Ethiopian Blue Tinge is an Abyssinian emmer wheat (Triticum turgidum ssp. dicoccum). It is a cultivar from Ethiopia selected by Dan Jason (Salt Spring Seeds, BC, Canada). It threshes easily when combine harvested (most emmer wheats do not thresh out of their husks during combine harvesting). It is a very long awned spring type and has an intriguing dark purple brown seed color. It has a tea like aroma and is fairly prolific. The bran color and flavor are due to the antioxidant polyphenolic compounds in the bran. In the whole wheat form, it probably ranks among the highest in healthful antioxidant capacity. Dough from the whole wheat flour darkens to the color of chocolate and correspondingly flavors the baked goods made from it. Ethiopian Blue Tinge is particularly successful as a dinner grain, single rise bread and as whole wheat pasta. The grain is distinctly hard, like the related durum wheat types; the protein level generally is higher than for common hexaploid wheat grown under similar circumstances. It is somewhat short in stature (usually is at least 2-3 feet tall). Its short stature may make it vulnerable to drought, so Ethiopian Blue Tinge is recommended for slower draining soils or wetter regions in California, and for supplying those who enjoy dark richly flavored whole wheat breads. At the time of evaluation by the UC Regional Testing program, it averaged about 40 inches in plant height with greater susceptibility to lodging than most conventional cultivars, and was moderately susceptible to stripe rust. It was evaluated as Entry 1671 in the UC Regional Common Wheat Testing program in 2010 for late fall planting at rainfed sites in the Central Valley and surrounding areas.