Where did walnuts and buckwheat porridge come from in Rus'? The interesting life of buckwheat (buckwheat) Buckwheat as it was called in the old days

The past of each country is unique and unites the people living in it.

How we managed to introduce eating sunflower seeds, which were brought to us two hundred years ago, into the rank of an ancient national tradition is a mystery.

Nevertheless, this plant has become so absorbed into our culture that even some historians will make mistakes.

For example, in the book “Altyn-Tolobas” by the “liberal historian” Boris Akunin, we can find a beggar girl husking seeds, not embarrassed by the fact that in the year 1682 described, advanced gardeners in Holland and France had just begun to cultivate this exotic flower.

Although the root “Greek” makes one suspect a Greek spy in this mess, she is truly ours. Ancient evidence of human consumption of buckwheat was found only in one place, in Altai. There are plenty of fossilized buckwheat grains in burials and sites.

Apparently, it was from Altai that buckwheat spread throughout Asia - although without much success. Only the Japanese and Chinese partially retained it in their diet, adding mashed buckwheat to flour, and most peoples never really ate it.

Nutritionists believe: the whole point here is that you need to get used to buckwheat from an early age, otherwise an adult, when trying buckwheat porridge for the first time, will feel bitterness and a chemical aftertaste.

So, except for us, no one really eats it or knows how to eat it. Although buckwheat is sold in Europe and the USA in all sorts of organic food stores, you can’t look at these bags without crying. The buckwheat in them is uncooked: green, crushed and good for nothing.

Buckwheat appeared on Russian arable land in ancient times. And although the Russians themselves considered her a fellow countrywoman, and abroad they called her “Russian bread”, she was still of non-Russian origin.

There were many legends and tales about buckwheat. One of them claimed that buckwheat came from “the royal daughter Krupenichka, captured by an evil Tatar. The Tatar made her his wife, and from them children came, small and small, growing smaller until they turned into brown angular grains.

An old woman passing through the Golden Horde took with her unprecedented grain, brought it to Rus' and buried it in Russian land, in a wide field. And that grain began to grow, and from one grain grew seventy-seven grains. The winds blew from all sides and carried those grains to seventy-seven fields. From that time on, buckwheat proliferated in Holy Rus'.”

Greece is often called the homeland of buckwheat, which is not at all surprising - the name is appropriate, and in general, in Greece, as you know, “everything is there.”

However, her real birthplace is the Himalayas. More than 4,000 years ago, the peoples of Northern India and Nepal who lived there drew attention to a herbaceous plant with inconspicuous flowers. Its seeds - dark, pyramid-shaped grains - turned out to be edible; they could be used to make flour for flat cakes and cook delicious porridge.

Neighboring peoples adopted this culture from the Himalayans and also began to cultivate it in their fields. The Volga Bulgarians did the same, and it was from them that it came to Rus'.

According to historians, the Slavs began cultivating buckwheat in the 7th century, and it got its name in Kievan Rus, since buckwheat was planted in those days mainly by Greek monks inhabiting local monasteries. The Slavs loved the delicious cereal, no matter what name they came up with for it: buckwheat, buckwheat, buckwheat, Greek wheat... And in Ukraine and the Volga region they still call it “Tatarka”.

So, the wonderful phrase “according to historians” easily and smoothly flows into the statement that in the 7th century Kievan Rus was literally swarming with Greek monks, who specifically gorged themselves there on the fruits of their Greek hands in the form of porridge....

It was probably because of their unhealthy love for porridge that they were expelled from their native Greece.

Now about the porridge in general:

The ambassador of the Polish king to the Crimean Khan, Martin Bronevsky, wrote in 1595: “The noblest and richest eat bread, beef, overcooked wine and sweet drinks; but the common people do not have bread, they use instead crushed millet, diluted with water and milk and usually called cassa.” .

This is probably the first mention of porridge in history, and the very existence of porridge was extremely surprising for the Slav Bronevsky.

This is where the questions actually arise:

1. If porridge is not a Slavic product, then whose is it?

2. The word porridge itself is obviously not Mongolian, since in Mongolian cuisine (at least in Nogai) there is only a liquid soup made from crushed millet in water.

