Spelt is an ancient hulled wheat, a close cousin of common bread wheat that was a staple across Bronze Age and medieval Europe before modern free-threshing wheats displaced it. Its plump, pale-tan grains cook up chewy and faintly sweet with a warm, nutty, malty flavour, and it has been revived as a wholesome heritage grain for rustic breads and risotto-style dishes. Like all true wheats it contains gluten and is not safe for people with coeliac disease.