Kneading Conference 2021

Cereals have emerged as the final frontier of local foods, and increased interest in baking continues to unfold through the lens of nutrition, sourdough fermentation, and environmental stewardship. Cereals, and wheat specifically, underpin our whole food system and possess the inherent opportunity to make significant global change. We are reliant upon cereals either directly or indirectly in everything we consume, and the way cereals are grown and processed affects both the short- and long-term health of ourselves and the earth.
The lecture and recipes in this workshop revolve around chemical-free and regenerative farming, minimal processing, whole grains, and natural fermentation. These are long-term investments in our personal and planetary health, but the most convincing evidence of their impact is flavor! In addition to drought tolerant wheats, we will discuss cereals such as barley, teff, triticale, kernza, and rye and how to incorporate them into breads and pastries as whole grain flours and porridges. The demonstration portion of the workshop will revolve around naturally leavened whole grain breads and a whole grain fermented pastry. Recipes will be provided.