmered alongside vegetables, herbs, legumes, and spices for a deeply satisfying bowl.
  • Rolled wheat flakes: Similar to rolled oats, wheat berries can be steamed and flattened into flakes for quick-cooking hot cereals, granola, muesli, and baked goods.
  • Puffed wheat: Through a process of heat and pressure, whole wheat kernels transform into airy, crisp grains used in breakfast cereals, snack mixes, and traditional sweets.
  • Sprouted grains: Fresh wheat berries can be sprouted and eaten raw in salads, sandwiches, wraps, stir fries, and more. They have a very mild flavor and soft texture, making them a great choice for sprout newbies.
  • Beer and brewing: Wheat has been used in brewing traditions for centuries. While barley remains the dominant brewing grain, wheat contributes body, softness, haze, and a distinctive grain character to styles such as wheat beers, including hefeweizen and witbier. Soft white wheat can be used by brewers seeking a lighter-colored wheat addition with a mild flavor profile.

As Flour:

  • Biscuits and scones: Soft white wheat’s low protein content creates the tender, flaky texture these baked goods depend on.
  • Cakes and pastries: Its fine texture and mild flavor make it ideal for delicate cakes, cookies, pie crusts, and other desserts.
  • Crackers: Soft wheat flour creates crisp, light crackers without the toughness that can develop from stronger bread flours.
  • Pancakes and waffles: Minimal gluten development ensures a lighter, softer texture.

Soft Spot for Soft Wheat

The qualities that make soft white wheat exceptional are the very ones that make Japanese soufflé pancakes so captivating. For years, I’ve dreamed of making my own lofty stack of these cloud-like confections, watching from afar as the impossibly tall rounds wobble with every movement of the plate. Although traditional Japanese soufflé pancakes are typically made with cake flour, finely milled soft white wheat proved to be the missing ingredient I needed all along. That, and English muffin rings.

Unlike the flat, compact silver dollar pancakes of my youth, Japanese soufflé pancakes are what you get when you cook a classic whipped French custard on a griddle. Their signature height comes from whipped aquafaba folded into the batter, creating an impossibly airy structure that can be measured in inches. Magnificent, show-stopping, and a damned near heroic labor of love, there’s a reason why vegan versions are incredibly rare. They are not quick and easy. They are not beginner pancakes.

Tips for Success

Do not pass go, do not collect $200, do NOT miss a single detail! Please read through the recipe carefully or you’re asking for disaster. Absolutely critical details that even I would probably overlook include:

  1. Sift your flour. Even if you’re using a commercially milled flour, it’s important to keep it light and free of clumps. For home milled flour, there will be more irregularities and large particles that need to be removed.
  2. Cook low and slow. Do not rush the process. There’s a lot of batter to cook and only a single source of heat at a time to cook it all the way though.
  3. Do not flip. I know, it’s heresy to not flip a pan cake! But in this case, they will flop. They’re too delicate to move until they’re done.

Bumper Crop of Inspiration

Soft white wheat flies under the radar, in conversations about ancient grains, eclipsed by the superfood du jour, despite being responsible for many of our most beloved pastries and desserts. Thanks to growers like Grand Teton Ancient Grains, this distinctive class of America’s favorite grain continues to thrive, preserving flavors, traditions, and agricultural diversity that might otherwise have been lost. For a grain that’s spent millennia feeding civilizations, I’d say it’s long overdue for a comeback.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)7 Comments

Rye Not?

Rye is a grain of both the working class and high society. Best known for making strong brown bread and even stronger distilled spirits, rye can be as wholesome or debauched as the hands that shape it. Touching all walks of life through its long and storied history, what’s even wilder than the grain itself, is the fact that it was almost overlooked entirely by human civilization. Even though rye’s cultural renaissance may have come and gone, it remains an indispensable grain that’s primed for it’s next great revival.

Grand Teton Ancient Grains is helping to lead that charge, making bulk whole rye berries accessible in markets where local stores fail to deliver. Even rye flour has become something of a rarity, relegated to specialty stores, if you needed any additional incentive to make the plunge and buy a home grain mill.

