Application Guide

iar to most Americans. Since the grains of teff, native to northern Africa but
now grown in Idaho, are so small, they cannot be processed, so teff makes a
nice whole grain flour with its bran and germ intact. Ivory-colored teff is
coveted for its pure color. White breads made from it were once a sign of sta-
tus in Ethiopia, as white wheat breads once were in this country. The ma-
hogany-brown seeds have a rich, deep flavor slightly reminiscent of carob or
Wheatena. Both ivory and brown teff seeds are ground into flour. Teff is
known for its pleasantly sweet, almost molasses-like flavor. The mild nature
of teff combines well with the sweet spices, such as cinnamon, allspice, car-
damom, coriander, and ginger. It has not traditionally been used with yeast,
but in combination with high-protein bread flour it can be used sparingly for
a lovely bread. It is the easiest of the new grains to introduce to children, as it
has a gentle palatability; try teff bread for breakfast toast.
Wild Rice
Delicious by itself or in combination with other rices, wild rice has a strong
woodsy flavor and a chewy texture. It is not really a rice, but the seed of an
aquatic grass native to the marshes of the Great Lakes and Canada. Some
wild rice is still traditionally harvested by hand by Native Americans, but
most is cultivated in man-made paddies and harvested by machine, with Cal-
ifornia being the biggest producer. Paddy rice is left to cure out in the
weather, causing the characteristic shiny, dark kernels, while hand-harvested
rice is parched immediately over open fires, giving it a variety of distinctly
matte colors from a ruddy red-brown to a subtle gray-green. Labels usually
note if the rice is hand-harvested or cultivated, but the color will tell you im-
mediately how it was grown. Each brand of wild rice has its own particular
taste, so if you have experienced a brand that was too husky for your palate,
experiment with others, or use it in combination with other rices for a milder
taste. All grades can be used interchangeably in bread recipes calling for
wild rice, but must always be cooked first, giving breads a flecking of dark
color and a deep-toned, musky flavor. A little wild rice goes a long way, but
once you taste a bread that combines wild rice with oatmeal, you will know
how tasty it can be.
Wild rice is generally used as a cooked whole grain in
breads rather than as a flour. For the best results, use 1 to 2 cups of cooked
rice to 6 cups of flour. Hard to find, but nice if you can find it, is wild rice
flour. There is a pure wild rice flour, which has no gluten, and a wild rice
and unbleached white flour mixture, which can be used straight from the bag
for baking.
252