Rise: A Devotion to Whole Grains by Jess Ross

Gentrification combined with the ravages of pandemic on small business had effectively killed one of my beloved haunts, a neighbourhood German bake shop. For many years, I enjoyed the alternative, healthy grain bakes that one would not typically see at a chain grocery store: spelt chocolate chunk cookies, kamut oatmeal raisin cookies, rye sourdough and course grain loaves, a variety of pastries such as poppyseed cakes and fruit pies. You could stop in for lunch, grabbing a freshly made veggie sandwich with your bread of choice, and maybe a cup of minestrone. Past their display racks of fresh loaves, you could peer into the kitchen and watch some of the bakers prep. I never fully appreciated their creativity and culinary experimentation with grains until I read Jess Ross’ Rise: A Devotion to Whole Grains.

Past their display racks of fresh loaves, you could peer into the kitchen and watch some of the bakers prep. I never fully appreciated their creativity and culinary experimentation with grains until I read Jess Ross’ Rise: A Devotion to Whole Grains.

Ross more than documents her baking career journey from the seeds of inspiration from her Nan’s kitchen, to the early training of technical skills and grain expertise amongst cohorts in Germany, to the creation of her very own Gold Island Bakery in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She accompanies each grain with family history, recipes, technical knowledge about the grain itself, and a variety of easy-to-follow tips to help you succeed in your own kitchen. As she states early on, you can make many of the recipes with a few basic tools. What I appreciated most about this book was her generosity in making these recipes accessible to as many as possible, along with the acknowledgement of the unceded territory from which some of her ingredients are sourced. From her loving spoonful of gratitude, she lovingly shares many personally treasured recipes from her Nan, as well as the grief of her sudden passing.

Rise is more than a documentation of grain varietals. Healthy and flavourful alternatives to white flour are deliciously explored through rye, oats, corn, spelt, buckwheat, kamut, and of course, wheat recipes. To me, one of the most complex but interestingly prepared recipes is in Nan’s double-tiered “War is Over” spelt flour cake feating buttercream, raspberry jam, nettles and rosewater. Even if you never attempt the recipe, it’s worthwhile to read the backstory and live vicariously through Ross as if you were watching a Great Canadian Bake-Off show on tv. Ross has also slipped in a salad recipe featuring kamut. So don’t be fooled by the title and assume this book is only about breads and baking! You can have your delectable wild blueberry pie a la mode and eat your fibre, too.I highly recommend this book as a necessary addition to your stack of kitchen pantry books. The pro-tips on sourdough starters and what to do with the discard alone are worth a “Here, take my money!” spend. You don’t need to be on a gluten-free diet to enjoy these recipes. Ross is reminding us to shake things up a bit with non-traditional alternatives, in part as a throwback to older traditions borne out of necessity, or to appreciate the flavours of a more global palate. While you’re here, wonderful people of, and visitors to Kjipuktuk/Halifax, check out my review of the Lunenburg Farmer’s Market Cookbook; Gold Island Bakery is also a market vendor.

Jessica Ross is a passionate gardener, caterer, canner and baker. For almost fifteen years Jess has owned and baked for Gold Island Bakery, a small sourdough bakery, where she shares her often experimental local grain creations to farm market communities throughout Nova Scotia/ Mi’kma’ki. A longtime educator, DIY bookmaker, and writer, with Rise Jess shares stories and recipes exploring some of our most beloved grains.

Publisher: Nimbus Publishing (June 18, 2024)
Paperback 9.25″ x 7.5″ | 192 pages
ISBN: 9781774712641

Mala Rai

Mala Rai is a poet, drummer, psychology student, and technical writing hired gun on the West Coast. Her most recent poems have appeared in Eclectica Magazine, High Shelf Press, and Anti-Heroin Chic. You can follow her on Instagram @malaraipoetry