Einkorn

grain of the ancients

Einkorn Flatbread  

$14. for 2 packages of einkorn flatbread plus shipping

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Einkorn Bread at Dancing Sheaves Bakery, Colrain, MA

growseed@yahoo.com

Einkorn Flour 

$12. for 1 1/2 lb Organic stone-ground Einkorn Flour plus shipping

Baking with einkorn

Is Einkorn gluten free?

Einkorn contains a type of gluten entirely different from modern wheat gluten. Einkorn's natural gluten is proven safe for most gluten sensititives and celiacs (see1.) because Einkorn is a different species of wheat than modern wheat. All modern wheat evolved from wild emmer wheat (T. dicoccoides). Although a member of the wheat tribe of Triticum, Einkorn (T. monococcum) is not directly related to the modern wheat species. Einkorn is a diploid wheat with 14 chromosomes. Modern wheat is a hexaploid wheat species with 42 chromosomes. Diploid gluten does not cause the allergic reactions of hexaploid gluten structures.

We advise to work with your doctor to test if einkorn is safe for you, since every person is unique. A cautious way to test by yourself is to touch our einkorn flatbread or flour to your lips. Does it feel ok? If you feel no reaction, carefully place a tiny amount on your lip then tongue. Take slow, careful steps to test for yourself if you feel any reaction. Of the eighteen celiac people who have tasted our einkorn so far, all report that they had absolutely no adverse reactions.

 harvesting einkorn in Jericho 10,000 yrs ago*

 harvesting heritage wheat in 1500s, Breugal

 harvesting modern wheat in Kansas

History of Einkorn

The first wheat mentioned in the Bible in Genesis 30:14, in the account of Jacob's sojourn with Laban in Mesopotamia ­ was einkorn. Known as 'shippon' in Hebrew, Abraham and Sarah offered einkorn cakes to the three angels that visited them. Wild einkorn was harvested in the late Paleolithic and early Mesolithic Ages, 16,000-15,000 BC. Cultivated einkorn found in Karaca Dag-Mountains of Southeast Turkey. Einkorn was cultivated in the Tigris and Euphrates (modern day Turkey to Iraq) of ancient Mesopotamia to ancient Jericho from 7600 B.C. and gradually spread to Asia Minor and Europe. Einkorn has survived in remote village fields due to its great ability to draw nutrients from stony soils in mountain villages and rich flavor. Ancient peoples pounded the grain with morters to loosen the hull, then milled it into flour by hand-grinding between stones. Traditional peasants prepare einkorn porridge, peasant breads, mixed it in soups, salads and casaroles, and use it to feed animals evedn to this day in Turkey, Yugoslavia, Albania, Transylvania, and in the Andalusia, Spain. The ancient secretive tribe of Druze peoples, with an esoteric history spanning from Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, still grow einkorn today in their villages in Syria and the Golan Heights for festive ceremonial meals.

Quality and Recipes

Einkorn has a delicate, other-worldly feeling to it, perhaps due to its delicate, filagree glumes that rise up from the grain head. Einkorn breads have a uniquely light, rich taste, more protein than hard red wheats and gluten strength similar to soft wheats. Breads made from einkorn have been described as having a 'light rich taste which left common bread tasteless and insipid by comparison' (2). We are excited to report that our einkorn breads rise well, have good loaf volume and are delicous!

Nutrition

Einkorn is higher in protein and minerals than modern wheat. (Einkorn-22.83% vs. modern hard red wheat-14.5%) and higher in phosphorous, potassium, pyridoxine (B6), lutein and very high beta-carotene (lutein) and anti-oxidents.(2.)

 Heritage Wheat Conservancy Members receive a trial packet of einkorn and emmer, and become part of our on-farm trial network to exchange seed and knowledge. Visit this website for updates on our 2010 Heritage Wheat Conference.
Einkorn International Research Cooperation

Ancient wheat builds bridges for peace. We collected einkorn from traditional Druze farmers in the Golan Heights in cooperation with the Palestinian <berc.ps>, the Jordanian and Israel Genebank. See Conference Proceedings and Report.

We coordinate the 'Northeast Organic Wheat' project in partnership with the Hungarian Cereal Genebank, Agrocologia of Denmark, Dr. Mueller of <darzau.de>, Anson Mills, NOFA-NY and MOFGA.

We are conducting trials at the University of Massachusetts Organic Research Farm, and on our 12 acre organic farm in Colrain in the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts, to trial world einkorn populationsto evaluate which populations grow best in New England. We are testing for nutrition and tolerance by gluten sensitive celiacs. We welcome research and grower cooperation to bring this almost-extinct ancient grain back into our local cuisine and fields.

Workshops

'Bread from the Earth' workshops offered on the history of wheat, artisan bread-baking with ancient and heritage wheats, with practical suppport to restore ancient grains in nutrient-dense cropping systems.

*All photos and text on this page are copyright by Eli Rogosa (unless otherwise indicated) and may not be used without written permission.


Footnotes

1. Lack of intestinal mucosal toxicity of Triticum monococcum in celiac disease patients , Daniela Pizzuti, Department of Surgical and Gastroenterological Sciences, Via Giustiniani 2, IT-35128, Padua, Italy,

Objective. The treatment of celiac disease is based on lifelong withdrawal of foods containing gluten. Unfortunately, compliance with a gluten-free diet has proved poor in many patients (mainly due to its low palatability), emphasizing the need for cereal varieties that are not toxic for celiac patients. In evolutionary terms, Triticum monococcum is the oldest and most primitive cultivated wheat. The aim of this study was to evaluate the toxicity of T. monococcum on small intestinal mucosa, using an in vitro organ culture system.
Conclusions. These data show a lack of toxicity of T. monococcum gliadin in an in vitro organ culture system, suggesting new dietary opportunities for celiac patients.

2. Alternative Wheat Cereals as Food Grains: Einkorn, Emmer, Spelt, Kamut, and Triticale
G.F. Stallknecht, K.M. Gilbertson, and J.E. Ranney