Why We Use Really Great Grains

In the summer of 2023, we made a menu decision that changed the way we talk about food.

Over the years, Rebel Bread has encouraged our community to challenge their relationship with food through conversation, hands-on classes, and delicious breads and pastries. During a field trip to an annual Grain Conference in 2022, we were inspired to incorporate big values into our little bakery. We discovered that through flour sourcing, we had an opportunity to better support sustainable agricultural practices and make a more positive impact on our local economy. Changing our main ingredient was a big undertaking, but we would come to learn that the impact was far greater.

After many months of recipe adjustments, spreadsheet crunching, and bread tasting meetings, we made the switch from conventional flour to specialty grains sourced and milled by our new friends at Dry Storage in Boulder. 

All sourdough loaves, like the Nonna G (roasted garlic + fresh herbs), are made with regionally grown and locally milled grains

We were inspired by the nuanced flavors and textures that came from using flours made from heritage grains grown in our region. These specialty flours not only enhanced the taste and offered better nutrition, but they changed how we talked in the bakery. The phrase “White Sonora” is now as ubiquitous as the flour dust on our aprons. The original tortilla flour grown in the San Luis Valley of Colorado, the White Sonora grain has a creamy, buttery flavor which is highlighted in our Sonoran Sandwich Loaf. You can also overhear us talking about erosion control crops, referring to the “Ryman Rye” flour that adds the spicy-sweet complexity to all our Rebel Sourdough loaves. The switch to Dry Storage has given us a connection to Colorado and the land that we didn’t even know was available to us. Now it’s a second nature part of how we think about baking - really great grains just offer a lot more to talk about.

The Birdseed Sandwich Loaf - made with Colorado-grown White Sonora, Elbon Rye, and Rogue de Bordeaux flours

Try our: Sonoran Sandwich Loaf or Heritage Sourdough