Farro sightings? [+freekeh]

I was buying pearled farro at Costo, at about $8 for a 3-pound bag, but they haven't had it at the last couple stores I checked.

Has anyone seen it recently, either at a Costco or elsewhere?

Fresh Farms had it on a recent visit.

I bought some awhile back at Whole Foods in Evanston.

Farro is certainly available @
Caputo's Cheese Emporium on 15th Ave. in beautiful Melrose Park

As a side note- both Farro and "Freekeh" come from wheat, right?
Where-in lies the difference(s) ?
Anyone know?
I know that Chef Nasser @ Dawali has told me that "Freekeh's" smoked,
(and that he has a hard time finding a reliable source- especially one with OUT all the tiny rocks/gravel he needs to clean out prior to prepping
for cooking his amazing "Freekeh Soup"!)
and don't know if other green wheat kernels are smoked to dry them or not?!
Anyone?

Caputo's Cheese Market
1931 N. 15th Avenue
Melrose Park,IL 60160
708.450.0074

Farro:

Not green like freekeh
Not roasted like freekeh
An ancient variety of wheat (emmer)

I think those are the differences

Caputo's in Elmwood Park also.

Hombre de Acero wrote:As a side note- both Farro and "Freekeh" come from wheat, right?
Where-in lies the difference(s) ?

If I understand correctly, freekeh is green durum wheat (Triticum durum) that's been roasted, while farro, also known as emmer (Triticum dicoccum), is a wheat ancestor.

Thanks for the sighting, everyone!

Thanks for the sightings, folks. I was so happy when this grain became readily available. I first had it a dozen or more years ago at Coco Pazzo Cafe, when Tony Priolo (now of Piccolo Sogno) was working there. I had never had it before and went looking for it -- it was damn hard to find and very expensive in those days.

I called the maker of the farro sold at Costco (and, at considerably higher prices, at Whole Foods and even Jewel), and he said that Costco carries it off and on, in its typical "treasure hunt" system of merchandising. So buy it when you see it.

I've also found out about freekah, which can be made from any kind of wheat. It's traditionally dried/smoked over barley straw, because the barley is harvested before the wheat. Anson Mills sells a limited amount, which they usually make from emmer, strictly wholesale to chefs.

Freddy's sells it,
in a box-
as well as
made into a Salad!


Salad Trio @ Freddy's by Man_of Steel, on Flickr
Yummmmm!

I've always found a ready supply of freekeh at:

Middle East Bakery & Grocery
1512 West Foster Avenue
Chicago, IL 60640
(773) 561-2224

and have to believe that most any Middle East market would sell it as well.

Gypsy Boy wrote:I've always found a ready supply of freekeh at:

Middle East Bakery & Grocery
1512 West Foster Avenue
Chicago, IL 60640
(773) 561-2224

and have to believe that most any Middle East market would sell it as well.

Recent sightings at Al-Khaymeh, Sahar, and Arax Foods, as well. I went to Arax for the first time last weekend, and couldn't believe how many times I'd driven by there, but never walked in!

Freekeh may also be called "farro verde." Big Jones uses it.