Old Wye Mill to Sell Einkorn Flour: Low-Gluten High Flavor Alternative

Old Wye Mill is now offering for sale flour made from einkorn -- an ancient grain that is delicious for baking and low in gluten. The einkorn is sourced from farmer Gerry Godfrey’s Mount Zion Farm in northern Caroline County, MD, and milled into flour on Old Wye Mill’s water-powered grindstones. It is available for purchase during open hours or by appointment.

Einkorn (Triticum monococcum) was first cultivated about ten thousand years ago in the Middle East, where it still grows wild. By breeding it with other plants, early farmers created our modern wheat (Triticum aestivum), which, compared to einkorn, yielded more grain; had a softer husk; and contained a highly elastic gluten.

The gluten in common wheat causes many people to experience inflammation and other symptoms. The Godfreys discovered that they could eliminate these symptoms by baking bread with einkorn, which has less gluten, and it is in a low-density form. Starting in 2019, they experimented with growing einkorn, and even created machines to remove and separate the tough hull. Now Gerry Godfrey delivers 50-pound bags of einkorn to Old Wye Mill regularly, and our Millers grind it into fine flour. Once milled, we keep it in a freezer to preserve freshness; we recommend you keep it chilled until you bake with it.

Baking with einkorn is very rewarding. The grain is small, but with a higher percentage of germ and bran – and thus offers a richer taste and more nutrients than modern wheat.

If you haven’t baked with einkorn before, try it first in biscuits, cookies, and pancakes. Bread, of course, is more dependent on gluten to produce a satisfying loaf. You can substitute a half-cup of einkorn for conventional flour to add a sweet, nutty flavor to your favorite bread. If you’re making an all-einkorn loaf, allow the dough to rest longer than you otherwise would to ensure that the moisture permeates the flour. (Einkorn flour absorbs water more slowly than conventional wheat flour.)

Interested in trying your hand at baking with Einkorn? Check out this recipe: https://everydaydishes.com/simple-food-recipes/einkorn-dutch-oven-bread-video/

— Barry Kessler for Old Wye Mill