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F R O M T H E FA R M E R’ S K I T C H E N
By creating a sustainable local grain and flour economy, David hopes to reconnect producers and consumers in the area and spark conversations on place, culture, sustainability and the environment. Demand for his products has steadily increased, and he currently sells his flours to bakeries and restaurants in Sacramento and the Bay Area, and at farmers’ markets around Northern California. For now, he is focused on expanding his business into a regional milling facility, and achieving economies of scale, particularly with labor costs. Along with the loan from Farm Credit West, he raised more than $100,000 in two weeks through a crowd-funding effort — “the fastest raise-to-target the platform had seen to date,” he adds. The funding will go toward ordering fulfillment software and building a larger mill with the capacity to process 750-1,000 tons per year and contract with area farmers to grow unique grains above market rates.
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What makes farming such an appealing endeavor is how much of a community there is and how much everyone helps each other. DAVID KAISEL | OWNER, CAPAY MILLS
“What makes farming such an appealing endeavor is how much of a community there is and how much everyone helps each other,” David muses. “It’s a lot of work and hard to get it off the ground, but when I see how much enthusiasm and interest there is out there for retailers, chefs and restaurants — when they realize how different this is from what we’ve been eating for the last 150 years — it’s very satisfying.” Learn more about Capay Mills at capaymills.com.
10
Spotlight
SUMMER 2022
Whole-Grain Matzo Recipe courtesy of David Kaisel, owner of Capay Mills. Adapted from Mark Bittman’s New York Times Olive Oil Matzo recipe. I NG R ED I EN TS 2 cups (260g) flour — 200g Capay Mills Sonora heirloom white wheat flour and 60g Capay Mills whole-grain (dark) rye flour ½ tsp. kosher salt ⅓ cup high quality extra virgin olive oil ½ cup water sea salt (optional) D I R ECT I O N S STEP 1 Preheat your oven to 500º. If you have
a pizza stone, use it.
Put flour and salt in a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse a few times to mix. In a separate bowl, whisk the oil and water together, and then add to the flour with the processor running. Process until the dough forms a smooth ball that doesn’t stick to the blade or bowl and isn’t sticky to the touch. You may have to add a smidge of water to get it to cohere. STEP 2 Cut the dough into 12 equal portions.
Roll into balls about the size of a small clementine, and then flatten into a disc. You should cover the discs with a kitchen towel so they don’t dry out too much while you’re working. Roll out 1 ball on a wellfloured board until it is so thin you can basically see through it.
STEP 3 Put each matzo on an ungreased baking sheet and sprinkle with the sea salt. They cook very quickly — no more than 2-3 minutes per side, until bubbly and turning brown. Flip to the other side, and cook for another minute or so keeping a close eye on the bread. If you have a gas cooktop, you can pull them out before they become fully browned and finish by putting them directly over the flames for those nice burnt bumps that make matzo so good. Repeat the process for the remaining dough, letting the matzo cool before eating.
