RYE

Rye is another latecomer to mankind’s nutrition compared to other major grains, such as wheat or barley. It was probably first cultivated about 3000 BC. Pliny describes the growth of rye in the Alps in the first century BC, and calls it “unpleasant to the stomach,” fit only for the very hungry. A disease in rye called ergot can cause hallucinations in those who consume grains infected with the highly toxic fungus. Some historians blame rye ergot for triggering hallucinations leading to the Salem witch trials in Massachusetts in 1692. Today in industrialized countries, the swollen black or purple lumps of diseased rye are sieved out after threshing.

Because rye can grow in cold, wet climates, it was the major bread-making grain in northern Europe for centuries, and it remains popular to this day also in eastern Europe and Russia. Germans have long enjoyed dense, dark whole grain rye loaves and the Russians their black bread, while in Poland and Sweden lighter, paler rye breads are preferred.

Slender whole rye kernels have a distinct grayish-green hue and an appealing subtle tanginess, a terrific grain to add to your table. Rye also contains a type of fiber that makes you feel full fast—great for anyone hoping to lose a few pounds.

PUMPERNICKEL FLOUR AND DARK RYE FLOUR Both of these are whole grain flours milled from whole rye berries, with pumpernickel flour typically being a coarser grind, perfect for traditional pumpernickel bread. Light rye flour is processed, with the bran and the germ removed. Rye flour does not contain much gluten, the protein that helps wheat bread rise and contributes to its fine elastic texture. To help rye bread rise, it has traditionally been leavened with sourdough, because yeast alone doesn’t produce desirable results. Rye flour adds a slight stickiness to bread, which comes from a natural gum in the grain—it also keeps rye bread moist longer.

This tip was published in 'Ancient Grains for Moden Meals "Mediterranean Whole Grain Recipes for Barley, Farro, Kamut, Polenta, Wheat Berries, & More" by MARIA SPECK'

Rice

Rice is the staple for about half the world’s population, especially across large parts of Asia, but also in Latin America. A descendent of a wild grass, rice grows best submerged in water. Until fairly recently it was the accepted view that the Chinese Yangtze River Valley was the birthplace of rice, with cultivation reaching about ten thousand years back. However, in 2003 a handful of burned rice grains was discovered by archaeologists in Korea. This rice was dated back fifteen thousand years. In medieval Europe, rice was so precious that it was locked away in spice cabinets and its quantity diligently recorded, according to the Oxford Companion to Food.

About 120,000 rice varieties are known to exist, according to the International Rice Research Institute. In the United States, more than one hundred different kinds of rice are commercially grown, with Arkansas and California the top producers. Rice can come in many varieties and colors, ranging from black and purple to brownish red or red. The grain is easy to digest and available in short-, medium-, and long-grain varieties—with short-grain and medium-grain releasing more of the starch amylopectin during cooking and thus becoming stickier. Long-grain varieties, by contrast, contain more of the starch amylose and turn out fluffy with distinct separate kernels. While some kinds of rice are called glutinous, this term is confusing, as rice does not contain any gluten.

Brown rice, ever so slightly chewy and more aromatic than refined white rice, is a whole grain with the bran and the germ intact. Other rice varieties are available today in their whole unrefined state, such as Bhutanese red rice or Chinese black rice. Indian brown basmati rice with its mesmerizing aroma is another delicious example (the word basmati does mean fragrant). Brown kalijira, a rice from Bangladesh, is an interesting variety for whole grain lovers as its small grains cook up relatively fast. Don’t hesitate to try the various kinds in your cooking.

This tip was published in 'Ancient Grains for Moden Meals "Mediterranean Whole Grain Recipes for Barley, Farro, Kamut, Polenta, Wheat Berries, & More" by MARIA SPECK'

Quinoa

Nutrient-rich quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wa) was revered by the Incas, who called it chisaya mama, the mother of all grains. In pre-Columbian civilizations in the Andes, it was more important than corn and second only to the potato as a major food crop. The Spanish conquistadors banned its cultivation because of its ceremonial significance among indigenous peoples, but it survived in the wild.

