Spelt; ancient wheat reintroduced. Part 2

Part 2:

Unlike modern wheat, the spelt grain has retained many of its original traits and remains a highly nutritious and full-flavored option. Modern wheat has changed dramatically over the decades. It has been propagated to be easier to grow and harvest, to boost harvest yield, and to have a higher gluten content for the production of high-volume commercial baked goods. All this translates to more money for manufacturers.

It’s taste is not the only thing that has drawn the Western world back to this ancient grain. Spelt is naturally high in fiber, and contain much more protein than wheat. Spelt is also higher in both simple and complex carbohydrates and in B complex vitamins. Another newly promoted benefit is that some people who are gluten-sensitive have been able to include spelt-based foods in their diets to replace the modern wheat they were once used to which they now should avoid.

Spelt has become a top-selling grain in the organic and health food industry, since its reintroduction to the market in 1987 by Purity Foods Inc. Modern cooks are rediscovering the full-bodied flavor of whole grain spelt baked goods. Flour made from the versatile grain can be substituted for wheat flour in a variety of baked goods including, but not limited to: breads, pasta, cookies, crackers, cakes, muffins, pancakes and waffles.

Technorati Tags: spelt, grain, wheat, ancient grain

Hard White Spring Wheat

Did you know? That there are several hundred varieties of wheat?! They are put into a certain classes as well, depending upon their color, the hardness and shape of the kernel, as well as the time of year the wheat is planted and harvested. This particular wheat (pictured on the left) is called Hard White Spring.

It is called that because it's a harder grain and used for more yeast breads, tortillas, hard rolls, etc. It is a lighter color than the "Red" grains thus called "white". It was also planted in the spring and harvested in either late summer or early fall, and that's why it's a Spring wheat.

Those are the ways to classify a grain. It seems like a pretty easy way to identify them, even you can do it. Let's say I told you that I had a softer kernel of wheat that had a light white color, and I had planted it in late October and harvested in May. What can you tell me that is? It's simple. That would mean it was a Soft White Winter wheat. See what I mean now? Pretty cool huh? There are many other different types of grain and classes, I'll get into a few more of them later on. :)

Thanks for reading!

Technorati Tags: Wheats, Grains, Hard White Spring, Hard Wheat