From rye to the tourte Auvergnate

Rye is a bearded cereal that belongs to the Poaceae family (formerly known as the Gramineae family) like all cereal grasses. Its Latin name, Secale, means "something that's cut." In France, rye is mainly used to feed livestock.

Rye comes from Central Europe, where it can be traced back to the Neolithic period. It then began to be produced in Central Europe and Asia. In France, it was first produced in Sologne and the Massif Central region.

Rye is a cereal with a beard (long, thin points which stick out from the ear), which means a field of rye can be spotted rather easily. Its stalk is longer than that of wheat, with rye beards being able to reach nearly 4 feet (1.20 m) high

Rye is able to weather harsh winters as well as it can dry summers.
The seeds are down between September and October, and harvest begins in July.


Rye can be harvested while it's still green. The harvested grain is then used as feed for livestock.

Rye grain has a more elongated shape than wheat grain, but both are similar in size. An ear of rye also looks like an ear of wheat, apart from the fact that rye grain is arranged in a symmetrical fashion on the ear.

Rye is used to make rye bread, which is a traditional bread of the Auvergne region of France. It's also a key part of the recipe for gingerbread.
Rye is also one of the main ingredients in whisky thanks to the unique taste of its grain.