buckwheat is a flour......what were you trying to do with it? I often add some to a whole grain bread....but it adds no gluten so you can't add much...makes wonderful pancakes....

Do you have buckwheat flour, or buckwheat groats? The latter is what Russians and Jews call "kasha." And it's delicious if you make it as a side dish. I've never eaten it as a hot cereal, which is what it sounds like you tried.

If it's kasha, try coating it with beaten egg, then stirring in a dry fry pan until it dries, then add the liquid (water or broth) and seasonings and cover. A lot of people mix the cooked kasha with cooked bow-tie noodles (for some reason, that's the ONLY shape pasta they use). Goes nicely with beef. I also like kasha instead of rice or noodles in beef soup.

It sounds like you have kasha. Was it whole, coarsely chopped, medium or fine? Traditional recipes for kasha call for an egg to be mixed with the buckwheat groats before cooking -- I skip the egg (I'm cheap). It only takes whole kasha about 10-minutes to cook, so if you have coarsely chopped, medium or fine kasha, then it will cook up quicker according to the size.

Personally, I only use buckwheat or kasha (as well as buckwheat flour) in the winter. It's a warming food and I tend to eat traditional foods appropriate for each season. But that being said, you can use kasha for Tabbouli and all kinds of salads like you would use whole wheat, cracked wheat, or bulgur. You'll find some recipes at the link below.

I like kasha uncooked added to granola for an interesting crunch and flavor; as an add-in to bread recipes (1/4- to 1/3-cup per loaf); or in cookies and will replace half of the oatmeal with uncooked kasha.

STEAMED KASHA
(source: The Splendid Grain - by Rebecca Wood)
1 c. kasha
2 c. water or vegetable stock or chicken stock
1 T. fat (vegetable oil, coconut oil, ghee, butter....)
Salt and pepper

Combine the water, fat, salt and pepper in a medium saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Slowly pour in groats (dumping them in all at once can cause the pot to boil over). Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 10-minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed. Remove from the heat. Let steam, covered, for 5-10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve. Place leftovers in a bowl, cover with a cotton cloth, and leave at room temperature for up to 24-hours. Within 4 hours, the kasha may be used in a salad; after that, use it in a filling, stuffing, croquettes, or loaf.
Variations:
-Stir 1/2 c. toasted sunflower seeds into the boiling water.
-Saute 1/2 c. diced onion in the oil before adding the water or stock and groats.
-Add 1 T. chopped fresh herbs.
-Replace the water or stock with milk or soy milk. Sweeten with honey to taste and add a pat of butter when ready to serve.
Yield: about 2-1/2 cups

-Grainlady

Here is a link that might be useful: The Birkett Mills

I have to say Grainlady, a lot of your information you talk of I am just learning. Are you self-taught, out of curiousity? Did you talk a dietician course? I am finding it difficult to get my facts straight. If I can ask for to list a couple of books I would so appreciate it. You mentioned Wild Fermentation, which is currently on hold at the library. But anything else, you could possibly recommend - for optimum health, intestinal health, etc. would be great. I am trying for healthier fare besides the suggested fruits and veggies, whole grains, etc, for myself and the family. Anyone who has an interesting read, I would look into.
Yeah, forgot to mention that they were whole groats, which didn't mean anything to me so I failed to mention that part. Thanks.

cookie8-

Self-taught.... So many wonderful authors took their time doing research and writing books; and I, the information freak that I am, purchased them...LOTS of them.

Grains/beans/seeds has been an avocation of mine for many years now. I have quite a good size library covering the subject, including technical manuals, college textbooks, piles of files, a few classes under my belt (the queen of continuing education), and have 29 different grains/seeds/beans in storage that I use in food preparation. I also teach classes on home-milling and am getting a class together on home food storage.

These are a few of my favorites...

By Rebecca Wood:
--"The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia" (A comprehensive resource for healthy eating.)
--"The Splendid Grain"

--"Nourishing Traditions" by Sally Fallon (The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats)

--"Traditional Foods Are Your Best Medicine" by Ronald F. Schmid, N.D. (Improving Health and Longevity with Native Nutrition).

--Anything by Anne Wigmore (sprouting and raw foods)
--Anything by Steve Meyerowitz (aka Sproutman)

I don't prescribe to any one method or view, but have shifted from the Standard American Diet to something I hope will help prevent diseases and conditions common to a poor diet. What I've discovered is that it's easy to make something that's "good" for you - but not always easy to make something that's good for you TASTE good. ;-)

-Grainlady

Wow, thanks so much. And another thing I can do is look into information on such classes - that didn't even cross my mind. I find it is taking me a long time to get my book collection sorted as I borrow from the library after a hold list, then buy if I like. I will straight up invest in a couple of these. Maybe I can get my supplement stash dwindled down, lol. Thanks again.