Joe and Caroline were excited to present at "On The Rise2" during the International Bread Symposium in Charlotte at the end of April. Their presentation, "Baking with Sprouted Flour: The Next 100 Years," was focused on Super Sprout™ Sprouted Whole Grain Wheat Flour and its benefits for bakers and consumers. The conference was well attended by around 200 professional, home and student bakers. Held at Johnson & Wales University, there were an ample supply of eager "bread heads" at each presentation.
This gathering is a great opportunity for millers, bakers, and industry professionals to meet and discuss some of the most pressing issues in our category and to take a look at the future of bread. We heard from presenters from all disciplines and had a variety of baked treats throughout the conference. From Nathan Myhrvold of Modernist Bread and all of his many experiments with breads to Karl De Smedt, the "Sourdough Librarian" for Puratos, we heard a lot about the unique characteristics of sourdough and the future of bread.
We were also excited to hear from Erin McKenney of NC State about her research with microbials in sourdoughs and her work with school systems to teach students about bread and science. We are lucky to have such a wonderful community right here in North Carolina working to better understand the science and art behind the bread we eat every day.
No "On The Rise" event would be complete without the world class bread sculptures by Chef Harry Peemoeller. He didn't disappoint this year with a beautifully crafted tribute to NASCAR and Charlotte's tie with racing made entirely out of bread and pasta. On The Rise2 was a great event and we enjoyed meeting so many dedicated bakers and bread enthusiasts. Mark your calendars for 2020 when the next On The Rise will be held!