Rome the empire that built roads and conquered lands, also harvested and sowed their grain to feed a growing empire and army. As a bread basket of grain from far off lands, Rome incorporated new crops; rye, buckwheat, einkorn(emmer), and farro (spelt) – the last hybridized with other wheat which became our modern variety.

The  British Museum’s exhibit on Pompei recently had a viral video that featured a Roman bread that survived in an oven from the cataclysmic volcanic eruption that covered it. The site also offers a recipe for this loaf from a 79 AD oven. Marie Claude of MC Farine saw problems with it, pointing out that we would not have access to the same flours.  Not quite convinced, I mixed my own version, with wheat, barley, millet, rye, buckwheat, farro and durum – all part of the greater Empire’s grain supply. Mine is all sourdough, no gluten or commercial yeast need apply!