3. The word porridge is not Tatar; there are no porridges in modern Crimean Tatar cuisine. There is pilaf, which is borrowed from Central Asian cuisine.

There are no porridges in Turkish and Azerbaijani cuisine either.

Are there porridges in the cuisine of the peoples of the Kuban region and the North Caucasus?

4. In the cuisine of the Ugric peoples, what kind of porridges are there and what are they called?

5. Is the famous English pudding closer to pie or porridge?

6. “Oatmeal, sir” - is oatmeal originally a food only for the upper class? chivalry? cavalry?
Is oatmeal present in the cuisine of the Celtic peoples of Britain?

But he couldn’t cope with the name. Pokhlebkin repeats the (generally accepted, obviously) opinion about the connection between the name grechka and the Greek monks in Kyiv.

From a purely historical point of view, buckwheat is a truly Russian national porridge, our second most important national dish.

"Soup cabbage soup and porridge are our food." "Porridge is our mother." “Buckwheat porridge is our mother, and rye bread is our father.”

All these sayings have been known since ancient times. When the word “porridge” appears in the context of Russian epics, songs, legends, parables, fairy tales, proverbs and sayings, and even in the annals themselves, it always means buckwheat porridge, and not some other kind.

The botanical homeland of buckwheat is our country, or more precisely, Southern Siberia, Altai, Mountain Shoria. From here, from the foothills of Altai, buckwheat was brought to the Urals by the Ural-Altai tribes during the migration of peoples.

Therefore, the European Cis-Urals, the Volga-Kama region, where buckwheat temporarily settled and began to spread throughout the first millennium AD and almost two or three centuries of the second millennium as a special local culture, became the second homeland of buckwheat, again on our territory.

And finally, after the beginning of the second millennium, buckwheat finds its third homeland, moving to areas of purely Slavic settlement and becoming one of the main national porridges and, therefore, the national dish of the Russian people.

Regarding the name buckwheat, so far there is only one version left - from the word “heat”, that is, heated porridge or heated cereal.

Warmed porridge - if it was once the only hot food, and everything else was eaten cold: dried, dried, salted or simply raw.

Heated groats - if in order to store buckwheat grains they had to be kept in the sun or baked in the oven.

The word “porridge” itself appears to be Turanian (Scythian-Sako-Sarmatian) in origin.

As the Great Silk Road spread, buckwheat was replaced by rice among many Turanian peoples (by the way, pilaf, pilaf simply means rice).

Replace rice with buckwheat in any pilaf recipe and leave everything else. And what will happen?

The result will be Hungarian goulash.

Therefore, buckwheat porridge most likely spread with the Huns. And their wonderful bronze cauldrons still served not only ritual purposes and not for boiling little boys to obtain rejuvenating broth.
Okay, now let's talk to connoisseurs of Hungarian cuisine.

My school friend and great specialist in the restaurant business, Alexander Valikov, sent the following information from Germany:
A special place in the cooking of the Finno-Ugric peoples is occupied by the use of grain and cereals made from it. The oldest types of grain are barley and spelt. Therefore, barley porridge (pearl barley) is the national dish of the Karelians, as well as the Komi and Permyaks.

The Mordovians and Mari, closely related to the peoples of the Lower Volga region, prefer millet, although pearl barley, spelt and rye (black porridge) were also for a long time considered the main raw materials for preparing heavily boiled porridges, then liquefied with water, butter or hot milk, with the addition of forest herbs and onions or wild garlic.

A special feature of using grain is also stuffing pork and lamb intestines with hard-boiled porridge (barley, millet, spelled porridge) and frying them in lard.

In the Urals, lamb intestines are stuffed with barley and spelled; in the Volga region, pork intestines are stuffed with millet. In terms of the nature of food raw materials, dishes such as oatmeal, pea, and rye flour jelly are also close to porridges and gruels. However, in terms of technology and type of serving, Finno-Ugric flour jelly is more like soups; they are always eaten hot, like soups.

At the same time, in some areas of the Urals and Trans-Urals, the use of Russian sour “hard” jelly of rye and oatmeal, which is eaten as a sweet dish, a delicacy, cold, with honey and berry sauce, has been preserved. However, these are rather relics of ancient Russian cuisine, still preserved in the remote corners of Trans-Kama and Trans-Volga regions, remnants of what was brought here in the 18th-19th centuries. Russian Old Believer culinary culture.

