Farro

I am 100% positive if I had never discovered pressure cooking I would not ever prepare and cook my own beans, legumes and grains, besides basic oatmeal.  100% fact (maybe)  BUT, I did, and I do!  Farro is one of my all time favorite chewy and nutty flavored grains, and usually hard to find.  Farro is larger than a grain of brown rice and longer and fatter than a grain of barley, although about the same brown color.


I eat farro the same way I would eat brown rice, not so much like barley, which I usually reserve for soups only (goodness, it's been forever since I made mushroom and barley soup....Winter's coming and I'll wait..).  I often cook my farro in tomato soup and eat it with a dollop of cottage cheese, or turn it into a sweet treat by cooking it in stock (or water) and adding a spoonful of peanut butter and honey (and maybe, if I've been good, raisins too!)


Farro has not been easy to find.  I first came across it at Whole Foods for $5.99 (maybe a 16oz pkg?).  That's a lot of money considering most grains you buy in the bulk section run about $1.99 per pound.  But I have never, ever, come across farro in bulk, so $5.99lb I would pay.


A couple months ago I was in a San Mateo Italian market and found another brand for $3.79!  Almost 1/2 price, so I bought two pkg's.  And then, just yesterday, as I was shopping in another "Italian" market (my favorite, Piazza's in PA) I found this farro, on sale for $2.09 (-$1.69), score!  1/3 the price of Whole Foods!  I bought two pkg's, and that should last me a while!


What is your favorite grain?  Do you know about something I don't?  Please share!



PS I'm smelling the amazing aroma of quinoa, garlic, cumin and tumeric right now!  Seriously yummy!   I'm using it to make a salad tomorrow. Quinoa is another grain that varies greatly in price.  If you make/eat quinoa regularly, what is your favorite brand, or how do you buy it?