Do you store Spelt?

[Noahs ARK]

I'm browsing thru my EE catalog and looking at all the stuff available in superpails.

I don't believe I've ever used spelt. I looked it up and it says spelt has "moderate" gluten and can be used in "some" baking.

What say you.....yay or nay?

ETA ~ It's really a lot more expensive than a superpail of wheat.

[DMGNUT]

I have one super pail of it... because I got a recipe (I think from this site) for Ezekiel Bread, that calls it.

[4evermama]

Pound for pound the majority of my grains are wheats. They are cheap and make great breads. You can grind it, sprout it or beat it to death, and it will usually come out great.

I do, however, believe that using a variety of grains is healthier in the long run. So we keep and use Spelt, Rye, Barley, Amaranth, Millet, Oat Groats, Triticale, and Quinoa. Each grain has its benefits as well as its limits. I don't have any Teff in bulk yet....hmm....maybe a goal for March.

Spelt is a member of the wheat family but is a bit easier to digest. Anyone with Celiac's can't eat it. It has a great flavor. To make bread with it, you have to be accurate with your liquids ratio and also have a good feel to make sure you don't under or over knead. I usually work half and half with wheat/spelt.
Using a spelt starter is a good way to ensure success as it gives the gluten time to do its job without being roughed up in the process. It works great in cookies. If that sways you at all.

(We have several close friends that are gluten intolerent so my focus has been learning and practicing recipes that would be good repeaters. Tapioca and Potato Starch and Rice are necessities for gluten free cooking so I am working on amounts that I would need to store. Anyone willing to share recipes?????)

[Noahs ARK]

Ok - I'll order some spelt. If it works well in cookies, then it's probably good for banana bread/muffins - that type of baking.

Where in the world do you find Rye? I would love a superpail of that.

[4evermama]

You can find Rye through Azure Standard, Honeyville, Bob's Red Mill and often through your local wholesale/restaurant supply store.

[Noahs ARK]

You can find Rye through Azure Standard, Honeyville, Bob's Red Mill and often through your local wholesale/restaurant supply store.

One last question and I'll stop picking your brain....do you get the rye flour or the rye grain?

[4evermama]

We have a couple of mills so we buy whole grains. As far as shelf life and nutrition are concerned, keep the grains whole for as long as possible.

If you don't have a mill, then it would make more sense to buy flour.
Just be ready to pay a WHOLE lot more.

I try to keep a two week supply of ground flours just in case we ever have a power outage. Hand Mills are romantic and all, but truth be told, it takes a long time to grind w/out electricity.

We eat a lot of grits and creamy wheat, so other than those, white flour is the only other thing that I store already ground. (For cornmeal, we grind popcorn.) White flour is already stripped to oblivion. It is fairly shelf stable and universal...so I keep a bunch of it. I figure, if I end up needing to share, white flour will be what most people are used to cooking with.

In regards to my brain, I can't promise that I have much left to pick...but you are welcome to it.

[Noahs ARK]

I have an electric mill and a dry blender on my Vita-Mix that is for grinding wheat, corn, etc. I would prefer the whole grain because it's cheaper and will last longer.

~ Heading back over to Honeyville ~

Thank you (again).

[4evermama]

Vita-Mix.....very cool.

I so love Honeyville.
Have fun!

[Noahs ARK]

Hubby bought me a Vita-Mix about 10 years ago. I'd been drooling over it for the longest time, so he ordered it as a surprise.

Gotta love this man!