Ancient Wheat for Modern Australian Tables
Farro, spelt and related heirloom grains bring a satisfying chew and earthy sweetness to an Italian table. Farro is the culinary name for several hulled wheats, including emmer, while spelt is a softer wheat with slender kernels and a mild character. “Ancient” and “heritage” are useful market words, but they can blur the science: these are old cultivated forms that retain useful genetic diversity, rather than relics frozen in time. At Taverna Santi in Geyserville, Sonoma County, their story fits a kitchen built around season, place and ingredient care.
For Australian cooks, these grains are practical rather than museum pieces. A packet of farro can become a weeknight pilaf, while spelt suits soup, a rustic loaf or grains scattered over roasted vegetables. Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane each have strong farmers’ markets, specialty grocers and bakeries where old-style cereals sit beside sourdough and local produce. Buying a modest amount, soaking it and cooking a larger batch also suits the common Australian practice of preparing several lunches at once.
Farro, Spelt and Other Heritage Wheats
Farro generally has more body and a warm, nutty finish; spelt is lighter, softer and faintly sweet. Both are less intensely flavoured than wheat berries, allowing olive oil, herbs and slow-cooked vegetables to remain prominent. Farro is particularly useful in risotto-style dishes, grain salads and stuffings, while whole spelt kernels work well in broths, pilafs and coarse breads. Cracked grains cook faster and create a softer texture, whereas intact kernels retain a pleasant resistance.
Nutrition depends on how much of the kernel remains. Whole farro and whole spelt retain the bran and germ, with their fibre, B vitamins and minerals; pearled grains have some of this outer layer removed. Neither whole nor pearled grain is automatically a nutritional powerhouse, but both can contribute useful fibre and plant protein to a balanced meal. Both also contain gluten, as they are varieties of wheat. People who avoid wheat should treat them as unsuitable, and those with coeliac disease need dependable labelling and careful preparation.
Flavour, Texture and Reliable Cooking
Dry, hulled farro usually needs about 25 to 35 minutes of gentle simmering; spelt commonly needs 40 to 55 minutes, though particle size and age affect timing. Soaking whole kernels for several hours or overnight can soften the bran and shorten cooking, while cracked or pearled grains may need little or no soaking. Toast the dry grains briefly in olive oil for a deeper flavour, then add liquid gradually, as for rice. For further practical measurements, these heritage grain cooking notes can provide a useful reference.
Texture should guide the liquid ratio. A soup can hold grains in abundant stock, a pilaf keeps them distinct, and a risotto-style preparation adds hot liquid in stages while stirring. Salt the cooking water lightly rather than heavily, because stock, cheese or salted toppings may already provide plenty. Rest cooked grains for a few minutes before draining, then dress them while warm with olive oil, lemon or vinegar. This restraint lets farro and spelt carry regional Italian flavours without turning every plate into a heavy grain dish.
Italian Methods with Australian Seasons
Taverna Santi’s rustic, seasonal style gives these grains a natural place. Farro could enrich handmade pasta fillings or become the base of a lunch soup, while spelt might absorb the juices from wood-roasted vegetables. Traditional Italian technique matters: rinse when the recipe calls for it, toast for aroma, cook until tender and preserve some bite. Pasta remains the centre of the meal, with the grain acting as a supporting texture rather than the sole event.
Across Australia, small grain growers in southern Victoria, western New South Wales and parts of Western Australia supply markets with old wheat varieties, subject to each season’s rainfall and harvest. Buyers at Melbourne’s neighbourhood grocers, Sydney’s Italian food shops and regional food halls can compare provenance, milling and price with other pulses. Local supply is never automatic; transport, storage and milling still matter. A useful choice is one whose season, production method and cooking quality can be explained clearly.
These details can translate into a distinctly Australian Italian table: farro with native herbs and roast carrots, spelt with mushrooms and winter greens, or grains folded through a tomato sauce alongside bitter leaves. The same ingredients can change with the market. Seasonal suppers and tastings become useful ways to compare textures, while chef-led demonstrations show why soaking, toasting and resting alter the final plate.
Choosing and Using Grains in Australian Markets
Most large supermarkets stock farro and spelt in the health-food or pulse section, often in a few branded, unpackaged and pre-cooked forms. Farmers’ markets and Italian grocers can offer fresher kernels or direct information from the mill. Check packets before bulk buying: a small package may create less waste for a household trying the grain for the first time, while a larger bag is economical once the cooking method becomes familiar.
The Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code requires most packaged foods to carry an ingredient list and to emphasise declared allergens. Farro and spelt are wheat, so wheat needs to be identifiable in the ingredient and allergen information, even when the package foregrounds an ancient or organic identity. “Gluten-free” is a tightly controlled claim and neither grain can use it. Restaurant guests should also tell staff about coeliac disease or a wheat allergy, since traces and shared preparation surfaces can matter.
At markets and specialty stores
- Whole kernels retain more bran and germ; pearled grains are quicker to cook and gentler in texture.
- Ask growers or millers about harvest dates, cleaning, storage and whether the grains were milled nearby.
- Check whether “local” refers to growing, milling or packing, as each has a different environmental cost.
- Buy quantities that can be used within several months, or freeze portions in airtight bags.
In supermarkets and online
- Compare whole, cracked, pearled and pre-cooked forms, because their cooking times differ.
- Read ingredient and allergen panels for wheat rather than relying on “ancient grain” as a safety cue.
- Store grains away from heat and moisture; older kernels can take longer to soften.
- Choose larger packages for regular pilafs and smaller ones for soups, salads and first-time cooking.
A Grain-Led Italian Table
For a meal at Taverna Santi, farro can anchor a vegetable-focused plate built around spring peas and herbs, while spelt can bring body to a winter broth with cabbage and beans. A grain bowl needs balance rather than abundance: enough olive oil for moisture, a sharp element such as vinegar or citrus, and protein from beans, eggs, fish or cheese. Wood-fired dishes and regional wines pair naturally with these savoury, nutty profiles, allowing the grain to complement the wider meal.
At private events, celebrations, seasonal suppers and tastings, a farro or spelt dish can be both familiar and exploratory. Chef-led demonstrations can show guests the same grain prepared as a warm pilaf, a chilled salad and a hand-rolled pasta filling, revealing how technique changes its character. That approach suits Taverna Santi’s emphasis on local farmers and sustainability: an old wheat variety gains relevance through thoughtful sourcing, skilled cooking and a complete plate. The result feels generous and rooted, joining Italian tradition to the place and season where it is served.
