SKOWHEGAN

From Maine Grains, sprouted wheat flour

Maine Grains is collaborating with Buck Farms’ Maine Malt House in Mapleton to produce and sell sprouted wheat flour made from Maine-grown spring wheat. The use of sprouted wheat flour in bread is a growing trend among bakers around the country, made popular in part by famed baker Peter Reinhart’s 2014 book “Bread Revolution: World-Class Baking with Sprouted and Whole Grains, Heirloom Flours, and Fresh Techniques.” It’s a whole grain that’s said to be naturally sweeter and easier to digest than ordinary flour. “And they taste good,” Maine Grains President Amber Lambke was quoted as saying about sprouted wheat in a press release that announced the collaboration.

The malt house was already sprouting barley in order to make malted barley for brewers, which gave Lambke the idea to ask them to sprout wheat for bakers. Locally grown and milled sprouted wheat flour will be available to bakeries throughout the Northeast, thanks to the collaboration, the press release said. To order the flour, or learn more, go to mainegrains.com.

— Staff report