Barley; Barley flour

Barley is the oldest cultivated cereal grain, but it does not play a large role in baking as it has a very low gluten content. It was an important ancient food source, used to make porridge and griddled, unleavened breads, but when methods improving the cultivation of wheat were introduced, barley became less popular. Bread made from barley flour is darker and denser than bread made from wheat; it was generally considered peasant food for many centuries, although the higher classes of European society did use it as trenchers, which were edible plates or bowls used to serve stews and thick soups. Leavened breads made with a combination of barley and wheat have historically been met with greater enthusiasm; nevertheless, barley alone is still popular for use in making cracker-type flat-breads in Scandinavia.