One of mankind’s earliest cultivated crops has resurfaced in Finland. According to a report by the Helsinki-based YLE news agency, emmer wheat has begun to flourish in Finnish fields over the past few years and is once again being used in the production of numerous foods.
The species of grain, which has not been harvested in the Nordic country since the prehistoric era, was used by humans for millennia. Historians say emmer flour was commonly used in foods in ancient Egypt during the time of the pharaohs.
Count Johan Creutz, lord of Malmgård Manor in Uusimaa, told the media that he’s been able to harvest emmer in recent years. He added that the grain is likely to make a comeback since it grows much better under natural conditions than today’s developed grains.
So far, culinary experts at Malmgård Manor have used emmer in cereal breads, beer and pastries, and say that the grain is particularly suited for pastas and organic foods.