A while back I read a guy's blog where he talked about grits - real grits - not the instant kind most grocery stores (outside of the South) sell....he said he ordered them on line from Anson Mills...wish I could remember who he was because he reallly turned me on to a good source for rice, grits and farro...Anson Mills is located in Columbia, South Carolina and those people KNOW their grits! But, today is not about grits - nope, it's about farro...not Pharoah...farro...as in an heirloom or ancestral variety of spelt...this stuff has been around since before Rome was Rome...and it's now enjoying a little resurgence as more and more people are discovering it's wonderful nutty flavor and it's chewy goodness!
Before you go poo-pooing this because of it's look....hear this....it's really good for you! It's high in fiber and has all kinds of vitamins and - this is the good part - if you're on a diet then THIS is the food for you! It will fill you up and it's chewy and so, so good! I usually make this salad a couple of times during the summer - it lasts about 4 days in the fridge and it's great to eat on a night when it's just too hot to cook - a rare thing around here. 
About Anson Mills...IF you order from them you won't regret it. The last order I placed with them came in about 4 days - and their grits are unbelieveably good - they have to cook a lot longer than regular grits - about an hour - because they are stone-ground and very coarse - the particle is rather large which gives them a nice chewy texture and a real corn taste....that was probably more than you wanted to know about grits but there you have it! They also have polenta, cornmeal, buckwheat and a whole lot of other stuff...check them out!
Roman Farro Salad - Pots and Pins
2 cups raw farro (If you don't want to order from Anson Mills, you can pick up farro at Whole Foods Market or any health food store)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 large sweet red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium white onion, chopped
1 good bunch of Italian parsley (flat-leaf parsley), chopped
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 can sliced black olives (3.8 oz.)
2 tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped
Dressing:
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
Turn the farro into a large bowl and cover it with 2 cups of boiling water. Skim off chaff and hulls with a tea strainer. Soak the farro overnight. Drain the farro and set aside. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a heavy-bottomed, 2-quart saucepan. Add the farro and salt, stir once, and return to a boil. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the farro is tender but still chewy, about 25 minutes. Drain through a fine, footed colander and rinse well with cool water. Pour farro into a large bowl and to this bowl add the tomatoes, red pepper, onion, parsley, Parmesan, olives and chives. Make the dressing by combining in a small bowl all of the dressing ingredients and whisking together until mixed well. Pour immediately over the farro mixture and toss to combine. Will keep in fridge for 4 days. Serves 6. 
"I'm at the age where food has taken the place of sex in my life, in fact, I've just had a mirror put over my kitchen table." Rodney Dangerfield
