Additional information
Packsize | 12/1.1 LB |
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Farro is an unhybridized ancestor of modern wheat. It has a hearty, nutty flavor and has been grown throughout Europe for centuries. Today, with renewed interest in traditional and organic foods, farro is featured on the menus of many of the best restaurants in Italy and is rapidly gaining popularity in the United States. Farro is a cereal grain. Unlike wheat, the farro husk adheres to the grain, just as in barley and oats. Its fiber content is therefore high and so are its nutrients. Vitamin E, an antioxidant important to health and disease resistance, is prevalent in farro. Protein content is high also and when combined with legumes, it forms a complete protein source.
Kasha, or buckwheat groats, is native to central Asia and was introduced to Europe by the end of the Middle Ages. Perhaps due to its long history and travel across continents, the term kasha has come to refer to a variety of cereal-type products. In America, the term refers to roasted buckwheat groats, which have a toasty, nutty flavour. In Russia, kasha is used in a broader sense for a variety of cooked grains, including buckwheat, millet and oats. Buckwheat kasha is not a true cereal, since it is not a grass. Its kernels are actually achenes, which are dry fruits similar to the seeds of strawberries. While buckwheat may be known to many, particularly as a flour in pancakes and other specialty items, this month we will focus on kasha, a nutritious and tasty alternative to better-known grains.
First cultivated in the ancient fields of Babylon, the rustic grain farro is now a central cereal grain for chefs. Del Destino Italian Semi-Pearled Farro is certified USDA organic and has a forgiving, fibrous texture that boasts a complex, nutty taste offering hints of oat and barley. Farro is the ideal alternative to rice in applications like risotto and soups.
Imported Italian Polenta. In the Lombardia region, the Moretti family has been attentively growing corn and making choice polenta since 1922. Carefully selected varieties of corn are air-dried in open barns until hardened. The kernels are carefully stone ground and vacuum-packed to retain the cornmeal’s natural freshness and flavor.
Polenta is a popular food dish that has long been common in Italian and other European cuisine, but has recently gained attention in the United States as well. It is made from ground cornmeal, which is then boiled in water to create a porridge-like substance.
Hulled Millet is an excellent nutritional food source for emergency preparedness. Millet has a mildly sweet, nut-like flavor that contains loads of beneficial nutrients, including protein, fiber and B-complex vitamins. It is also particularly high in iron, magnesium, phosphorous, and potassium. Millet is highly nutritious, non-glutinous and is not an acid forming food, so it is soothing and easy to digest. In fact, it is considered to be one of the least allergenic and most digestible grains available.