Sunday 10 July 2011

My First Review: Sharpham Park Organic Spelt

Do you love the British fashion brand Mulberry? Well, some say that fashion and food go hand in hand and Roger Saul, the founder of Mulberry has branched out into the food world with a range of organic spelt products. As an avid supporter of sustainable and organic farming, Saul uses traditional farming methods at Sharpham Park to harvest West Country spelt. Based on the Somerset Levels, the West Country spelt is milled on the farm and is the core ingredient in the Sharpham Park range.

For those who have never come across spelt, it is a grain that is a cross between Emmer wheat and Goat Grass and has been growing in Somerset since the beginning of the Iron Age, when it was brought over from the Middle East. Unlike the typical wheat that we encounter in many foods daily, spelt has a nutty taste and the unique brittleness of its gluten structure means that it is easier to digest. Although, not appropriate for diagnosed coeliacs, spelt is a popular alternative for those with a wheat intolerance.

The Sharpham Park organic spelt range is perfect for the kitchen cupboard and includes:
Flour for all your baking needs.
Cereals including porridge, honey puffs, granola and muesli.
Sweet snacks including a range of biscuits from shortbread to biscotti, brownies and flapjacks.
Savoury snacks with crackers, oatcakes and cheese straws.
'Speltottos' in pumpkin and shallot, courgette, garlic and thyme or sundried tomato and chilli flavours; and
Pearled spelt, which is the inner grain of spelt, used as an alternative to rice, lentils or couscous.
 

I was generously sent the three following products to test:

Pearled Spelt
As a staple food, pearled spelt is very versatile and works as a perfect substitute for rice, lentils or couscous in soups, salads, stews etc. I made a mushroom risotto to test the pearled spelt and was pleased to discover that it can be cooked exactly as risotto rice. Once I sweated chopped onions with butter in a pan, I added crushed garlic and brown mushrooms and then the pearled spelt. After ensuring all the grains were coated in the butter, I gradually added vegetable stock to create risotto al dente (Italian expression: cooked enough to be firm but not soft) and added cheddar cheese to finish. The nuttiness of the spelt definitely added an extra dimension to the dish and worked very well with the saltiness of cheddar cheese.

Recipes using pearled spelt can be found on the Sharpham Park website and a few can also be found on the packaging itself.
Sundried Tomato and Chilli ‘Speltotto’
This mixture of pearled spelt with a blend of sundried tomatoes and chilli was a delicious risotto (or rather 'speltotto') accompaniment to grilled chicken. All you need to do is add water to the contents of the pack and boil for 20 minutes. Perfect to have ready in your cupboards for a quick vegetarian meal on its own or a side dish.
Miller’s Muesli 
As an individual who routinely eats cereal for breakfast (and sometimes dinner!) I found this muesli was packed with dried fruit and nuts, which worked well with the spelt and kept me full until lunch time. It was a mix of spelt puffs and flakes tossed with barley flakes and jumbo oats with raisins, dates and apricots, crunchy sunflower seeds, almonds and walnuts. Terry Wogan has even commented on the Sharpham Park cereal range, "full of good things. It is all organic and locally grown and it's a British breakfast and best in the world." 
Spelt has a huge number of benefits, including:
-High protein content
-High energy content (more than other wheat varieties)
-High levels of complex B vitamins and iron.
-High levels of fibre (believed to reduce cholesterol and combat diabetes)
amongst others, which is why we are seeing it become more popular...

A Spelt bread stall at Taste of London June 2011