How Rye Came to Grow Like a Weed

Originating sometime around 1000 BCE nearby modern-day Turkey and Iran, rye was first viewed as a pesky weed. Early farmers focused on cultivating barley and wheat (which are both closely related, I might add) were initially confounded as to how this interloper kept managing to tenaciously thrive amongst the other crops. This hardiness is what ultimately earned it a proper place in the fields, proving its tolerance to cold temperatures, drought, and poor soil.

Romans seized upon the resilient stalks during their conquests, bringing them back home and ultimately introducing rye to greater Ancient Europe. The grain proliferated, quickly becoming an essential staple that shaped the very foundation of their traditional foodways. Dark, dense rye bread is practically synonymous with German, Russian, Polish, and Swedish cuisines, and that’s only the beginning.

Bold, Old-World Flavor

Distinctive, assertive, and complex, rye will never slip silently onto your plate. To some, particularly super tasters, its strong, sometime bitter flavor is off-putting, but for those who love it, that’s a feature, not a flaw. At its core, rye carries a malty, toasted, earthy backbone with an almost mineral edge. That base is layered with subtle spice reminiscent of black pepper, clove, or allspice. There’s an underlying tanginess, not unlike sourdough, which amplifies rye’s nuances, pulling forward hidden notes of nuttiness and sweetness.

The form in which rye is used greatly affects the final flavor. There’s also a large amount of variation between rye grown in the spring vs winter. Let’s not forget that there are heirloom varieties, such as what you’ll find at Grand Teton Ancient Grains, and modern hybrids.

Reuben Sandwich from Brunch Bird

Modern Rye

Rye’s ascension was not meteoric nor linear. After sustaining generations through hardship and scarcity, it began to be associated with poverty. Soon, it was relegated to the back burner, replaced by light, fluffy white flours and quick-cooking whole grains. The greatest tragedy of rye is that to this day, less than 25% of the rye grown in the U.S. is harvested for human consumption, with the remainder used as livestock feed, hay, or as a cover crop. Globally, the numbers are more encouraging, though appreciation for rye still trails far behind trendier superfoods like the social media darling, quinoa, for example. Culinarily speaking, there are so more historical and contemporary uses for rye:

  • Bread: A dark, hearty loaf of bread is the first thing most people think of when you say the word “rye.” There are myriad variations on the theme, with or without caraway seeds, sweetened with molasses or raisins, and more. Aside from loaves, rye bagels, rolls, biscuits, and muffins all deserve a place at the table. Rye flour is also a major component in pumpernickel bread.
  • Crackers, Cookies, Pancakes, and Cakes: In crackers, rye bakes up crisp and snappy, with a deep, savory flavor. For desserts like cookies and cakes, rye tempers sweetness, adding a faint bitterness and nutty depth that keeps things from becoming cloying, especially in spice-forward or chocolate-rich recipes. Danish brødtorte, a layer cake made from rye bread crumbs, hazelnuts, cocoa, and molasses is an excellent example.

Rye Flake Muesli
  • Cereal, Granola, and Porridge: Using whole berries, or rolled rye flakes, this grain makes for a deeply satisfying breakfast. Rye porridge cooks up creamy yet slightly chewy, with a hearty texture that satisfies for hours. Its natural savory edge pairs well with both sweet toppings like maple syrup, fruit, and nuts, or more savory additions like unsweetened vegan yogurt and seeds. In granola, rye flakes toast beautifully, adding crunch and a subtle malty flavor that sets it apart from the usual oat-based blends.
  • Soup: Żurek is a traditional Polish sour rye soup made with fermented rye flour, sausages, root vegetables, and often served with eggs and, yes, more bread. The fermented rye starter known as Zakwas Żytni can be purchased in Polish markets, but is incredibly easy to make at home, if you have the patience to let it sit for 4 – 7 days.
  • Salad: Like any other whole grain, rye berries can be cooked and tossed into salads chilled, warm, or hot. They hold their shape, absorb dressings like a champ, and travel well, making them an excellent choice for picnics and potlucks.

