Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1917-06-19
Buckwheat A Partial Substitute for
Wheat,

Wheat.
To the average person buckwheat sng-
costs grlddle cakes and syrup and moth.
ing else. Most of us love cakes and syrup
once In . while, especially on cold win
ter's morning, but We oil have . guilty
feeling that We are Furnishing our stom-
achs when We indulge in them. The first
time I saw fields of buckwheat spring
into bloom few weeks after planting
great, square patches of spring green on
the hillsides, among the deeper shades Of
late summer-I felt troubled to think
that oil this beautiful harvest meant
nothing more to the human race than
millions OF indigestible batter cakes.
As matter Of fact, the possibilities OF
buckwheat a. human food are still I'M.
known to most housewives and even to
food experts and scientists. The pres
emit high price of wheat, squirting people
on to use their imaginations and invent
i've powers to the end of discovering
cheaper substitutes, may be the means
of ultimately placing buckwheat on the
market az real staple rather than an
unwholesome luxury.
Buckwheat costs several dollars 40
acre less to grow than wheat, and If
grown anything like a. extensively, the
cost of production would be cut to q
much lower figure. 1t is the very best
crop for poor land, and will thrive where
almost any other crop would fail. 1t can
be sown on unfertile and poorly titled
land, In sandy soil, even on the almost
barren hill lands. It needs little or no
fertilizer and the minimum of care. No
expensive machinery 10 required for mar
vestipg. An old.fashioned cradle will
do the work as we'll as any Of the up.to-
date reapers, although the labor Is
somewhat harder. The production of
buckwheat is at present relatively small,
due entirely to the fact that 1t Ia limited
to the annual consumption of cakes and
syrup, but II demand should arise at
any time for buckwheat -four for other
uses, the farmers could easily put 1t on
the market at very short notice In as
large quantities as desired and at an ex'
tremely low figure.
The nutritive properties Of buckwheat
are very nearly the same az In wheat,
aad only slightly less in amount. Buck
wheat contains less protein, bot furnishes
more heat to the body, for the reason
that 1t has a slightly larger percentage
of carbohydrates and considerably more
tat. 1t has, in addition, slight laxative
tendency which renders it valuable to
a large number of people. Moreover, II
is extremely pslstable, not only In the
form of griddls cakes, but when used in
making bread, rolls, mullins, and even
cookies. What is still more astonishing
lt can be used to good advantage as q
breakfast cereal, either alone or mixed
with o'her grains. The only disadvan
age is its strong inclination to lump II
given any opportunity whatever. This
can be obviated, however, by sprinkline
It very slowly into actively boiling water
and strainipg it If necessary. Or paste
can be made with cold water and the
boiling water added slowly, while stir.
ring constantly. The tendency to lump
is greatly diminished, If the buckwheat
is mixed thoroughly with any coarser
grained wheat cereal, either the bleach
/ ed or the matted varieties. Buckwhea
adds a delicious, piquant flavor wher
used for dredging fish or other foOdl
that are to be fried, and can even BIZ useC
for breading. The distinctive, rich buck
wheat flavor finds favor with nearly
everyone. In these hard days of wal
and high pricee, 1t is high time for buck
wheat to come into it's own. Indeed !,
has been neglected far too long.
The following are few tested reoipei
which may prove valuable to interested
| housewives, and which will undoubtedly
suggest many other profitable uses fol
buck wheat:
i