On February 12, Mary Ann Jasper of Greenwillow Grains treated Slow Food members and Friends to a baking demonstration using locally grown wheat. As the enticing aromas wafted through the First Alternative Co-op kitchen, Mary Ann and her assistant Gwen walked the 11 participants through simple steps for baking with local pastry and bread flours.

For a yeast bread, they showed how to make no-knead overnight rolls – easy to make and a good start for the beginning bread baker. To round out your morning coffee, basic scone and coffee cake recipes were featured. A young participant rolled up her sleeves to learn a few tricks from Mary Ann as she helped roll out and cut the scone dough. Mary Ann offered her insights into the history of Willamette Valley wheat production and the qualities of fresh local flour. She also explained the differences between pastry and bread flours and the white and red wheat from which they are milled. The warm baked goods made tasty treats to take home.

For information about Greenwillow Grains and retail outlets for its flour and wheat berry products, see http://www.greenwillowgrains.com/