Rye Whiskey and Beer
  • Whiskey: Rye finds one of its boldest expressions in whiskey, where its naturally peppery profile takes center stage. Compared to corn-heavy bourbons, rye whiskey is typically drier and more assertive, with notes of spice, herbs, and sometimes citrus or floral undertones. It’s the backbone of classic cocktails like the Manhattan and Old Fashioned, where its sharpness cuts through sweetness and brings balance. For those who enjoy a spirit with a bit of edge, rye whiskey is hard to beat.
  • Beer: Brewers have long employed rye as a flavorful twist to traditional grain bills. Rye beers often carry a slightly spicy, tangy character with a smooth, sometimes silky mouthfeel. It can be used to add complexity to everything from pale ales to stouts, though rye IPAs are especially popular for the way the grain’s spice plays against bright, citrusy hops.

Garlic-Rye Chips

Rye and Mighty Nutrition

As nutritionally dense as the loaves it makes, rye is a heavy hitter across the board. Even higher in fiber than conventional whole wheat, rye also provides more vitamin B2, B6, and E per serving, in addition to vitamins A and K, which you won’t find in the former. Rye is also a good source of manganese, potassium, copper and phosphorus. Instead of grabbing an expensive energy bar, a sturdy slice of rye bread would be a smarter midday pick-me-up.

Seeded Rye Bread

Baker in the Rye

Even for the experienced baker, working with rye flour can be daunting. Rye does contain gluten, making it unsuitable for those with celiac disease, but much less than wheat. That’s why rye bread tends to be much denser and have less rise, or is cut with a higher-gluten bread flour to improve the texture.

Buying rye flour may be even more difficult than grinding your own. Sold as light, medium, and dark rye flour, the difference is all in the milling. Light rye has most or all of the bran removed and is ground to a very fine powder, whereas on the opposite side of the spectrum, dark rye uses nearly all of the bran and is coarsely ground.

Rye flour absorbs more liquid than wheat flour, resulting in a stickier, less elastic dough. Don’t try to compensate by adding more flour, which will only result in a dry, leaden loaf. Your best bet is to substitute only 20% to 25% of the flour in cookies or cakes with rye, or 50% of the flour in bread recipes.

Cooking Whole Rye Berries

To soak or not to soak: that’s a question with no definitive answer. You don’t need to soak rye berries before cooking them, but as with all other hard grain berries and large beans, it can help cut down on the cooking time and ensure even tenderness all the way through. Should you choose to do so, soak your rye berries overnight and drain thoroughly, adding fresh water for the cooking process.

  • Stove Top: Add 1 part rye berries to 4 parts water in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer and cover. Cook for about 45 – 60 minutes if soaked, or 60 – 90 minutes if unsoaked, stirring occasionally and adding more water if needed. The berries are done when tender but still pleasantly chewy. Drain any excess liquid.
  • Pressure Cooker: Combine 1 part rye berries with 3 parts water. Cook on high pressure for 20 – 25 minutes if soaked, or 30 – 35 minutes if unsoaked. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes before opening. Drain and enjoy.

Joy Rye-d

If rye is most closely associated with bread, then rye bread is most closely associated with the Reuben sandwich. The stuff of deli legends (despite not being kosher by combining meat and cheese), the Reuben is a simple affair composed of corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and thousand island dressing, all contained between two slices of rye bread. Taking a step back, I wondered what would happen if we removed the bread, but kept the rye? That’s how rye-sotto, featuring whole rye berries instead of the conventional rice found in risotto, was born.

Gone A-Rye

Though whole rye berries lack the free starch found in rice that typically makes risotto thick and creamy, they have the advantage of staying satisfyingly chewy no matter how long you cook them. The solution is to create a slurry from rye flour to thicken the broth like a rich gravy, cradling the tender cooked grains.

Completing the Reuben revolution was easy from there, using chopped vegan corned beef slices, either store-bought or homemade, like you might employ bacon or pancetta in a more traditional risotto, to carry the greatest gustatory weight. Dairy-free Parmesan takes the place of Swiss for a greater umami impact, and the whole thing is finished with a drizzle of thousand island crema, less oily than dressing but with all the same bite. Effortlessly elegant without being fussy, it takes the beloved comfort food to a whole new level.

