Hello!
A few weekends ago I went to the Irish Grain Social. You might be wondering what that is. Well, it’s pretty much what it says on the tin. It’s a chance for like minded people to get together and chat about grain. I can see you starting to switch off but trust me, you’ll want to know some of the amazing things I learnt from bakers, farmers, millers, brewers, academics and others who are similarly interested in the importance of grain.
I’m going to share with you just a few of the ideas, facts and questions that were thrown around. Unfortunately, I don’t have all the answers. If I did, I’d be a very rich woman! But hopefully it’ll similarly inspire you to consider more about where the grain you buy comes from.
Lots of love,
Cissy…xo
Beyond recently popularised grains like Emmer and Einkorn there are SO many more unique varieties of wheat that can be grown, milled and baked with. Some of these include Purple Wheat, Ølands, Blue Wheat, Red Stettin, Mariagertoba, Mulika, Red Lammas, April Bearded and Maris Widgeon. Have you heard of any of these before?
What are heritage grains and why are they important? Unlike modern wheats, these grains are more genetically diverse crops that can adapt well to poor soil and challenging weather conditions.
By drawing on the past and using these grains, farmers and plant breeders are able to grow cereals that are more resilient and adaptable to climate change. As well as this they can be grown in low input conditions without the use of chemical fertilisers, pesticides or other artificial inputs and can be grown with ‘restorative’ methods that help increase biodiversity.
If you want to read more about this, click here.Andy Forbes of Brockwell Bake proves that you can grow heritage grains anywhere!
Andy grows test crops of a variety of landrace milling wheats on his allotment in South London before sowing them on larger plots across the UK. He is the man behind Miller’s Choice and the extraordinary Wheat Gateway, which is a database that brings together information on over 500,000 wheat lines from across the world.
Millions of tonnes of grain is imported into Ireland each year from all over the world. The small percentage of wheat that is grown here is mostly used to feed livestock and is not put back into the food system as flour.
Ireland’s arable sector continues to dwindle as cattle farming rises.
Over the past few years (and in years to come) erratic weather patterns are having an effect on our soil and our crops. Farmers (who are the foundation of our food supply) are at the mercy of mother nature’s changes. What are we (the consumer) doing to help prevent these changes and how are we supporting the people that feed us?
Can you trace where the flour you buy comes from?
With little options available to Irish bakers who want to use heritage wheats or use a short supply chain model, Séamus of Plúr Bakery has taken matters into his own hands. Without any prior knowledge of farming Séamus has started growing and milling his own flour, which is pretty darn impressive! Over the next five years Séamus is hoping to expand his crop so that he can ultimately become self-sufficient. Get yourself down to Carlow to try his beautiful bakes for yourself.
What is healthy bread and how can we make it more accessible for everyone?
Kate Hamblin of Hamblin Bread in Oxford gave other bakers in the room a blueprint for how to run a successful business that uses 100% directly traded grain.
Kate and her partner Hugo buy grain directly from their local farmer. The grain is then stored at their local stone mill, Offley Mill, which is where the grain is milled to order by David, the miller.
Their business is built on nurturing relationships, a short supply chain, complete traceability of their ingredients and of course, a love for delicious bread.
Part of being a baker is being responsible for the ingredients you use. Part of our job is to work with the ingredients, not against them. Using locally grown, stoneground flour brings about some challenges. It asks you to adapt your processes and mindset to suit how its behaving on any given day. This sometimes means the ‘perfect loaf’ that we are all used to (with a big open crumb, perfect dog ear and blistered edges) isn’t always achievable. However, this doesn’t mean that that loaf isn’t as equally (or more) delicious than the other.
How do we change customer perceptions on what sourdough bread should look like and step away from the industrial food systems’ demands for uniformity.
Does the food you eat make you feel good?
As well as our discussions, we were spoilt with an array of treats from local millers and bakers including pizzas from Grá Pizza; a heap of sourdough at my favourite kind of bar, the Toast Bar, from Plúr Bakery; Ursa Minor’s delicious choux buns and cakes; The Happy Tummy Co with sausage rolls; blackberry galettes from No Messin Bakery; as well as bread and millionaire’s shortbread from Seagull Bakery.
I was so inspired by all the pastries I ate that when I got home I had to make a version of Sarah’s millionaire’s shortbread because I really didn’t want it to end! I learnt the below version on a recent stage (pronounced sta-hj, which is just a cheffy way of saying internship) at Hamblin Bakery in Oxford.
The grain social felt hugely positive despite the challenges everyone faces. It inspired me to be more inquisitive and to build better relationships with those who grow the food I eat and the ingredients I bake with. A big thanks to everyone who helped organise the day.
Please get in touch if you have any thoughts or feelings on any of the questions asked above. I’d love to hear from you.
If you want to start experimenting with different flours but not sure where to get them, try your local health food shop or if you’re in Ireland order online from Riot Rye.
Gorgeous! What a day it was ♥️