Buckwheat

Buckwheat is very demanding and difficult to grow. But the taste of buckwheat porridge and its special nutritional value makes people go to great lengths of labor. Buckwheat honey is considered the best in both taste and properties, and is used as an effective remedy for colds and flu.

Americans practically don’t eat buckwheat; if tourists are served buckwheat porridge in our restaurant, the plates remain untouched; many of them encounter buckwheat for the first time in Russia and ask what it is. Russians love buckwheat in any form.

Russians have long valued and loved buckwheat porridge, and this tradition has survived into the 21st century. There was a time when a lot of buckwheat was sown in England, but now the attitude towards buckwheat has changed, and today in England buckwheat is sown in negligible quantities, mainly for pheasants.

But it would be a mistake to think that buckwheat porridge is an original Russian dish. Buckwheat came to us, along with Orthodoxy, from Byzantium. But this is not her homeland either. Buckwheat was given to the world by forest and high-mountain glades in the Himalayas, where buckwheat is found in the wild to this day. The Volga Bulgarians were the first to cultivate cultivated buckwheat in Europe, and only in the 7th century did it penetrate to the Finnish and Slavic tribes.

The aristocrats' desire for sophistication once played a very cruel joke on them. They refused to eat buckwheat because of its dark color, supposedly unworthy of refined stomachs, and, contemptuously calling buckwheat “black porridge,” they considered it food for the plebeians.

Centuries passed, and in the 20th century, buckwheat was finally awarded the title of “queen of cereals.” In France, Belgium, Spain and Portugal it was once called Arabic grain, in Italy and Greece itself - Turkish, and in Germany - simply pagan grain. The Slavs began to call it buckwheat.

In the 18th century, Carl Linnaeus came up with a Latin name for buckwheat - fagopyrum, i.e. "beech-shaped nut." And in many European countries they immediately began to call it beech wheat.

origin of name

And yet, what is the best name for the cereal from which we cook buckwheat porridge? Is it buckwheat or buckwheat? And one more thing: why is she “buckwheat”? Because her homeland is Greece?..

We have asked a lot of questions, now we have answers.

So, in dictionaries it is listed as “buckwheat”, namely “buckwheat” is a herbaceous plant of the buckwheat family. The grain of this plant and cereals made from its grains are also called. "Buckwheat" is nothing more than a diminutive name for "buckwheat". So “grechka” is not at all an abbreviated “buckwheat”, as someone might think, quite the opposite.

Buckwheat, buckwheat, buckwheat, Buckwheat, buckwheat - Dahl has all these names. By that time, buckwheat was already well known in Russia: of course, it appeared in Europe in the 15th century, and on Old Russian territory much earlier.

It is difficult to say when and under what circumstances the name “gretch, buckwheat” came into use in the Russian language. But, as linguists believe, this is apparently a short possessive adjective from “grk” (that is, “Greek”). "Greek - imported from Greece." By the way, in the Smolensk region buckwheat porridge was called “walnut porridge” - like “walnuts”!

Let me note that in Greece itself neither buckwheat porridge is called “Greek”, nor are there any walnuts (that is, Greek).

Properties

The German archaeologist Stokar called porridge the “foremother of bread.” And indeed, first people learned to cook porridge and then bake bread. They ate and still eat porridge with milk, butter, and lard.

Buckwheat is a tasty, healthy and nutritious product. Buckwheat is considered one of the best dietary foods.

Buckwheat has no relation to wheat and is not even a grain (despite its similar uses). This is a triangular seed from the rhubarb family.

Buckwheat varies according to the integrity of the grain - kernel (whole grain), prodel (grain with a broken structure), Smolensk groats (highly crushed grains), buckwheat flour.

Buckwheat contains:

* 13-15% protein;
* 2.5 -3% fat;
* 2.0-2.5% sugars and 70% starch;
* 1.1-1.3 fiber;
* 2.0-2.2% ash elements.

Calorie content of 100 g of buckwheat – 335 kcal.

