Are you a fan of buckwheat? I know the bandwagon for healthy alternatives to refined carbohydrates pulled out of town a long time ago, but I ran to jump on at the last minute. We’ve been experimenting with quinoa, millet, buckwheat and such, some with more success than others. Despite it’s name, buckwheat is not actually related to wheat, but apparently is closer to the sorrel family.
We had mixed reviews on these. I mean, come on – we’ve eaten pancakes made with refined, bleached flour all our lives. This may take us a while.
I made these with half buckwheat, half all purpose flour to ease us in to the taste. This is a large batch, so you could halve it if there are just a couple of you.
Yields ~15 large or 24 medium pancakes
1 1/2 c. buckwheat
1 1/2 c. sifted all purpose flour
1 T baking powder
1 1/2 t. baking soda
3/4 t. salt
4 to 5 T sugar
3 large eggs, beaten
4 cups buttermilk or 3 cups **milk + vinegar
6 T melted butter, cooled slightly + extra for the pan
Preheat pan or griddle to med high.
**If you aren’t using buttermilk, stir 1 T apple cider vinegar into 3 cups milk and let sit while you combine dry ingredients. Whisk together dry ingredients in large bowl. Stir in eggs, buttermilk or milk/vinegar mixture, and melted butter.
Melt ~1/2 T butter on med hot griddle, then wipe off excess. Pour batter in 1/3 to 1/2 cup puddles on griddle. When they begin to bubble, flip pancakes over. (Note – these don’t seem to bubble as much with the buckwheat added, so check the bottom side now and then.) Repeat with remaining batter, re-greasing griddle as needed.
Pretty. Makes me hungry.
These take me back to my childhood when the summer Sunday ritual was to have breakfast at the Bluff’s Coffee Shop at Doughton Park on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Buckwheat Cakes were my favorite. If I’m not mistaken, the flour came from Mabry Mill to the north on the Parkway.