All Ryes On Me

Rye doesn’t need reinvention so much as reconsideration. It’s been here all along, resilient in the field, uncompromising on the palate, and endlessly adaptable in the kitchen. Whether you meet it in a dense loaf, a warming bowl, or a sweet treat, rye rewards curiosity with character. If there’s a revival ahead, I can only hope it’ll be driven by a renewed appreciation for a truly great whole grain.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)11 Comments

Einkorn’s Ultimate Plot Twist

Back in my earliest days as a picky eater, pasta was absolutely fundamental to my being. Even that was unadventurous stuff, served either buttered or smothered in cheese sauce. The shape was similarly mundane, limited to only the basics when it came to everyday options: elbows, spaghetti, and my favorite, fusilli. Or, as I called them, “twists”. The tightly coiled corkscrews created layers of texture to sink your teeth into while creating scores of little pockets that catch and hold onto sauces, should you be so bold as to apply them. Even with such a limited palate, I think my younger self would have would have gone wild for the new Einkorn Fusilli from Grand Teton Ancient Grains.

The Best Kind of Plot Twist

Joining their trio of longer noodle stands, fusilli is the first short shape offered by Grand Teton Ancient Grains. Just like the original lineup, they’re made with 100% organic einkorn, extruded through bronze dies, and slow-dried. It’s that attention to detail that blows mass-produced macaroni out of the water.

Weeknight Speed, Weekend Quality

Pasta has always been an easy answer to last-minute meals, but these fusilli take speed to the next level. They cook to al dente perfection in only 5 minutes, much like you would expect from fresh pasta, but with the convenience of being shelf-stable. That also means that in the case of very saucy dishes, you can often add them straight into the pan, no par-cooking necessary, fully infusing each tender twist with flavor.

Built For Every Sauce

There’s nothing the hardworking fusilli can’t do. Named from the Italian “fuso,” meaning “spindle” in reference to the rod once used to hand-twist each piece, they’re a natural base for red sauce, be that marinara, arrabbiata, puttanesca, amatriciana, Bolognese, pomodoro, ragu; you name it, these noodles can handle it. Each ruffled crenelation holds just as tightly to more delicate sauces too, such as pesto, browned butter, or the most humble aglio e olio (garlic and olive oil). Especially given the rough, porous surface created from these specific bronze dies, Grand Teton Ancient Grains einkorn fusilli fulfills any noodle needs.

Nutritional Upgrade

Mac and cheese is what I most closely associate with tiny twists, as per my earliest childhood exposure. Granted, this was always from the blue box, nothing nearly as luxurious as this. Einkorn fusilli would have blown my young mind apart. Who knows, maybe I would have found an appreciation for real food earlier on… Or just become more pasta-obsessed than ever. At least, einkorn pasta has more protein, higher levels of iron, zinc, and magnesium, and scores more B vitamins than conventional options, so I’d be better off nutritionally with such a selective diet.

Comfort Food For All Occasions

The curative properties of meatless chicken noodle soup take on greater prowess when einkorn pasta takes the place of the typical, flaccid strands. Each spiral holds its structure in the simmering broth, resisting the fate of dissolving into mush, while soaking up all that savory, herb-laced goodness in the process. It transforms a simple, soothing staple into something with real substance: heartier, more satisfying, and something you’ll want to ladle out in big bowls even when nothing ails you.

A Dish Best Served Cold

Pasta salad might be where these twists truly shine, though, especially once the weather begins to warm and heavy meals lose their appeal. Their springy shape is tailor-made for catching bits of every crisp vegetable, briny olives, sharp dairy-free cheeses, or toasted nuts, so every forkful feels balanced and complete. Unlike softer pastas that can turn limp after a stint in the fridge, einkorn fusilli maintains its al dente bite, holding up beautifully to tangy vinaigrette or creamy dressings alike. Packed for a picnic or pulled straight from the fridge for an easy meal, it’s a smart option to have prepped all summer long.

