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What are heritage grains? 遺傳穀物係乜嘢?

“Heritage grains” are traditional varieties of grains.

They were grown and passed down before scientists started heavily changing them in what’s called the “GREEN REVOLUTION” from the early 20th century to the late 1980s.

These grains are sometimes called “ancient grains” or „Urkorn (in German),“ but that’s not entirely accurate. They’re not ancient, but they haven’t been altered by breeding or genetic modification in order to create larger harvests or optimised for a usage with fertilisers, herbicides or pesticides.

For example:

WHEAT ( Tritium aestivum L.) e.g Rotkornweizen , Gelbmehlweizen
SPELT (Triticum aestivum spelta）e.g Oberkulmer Rotkorn
EMMER (Triticum dioccum)
EINKORN (Tritium monococcum)
KHORASAN (also known as Kamut) (Triticum turgidum)

RYE, (Secale cereale) e.g Waldstaudenroggen (Secale multicaule)(forest perennial rye), Lichtkornroggen
BARLEY (Horedeum vulgare）
OATS (Avena)

Difference and benefits:

*Biodiversity: Heritage grains help keep a variety of grains around. This variety is important because it helps protect against bugs, diseases, and changes in the environment.

**Nutritional Value: Heritage grains have different nutritional profiles (broader range) compared to modern grains. The amount depends on the grain type, how it’s grown (climate, soil) and varies each harvest.

***Flavour and Cooking: Heritage grains are often prized for their distinct flavours and textures. Bakers and chefs worldwide choose heritage grains for their unique taste, which adds depth and character to dishes.

***Local Adaptation: Many heritage grains are adapted to specific local climates and conditions. This means they need fewer chemicals like pesticides and fertilisers to grow well.

****Diversity in Farming: Growing different types of grains (crop rotation) helps keep the soil healthy and prevents problems like diseases and pests that target specific crops.

„傳統穀物”是指像

它們在科學家開始大幅改變它們之前就已經種植和傳承了，這種改變始於20世紀初至1980年代末所謂的“綠色革命”。這些穀物有時被稱為“古老穀物”或“Urkorn（德語）”，但這並不完全正確。它們並不古老，但它們沒有被育種或基因改造以創造更大的收成或者最適化於肥料、除草劑或殺蟲劑的使用。

例如:

小麥（Tritium aestivum L.）如Rotkornweizen、Gelbmehlweizen，
古小麥（Triticum aestivum spelta）如Oberkulmer Rotkorn，
大麥（Triticum dioccum），
小米（Tritium monococcum），
古喀喇昂（又名卡木特）（Triticum turgidum），

以及

黑麥（Secale cereale）如Waldstaudenroggen（Secale multicaule）（森林多年生黑麥）, Lichtkornroggen (明穀黑麥)
和大麥（Horedeum vulgare）
燕麥 (Avena)

不同之處和好處:

*生物多樣性：傳統穀物有助於保持各種穀物的多樣性。這種多樣性很重要，因為它有助於抵禦害蟲、疾病和環境變化。

**營養價值：傳統穀物與現代穀物相比有不同的營養組成（更廣泛的範圍）。營養價值的多少取決於穀物類型、生長方式（氣候、土壤）並且每個收成都有所不同。

***風味和烹飪：傳統穀物通常因其獨特的風味和口感而受人推崇。世界各地的烘焙師和廚師選擇傳統穀物，因為它們獨特的口味為菜品增添了深度和特色。

***地方適應性：許多傳統穀物適應於特定的當地氣候和條件。這意味著它們生長得更好時需要較少的化學品，如殺蟲劑和肥料。

****農業多樣性：種植不同類型的穀物（輪作）有助於保持土壤的健康，並預防像針對特定作物的疾病和害蟲等問題。

Wholemeal Sourdough Bread made with Rotkornweizen:

Sourdough Wholemeal Rotkornweizen Breads

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How to keep your bread best?

Ideal would be keeping the bread in a ceramic container with wooden top at 15C to 18C. This will ensure a stable humidity and temperature. But this is impossible in Hong Kong. During “Winter” a sourdough bread keeps easily fresh for 3- 4 days, in “Summer” 2-3 days. Depending on the used flour and the actual room temperature.

Don’t store bread in a fridge:

A common mistake no one should do because the bread will get stale quickly between +10C and -7C furthermore fungi grow in the cold, too.

Don’t keep in a tight plastic bag!

-Container should be cleaned with vinegar to avoid fungus.

-Don’t close airtight – let the moisture out.

Freezing bread for a month is no problem.

use freezer bags like you would do with meat to avoid freezer burns.
1/2 bread or slices will defrost at room temperature in a few hours: keep in the bag during that time. Can be done overnight.
To get a nice crust similar to a freshly baked one, an oven is needed. Put the bread straight from the fridge into the oven (~230C 10 min).That’s how I do with baguettes. Exact time depends on your bread size. Just try it.

Why to mill your own flour and what are the differences to store-bought flour?

It sounds very cool to mill your grains but is it worth the effort?

