The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-01-13
Buckwheat Cakes.

VI Oily kOndc6ae, winch 1nCluOeS DOCK,
sorrel and rhubarb. 1t is probably a
native of western Asia or Russia. In
the latter country the seeds are used
in form of greats, particularly by the
soldiery, and are cooked with butter
and OIL
In temperate climates it is largely
grown for its starchy seeds, which re-
semble the grain of grasses in compo-
sition, being about equal in nutritive
value to millet. For this reason and
because it is used in breads it is, for
convenience, ranked with the cereals.
In the millet and sorghum seeds of
India 1T has its strong food allies of
similar origin, but among these it
stands alone in its use as a human
food by the European civilized races.
THE NAME OF THE PLANT.
The name is derived from the Ger
man buekweizner, beech wheat or nut.
from the three sided angular shape Of
the seeds. In France it is known as
sarazain or bli mott. 1t was brought
to England over three hundred years
ago. and to North America by the ear
ly Dutch settlers. and from them we
have learned to bake it into cakes. The
grain was common in Germany in the
fifteenth century and is catalogued in
many old books in the sixteenth.
DIFFERENT SPECIES.
There are three varieties of the plant
cultivated. the common, the tartartan
and the notchseed. The second of these
the tartartan. came from Siberia about
| SO years ago. It was there discovered
| by botanistS in the early part of the
century. It is said of it that in it's ma
tive country it sows itself for five
| years.
In Britain the buckwheat is an cas-
lily cultivated annual, being grown
there chiefly for feeding poultry and
game, especially pheasants. Hence, it
is said, the origin of the peculiar cry of
the guinea fowl-..buekwheat."
A variety called Saracenicum, a
inf
duced into France as an ornamental
| garden plant at about the same time
the Siberian came to Europe-the lat
ter was called ssaracean millet. 1t
grew to the height of about six feet;
This variety was also called halcus,an
was cultivated in Italy 1t was found
| in Babylon by Hefodotus and it's Gull
tivation and it's curious qualities are
mentioned by naturalists from time 10
IT'S ROOD QUALITIES.
The seed of the sbuckwheat is inclosed
| in a husk containing much indigest1ole
| cellulose. When this husk, amounting
| to about twenty per cent, is removed
the richness of the seeds is by means
| low in nutritive value, but stands mid
way in this respect between wheat on
one hand ard rice. on the other Ine
| great preDonderance of carbohydrates
| in ALI cereals indicates that they should
| not be eaten alone, but with other foodS
richer III fat and proteid- Instructive
| ly we have learned this fact and rem
edy the deficiency by spreading a gen
erous supply of butter over our buck
wheat cakes and eating them with
maple syrup, honey or molasses- SUCK
wheat cakes are rendered more Whole-
some by the addition of from one-tnlfo
to one-half their volume of scalded
corn meal. They are sweeter, more
tender and bake a nicer, more even
brown.
The character of its albuminoids,
,s1I1, IN "a
mostly soluble. and its rlchness IN neal
and force-producing elements, make II
available for bread and cake-makinG.
RUCKWHEAT FLOUR.
The flour of buckWheat compares I'M
favorably with that OF wheat, owing 10
its deficiency in gluten, but q fairly nu-
| tritious bread is made and largely con-
sumed in Brittany. The bread like our
| cakes is greatly reliShed by those VINO
are accustomed to its peculiar TASTE.
| Buckwheat cakes are very popular IN
| Holland and in this country buckwheat
always means griddle cakes-9nd IN
some sections "sassage gravy. 10 the
peculiar and CHARACTERISTIC flavor or TINS
| so-called cereal is due the traditional
| value of the buckwheat cake, which is
the popular favorite of the griddle-caAe
season. A simon pure buckwheat cake
may be regarded in the isht OF luxury
in this country-a fact apparently not
verified by the hotel and restaurant
menus The difficulties and objections
to raising it. with its peculiar and diff
cult milling qualities, nave general ~
the market, especially for the pure arti-
Gle.
The annual production in the United
States is said to be in the neighborhood
of 1000. 900 bushels the states OF New
York and Pennsylvania contributing
largely.
There are some persons who find that
buckwheat does not agree with them
its use causing an eruption OF the SKIN
called erythena, an ailment causing
. much discomfort because of the con,
, slant itching and irritation In al
probability the occupation of the 1nd1-
viduaI so afflicted is such that this
class of foods must be partaken OF
| sparingly or not at all; or, on the othel
; hand, their physical condition may de-
velop the annoyance.
II is nossible too. that the buckwheat
flour may contain rye and gritty mat
} ter and with the addition of corn meal
which without previous scalding is MOI
l makes the cakes very hard to digest fol
Y most people When the yeast batter fol
I buckwheat. cakes is left to stand ovel
l night be careful that it is perfectly
2 sweet when ready to bake.
If one feels any doubt as to the
, Uholesomeness of pure buckwheat houl
{ visit to the land of buckwheat cakes
2 and honey" among the pennsylvania
Dutch will dispell the uncertainty II
I their minds. at least as regards these
j people.
' Among the household recipes there
1 are many for buckwheat cakes cherish
i ed with the family traditions.
E Cakes made of pure buckwheat arr
I best, but as saxne do not like the dis
S tinct flavor ofaSbuclwheat we will give
t several varieties of recipes.
COLONIAL BUCKWHEAT CAKES.
Take one pint OF warm sweet milk
t one pint of warm water, one cup O.
< yeast, two teaspoons of salt and f1v'
cups of bucEwheat -four Put half O.
d the liquid in stone crock and gradu
= ally sift and beat in the flour, and con
g tinue to beat until smooth; then add re
T.. nainder of milk and water, the sal
and lastly the yeast, being careful t.
!, have the milk lu1zewarrn- Two tea
|. snoons of sugar. NAV be used. Sc