Red Fife has deeper, more complex flavors than common hard red winter wheats, and breads made with it bake up moister, with a cohesive crumb. Because Red Fife has high gluten potential (15.4% protein), it can be used by itself or mixed with low gluten flours such as rye or spelt.
Red Fife wheat’s origin is unknown, but it is believed that Mennonite farmers in Poland grew the wheat that was shipped to David Fife, a Scottish immigrant in Canada, in the mid-1800s. Fife then grew the wheat and shared it with other farmers, calling it Red Fife because of its distinctive color. Red Fife set the baking and milling standards from the 1860s to the turn of the 20th century, and has been placed on the Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity’s “Ark of Taste." It is thought to be a relative of Halychanka, a Ukrainian Heritage wheat, prized for its rich flavors and excellent baking qualities.
Great to Use In:
Hearty sourdough breads, Yeast breads, Pie crusts, Flat breads, Pasta
Milled From:
Organic Red Fife Wheat