Buckwheat contains fewer carbohydrates than other grains. At the same time, it is a valuable dietary protein product with a high content of amino acids. And most importantly, buckwheat is a rich source of iron. Buckwheat contains a large amount of vitamins and microelements.

Preparations from buckwheat flowers and leaves reduce the fragility and permeability of blood vessels, accelerate wound healing, and have a beneficial effect on diseases of the upper respiratory tract, scarlet fever, measles, and radiation sickness. Scientists explain this diverse effect of buckwheat not only by its rich chemical composition, but also by the high content of rutin in the leaves and flowers, which has a P-vitamin-like effect.

Both buckwheat and buckwheat flour are used in cooking - some types of pasta and noodles are made from it, and muffins and pancakes are baked.

Buckwheat has another amazing property: it is strict with careless producers, immediately revealing cheating and deception.

After all, buckwheat itself is designed by nature in such a way that its quality can be easily checked without any laboratories, in simple home conditions: if buckwheat is fully ripe and properly dried, then exactly one thousand of its grains will weigh exactly 20 grams

And now a few words about chemicals.

Unfortunately, we have become almost accustomed to the inevitable fact that almost all of our food contains nitrates, pesticides and herbicides. So, buckwheat doesn’t have them. At all. How is it? And from the fact that the humble buckwheat seed is, of course, light, but strong. Buckwheat does not need chemicals at all - neither for fertilizer, nor for protection from weeds and pests - it deals with them brilliantly on its own. That is why buckwheat fields are considered environmentally friendly. And that’s why, when you buy a package of buckwheat in a supermarket, you can be sure: you bought buckwheat, and not a chemical plant.

Medicinal properties of buckwheat

But what buckwheat – unlike some other cereals – does not and cannot contain is gluten. So you don’t have to worry about any allergic reaction to this cereal.

Moreover: the inclusion of buckwheat in a regular diet eliminates unreasonable fears, nervousness and guarantees an improvement in mood - delighting us not only with its taste, but also with the ability to raise the level of dopamine (a neurohormone that affects motor activity and motivation).

Also:

Buckwheat has a laxative effect (crumbly porridge).

Buckwheat increases muscle strength, endurance, and excites.

Buckwheat strengthens blood vessels.

Buckwheat has a beneficial effect on hematopoiesis (used for anemia, leukemia, recommended for atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, hypertension).

Buckwheat reduces the level of “bad” cholesterol in the blood (with regular consumption).

Buckwheat is prescribed for diseases of the pancreas.

Buckwheat has a beneficial effect on the gastrointestinal tract.

Buckwheat is a good remedy for heartburn (chew a pinch of raw cereal);

Buckwheat is used in the treatment of weakened lungs - it removes thick mucus from the bronchi, softens dry cough (drink tea from a steam of buckwheat flowers, 40 g per 1 liter of water).

Buckwheat treats leukemia (leukemia) - for this, prepare an infusion of 1 cup of buckwheat shoots in 1 liter of boiling water (drink without the norm) or 1 tsp. Buckwheat flowers are brewed as tea with a glass of boiling water, left for 30 minutes, filtered and drunk 0.25 cups several times a day.

Buckwheat helps with lumbar pain (the grain is steamed in the oven and applied to the back);

Buckwheat was previously used in Rus' for erysipelas (buckwheat flour was sprinkled on a hot splinter so that the burnt flour fell on the sore spot).

Buckwheat is useful in the treatment of jaundice (the patient is rubbed with liquid buckwheat porridge, after which he is supposed to lie in a warm place for 2 hours).

Buckwheat is used for throat diseases (the grain was heated in a frying pan, poured into a stocking and tied around the neck);

Buckwheat quickly and painlessly treats abscesses, boils, boils (chew raw buckwheat, put on gauze and tie to the sore spot);

Buckwheat has a gentle effect on delicate baby skin (sifted buckwheat flour is an excellent baby powder; it is also used for poultices).

Contraindications: Buckwheat increases the formation of black bile, mucus, gases in the body and overstimulates the body; Due to its strong activating properties, it should be limited to children.

Plain buckwheat

Plain buckwheat is pale green in color; it is good to use in desserts. Roasted buckwheat turns brown. It can be steamed, boiled or baked, served in soups, goulash or salads. It is one of the standard rice substitutes and is prepared using the same soaking methods as rice.

