Rusks made with Barley - Sfakia, Crete (8.8 oz)

"Best By" Sale!

The Rusks made with Barley have a “best by” date of 10/30/23. They are perfectly fine, but we are offering them for 50% off. A “best by” date indicates when a product will be of best flavor or quality. It is not a purchase or safety date and is assigned somewhat arbitrarily by the food regulators based on general categories. 

Rusks (Paximadia) are the name given to an array of Greek twice-baked bread products. An ancient food first developed by the Minoans, to this day they are the de facto sustenance of farmers, fishermen and shepherds (perfect for on the go) and a mainstay in the Mediterranean diet.

There are countless varieties of rusks, ours are made from ancient grains by the Votzakis Brothers, a small multi-generational family bakery in Sfakia, Crete. Their ancient wheat product line is named Zeidoron, which means “gift of life”, referring to the health-giving qualities of this ancient bread product.

Zeidoron Small Barley & Ancient Wheat Rusks

These chunky rusks combine barley with an ancient wheat known in Greece as Zea, or scientifically as Triticum diccocum, an ancient variety recently resuscitated by artisan farmers. Barley is a traditional grain on Crete, and the most common grain used to make the islands beloved rusks. These delicious sourdough rusks are pure, natural with few ingredients – Zea starter, Zea wheat, barley flour, water, salt, and olive oil. They are crunchy and a bit drier than our rusks made from 100% Zea. They have a lovely earthy flavor. 

Please note, the crunchy texture is similar to a hard pretzel.  They can be enjoyed as they are, but Greeks often dip them in water before eating or allow them to soften from the various accompaniments they are served with.

Ingredients:  Triticum Dicoccum flour (60%), Barley flour (30%), Olive Oil (2%), Water, Leaven (Triticum Dicoccum flour, Water, Yeast), Salt

May contain traces of sesame, milk-based products, peanuts, other nuts or eggs