Buckwheat has made a grand appearance in our kitchen this week–and thank goodness it has. Chilly mornings before setting out for a vigorous hike or bike ride, I crave something dense, warm, and nourishing like buckwheat pancakes. Quite simply, I love them. Toss some fresh, almost mushy and insanely sweet berries on top with a splash of maple syrup, it doesn’t get much better than that. Or does it? I ran across a recipe for a Fleur de Sel Buckwheat cake and didn’t know what to think. Cake? Buckwheat cake? The author, David Lebovitz, is entirely reputable and any recipes I’ve made of his have been fantastic. Having lots of buckwheat flour in the house, I decided it was a must try. The warmer days have had me looking for foods a little more on the salty side and less sweet.

Let’s talk a little bit about buckwheat first. It’s actually not a grain, but a fruit seed akin to rhubarb. This makes it a great option for people who are gluten sensitive or intolerant. It has a deep, nutty flavor, earthy in taste and texture. Buckwheat is fantastic for your cardiovascular system. It helps lower cholesterol, maintain blood flow, keep platelets from clotting excessively, and provides the body with flavonoids, or phytonutrients that protect against disease by extending the action of vitamin C and acting as antioxidants. Nutrients in Buckwheat may also contribute to blood sugar control by lowering blood gulcose and insulin levels–one of the main reasons I love eating these pancakes in the morning. It is also a great source of magnesium–a very important mineral in our bodies. Magnesium helps maintain normal muscle and nerve function, keeps heart rhythm steady, supports a healthy immune system, and keeps bones strong. It also also helps regulate blood sugar levels, promotes normal blood pressure, and is known to be involved in energy metabolism and protein synthesis. The wonder mineral!

Below is my never-fail, go-to Buckwheat Pancake recipe. This recipe makes it easy to whip up a plate of these in the wee hours of the morning, minimizing your anxious waiting for hot, aromatic, and deeply satisfying pancakes. If you find yourself craving them, don’t say I didn’t warn you. It won’t be easy to go back to regular pancakes knowing I could eat buckwheat and be satisfied on so many levels! Adding a hint of vanilla and cinnamon really round out the nuttiness of the buckwheat–they are fragrant and flavorful and will keep you satiated until lunch.

Buckwheat Pancakes, recipe adapted from Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything Vegetarian 1 cup all purpose or whole wheat pastry flour 1 cup buckwheat flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon maple syrup (yes, in the batter too) 2 eggs 2 cups milk or water 1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 2 tablespoons olive oil or melted butter

Preheat griddle or large skillet over medium-low heat while you make the batter. Mix together the dry ingredients. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the eggs, milk or water, vanilla extract, and oil or melted butter. Stir together until completely well mixed. If the batter seems too thick, add a little more milk or water. If your griddle or skillet is non-stick, you can cook your pancakes right on there, but otherwise, use a little butter first so they don’t stick to other surfaces. Adjust the heat as necessary; usually the first batch will require a higher heat than the later batches. The idea is to brown the bottom in 2-4 minutes without burning it. Flip the pancakes when they are cooked on the bottom and cook until lightly browned. Serve warm with maple syrup, fresh berries, peaches, or Greek yogurt! Enjoy!

And now for the cake. I am tremendously impressed with the flavor and texture of this unassuming cake. It’s brown, it’s small, there’s nothing fancy about it –except it’s taste. I could get lost in a forkful of it’s subtle hints of flavors. It is like walking down a garden path and wandering through a variety of different scents and scenes–but it’s all happening in your mouth. Something about how the dark rum mingles with the spicy hints of cinnamon all carried through by the earthy aroma of the buckwheat. There is also quite a bit of butter involved, which folds all the flavors into one another, connecting them and creating new sensations. Then there’s the fleur de sel. Yes. This is the icing on top, because just when you think you have it all figured out, you are pleasantly surprised by a tiny salty aftertaste. And of course you’ve got to try it all over again, just to be sure you got it the first time. It can turn into a vicious cycle, leading to eating many more slices of this cake than intended. I made some fresh whipped cream flavored with maple syrup (have you tried this? it’s delicious!) for the side, but would also pair well with any fruit compote, or simply naked.

Fleur de Sel Buckwheat Cake via 101 cookbooks via David Lebovitz For the cake: 7/8 cup (140g) buckwheat flour 1 cup (140g) all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon plus 1/3 teaspoon fleur de sel 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 pound (240g) unsalted butter, at room temp 1 cup (200g) sugar 4 large egg yolks 1 large egg 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 tablespoons dark rum

For the glaze: 1 large egg yolk 1 teaspoon milk

Butter a 9 or 10-inch (25-cm) tart pan with a removable bottom or a 9-inch/23 cm springform cake pan). Preheat the oven to 350F degrees (180C).

In a small bowl, whisk together the buckwheat and all-purpose flour with 1/2 teaspoon salt and the cinnamon.

In the bowl of a standing mixer or by hand, beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and continue to beat until smooth.

In a separate bowl, beat the 4 egg yolks and whole egg with the vanilla and rum with a fork, then gradually dribble the egg mixture into the batter while beating. If using an electric mixer, beat on high speed so the butter gets really airy.

Mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top as flat as possible with an offset metal or plastic spatula.

Make a glaze by stirring the single yolk and milk together with a fork, then brush it generously all over the top. (You may not use it all, but use most of it.) Take a fork and rake it across the top in three parallel lines, evenly space; then repeat starting from a slightly different angle to make a criss-cross pattern.

Crumble the remaining 1/3 teaspoon salt over the gateau with your fingers and bake for 45 minutes (hs note: you might want to place a rimmed baking sheet on the rack below your tart in case it leaks at all – also, don’t over-bake or it will be on the dry side – start checking after 35 minutes or so). Let cool completely before unmolding.

Reprinted from The Sweet Life in Paris by David Lebovitz via 101 Cookbooks. Broadway (May 5, 2009)

Cheers!