<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Celiacs are always looking for alternative GF flours.  In the past buckwheat
has always been considered highly suspect because it is often mixed with
wheat flour.  It has been mentioned in the celiac list earlier, that
buckwheat is not a grain, but rather, it is a berry of a plant related to
rhubarb.

I have purchased and sampled "Acadian Light Buckwheat Flour" from
Hannaford's, which a grocery chain in New England.  This is a lighter variety
of buckwheat grown on the Bouchard family farm in Maine.

I wrote them requesting verification as to the gluten- free status of this
flour.  Rita Bouchard, family and company spokesperson states in a letter
that:

"1)our buckwheat flour if 100% buckwheat.
2)Because it is a different variety of buckwheat from what you are probably
familiar with, the flour is very light in color, has a different taste and
when mixed with water or milk becomes deep yellow.
3) the mill used to process the flour is an old buckwheat mill which does and
always has done buckwheat only.
4) I am sure that if you do try our buckwheat flour you will enjoy it.  We
would be happy to have you pass on this information to the Celiac list.
We do mail order and ship out daily in the continental U.S. when it is not
available in the stores."

They may be reached at: Bouchard Family Farm/ Fort Kent, Maine 04743. tel.#
(800) 239-3237, or (207) 834-3237.

Buckwheat has more vitamin B than wheat, is a good source of fiber,  and
protein.

I have tried this Buckwheat Buttermilk Pancake recipe with tasty results:

3/4 cup GF Acadian buckwheat flour
1/2 cup rice flour
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1 1/2 teaspoons GF baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups buttermilk (more for thinner pancakes)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Stir dry ingredients into a bowl.  Lightly beat the eggs, add oil and
buttermilk, just to blend. Prepare hot greased griddle.  Pour batter with
large spoon to form desirable sized pancakes.  Cook until bubbles appear or
underside is golden brown. Serve with maple syrup, or your choice of syrup.

I have no financial interest in the company.

Hania Powch