Buckwheat Maelstrom

Some 15 years ago (literally) I made Buckwheat Bake. It had such great promise - vegetarian, nutritious - and alliterative to boot. It was not a success then as my auld pal Simplywondered never forgets to remind me.

15 years later and oh fickle memory! You betray me such that my recollection of the experience is dimmed so much I try to re-make this hell-dish again. Never, ever make anything with buckwheat. It bubbles and festers in the pot like a witches brew. It sticks to the pan like welded sheet steel. It solidifies into a briquette of tasteless and distressing detritus.

And a look at Wikipedia confirms the dark heritage of this so called 'food': buckwheat can be used as an upholstery filling and is made into a jelly in Korea. Lord help the blighted residents of Preston County, West Virginia who have a buckwheat festival.