Summertime Staycation

To that end, I’d like to suggest another unconventional approach. Easily outshine every other dish at your next potluck with something brighter, bolder, and a little unexpected. Juicy mango, crisp red bell pepper, crunchy jicama, and a generous squeeze of lime swirl around those toothsome einkorn spirals. Sweet-tart Sunset Mango Pasta Salad captures a bite of easy-going island energy, like watching golden hour paint the shoreline in gilded hues. Worlds away from the beige, mayo-laden standards that tend to dominate the genre, this fresh combination simply shines.

Spirals, In Constant Rotation

It’s a good thing Grand Teton Ancient Grains packages their fusilli in two-pound bags because I’ve been devouring it at an almost embarrassing pace. If there’s pasta involved, this is the one I reach for without thinking. One new recipe idea begets another, never coming close to exhausting the culinary possibilities, or my hunger for more. Only take the plunge if you’re ready to have a standing order; after one taste, going back to discount dried pasta will be tough to swallow.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)9 Comments

Cook This Book: The Essential Einkorn Cookbook

Einkorn is still an enigma to many, lingering on the fringes of the modern food world like a half-remembered story; vaguely familiar and intriguing, but rarely invited into the daily routine. The Essential Einkorn Cookbook by Katie Koyle is exactly the lens needed to bring this grain into sharp focus, pulling back the curtain to reveal einkorn’s remarkable versatility in the contemporary kitchen.

Unlike trend-driven cookbooks that position ancient grains as novelties, likely to be forgotten when the next superfood craze rolls around, Koyle’s approach is refreshingly grounded. She treats einkorn not as a curiosity to be decoded, but as a staple to be understood. As a crucial part of the team at Grand Teton Ancient Grains, Koyle has spent years working intimately with this original wheat in all its permutations, and that fluency shows on every page. She knows how einkorn behaves, where it resists, and how to coax out its best qualities without force or fuss.

Though this is not a vegan or vegetarian cookbook, the guidance it offers transcends dietary lines. The foundational information, such as how einkorn absorbs liquid differently, why it prefers gentler handling, and how its golden hue signals richness rather than density, applies to anyone willing to experiment. Even recipes that include animal products are written with a technical clarity that makes them easy to adapt, making this book a valuable resource for adventurous eaters of all kinds.

The baking chapters are where einkorn truly shines, and Koyle wisely leans into that strength. Her focaccia (page 53) is a standout: plush and tender with a crumb that manages to be both airy and satisfying, its flavor deeper and more complex than versions made with conventional white flour. Einkorn’s natural sweetness comes through subtly, pairing beautifully with olive oil and herbs without collapsing into a heavy, overly dense dough. It’s the kind of bread that disappears quickly, torn by hand and eaten warm, with or without embellishment.

The pumpkin muffins (page 99), crowned with a generous crumb topping, are another highlight. Einkorn’s softness lends itself beautifully to quick breads, producing muffins that are moist without being gummy and richly flavored with the barest measure of sugar for balance. I love that it calls for a full can of pumpkin puree, not some trifling half-measure for the sake of color, and you only need to substitute the two eggs with 1/2 cup of applesauce to reap the fully vegan rewards. The crumb topping, when made with dairy-free butter, adds a certain decadence that straddles the line between nourishment and indulgence, equally suited to breakfast, afternoon coffee, or a late night snack.

Outside of the oven, einkorn proves its adaptability. Chicken and dumplings (page 125) offers a reminder that ancient grains are not confined to rustic loaves and pastries. The dumplings, tender and flavorful, hold together with grace, absorbing the broth while maintaining their structure. It’s a snap to swap in your favorite meatless protein and vegetable stock to make it effortlessly plant-based.

What makes The Essential Einkorn Cookbook especially successful is its humility and pragmatism. Koyle never oversells einkorn, nor does she shy away from its quirks. Instead, she offers practical wisdom, gentle reassurance, and recipes that work as an invitation rather than a challenge. It should also be said that the photography, shot by Koyle herself, is truly stunning, emphasizing texture, color, and process over polish. It’s equally inspirational and aspirational, especially to anyone that’s more of a visual learner.

For anyone curious about baking beyond conventional wheat, or simply looking to deepen their relationship with the ingredients they already love, this book is both a guide and a companion. Einkorn may be ancient, but in Koyle’s experienced hands, it feels entirely alive, ready to earn its place at the table, one loaf, muffin, and dumpling at a time.