Buckwheat will be happy to share all its reserves with you if you prepare it correctly. The rules are simple: 1) do not soak the cereal before cooking, then the bulk of the beneficial substances will remain in the buckwheat, 2) pour water to the same height (from the level of the buckwheat) as the cereal itself, 3) during cooking, try to remove the lid less often and Don’t stir the porridge at all, and to prevent it from burning, just cook it over low heat.

Buckwheat in the focus of modern technologies

Stage 1: The grain passes through a cleaning machine that removes mineral impurities (GOST, by the way, allows them).

Stage 2: The cleaned grain enters the microionizer. This latest system is used by only two factories in Russia. Under the influence of high temperature and infrared radiation (absolutely safe for the product and human health), the grain “explodes”, complex carbohydrates break down into smaller ones, which are more easily absorbed by the body.

Proteins and fats also change their structure, moving into more easily digestible forms. Disinfection also takes place here - the buckwheat that comes out of the microionizer is almost sterile, so it can be stored longer. It is very important that after this treatment, buckwheat acquires a fried taste and its cooking time is reduced to 7 minutes.

Stage 3: After processing, barely noticeable cracks may appear on the grains, some grains even split. There are no traditional mechanisms for removing such defects.

Stage 4: Before the selected kernel “scatters” into the bags, it is passed through a magnetic column - to further clean it in case metal particles of equipment have gotten into the cereal.

Stage 5: The cereal is packaged in perforated bags made of a special film, in which it “breathes” and retains its original quality and taste. The further fate of the buckwheat depends only on the imagination of the owner.

Buckwheat flour

With an abundance of nutritional, tasty and healthy qualities, buckwheat flour should be a regular part of the diet.

Buckwheat flour is grayish-brown in color and has a slightly bitter taste. Once you fall in love with this flour, baking with it becomes a pleasure thanks to the unique characteristics of buckwheat flour. Any recipe can be adapted to use this flour.

When using gluten-free flour instead of regular flour, remember...

*Add a little more liquid than usual as it will be absorbed quickly

*When a recipe calls for pancake flour, add 1 x 5 ml (1 teaspoon) baking powder for every 200g gluten-free flour.

Turns out:

The Japanese willingly eat buckwheat noodles, the Bretons - buckwheat pancakes, right now, during the carnival period. Other French provinces are completely real porridges, but not at all similar to ours, because they brew not the grain itself, but the flour ground from it.

The geography of buckwheat continues in Italy - in the north they make thin buckwheat paste and cut it into rather wide, tagliatel-like strips. Another type of porridge is also cooked there - local buckwheat polenta. Only the strong buckwheat aroma gives away the ingredient, but in general the dish is, of course, completely Italian. And finally, in neighboring Savoie they also prepare pasta, denser, cut into small squares.

I looked for buckwheat abroad in Russian, Polish and Jewish stores. She meticulously noted that in Europe it is not the same as in Russia. Polished, very light, clean and, deprived of its shell, instantly boils down. More often it is sold in organic food stores, where it stands next to pearl barley and quite exotic millet.

Both the buckwheat and its neighbors on the store shelves have finally come to their finest hour. They were, as they say, noticed. Millet and buckwheat are becoming fashionable. They began to displace quinoa, which is distant to everyone, but only the buyer learned to pronounce this word correctly. At least Europeans won’t have to learn the words “millet” and “Saracenic grain”.

This food may not be so widespread, but it took hold in regional cuisines back in the Middle Ages, and the words themselves never disappeared. On the contrary, overseas maize has once thoroughly replaced millet, but in France pancakes and porridges made from corn are called “millet”.

The fashion for buckwheat and millet, which we will hear about more than once this year, began with the search for “healthy products.” Every year there is a mad craze for a new, unfamiliar product, about which they suddenly say that “in China, thanks to it, people live up to a hundred years,” that it is “a storehouse of vitamins,” and other nonsense.

No matter how many vitamins a product contains, you cannot live on it alone. So quinoa, like an actress who was boring on the screens, began to notice its shortcomings. Who doesn't have them? Surprisingly, buckwheat really seems to be that “storehouse of vitamins.” We, buckwheat eaters, have known about this for a long time, and those who take care of their figure have also known for a long time its dietary properties and the expression “sit on buckwheat.”

