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

In <[log in to unmask]>, on 04/07/97
   at 09:04 PM, Marilyn Gioannini <[log in to unmask]> said:

>>   Birkett Mills
>>   P. O. Box 440
>>   Penn Yan, NY 14527
>>   315-536-3311
...
>>But Gayle Kennedy, a native of Penn Yan, informed me:

>>the buckwheat grains go thru a sifter that is supposed to eliminate
>>smaller grains if any get into the buckwheat area by mistake. Buckwheat
>>grains are relatively large when compared to wheat, barley, or oats.
...
>>Gayle suggests that limiting yourself to the whole grain may be safe,
>>because they are larger and can be visually inspected to be sure they
>>are indeed buckwheat.

Buckwheat is the fruit, not made from the seed. The groats, or half
groats, are 3-4 mm. in diameter and easily distinguished from gluten
grains. Birkett markets  as Wolff's Kasha and Pocono Mountains Kasha. The
former in various granulations --coarse has the half groats, the latter as
groats, perhaps among others. I've never seen any contamination in the
coarse, which I'd chosen for that reason. Wintertime, the groats are a
nice change of pace for hot cereal: texture very much like brown rice, so
good as such at other meals.

                                    Kemp Randolph
                                    Long Island