This post was made possible as a collaboration with Grand Teton Ancient Grains. My opinions can not be bought and all content is original. This page may contain affiliate links; thank you for supporting my blog!

Hannah (BitterSweet)5 Comments

In a Loaf Far, Farro Away

Whole wheat bread is out; farro bread is in. As we turn the pages to a new calendar year, it’s time for a fresh start, and a new approach to ancient grains.

When “Whole Wheat” Isn’t the Whole Story

Technically speaking, farro also qualifies as “whole wheat”, and more specifically, three types of whole wheat, as we touched upon when discussing emmer, the most popular type of farro. However, generic “whole wheat bread” most likely employs hard red wheat, which makes up approximately 40% of total U.S. wheat production. Nutty, robust, and high in protein, it’s no mystery why it became the poster child for wholesome baking, particularly following the counterculture movement of the 1970s, rejecting the processed white loaves proliferating on grocery store shelves. At the same time, it became the sworn enemy of many children bringing packed lunches to school, discovering those dark, dense, and bitter slabs imprisoning wan fillings, bereft of all fun. Whole wheat had soured many generations on the idea of a more wholesome loaf.

In an attempt to elevate the profile (and gluten structure) of whole wheat bread, many brands started producing “whole grain” bread, which was mostly white bread with a bit of color. The fact that they included any meager amount of whole grains gave them the legal grounds to use the label, much to the detriment of flavor and nutrition. If you ask me, they just started out by using the wrong whole wheat all along.

Farro For All

Farro bread isn’t something you’re likely to find in stores, nor is farro flour. That’s where Grand Teton Ancient Grains comes in. They have all three types of farro in stock; einkorn, emmer, and spelt. Better yet, you can grab a bag of ready-milled all-purpose einkorn flour so you can start preheating the oven that much sooner. Buying in bulk does make a compelling case for having your own grain mill, though, especially for breaking down those whole spelt berries. Consider it the best gift you didn’t get for the holidays and treat yourself to a better New Year.

Unlike modern hard red wheat, which has been bred for high yields, consistent protein levels, and machine-friendly milling, farro varieties hold on to traits that industrial agriculture left behind. Emmer and einkorn, for example, have naturally higher levels of carotenoids, which contribute to their flaxen color and subtle sweetness. Spelt tends to be more water-soluble, which is why dough made with it can feel slack even when the protein percentage looks high on paper. Their husked kernels also protect the grain from environmental stress, which is great for biodiversity but makes them harder to process. Grand Teton Ancient Grains is keeping history alive by putting these grains back on the table. You can truly taste that difference.

The Farro Trifecta in Action

All-purpose einkorn flour is the key to success. Soft as freshly fallen snow, it lightens the crumb both in texture and color, not to mention that stunning golden hue it imparts. Edging in on brioche territory, you’d think there was egg in the mix for all its richness. To that majority component, whole spelt flour adds an earthy undertone, grounding the flavor with notes of toasted walnuts and a subtle minerality. Most noticeable, whole cooked emmer berries are woven throughout the crumb, stealing the spotlight with their irresistibly chewy, hearty texture that adds a satisfying heft to every bite.

Altogether, it’s sturdy enough to slice thinly for sandwiches, and still soft enough to cut into thick slabs for dunking into soups, or simply eating plain. Truth be told, I ate roughly 75% of this particular loaf untoasted and unadorned, aside from the thinnest glaze of vegan butter smeared on top.

Rave-Worthy Results

I’m terminally intolerant of breathless hyperbole, deliberately honing my praise to a more reasonable tenor, but this one is hard to be modest about. Of all the loaves I’ve made, this is honestly one of my top five favorites, at least. Maybe even top three, but I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. It’s just as easy to whip up as any other humble sandwich bread, while having nuanced, complex flavor that you’d think could only come from a 24- or 36-hour ferment.

Better Living Through Baking

Make your New Year’s resolution to bake more bread from scratch. It’s a tangible, achievable goal with myriad benefits for health, sustainability, frugality, and honestly, happiness. Even on my worst days, a slice of warm farro bread has never failed to buoy my spirits.

