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Reclaiming Wheat with Ancient Grains

By Genevieve Meli

For thousands of years, humans survived by growing, harvesting, milling and consuming wheat. For many of those years, the grains were consumed minimally processed, retaining the bran, germ and endosperm, which house the health-promoting nutrients that make wheat so valuable.

In the last few centuries, advances in farming, milling and other technologies have altered the way we consume grains, and in 1870, the invention of the steel mill changed baking and cooking with wheat completely. In an effort to make this vital ingredient more accessible, people process and refine wheat for a more shelf-stable product that can be shipped and stored nearly indefinitely. And while wheat flour and milled cereals are relatively inexpensive and accessible, did these advances really benefit the average consumer?

Most of today’s baking, done professionally or at home, uses modern wheat in the form of flour, whether all-purpose, cake, pastry or self-rising. But there are many other grains that have been around for centuries and that lend themselves well to baking. Ancient grains are grains that have never been genetically modified or crossbred. Some of these include sorghum, teff, quinoa and amaranth. In addition, einkorn, emmer, KamutÒ and spelt are all wheat grains and can be milled and used in place of modern wheat flours. Some lightly-processed grains can also be swapped for other ingredients, like sorghum syrup in place of corn syrup.

With any whole grain or whole wheat flours, recipes may require some adjustments to account for higher proteins and changes in moisture absorption, but with experimentation, these changes are easy to anticipate. In my book, Baking an Impact: Small Changes for More Sustainable Baking (CIA Press), I use milled ancient grains and other products in much more than bread, showcasing their versatility in the pastry kitchen and an ease of use for home bakers. Spelt pie crusts, bulgur wheat truffles and sorghum soda floats are a few of my favorites, but with just a little effort, nearly every recipe can incorporate nutrient-dense and sustainable grains, if even in just a small way. Let’s work together to make an impact!


Genevieve Meli is a certified master baker, certified higher education professional, and associate professor of Baking and Pastry Arts, at the Culinary Institute of America. Find more in her latest book, Baking an Impact (CIA Press).

Photos Courtesy of The Culinary Institute of America

(This article appeared in the Winter 2025 issue of Pastry Arts Magazine)

Staff
Staff
Pastry Arts Magazine is the new resource for pastry & baking professionals designed to inspire, educate and connect the pastry community as an informational conduit spotlighting the trade.

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