Volume 11, Issue 72 - October 10, 2006 |
Good Day Member,
A little wheat history for you today.
Wheat Production and Consumption:
Definitions:
Wheat is one of eight cereal grains known to man. It is a
grass variety producing edible seeds and is the most widely cultivated grain
grown in the world. Its botanical name is Triticum aestivum.
History:
The development of civilization may be directly connected to
the cultivation of wheat. Villages developed when primitive man discovered he
no longer needed to follow game and forage for his food. He could grow wheat
during the summer, store it for food in the winter and use the remaining seed
to plant in the spring. Actual cultivation may have started in the Fertile
Crescent of western Asia around 6,000 to 8,000 B.C. or earlier.
Anthropologists speculate that primitive man first chewed the raw wheat kernel
before he learned to pound it into flour and mix it with water to make
porridge. About 10,000 years before Christ, man first started eating a crude
form of flat bread—a baked combination of flour and water.
Ancient Egyptians are believed to be the first bakers of the white, leavened
bread that we know today. Around 3,000 B.C., they started to ferment their
flour and water mixture using wild yeast present in the air. Eventually they
added sugar, salt and flavorings such as poppy and sesame seeds. Even though
the Egyptians and Romans made leavened bread, they did not understand that
airborne yeast caused the bread to rise. Not until the 1800's was yeast
identified as the organism that converts carbohydrates into alcohol and
produces a leavening gas (carbon dioxide) in the process.
Wheat was introduced into the United States through two separate avenues:
first, by the French and Spanish into the Southwest; and second, by Northern
Europeans into the eastern United States.
Spanish wheat was introduced into what is now the Big Bend area of Texas in
1582. Hard red winter wheat, the largest commercially grown wheat in the
United States, was not introduced until 1874, when Mennonite immigrants from
the Crimea brought this winter-hardy wheat to the Kansas plains.
Source:
Wheat Foods Council
 Energy
Bars
Makes 20 Bars
Ingredients:
1 cup bran flakes cereal
1/4 cup wheat bran
1/4 cup wheat germ
1 1/2 teaspoons grated orange peel
1/4 cup orange juice
1 cup mixed dried fruit, chopped
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup dry milk powder
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13x9x 2-inch pan.
In medium bowl, combine cereal, bran, wheat germ, orange peel, orange juice,
dried fruit, egg, oil, applesauce, honey and dry milk powder; blend well. Let
set 5 minutes.
In large bowl, stir together whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour and soda. Stir
in the first mixture and mix until all ingredients are combined.
Spread batter evenly in pan. Bake 15 to 17 minutes or until golden. Cool.
Source:
Wheat Foods Council
|
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More on Wheat:
Classes of Wheat:
Six classes of wheat are grown in the United States: hard
red winter, soft red winter, hard red spring, hard white, soft white and
durum. Wheat is classified by hardness of the grain, the color of the kernel
and the time of planting.
Growing wheat requires soil, water and sunlight. Farmers use special equipment
to prepare the soil, plant the seeds, water the crop and harvest the wheat.
Winter wheats are planted in the fall. After the grasslike seedlings emerge,
they lie dormant during the winter months. They emerge again in the spring,
ripen and are harvested in early summer. Spring wheats are planted in the
spring and harvested in late summer. Spring wheats grow best in the northern
areas of the United States where the summers are not too hot for the young
plants. Conversely, winter wheats grow best in those areas where the winters
are not too cold.
Among the classes of wheat, the only difference in nutrients is the protein
content. This difference is nutritionally insignificant, but the protein
content and quality does make a difference in terms of baking. Durum, the
hardest wheat, averages 14 to 16 percent protein and is primarily used for
pasta. Hard spring wheats range from 12 to 18 percent protein and are used for
yeast breads. Hard winter wheats range from 10 to 15 percent and are used for
breads and allpurpose flour. Soft wheats range from 8 to 11 percent protein
and are used in cakes, cookies, pastries, crackers and cereals.
Availability:
Wheat is grown in nearly every state in the United States
and in many other countries. The top wheat-producing countries are China,
India, the United States, former Soviet Republics, France, Canada and
Australia.
The United States exports as much as 50 percent of its own production and is
considered a primary supplier of wheat to the world. This wheat helps improve
the nutritional status of many people. The top 5 wheat customers of the United
States in 2003/04 were: 1) Egypt, 2) Japan, 3) Mexico, 4) Nigeria and 5) South
Korea.
Source:
Wheat Foods Council
 |
Mikey's Marinade A true GOURMET treat for the taste senses, turning
ordinary into EXTRAORDINARY! If you grill steaks, get Mikey's today! |
 Whole
Wheat Pecan Stuffing
This side dish is perfect for a Thanksgiving or holiday meal!
Makes 8 1/2-cup servings
Ingredients:
4 cups whole wheat bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3/4 cup giblets, optional (see note)
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
3/4 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon Spanish paprika
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup golden seedless raisins
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1 cup chicken broth
1 large lightly beaten egg
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Bake bread cubes on a jelly-roll pan until golden, stirring occasionally, about
20 minutes. Transfer to large mixing bowl.
Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
Melt butter in large skillet. Add onion, celery and green pepper and cook until
tender, about 15 minutes, adding mushrooms for the last few minutes. Combine
with bread in mixing bowl, add seasonings, giblets, raisins, pecans, broth and
egg. Stir well and pour in 9x9-inch or 11x13-inch casserole dish sprayed with
cooking spray. Bake covered for about 1 hour.
Note: If using giblets, cover with water and bring to a boil. Boil gently
about 20 minutes until done. Drain and chop.
Source:
Wheat Foods Council
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