Continue reading “In a Loaf Far, Farro Away” →

Hannah (BitterSweet)10 Comments

Emmer-gence

“Emmer” may not ring a bell, but I have a feeling you know more about it than you think. Just flip its name tag over to the better known moniker of farro, and it’s like we’re talking about a whole different grain. Yes, misunderstandings about the title abound, so it’s long overdue that we set the record straight. Emmer is an ancient grain that deserves a spot on every modern table.

In a Land Far, Farro Away

What’s truly wild is how few people understand what exactly farro is. Still on the fringes of mainstream grocery stores, granted, it’s not at the top of the average eater’s grocery list. Farro became trendy in the US sometime around the 90s and 00s, alongside the boom of Italian imports like balsamic vinegar and olive oil that didn’t taste like rancid gasoline. However, what makes things more confusing is that no one grain is defined as farro. Rather, there are three types of farro:

  • Farro grande; spelt
  • Farro piccolo; einkorn
  • Farro medio; emmer

Emmer is the grain most commonly referred to as farro, when no other qualifiers can be found. Farro wheat, which is also classified as durum wheat, is defined by the way it grows, with two rows of grain on opposite sides of a single stalk.

Conveniently, Grand Teton Ancient Grains sells all three types, so you can see (and taste) the difference for yourself!

Emmer Through the Ages

Botanical semantics out of the way, emmer is one of the preeminent whole grains. Known as “Mother Wheat,” it was one of the first grains to be domesticated in the Near East over 10,000 years ago. A staple crop in ancient Israel and Egypt, it spread to Italy following the Roman invasion around 50 BCE, where it took root in the culture and remains a top crop to this day. The rest of Europe developed a taste for this high-protein whole grain as well, especially when it comes to bread making in Germany and Switzerland. It’s also a crucial ingredient in Ethiopia, where it’s enjoyed primarily as a hot porridge.

Emmer Is Good Eats

Flavor always comes first in my kitchen, which is why emmer has become a fast favorite around here, too. Nutty and complex, there’s a subtle taste that reminds me of fresh almonds when cooked, adding a gently sweet finish that tastes both honeyed and malted. Chewy and robust, the whole wheat berry stands up well to long-simmered soups and stews, never falling apart under pressure. That also makes it an excellent addition to salads, both hot and cold, and keeps beautifully for meal prep and travel. When ground into flour, it makes silky smooth batters, though it can create denser breads due to a lesser gluten content, compared to modern wheat varieties.

Nutritional Benefits for People and the Planet

Prized for its ability to thrive in poor soils and harsh climates, emmer is beloved by farmers as a sustainable superstar. It generally needs fewer chemical inputs like fertilizers and pesticides, and is more drought-tolerant than modern wheat. As beneficial to the planet as the people that eat it, consumers can reap the rewards of many trace minerals in every serving, including iron, zinc, magnesium, and niacin. It’s high in protein and fiber, making it a satisfying foundation to any meal. Being that it is a form of wheat, however, it is not gluten-free, and not appropriate for those with celiac disease. Some who are merely intolerant report better digestibility, since it has less gluten than conventional wheat varieties.

Emmer Everyday, in All the Ways

Is there anything that emmer can’t do? Found across cultures and continents, whole and ground, there’s always a place for it at the table.

