From Bare Bones to Fruits of Labor: the Ingredients

A Note on Wheat

As many of the meals prepared around Lapida use it, I believe it is vastly important to have a note on wheat itself. With its readiness and hardiness to grow around the world, from the hot and humid jungles of Southern Torren to the cold dry tundras of Northern Waurei, it is one of the handiest, most versatile crops in our world.

This readiness to grow everywhere even creates its beautiful variety in appearance, coming in shades of black, white, gold, red, and even purple based on the temperature, light access, and rainfall of the growing area. Darker tones come from areas with more sunlight, with paler hues cropping up in areas with less. Golds become more apparent the hotter it is, and reds come from wetter areas. No one has yet agreed what causes purple tones, but some purport that purple comes from areas with fae about.

Many become attached to the specific shades their home fields tend to grow, or filled with wanderlust by colors they've never seen with their own eyes, but few have both the firsthand experience and distinguished palate to note the subtle flavor differences.

I've found darker varieties to often have a heavier, heartier flavor. Golden tones tend to suggest a sweeter taste, though purple-- while quite rare, tends to be sweetest. Reds create a more aromatic loaf, almost evoking a soft herbal blend. White and pale loaves have a much lighter flavor, and seem to be the most palate cleansing.

While these subtleties may be lost on most, and may not be able to be enjoyed by many of my readers, I strongly feel it is worth setting the record straight, and refuting those who say there is empirically no flavor difference.

My only wish is that every reader may get the chance to enjoy different wheats as they travel, and that they might be able to enjoy the small but pleasant changes created by the unique variety of wheat they may dine on.