Author: Darryl Alder

As an Ancient Grain, wild emmer was cultivated alongside einkorn in areas of the Fertile Crescent as long ago as 5,000 BC. Emmer, however, seems to have been a more popular crop than either einkorn or even barley both of which were boiled into porridge long before ancients knew how to make bread. While it was widely harvested in ancient times, it is still cultivated in the highlands of Europe and Asia as a relict crop.
Sometimes it is referred to as “true” farro. English speakers often use farro as the word for steamed or boiled grain that is made into a salad or similar dishes, rather than using the term for the grain itself.
Farro grande (spelt), farro piccolo (einkorn), and farro medio which is emmer are all sold there. But among these ancient grains, emmer is the most popular.