KASHA

I've written before about my friend who invariably begins a conversation with this question, "What have you learned new today?", because I once told her that I learned something new every day.

Because a friend of ours follows a mostly gluten-free diet, I try to accommodate that when he's a dinner guest.  As I was researching gluten-free options, I learned that BUCKWHEAT is NOT related to WHEAT, as it is not a grass.

KASHA, I now learn, is made from roasted buckwheat groats.

The origin of buckwheat is believed to come from China or central Asia. It is a fruit seed and it is related to rhubarb, sorrel, and knot wood, thus it is a suitable substitute for people with Celiac disease and other problems associated with sensitivity to grains which contain gluten.

Buckwheat is very nutritious. Whole buckwheat can be used as a substitute for rice and can be cooked as cereal. Buckwheat flour can be used in making cakes, bread, and PANCAKES..

Mother used to make buckwheat pancakes. After reading about buckwheat, I was waxing reminiscent about those pancakes. Les and I decided to make some because we both remembered the buckwheat pancakes with fondness.

I now have a nearly-full box of Aunt Jemima's Buckwheat Pancake Mix

to give to someone. Any takers? Obviously the pancakes weren't as good as we remembered.

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