Spelt is a close relative to today's wheat and is also a member of the sweet grass family. Together with the old wheat types einkorn and emmer, as well as barley, spelt is one of the so-called "spelt cereals". With these types of cereal the actual grain is still surrounded by a protective case – the spelt case or simply spelt – which has to go through a complex removal before further processing.
It is suspected that spelt was already farmed around 8,000 years ago by the Egyptians. Later, it was disseminated all the way up to Central and Northern Europe thanks to mass migration. In Europe, spelt was probably first farmed in Neolithic period (approx. 4,000 BC) in the foothills of the Alps and in southern Sweden. Not until the Middle Ages (500 – 1,500 AD) was spelt cultivated in vast areas of Switzerland, Tirol, Baden-Württemberg and Middle Franconia. In the German farming areas it received the medieval epithet "Swabian corn". The most well-known advocate in the Middle Ages was surely Hildegard von Bingen. In the course of agricultural industrialisation spelt was largely forgotten, as up to 40 percent higher yields could be achieved with wheat than with spelt. However, spelt has been experiencing a renaissance for several years now, thanks to its many good properties.
Ingredients
Compared with wheat, spelt has more vitamins and minerals, is high in protein, has very good baking properties and thanks to the amino acid tryptophan, ensures the formation of serotonin ("hormone of well-being"), which is responsible for a good mood!
