Presented by BBGA – For over 1,500 years, rye was the primary bread grain of northern, central and eastern Europe. Yet, authentic rye bread has remained virtually unknown in wheat-centric America – until now. Over the past few years, rye has reemerged from the culinary shadows to represent a significant growth opportunity for the nation’s bakers.

But baking with rye is not without its challenges. Rye’s unique chemistry demands that bakers set aside their gluten-driven expectations and accept the obstinate grain on its own terms. Likewise, the public’s lack of familiarity with authentic European-style rye breads poses a unique set of marketing challenges, requiring that bakers educate their customers not only on rye’s singularly satisfying flavor profiles, but also its superior nutritional value.

In this presentation Stanley Ginsberg, author of The Rye Baker and America’s leading rye authority, reviews the challenges and opportunities implicit in the obstinate grain and suggests ways in which the baking industry can reap rye’s benefits.