Ancient Grains: The Scent of History, The Taste of the Future

Always focused on quality, biodiversity, and sustainability, Molino Grassi has chosen to rediscover and promote some varieties of ancient Italian grains, giving new life to cultivars that tell a story of a deep connection with the land and with memory. In collaboration with preservationist farmer Claudio Grossi, grains like Ardito and Virgilio have been reintroduced, which stand out for their aromatic characteristics.

“With proper baking, you get a bread that has aromas that modern varieties don’t have,” says Grossi. These are warmer, more persistent fragrances, reminiscent of ripe cereal, almond, honey, and sweet wood. It’s a return to true scents, capable of evoking the land and time. To complete the mix, there’s the Fiorello grain, already known by Silvio Grassi’s grandfather, which now returns to our tables thanks to a controlled supply chain project.

Ancient grains also offer significant advantages in terms of digestibility. Their gluten is less tenacious: the protein network that forms is more fragile, with weaker bonds, which makes it easier to break down during digestion. The result is a bread that is not only rich in flavor but also lighter and more tolerable.

Tradition, research, and respect come together in every grain: this is how Molino Grassi looks to the future, starting from the past.