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    A Guide to Northeast Grains
    A Guide to Northeast Grains
    A Guide to Northeast Grains
    Ebook80 pages39 minutes

    A Guide to Northeast Grains

    By Kristina Razon

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    About this ebook

    Flour. If you were asked to describe flour, you may immediately picture the white, non-descript powder sold in five-pound bags labeled “All Purpose” at your supermarket. However, as you will soon discover, that powder is the antithesis of what flour really is. Currently, the Northeast region of the United States is in the midst of a grain renaissance spurred by the work of dedicated farmers, millers, and bakers, who are profoundly passionate about alternative grains.

    This introductory guide is intended to provide home bakers and other interested consumers with the opportunity to learn more about regional grain history, the new grainshed, how grains are transformed from seed-to-flour, and baking with local flours, specifically wheat, spelt, rye, buckwheat, emmer, einkorn, and triticale. It features interviews with passionate grain advocates, contains recipes for delicious baked goods, and provides additional resources. As you read your way through this guide and eventually purchase your first bag of freshly-milled flour, you’ll discover a whole new world – one that’s built on flavor and the bonds of community.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherKristina Razon
    Release dateFeb 21, 2017
    ISBN9781370616817
    A Guide to Northeast Grains
    Author

    Kristina Razon

    Kristina Razon has a B.A. in International Relations from the University of Delaware, a culinary certificate from Boston University, and a M.S. in Sustainable Food Systems from Green Mountain College. She has worked as a chef instructor, caterer, baker, line cook, recipe tester and contributor, and as a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) assistant. Kristina currently resides in Brooklyn, NY with her husband and two cats. She can be found baking at Four & Twenty Blackbirds in Gowanus, Brooklyn.

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      Book preview

      A Guide to Northeast Grains - Kristina Razon

      Introduction

      Flour. If you were asked to describe flour, you may immediately picture the white, non-descript powder sold in five-pound bags labeled All Purpose at your supermarket. However, as you will soon discover, that powder is the antithesis of what flour really is. Currently, the Northeast region is in the midst of a grain renaissance spurred by the work of dedicated farmers, millers, and bakers, who are profoundly passionate about grains, such as spelt, rye, and einkorn. You might be wondering why you should support their efforts and buy local grains and flours. Here are several reasons why:

      Local tastes better: Bags of local flour are milled to order and reach the consumer shortly thereafter. Conventional flour has likely been held in storage, transported over great distances by plane, train, or truck to your nearest supermarket, and sat on grocery shelves for long periods of time before being consumed.

      Local is more nutritious: Unlike conventional flour that is artificially enriched, local grains are often stone-milled, which means the grains are ground whole and the resulting flour retains their vitamins and minerals.

      Local preserves diversity: Preserving diversity is fundamental to sustaining a regional grainshed. Landraces (ancient and heirloom grain varieties) have adapted to fit a specific region and are often dependent on the farmers who grow them. Many landraces became lost after the advent of modern plant breeding programs; therefore, it is up to local farmers to propagate them well into the future.

      Local builds community: When you buy directly from a farmer or miller, you are establishing a connection. By fostering those relationships, you and your family will learn about where your food came from and the land it was grown on.

      Local supports the economy: As Jonathan Stevens (2016) of Hungry Ghost Bread in Northampton, MA, quite convincingly puts it – when you buy, use, or consume local grains, you are taking care of your home. Eating local keeps money within the community, supports farms, and is an investment in the future of your home.

      Local benefits the environment: By growing grains on their land, farmers imbue the soil with vital nutrients and maintain healthy, fertile soil that can provide food for generations to come.

      The demand for local is increasing, and it’s becoming clear that bakers and other consumers are longing for something more than conventional flour; they want a product that’s grown for flavor, not yield. In order to continue the momentum and spread the word, we need more people like you to give these flours a chance. This introductory guide is intended to provide home bakers and other interested consumers with the opportunity to learn more about regional grain history, the new grainshed, how grains are transformed from seed-to-flour, and baking with local flours, specifically wheat, spelt, rye, buckwheat, emmer, einkorn, and triticale. As you read your way through this guide and eventually purchase your first bag of freshly-milled flour, you’ll discover a whole new world – one that’s built on flavor and the bonds of community.

      Regional Grainshed

      Before the advent of the white, non-descript powder we’ve come to know as flour, amber fields were a common sight in the Northeast. Two hundred years ago, family farms in the region were diversified and self-sufficient, growing fruit, vegetables, and grains on small plots. Farmers grew specific grain varieties, collectively known as landraces, which were locally adapted

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