Where has the Spelt gone??

Ever since I tasted a magnificent spelt & mushroom risotto, cooked by the delicious Manu Feildel (of L'Etoile, Masterchef, Boys Weekend, My Kitchen Rules), at the 2009 Sydney Good Food & Wine Show, I have been trying to get my hands on some spelt to cook Manu's recipe.

Any excuse to include a pic of Manu :) or as Mr Mel calls him 'that bleeping French bleeper'

I always have it in the back of my mind, and whenever we're at a new stupormarket, market, deli, etc I'll go on a quick Spelt search.

Well it's almost been 12 months and I've not got my hands on a single grain of Spelt.

I rang a couple of wholefood suppliers in Sydney, and have just been told there's an Australia wide shortage, as the crop was much smaller than expected, that they're not expecting stock until November!

I'm heading back to the 2010 Sydney Good Food & Wine Show in July and will have eyes peeled for supplies of Spelt.

If anyone knows of any stockists (that have stock), please please please let me know!

For anyone who doesn't know Spelt it's a ancient grain related to wheat but with more/different nutritional values. It fell out favour in the late 1800's as it wasn't as easy to grow/crop as wheat etc. But thankfully it's on the comeback, it's a lovely taste, slightly nutty. While it contains gluten it is suitable for some wheat sensitive people. In some parts of Europe it's called Farro. 

Ciao for now,