A Mid-South bakery trying to make a difference.
The Grains
Promoting biodiversity in the field is at the core of regenerative agriculture.
To help build resilient, sustainable foodways in our region, our bakery works exclusively with Southern-grown organic grains and pseudo-grains: modern and heritage wheats, buckwheat, rye, emmer, spelt, einkorn, millet, barley, sorghum, triticale, and amaranth (amongst others).
Small grains production has long been a vital component of sustainable cropping systems, and working with a diverse array of grains helps build a local market for crops such as sorghum and buckwheat which can help suppress weeds, prevent soil erosion, and return fertility to the soil.
As conscientious bakers, it is our job to bridge the grains value chain and show how nutrition, flavor, and farm resilience are all one and the same.
The Stone Mill
In our bakery, we work exclusively with fresh, cold stone milled flours from organic regional grains.
Between the farmer and the baker lies the domain and craft of the stone miller. While modern milling technologies prize efficiency and speed, the process of slowly transforming whole grains into flour on a stone mill preserves nutritional value, flavor, texture, and freshness.
Bringing the grain below freezing temperatures ensures that the heat generated during the stone milling process will not damage the oils released by the germ or muddle the clean, crisp flavors inherent in the grain.
It is easy to forget that flour is an agricultural product, but once you've tasted the flavor of fresh, stone milled flours, you'll never forget it.
Natural Fermentation
For thousands of years, bakers across the world have utilized the power of natural fermentation to leaven and ferment their bread.
Natural fermentation, colloquially known as sourdough baking, results in a more developed and robust fermentation that unlocks flavor and nutrition in the flour while creating a ultimately more digestible loaf of bread.
Nearly all of our breads and pastries are naturally leavened and wild fermented.