Keep in mind you will mill a stoneground flour which is wholemeal flour. You can’t produce AP (550) or SBF(1050) types of flour. But you will get a “true” wholemeal flour, something which is not available in some parts of the world. Since true wholemeal flour contains oil, which will go rancid when exposed to oxygen, some manufactures remove the oil to increase the self live. Of course this has a negative impact on flavour and aroma.

So big advantages are stronger flavour and grains can be stored much longer than wholemeal flour. But the downside is an increase in enzymes, which will have a negative impact on gluten. So “green” freshly milled flour is tricky to use and better “be matured” for 7-10 days. In this maturing time excessive enzymes are reduced to a wanted level. In theory you also lose some nutrients but don’t forget bread is baked to a core temperature of 98ºC, which will kill sensitive nutrients anyway.

I can’t buy grains in Hong Kong, hopefully this will change in the future, so I import organic rye and spelt from Germany, costing much time and money.

Professional Mills can produce not only flour for different needs but also very fine milled flour. But if you want coarser flour ?

I enjoy playing with different levels of fine or coarse milled flour. It affects the texture (wholemeal bread is in anyway never fluffy) and taste.

To me milling part of the flour I use is a game changer. The combination of store-bought wholemeal and my self milled flour is a great compromise to enhance flavour and minimising effects of “green-ish” flour.

3 Kornbrot (3 Grain Bread)

Bread of the Year 2012 in Germany is the classic Drei Kornbrot, a bread traditionally made of wheat, rye and any 3rd choice of grain, very often oats are used.

With my new 3 Grain Sourdough loaves I went a different way and used spelt flour. A lovely tasty combination that keeps fresh for some time and a healthy one since wholemeal rye and wholemeal spelt is used in the preferments.

Please check the page for further details as well as nutritional information. Two different option are available.

Changed the look of “Landbrot”

I hope you like the new look and enjoy the taste. More on the page: https://sourdough2020.home.blog/landbrot-country-bread/

Special Gugelhupf for the winter season

By adding succade to the dough (check page: https://sourdough2020.home.blog/gugelhupf/ ) it is more like a Panetone with a combination of spices used typically for Christmas baking.

The types of flours I use(d)[update coming soon]

I just received a bulk of different flour types from Germany. Even if there wouldn’t be a flour shortage in Hong Kong not all of these types are available in the consumer market. Still the choices are very limited compared to Germany. Can you distinguish?

From top left to right…

Wholemeal Rye

All of the grain is milled into flour according to EU definition. In other parts of the world oil is removed from the grain which helps prolonging the shelf life.

Rye Type 997 – UK Light Rye – US White Flour Rye

On EU continent flour is defined according to the ash content. The principle is always the same. The higher the number the higher the mineral content. Still each country gives a different name.

— not in use anymore —

Wholemeal Spelt

Spelt belongs to the wheat family (different to rye) and is cultivated for about 5000 years. The great aunt of modern wheat was never genetically modified and is “immune” to excessive fertilisation.

It contains gluten and is therefore unsuitable for people with coeliac disease etc. But for others who just have problems with GMO Wheat this is an alternative and a very tasty one, too.

Spelt type 630 – UK White Spelt – US White Spelt

— not in use anymore —

Make sure the flour is not bleached. Bleaching is still allowed outside EU.

Baking with Spelt flour is more difficult than with Wheat because the gluten structure is weaker and it gets easier dry. This can be used like Wheat550 – UK Plain -US All Purpose.

Wholemeal Wheat

Wheat Type 1050 – UK Very Strong / Hard / Brown – US First Clear

Wheat Type 550 – UK Plain – US AP

IS SOURDOUGH RYE BREAD GOOD FOR US?

Rye, though not gluten-free, can’t build gluten, therefore rye bread would collapse unless sourdough is used. This lactic acid bacteria in rye sourdough has a positive effect on the intestinal flora as well as the heart.

Scientists at the University of Eastern Finland published a study in the “Microbiome Journal”

https://rdcu.be/b16pa

showing that the lactic acid bacteria contained in wholemeal rye sourdough supports the formation of an indispensable amino acid. This trimethylglycine has a positive effect on the heart function by keeping the fluid level inside and outside cells in balance and thus reducing the risk of a heart attack.

Bread of the Week

A 100% wholemeal rye bread with figs and wallnuts. The taste of sweet figs matches the rye and the walnuts adding another level to the texture. Rye can’t build a gluten structure therefore it will never be airy as wheat.

Why did I start baking?

After spending some time in Hong Kong I started missing “real” bread. There is neither a bread bakery nor an artisan bakery near by.

Different to Germany, baker’s yeast is not widely available just dried yeast (fast action bla bla). Soon I got the idea why not do sourdough bread? Then I started learning the theory behind sourdough baking, which in an increadible vast field. It’s probably a life long learning. Most important of course is experience. Do you have an artisan bakery near by or do you also bake?

Check out the BREAD section for baking samples ( more coming soon) as well as my Instagram stream, which is updated regularly.