**Old Fashioned Buckwheat Cakes

*

          These are much improved when prepared as a Sourdough.

                   2 Tbsp.long sugar (molasses)

                   1 cup milk

                   1 cup  boiling water

                   1/2 pkg. granular yeast

                   2 cups buckwheat flour

                   1/2 cup cornmeal

          1 tsp. salt

                   1/2 tsp soda

          On the evening before the batter is to be used, stir long sugar into milk and boiling water. Cool the mixture and add yeast softened in a little warm water.  Stir in buckwheat flour sifted with cornmeal and salt. Beat the batter smooth and let set in a warm place.

            In the morning, add soda mixed with a little warm water. using less soda if the batter is not sour. Beat the batter well (See Sour Dough- A cup of batter may be saved and used in place of the yeast as a starter for the next baking. This process can be repeated to the great betterment of the cakes). A table spoon of melted butter may be added before baking.        

              Heat an iron griddle and test it by throwing a few drops of cold water on it. If the water bounces and dances like a cat on a hot tin roof, the griddle is hot enough. Grease the griddle lightly. Drop the batter by spoonfuls onto the griddle. When the underside is lightly browned and the top bubbles turn the cakes and brown the other side. Turn the cakes only once.     

Modern Buckwheat Cakes, without yeast

                   1/2 cup flour

                   2 tsp.sugar

                   1 tsp.soda

                   1/2 tsp.baking powder

                   1/2 tsp.salt

                   1 1/2 cups buckwheat flour

          3 1/4 cups buttermilk

                   2 Tbsp.shortening, melted

          Sift the flour with sugar, soda, baking powder and salt. Add buckwheat and mix well. Pour into mixing bowl the buttermilk and shortening. Add the dry ingredients to the milk mixture and beat the batter only until it is blended. Pour the batter from a ladle onto a buttered hot griddle. When the underside is lightly browned and the top bubbles, turn the cakes and brown the other side. Turn the cakes only once.

Cottage Cheese Pancakes

                   3 eggs

                   1/4 cup  sugar

                   1/4 tsp. salt

                           White pepper

                   1 cup cottage cheese

                   1/4 cup milk

          1 cup flour

                   2 Tbsps.butter, melted

          1. In a bowl beat eggs with sugar, salt and pepper.   

2. Sieve a generous cup of cottage cheese into the bowl and beat the mixture well.

3. Gradually stir in cold milk and beat the mixture until it is smooth and creamy.

4. Gradually add flour, beating well after each addition until the batter is smooth and free of lumps.

            5. Stir in melted butter.

6. Drop the batter by spoonfuls onto a buttered griddle. When the underside is lightly browned, turn and brown the other side.

French Pancakes (Crepes) Basic

                  

           

                   1 cup  flour

                   2 Tbsps.sugar

                   1/2 tsp salt

                   1 Tbsp.shortening, melted

                   4  eggs, separated

                   2 cups milk

                   1 cup water                  

          1. Beat egg yolks and add sugar, salt and 1 cup milk.

2. Add flour and shortening and mix until smooth, then add remaining milk.

            3. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites.

            4. Bake on hot griddle, making cakes 5 inches across and very   thin.

5. Spread with jelly and roll up while hot. Serve with overlapping edges of cakes on bottom to keep them from unrolling Sprinkle with icing sugar if desired. Makes 12.   

          Variations

Blintzes--Make 12 crepes and bake them on one side only. Put 1 Tbsp. of this mixture in the center of each.

                   !/2 lb. cottage cheese

                    1 egg well beaten

                   1/4 cup sour cream

          1 Tbsp.sugar

                  1/4 tsp. salt

           Some vanilla, lemon or almond                                       extract

           A few raisins plumped in boiling                                          water

1. Combine well.

2. Put mixture in center of crepes; fold both sides over the filling and saute the crepes in a generous amount of butter until they are golden brown.

            Serve with sour cream.     

Crepes Suzette:

 Chez Soi (Home Style)--Cream together 1/2 cup each butter and icing sugar. Remove the zest of 2 oranges with a fine grater and add it to the creamed mixture. Add the juice of 1 orange, a few drops of lemon juice and 1/4 cup Curacao or rum. Spread the mixture on cooked crepes, fold or roll them up, and arrange them on heated serving dish. Sprinkle with sugar and with 1/4 cup warmed brandy. Ignite the spirit and serve the crepes flaming.            

Gourmet--Substitute butter for shortening, stir in 1 Tbsp. cognac and let the batter stand for 2 hours before baking. Dip 4 sugar cubes in orange juice. Put the sugar cubes on a plate and crush them, using a fork, with 3 Tbsp. sweet butter to make a creamy consistency. Put another 2 Tbsp butter in a chafing dish or skillet, add the juice of 1 orange, a few drops of lemon juice and 1/2 cup Curacao, Cointreau, Benedictine, or Grand Marnier, and bring the mixture to a boil. Stir into the creamed sugar-butter mixture. Fold each crepe in quarters, like a handkerchief. A tsp. of ground filberts or grated almonds may be put in the center of each crepe. Put the crepes in sauce, spooning it over them liberally. Sprinkle them with 1/2 cup heated brandy and ignite. Serve with sauce.

Griddlecakes

          These contain just a touch of corn meal

           2 cups                    flour                             

                   1 tsp.                    salt                               

                   3 tsp.                    baking powder                      

                   1 Tbsp                   corn meal                     

                   1 Tbsp.                  sugar                                      

                   2                           eggs                              

                   1- 1/2 cups           milk                             

          1 Tbsp.                  shortening, melted     

1. Sift flour with salt, baking powder, corn meal and sugar. Beat eggs and add milk and shortening.

            2. Add sifted ingredients and beat until smooth.     

  3. Drop by spoonfuls on hot griddle. When full of bubbles turn to brown other side. Makes 20.       

          **Variation

Buttermilk--Use 2 cups buttermilk instead of sweet milk. Add 1 tsp. baking soda to flour and use only 3/4 tsp. baking powder.

         

Corn-Meal Griddlecakes

                   2 cups                   boiling water

                   1 cup                    corn meal

                   1 Tbsp.                  sugar

                   1 tsp.                    salt

                   1 1/2 cups            milk

                   2 cups                   flour

          3 tsps.                    baking powder

                   2                           eggs, separated and beaten

1. Pour boiling water over corn meal, sugar and salt and mix well. Let stand until meal swells.

2. Add milk let stand until cool.

            3. Sift flour and baking powder together and add.

            4. Add egg yolks. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites.

            5. Bake on a hot griddle, turning to brown both sides.

            The cakes should be small and well cooked.

            They require longer cooking than the wheat cakes. Makes 36. 

Rice Griddlecakes

                   1 cup                    cooked rice                   

                   2 cups                   milk                              

                   1- 1/2 cups           flour                             

                   1/2 tsp.                 salt                      

                   1 Tbsp.                  sugar                                      

                   2 tsps.                    baking powder                      

                   1                           egg                                

          1 Tbsp.                  shortening, melted               

          1. Mix rice with 1 cup milk and let stand overnight.

            2. Sift flour, salt sugar and baking powder together.

            3. Beat egg add shortening and remaining cup milk.

4. Add to softened rice alternately with sifted dry ingredients. Drop from spoon onto hot greased griddle and bake, turning once to brown other side. Makes 24.