And we know well that the most valuable thing about buckwheat is not its vitamins or even the absence of sugars and gluten, but its amazing nutty taste. It is impossible to confuse it with anything. In the bakery of the Parisian Hotel Bristol, which bakes its own bread for its guests, I instantly recognized the presence of buckwheat in one of the still warm, dark and incredibly tasty breads. It seemed to upset the wonderful baker; he was sure that he himself would present the solution.

And here's another find. Big catch this time. Crumble made from buckwheat flour is offered by Philip Conticini, and I will now explain what this means.

Conticini is the best French pastry chef. All his colleagues admit this, and no one has argued with this for a long time, although among them there are other wonderful, very famous and simply great ones. But Conticini is different. Because he is a genius. Other chefs and pastry chefs say that he has an absolute palate, just like musicians have an absolute ear.

Conticini once introduced the fashion for desserts in “verrines”, small glasses, and most importantly, he began to rethink the old and out of fashion French cakes in a new way: eclair, Saint-Honoré, Paris-Brest and others. Now go to any bakery, look under the glass bell with the desserts of any good French restaurant, there will definitely be an eclair and a Paris-Brest. Conticini is the one who sets the trend.

So the future of buckwheat is assured, rest assured. Because I recently looked at his blog, and there was buckwheat crumble. A simpler and more ideal dessert cannot be found, especially since there are not so many gluten-free recipes, as well as pies without flour.

It’s also very easy to prepare, but if you don’t have buckwheat flour, you will need to grind it in a coffee grinder from well-roasted cereal. Then beat the flour, butter, salt and brown sugar together in a mixer until you get very fine crumbs. It’s good to add ground nuts to it, preferably hazelnuts; they match the aroma of buckwheat as if they grew on the same bush. But walnuts are also suitable.

Another five minutes in the mixer - a total of about ten minutes - and the aromatic nut-buckwheat powder should be left in the refrigerator for half an hour. And after half an hour we will fry it without any oil, dry, in a good, heated frying pan with a thick bottom over medium heat, for about five minutes, then removing it and then putting it back on the fire.

You need to fry it as it is - with all the lumps that have formed during this time, until you get a crumble with a distinct taste of toasted buckwheat and nuts. You can simply sprinkle it on fruit or yogurt, or you can make a pie of the same name.

For example, with winter apples and pears. Cut them into cubes, simmer in butter until soft, place in a greased glass or clay mold and sprinkle with lemon. Finally, sprinkle with buckwheat crumbs and place in the oven for 20-25 minutes. The crumble is ready, you can eat it just like that, let it cool a little, it tastes better when it cools! Or you can add whipped cream, which will make the familiar taste of buckwheat porridge with milk suddenly take on a completely different meaning for you.

Buckwheat flour crumble

Buckwheat flour - 100 g

Oil - 50 g (and another 50 g for fruit)

Brown sugar - 50 g

Nut flour - 60 g

Salt - 0.5 teaspoon

Apples - 5 pcs.

Pears --- 4 pcs.

Lemon - 1/2 pcs.

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From ancient times to the present day, buckwheat porridge remains one of the people's favorite dishes of Russian national cuisine. Only in Russia, Ukraine, to some extent in China, and more recently in France and Japan does buckwheat enjoy such respect. For most Europeans, today it remains nothing more than exotic, which is sold in supermarkets in small bags, which are certainly accompanied by a brochure about its beneficial properties. Previously, the USSR, and now Russia and Ukraine, grow almost half of the world's buckwheat crop and consume it themselves.

Dietary product

Its popularity among us is not accidental. Buckwheat is a healthy dietary product. It does not require any chemicals when growing. It copes with pests and weeds on its own, and all attempts to increase its low yield, even in favorable years no more than 8-10 centners per hectare, with the help of fertilizers immediately affect its taste. It seems that nature itself has made sure that buckwheat always remains an environmentally friendly product. When buying it, you can always be sure that the cereal contains neither nitrates nor pesticides. Otherwise, the taste of buckwheat will be such that even if you want it, no matter how hard you try, you still won’t be able to eat it.