Cultivated at least five thousand years ago, quinoa is another so-called pseudograin. While it has a similar nutritional profile and is eaten like a grain, botanically it is part of the goosefoot family, which includes spinach, chard, and lamb’s quarters. The United Nations has named drought-resistant and undemanding quinoa a “supercrop” for its potential to feed the poor.

Quinoa is gluten-free and has an appealing, faintly grassy sweetness. The seeds contain all the essential amino acids, which makes them an excellent source of protein. They come in a rainbow of colors: black, purple, red, ivory, orange, and yellow. Quinoa seeds are about the size of sesame and have the shape of small disks. More than one hundred varieties of quinoa are grown in the Andes.

WHEN YOU SHOP Quinoa naturally has a bitter-tasting saponin layer around each kernel that protects the grain against insects. Thorough washing removes this bitter residue. However, most quinoa sold in the United States has undergone an abrasion process that also shaves off some of the beneficial bran and germ. Still, quinoa is a nutritious, quick, and delicious dinner staple worth exploring.

This tips was published in 'Ancient Grains for Moden Meals "Mediterranean Whole Grain Recipes for Barley, Farro, Kamut, Polenta, Wheat Berries, & More" by MARIA SPECK'

Oats

Comforting oats are the one whole grain Americans love to eat. Whether in a soothing bowl of warm oatmeal or in a chewy oatmeal cookie, the delicate natural sweetness and appealing texture of oats have wide appeal. The ancient Greeks and Romans, on the other hand, were less excited about the grain. They considered it barbarian fare, good enough only for their animals: Alexander the Great fed oats to his legendary horse, Bucephalus.

Oats are considered a relative latecomer to the human diet. The grain was cultivated in Europe only from about 1000 BC. The plant thrives in moist and cooler weather, which explains its popularity in northern Europe, especially in Scotland but also in parts of Germany, Scandinavia, and Russia. Scottish haggis combines oatmeal with sheep’s heart, liver, and lungs, packaged in a sheep’s stomach, for a favorite national dish.

In processing oats, the germ and the bran are hardly ever removed. As a result, this whole grain is widely available and can be easily added to your diet. There are different kinds of oatmeal to chose from: precooked instant oats, quick-cooking oats, and oldfashioned rolled oats. I enjoy chewy steel-cut oats for breakfast, and for other meals whole oat berries (groats). Compared to other grains, oats are high in protein and in beneficial fat. If processed correctly, they are gluten-free. And just in case you have always wondered: there are about 26,000 rolled oats in a 500-gram (1.1 pound) package. Start counting!

This tip was published in 'Ancient Grains for Moden Meals "Mediterranean Whole Grain Recipes for Barley, Farro, Kamut, Polenta, Wheat Berries, & More" by MARIA SPECK'

Millet

Recent research has identified millet as among the oldest staples of mankind, tracing its cultivation in East Asia back ten thousand years. Part of a larger family of grasses, this small-seeded cereal spread across the globe because it grows well in drought-prone areas. To this day, millet is a staple in Africa, India, and northern China.

In 2005, archaeologists discovered the world’s most ancient noodles in China. They were made from millet and were four thousand years old. The pasta was found in twenty-inch-long strings and was surprisingly well preserved. This spectacular find may finally settle the debate on who first invented pasta: the Chinese, the Italians, or the Arabs.

From antiquity through the Middle Ages, millet was an important staple in central Europe before it was replaced by potatoes and corn from the New World. Millet porridge was widely eaten by the poor, from Greece to Italy to the Balkans. The significance of the grain as a major staple is also documented in language use. For example, the German term for millet, Hirse, derives from an old Germanic term for “nourishment.”

Millet is a gluten-free grain. It is high in B vitamins, iron, magnesium, and zinc. And while this nutritious staple is derided by many in the West as “bird food,” it is a deliciously mild whole grain, quick-cooking and almost endlessly versatile, much like polenta and couscous.

This tip was published in 'Ancient Grains for Moden Meals "Mediterranean Whole Grain Recipes for Barley, Farro, Kamut, Polenta, Wheat Berries, & More" by MARIA SPECK'