  • Soups and stews: Perhaps best known in Tuscan zuppa di farro, these sturdy whole grains are the ideal swap for pasta in any minestrone, Italian wedding soup, cacio e pepe, and so much more.
  • Risotto: As a modern twist to the traditional rice dish, farrotto is just plain fun to say. Some renditions favor cracked or pearled emmer for their faster cooking times, and/or soak them in advance to help expedite the process.
  • Salads and pilafs: Served hot, at room temperature, or fully chilled, emmer won’t let you down at dinnertime. Pair it with hearty roasted vegetables or delicate leafy greens and fresh herbs
  • Breads: In India, the flour is known as khapli wheat and is favored for making whole grain roti, dosa, and paratha. Aish baladi, a flatbread very similar to pita, is an core Egyptian delicacy, frequently stuffed or torn into piece for dipping. European loaves often combine it with a sourdough starter for greater loft and nuanced flavor.
  • Sweets: Treats like cookies, pie dough, muffins, cakes, pancakes, and more can all benefit from an emmer underpinning. Dense like most whole wheat flours, it adds heft and a hearty bite, balanced nicely by sugar, and especially the addition of spice.
  • Porridge and hot cereal: Cooked either whole or coarsely ground, emmer makes an excellent breakfast meal. Depending on your preferences, it can be served with savory additions like chickpeas and za’atar, or sweet finishes like fresh berries and maple syrup.
  • Beer and spirits: Though a bit tricky to find in the US, emmer beer has been a brewer’s best friend for millennia. Emmer beer was once one of the healthiest ways to hydrate, before the days of clean water and further filtration. Some distillers take it a step further to make emmer whiskey, though the rarity of those bottles drives a considerable price tag. 

Other notable traditional dishes that defy easy categorization include torta a farro, a savory cake reminiscent of a frittata, arancini di farro, favoring emmer in the typical deep-fried rice ball, and adjar pilaf, an Armenian side dish with mushrooms and onions.

Cooking Tips and Tricks

Whole emmer wheat berries are incredibly forgiving when it comes to cooking. Treat them like beans for the best results; use plenty of water, simmer low and slow, and drain off the excess. Of course, you can always speed things up with a little help from your trusty pressure cooker.

  • On the stove top, start by rinsing 1 cup of whole emmer wheat berries under cold water to remove any dust or debris. Then, place them in a pot with about 3 cups of water and a pinch of salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover the pot and let it cook for 45 – 60 minutes, or until the grains are tender but still chewy. If you’re using pearled emmer, the cooking time may be closer to 25 – 30 minutes. Once cooked, drain any excess liquid and fluff the grains with a fork.
  • In a pressure cooker, combine 1 cup of rinsed emmer wheat berries with 2 1/2 cups of water and a pinch of salt. Seal the lid and cook on high pressure for 20 – 25 minutes (or 12 – 15 minutes for pearled). Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then release any remaining pressure manually. Drain any excess liquid if needed, and the grains are ready to use.

Enjoy your emmer right away while still hot, or let cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5 – 7 days. Consider keeping it in the freezer for long-term storage, up to 6 months, if you’d rather make bigger batches at a time.

Kasha is Out, Emmer is In

With Hanukkah looming right around the corner, Jewish comfort food has been top of mind. Kasha varnishkes aren’t making headlines like latkes and brisket, though they’re just as welcome at the holiday feast as they are on the average, everyday dinner table. “Kasha” means buckwheat and “varnishkes” refers to noodles, typically bow-tie shaped pasta, AKA farfalle in this case, fully explaining the simplicity and universal appeal of the dish. Bolstered by caramelized onions, the earthy whole grains add a comforting weight to al dente semolina pasta. It’s a beloved comfort food of Eastern European Jews through the generations. My unconventional suggestion is to drop the bitter buckwheat in favor of subtly sweet emmer berries.

Emmer Varnishkes are my contribution to the culinary canon. While buckwheat has its own old world charm, it tends to skew more bitter, grassy, and sometimes as earthy as a whole barnyard. The mild sweetness of emmer melds effortlessly with the richness of the dish, bringing out the complex chestnut and freshly popped popcorn notes. The key is to toast the emmer before simmering lightly salted stock, enhancing the naturally nutty flavor locked within. Then, perfectly befitting of the holiday, instead of schmaltz, olive oil honors the Hanukkah miracle, all while adding a peppery brightness.

Far-Out Emmer

If you’re a fan of farro, guess what? You’re already on board with emmer. Next time you see “farro” on a menu or in a recipe, you’ll know the story runs deeper than a trendy grain bowl. Emmer has nourished civilizations for thousands of years, and it’s still feeding our curiosity, and our appetites, today. Whether simmering in a soup pot, baked into bread, or starring in your next grain salad, there’s still so much more to discover with this ancient grain.

Continue reading “Emmer-gence” →

Hannah (BitterSweet)13 Comments