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All over Athens (not to mention the U.S. and other parts of the world), one of the hottest grains around is also among the oldest known to man. While farro, or zea, as it’s known in Greek, has been found in excavations of prehistoric settlements in parts of what was once Ancient Greece (the oldest, in Asia Minor, dating back to 12,000 BCE), in the early 20th century, its cultivation was banned, largely because it was cheaper to import other grains (though many incredible conspiracy theories behind the ban abound). Thankfully, zea began making a comeback about 15 years ago, and it is now popular again, not just in grain form, but also as flour for making baked goods and pasta.

Juliet Bakery's zea bread, photo by Manteau StamThe grain has been traced to the Fertile Crescent, as well as North Africa, in the pyramids of Egypt, and Ethiopia. Linguists argue that the word “zea” – or zeia, as the ancient Greeks called it – has its roots in Sanskrit. The ancient Greek word zeidoron (ζείδωρον, an adjective first used by Homer to refer to the earth), meaning “life-giving,” derives from zeia, which suggests that farro (Triticum dicoccum) has long been recognized for its nutritional value. Legend has it that the soldiers of Alexander the Great used to eat zea in order to remain strong and healthy. In Homer’s Odyssey we learn that zea, when still unripe, was used to feed horses. Dioscorides (1st century BCE) informs us that Greeks and Romans prepared krimnon – coarsely ground zea and wheat berries – which was mixed with milk or water to make poltos, a highly nutritious drink with a thick, porridge-like consistency. It is also believed that Zea Marina in Piraeus (the central port of Athens) was named after the grain, either because it was cultivated in the area or because it was traded there.

Farro may look like regular wheat, but it is low in gluten and has a much richer nutritional composition, with 40 percent more potassium and double the amount of protein and fiber.

Zea’s recent comeback in Greece is owed primarily to Damianos Pachopoulos in Pieria (northern Greece) and Antonopoulos Farm in Larissa (central Greece). Antonopoulos Farm has been involved in the organic farming of local cereal varieties since 1985. They claim their family had kept old zea seeds predating the ban, and the company has had a significant impact in promoting and protecting the quality of zea. Apart from flour, they are also known for the different types of organic zea pasta they produce, and which we highly recommend.

Due to the fact that its cultivation has become very profitable, a growing number of farmers in Greece are turning to zea. The grain is also cultivated in Italy, Belgium, Switzerland, Turkey, India, Ethiopia and other countries. It requires no pesticides or fertilizers, as it is very resistant and easily adapts to climate and poor soil – it even grows on rocky fields at an altitude of up to 1,500 meters.

High-quality, certified-organic zea flour can be found in most organic stores or at organic farmers’ markets around Greece. A growing number of bakeries around Athens sell bread and other treats made from the grain.

Pnyka, photo by Manteau StamThe family-owned bakery Pnyka is famous for its zea and buckwheat sourdough bread (suitable for gluten intolerance), but to get your hands on it, you have to get to one of its three branches in central Athens (or Vienna, if you happen to be there) early, as it sells out quickly. The koulourakia, made with zea flour, olive oil, raisins, cinnamon and honey, are also immensely popular. Other treats made with zea include breadsticks with sesame seeds, rusks, savory koulourakia with olives, sugar-free crackers and their tasty zea bars with pistachio nuts, sesame seeds, raisins and lemon.

Karras Bakery, in the northern suburb of Anixi is a traditional wood-oven bakery and a third-generation family business that opened in 1932 and is now being run by Mr. Antonis. It offers two kinds of sourdough zea bread, one “German-style” (as they call it) with mixed seeds and a plain “Greek-style.” It also sells zea koulouri, a very popular doughnut-shaped bread covered in sesame seeds, and breadsticks.

Juliet Bakery's zea cookies, photo by Manteau StamAt Juliet Bakery in Ambelokipoi, Mr. Nikos, the owner, and his wife, Evangelia, have been baking and experimenting with bread recipes for over 40 years, using high-quality ingredients. They sell 15 different types of bread, including loaves made with organic chia seeds, barley, rye and zea. Most of it is made without added yeast, using a traditional sourdough starter. Every three months they prepare their homemade sourdough with basil seeds. Among the 40 types of cookies in the store, the tasty zea cookies with cranberries and brown sugar are a standout. They also make a very simple savory version made with olive oil.

At Chryssinas, which opened in 2013 in Kifisia, siblings Akis and Roula Chryssina carry on their grandfather’s baking legacy in this modern, upscale bakery. Among the enormous variety of baked goods they sell are zea bread, either as a whole loaf or packed in slices, ideal for sandwiches, rusks and breadsticks, koulourakia and butter cookies. Most of their zea baked goods can also be found at the local supermarket Thanopoulos – a far cry from several decades ago when a loaf of zea bread was nowhere to be found.

Editor’s note: Our recurring feature, Building Blocks, focuses on foods and ingredients that are fundamental to the cuisines we write about.

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Manteau Stam

Published on March 15, 2016

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