Introducing Khorasan!
You may know it as Kamut®.
Khorasan looks very similar to wheat but is about twice the size! Not a lot is known about the history of this giant wheat, but it most likely originated in the fertile crescent.
Its modern debut hits a little closer to home.
In 1949, a US airman from Montana named Earl Dedman received some strange grain what was supposedly found in a tomb in Egypt. Earl was stationed in Portugal at the time and thought the grain interesting enough to send home to his father, a farmer near Fort Benton, Montana.
Six years later, his father had built up the seed and was calling it “King Tut’s Wheat.” It was gaining a foothold in the region and was even passed out as a sample at the county fair.
The novelty wore off, but it had made an impression on a 16-year-old boy at that county fair by the name of Bob Quinn. He had just finished a PhD in biochemistry and was eating corn nuts one day. The big corn reminded him of the giant wheat he had tried all those years ago. This memory started him on a journey.
He even reached out to the corn nuts company to see if they wanted to create a snack using the giant wheat. They were interested but due to the low supply, they didn’t take it any further. However, Bob’s father had managed to obtain a jar of the grain, and together they started to grow and build it up.
A few years later, they showcased it at a food show in California and it was an instant hit. They were even hard pressed to keep up with the demand. People enjoyed its flavor and reported that it was easier to digest than modern wheat.
It has gained popularity from there, and the Quinn’s brand was so successful, many people would know Kamut® before Khorasan.
Now it can be found all over the world in all kinds of products. It’s had a long journey to be here with us, so let’s welcome it back.
