Hi friends! I had the best time at the OC Fair on Friday. Mediterranean Farro Salad was on the menu, along with savory Roasted Zucchini Butter! Man, oh, man! I wish I could have taken all of you with me, sat you down in the front row and shared every last bite! Big love to those of you who were in the audience for the first demo at 5 pm!
At the demo, we talked about my favorite ancient grain: Farro. Farro originated in the Fertile Crescent. A relative of wheat, it was a staple in the diet of Ancient Romans. Apparently, it’s also been found in the tombs of Egyptian kings! How cool is that?
Farro can be found in your local grocery store (no need to go digging in ancient tombs or chasing after Romans!) It has a hearty, chewy texture and nutty flavor, and is a very healthy whole grain. It’s high in fiber, iron and protein and creates a nice backdrop for salads, winter soups, and can even eaten as breakfast cereal. There are three different types of Farro: whole farro, which retains all the grain’s nutrients; semi pearled, in which the part of the bran has been removed but still contains some fiber; or pearled, which takes the least time to cook but has no bran at all. Whichever type you find, be sure to follow the brand guidelines for cooking. Some Farro require an over-night soak, while others cook very quickly on the stove-top in about 10 minutes.
In my opinion, Farro is especially good in summer salads. You can add almost any ingredients to it, it travels well to picnics and potlucks and it tastes great cold!
This Mediterranean Farro Salad is one of my favorites! The herb-forward dressing is the secret. A combination of dill, mint and parsley, with the tang of red wine vinegar just brings everything together.
Thank you to my friends at Melissa’s for providing all the produce for my demo’s at the OC Fair! If you’re ever looking for specialty produce, they are the best in the nation!
Thank you also to the culinary team at the OC Fair for trusting me again to be on their culinary stage to share what I love with the world!
Are you a Farro Fan? What’s your favorite way to serve it? Give me all the details in the comments below!
Until next time, friends! Live life deliciously!
I love farro and always welcome new ways to use it. Your demo at the fair looked like so much fun. I wish I lived closer.
Thank you Cathy! The demo was a lot of fun!! Truly something I love doing. Look for another Farro salad coming soon too!