Why it works: Buckwheat and molasses work together. They rank in the top 21% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 199 recipes. Both carry ethanol, which smells alcoholic, ethereal. The science ↓
Buckwheat Cakes
Ingredients
Directions
One quart buckwheat, four tablespoonfuls of yeast, one tablespoonful of salt, one handful Indian meal, two tablespoonfuls molasses (not syrup), warm water enough to make a thin batter ; beat well, and set to rise in a warm place. If the batter is a little sour in the morning, add a very little soda, dissolved in hot water ; mix in an earthen crock, and leave some in the bottom each morning — a cupful or so — to serve as sponge for the next night, instead of getting fresh yeast. In cold weather this plan can be successfully pursued for a week or ten days without setting a new supply. Of course, you add the usual quantity of flour, etc., every night, and beat up well. Do not make your cakes too small. Some put two-thirds buckwheat and one-third oatmeal, omitting the Indian,
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 3 of 4 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 3 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 1 cup (125g) all-purpose | 455 |
| Molasses | 1 tbsp (20g) | 58 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
| Buckwheat | not in our table | 0 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures. See the original page.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
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Buckwheat + molassestop 21% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together199 recipes
Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
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