Robust and Nutty

While this could be a descriptor for quite a few people I know, what I'm talking about is spelt. Until this summer at a sales meeting I had for work, I had it firmly in my mind that I didn’t like spelt. This was due to a decision I had made 11 or 12 years ago when I had spelt pasta. I had never heard of spelt and it tasted like dirty cardboard. I chocked down enough of it to not be disrespectful and hadn’t had it since. But the Spelt Bread Mix I had last summer was fantastic and has given me a new respect for this delicious grain.

Like anything I find particularly interesting, I decided to read up a little on it. What impressed me most about spelt was they were using it so long ago, according to what I was reading 3,000 to 6,000 years ago, hence the name ancient grain. It’s origins can actually be traced back to early Mesopotamia. And while it hasn’t been wildly popular in the US, it has been enjoyed with much more bravado in Europe, like in Germany where it is referred to as Dinkelbrot, and in Italy where it is called Farro. And while Triticum Spelta is a cousin to Triticum Aestivum (modern day wheat), they are more like third cousins twice removed. To date there are 1000’s of varieties of wheat, each one taking it one step further away from the purity of spelt.

The benefits of spelt that make it so popular are it’s sweet and nutty flavor, the nutritional value and the fact that while the grain does contain gluten, it is much better received by many people with a gluten allergy or intolerance. Spelt flour has higher fiber content than wheat, is a perfect protein and is rich in B vitamins, contains vitamins E and K as well as choline and betaine. It contains more healthy unsaturated fats than modern wheat and as a matter of fact, nutritionally it is better than wheat in almost all values and is easier digested being more water soluble. So, why don’t we see more spelt? Good question. The answer I think is money driven, like everything else. Spelt isn’t difficult to grow; requiring little to no pesticides due to the very hard, tight hull around the kernel, which also keeps the grain fresh and retain its nutrients. But this benefit is also a hindrance. To process spelt, that hard husk must be removed which is an expensive process. And even if growing it isn’t an issue, the grain is expensive and the yields of the crop are less than wheat. This cost is turned over to the consumer and since being reintroduced to the US in the 1980’s it hasn’t gained enough attention and momentum to really support it. While a top seller at organic and health food stores, it still isn’t a mainstream household ingredient. Spelt spoils easily and takes some finesse to learn to work with, it requires less water and mixing than wheat but can be substituted in just about any recipe with a little experimentation and patience. Yum!