Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-09
able and Kitchen.
Buckwheat Cakes

all but to the natural order of Polygona-
ceae. which includes dock. serrel and rhu-
barb. 1t is probably a naHve ,of western
Asia or Russia. In the. lattert country the
seeds are used Gin form of greats, particu-
larly by the soldiery, and arr cooked with
butter and OIL. st. :
In temperate climates IT Is largely grown
for it's starchy seeds, which resemble the
grain Of grasses in composition, being about
equal in nutritive value to milleN For this
reason and because it is used. inr breads 1t
Is. for convenience. ranked with the cereals
In the millet and sorghum Seeds of India
1t has its strong food allies of similar orr
gin, but among these 1t stands alone in its
use as a human food by the European civ
ilized races. -
The Name of the Plant.
The name is derived from the German
buckweitzen, beech wheat or nut, from the
three-sided angular shape Of the seeds. In
France 1t is known as sarazain. or bill MOTT
1t was brought to England over three hun
dred years ago. and to North America by
the early Dutch settlers, and from them we
have learned to bake 1t Into cakes. The
grain was common in Germany In the If
teenth century, and is catalogued in many
old books In the sixteenth.
Different Species.
There are three varieties Of the plant cul-
tivated. the common, the tartartan and the
notohseed. The second Of these, the tartar
tan, came from Siberia about fifty years
ago. It was there discovered by botanists
in the early part of the century. 1t Is said
Of it that in its native country 1t sows itself
for five years. sr
In Britain the buckwheat is an easily cul-
tivated annual, being grown there chiefly
pheasants. Hence, 1t Is said, the origin of
the peculiar cry Of the guinea fowl-'buck
wheat" NJ. ,l;.A=s-.
variety called Saraeenicum, a snowy
herbaceous plant. was introduced into
France as an ornamental garden plant at
about the same time the Siberian came to
Europe-the latter was called saracean
millet 1t grew to the height Of about six
feet. This variety was also called halcus,
and was cultivated in Italy. e It was found
In Babylon by Herodotus, and its cultiva-
ton and its curious qualities are men
toned by naturalists from time to time
ever since.
It's Food Qualities.
The seed Of the buckwheat Is inclosed
in a husk containing much indigestible
cellulose. When this husk, amounting to
about twenty per cent, IL removed the
richness Of the seeds Is by no means low
In nutritive value, but stands midway in
ILLS F6SpeCt DetWeeu wheat on one nanQ
and rice on the other. The great pre-
ponderance Of carbohydrates in all cereals
indicates that they should not be eaten
alone. but with other foods richer in fat
and proteid Instinctivelys we have
learned this fact and remedy the def
cheney by spreading a generous supply of
butter over our buckwheat cakes and eat
ing them with maple syrpp., u honey or
molasses. Buckwheat cakes sane rendered
more wholesome by the addition of from
one-third to one-half their volume of scald-
Cd corn meal. They are sSveeter. more ten
der and bake nicer. more eveha brown.
The character Of its ak,nninoids, most
ly soluble. and its richness In heat and
force producing elements inaakesit available
for bread and cake making. hel
Buckwheat Flour
The -four Of buckwheasi compares unfa-
vorably with; that of wheat, owing to it's.
deficiency in gluten, but . fairly nutritious
bread is made and largely. consumed In
Brittany. The bread. like QUE cakes, is
greatly relished by those who are aocus-
toned to its peculiar taste ?. . <1'h.f
Buckwheat cakes are very pQpniar IN Ho1-.
land, and in this county rbucKwheat always
means griddle cakes-aff ID sahe sections
"sassage gravy" To the pesniiar and char
due the traditional value OF the huckwheatI
cake, which is the popular favorfte Of the
srfddle- cake season. a simon pure buck
wheat cake may be regarded In the light
Of luxury in this eountry-a fact ap-
parently not verified by the hotel and res
taurant menus. The difficulties and objec-
tons to raising 1t, with it's peculiar and
difficult milling qualities, have generally
given the flour relatively high price in the
market, especially for the pure article.
The annual production in the United
states Is said to be in the neghborhood of
100000 bushels, the states of New York
and Pennsylvania contributing largely
There xubo And hot
puckwheat does not agree with them, It's
use causing an eruption of the skin called
erythema, an ailment causing much dis
comfort because of the constant itching and
irritation. In all probability the occupation
of the individual so afflicted Is such that
this class of foods must be partaken of
sparingly or not at all: or, on the other
the annoyance.
1t is possible. too, that the buckwheat
nour may contain rye and gritty matter,
ana, with the addition of corn meal, which
without previous scaldng is not sufficiently
well cooked In cake baking makes the cakes
very hard to digest for most people When
the yeast batter for buckwheat cakes Is left
to stand over night be careful that 1t il
perfectly sweet when ready to bake.
II one feels any doubt as to the whole
someness Of pure buckwheat flour a visit
to the land Of buckwheat cakes and
money among the Pennsylvania Dutch will
dispel the uncertainty In his or her mind, at
least as regards these people.
Among the household recipes there are
many for. buckwheat cakes cherished with
the family traditions
Cakes made Of pure buckwheat are best.
but as some do not like the distinct favor
OF buckwheat we will give Several varieties
Of recipes.
Colonial Buckwheat Cakes.
Take one pint of warm sweet milk one
pint of warm water. one cup of yeast. two
teaspoons of salt and five cups of buck
wheat flour. Put half OF the liquid In a
stone crock and gradually sift and beat in
the flour, and continue to beat until smooth;
then add remainder of milk and water the
salt, and lastly the yeast, being careful to
have the milk luke warm. Two tablespoons
OF sugar may be used. Set where the batter
VIII not chill until morning, but must not be
too warm or 1t will sour Soda Is used to
correct the acidity when the batter is sour
Plain Buckwheat Cakes.
Take one quart Of buckwheat flour. one
teaspoon OF salt. one scant cup of corn
meal. scalded with little boiling water,
two teaspoons of brown sugar or little
buttermilk to make themsbroFn nicely. half
cake Of yeast dissolved in half cup of
lukewarm water and one quart of warm