Join us Saturday, April 11 for “Main Grains: Local & Heirloom” with Linda Civitello and Nan Kohler!

Heirloom grains—wheat, rye, barley, maize, oats—are the cure for the common flour. Join food historian Linda Civitello, and miller Nan Kohler, owner of Pasadena’s Grist & Toll, for a look at this revolutionary food movement. These grains, forced out of fashion by industrialization, have unique taste, texture, color, and aroma. Milling them to preserve their protein, fiber, and nutrition is the key. See how ancient grains and modern-retro milling techniques combine to create cutting-edge cuisine.

About the speakers:
Linda Civitello is the author of the award-winning book Cuisine and Culture: a History of Food and People (3rd ed., 2011), which is used to teach food history in culinary schools throughout the U.S. and Canada. Forthcoming is The Baking Powder Wars, a book on the history of baking powder and how it revolutionized baking and eating habits. Linda developed the curriculum and taught the history of food at culinary schools throughout southern California and taught the History of Chocolate at UCLA Extension. She has spoken at Harvard University, appeared on TV and on NPR, and has recorded an audio tour for the Getty Museum about food and art in the ancien regime. Linda has a B.A. from Vassar and an M.A. from UCLA.

Nan Kohler is the owner and miller of Grist & Toll, the first local flour mill to be established in Los Angeles in almost 100 years. Her experience working in the wine industry and baking professionally helped fuel her passion for sourcing local ingredients. By opening Grist & Toll, Nan hopes to give bakers of all skill levels access to better, more delicious flour and to encourage the growth of local grain closer to Los Angeles.

A reception with themed-refreshments will follow the talk at approximately 11:30am.

Free and open to the public.

Photo © 2015 Grist & Toll