Buckwheat contains a lot of substances necessary for the human body: fats, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and amino acids, but unlike other grains, it does not contain gluten. Therefore, it can be safely recommended to those who are allergic to gluten and for whom other grains are contraindicated. The protein contained in buckwheat is a complete replacement for meat protein and is easier to digest. Buckwheat also contains calcium, phosphorus, iodine and other trace elements necessary for our body. The predominant vitamins are vitamin E, which residents of large cities lack so much, B vitamins, and vitamin PP (rutin). It is thanks to routine that buckwheat strengthens the walls of blood vessels and capillaries. Therefore, it is very useful for varicose veins and those who have heart problems. In addition, buckwheat helps cleanse the liver and removes excess cholesterol. For these reasons, it is widely used in dietary nutrition.

Homeland - Himalayas

Where did this wonderful cereal come from in Russia? For the most part, experts believe that the birthplace of buckwheat is Northern India. Wild forms of the plant are concentrated on the western spurs of the Himalayan mountains. In nature, they are readily eaten by songbirds. About 4-5 thousand years ago, the Himalayan mountain inhabitants discovered that small green “pyramids” - the seeds of local mountain grass - were suitable for consumption and began to prepare food from them. For a long time, buckwheat was consumed in its green form. Over time, the inhabitants of the Himalayas tried to heat buckwheat grains, and they not only acquired a brown tint, but they also developed a more pleasant taste and aroma.

Then buckwheat gradually began to spread throughout the world. In the 15th century BC e. it penetrated into China, Korea and Japan, and then into the countries of Central Asia, the Middle East and the Caucasus, and only after that into Europe - perhaps during the Mongol-Tatar invasion, because in many European countries it is called the Tatar plant. They call her Tatar in central Russia too. According to one opinion, due to the fact that it came to Rus' from the Volga Bulgars, that is, the Tatars. But the prevailing opinion is that in the 7th century it was brought to Kievan Rus through the territory of modern Romania by the Byzantine Greeks. At first, Greek monks grew it. For this reason, it began to be called “buckwheat”. In France, Belgium, Spain and Portugal it was once called “Arab grain”, in Italy and Greece itself - Turkish, and in Germany - simply pagan grain. In many European countries, it is still called “beech wheat” - due to the similarity of the seeds in shape to beech nuts.

Despite the capricious nature of buckwheat and its low yield, Russian farmers have always allocated large areas for its crops. Buckwheat became not only one of the favorite dishes, but was also used in folk medicine. Buckwheat decoction was recommended for colds, and also as an expectorant for dry coughs. For medicinal purposes, flowers and leaves were used, harvested in June-July, as well as seeds as they ripened. In ancient manuals, buckwheat porridge was recommended for severe blood loss and colds. Poultices and ointments made from buckwheat flour were used for skin diseases - boils, eczema - and malignant tumors. Fresh leaves were applied to wounds and abscesses. Flour and powdered leaves were used as powders for children.

But how did the people themselves imagine the appearance of buckwheat in Rus'? It turns out that even legends were made about her.

Legend of the Greek

Beyond the blue seas, behind the steep mountains, there lived a king and a queen. In their old age, the Lord sent them a single child for joy, a daughter of indescribable beauty. They thought and thought about what to name their daughter, and decided to send an ambassador to ask the person they met by name and patronymic, and to name the newborn child that name. And they conveyed that strong thought to the princes and boyars. The princes and boyars sentenced: so be it! They sent an ambassador to look for someone they met. He sat down at a certain crossroads, sat for a day, and sat for another. On the third day, the old witch goes to Kiem-grad to pray to God. So the ambassador said to her the royal thought: “God help you, old man! Tell the whole truth, don’t hide it: what should I call you by name, and what should I call you by your patronymic?” And the old old woman says in rebuke to him: “You are my sir, merciful boyar! How I was born into this world by the will of God, and then my father and mother called me: Krupenichka,” and what was the name of my dear father, they say, she he doesn’t remember his orphanhood. The ambassador began to reproach the old sorceress that she was out of her mind, for such a name was unheard of, and one could not see the light of day. He even began to frighten her with torture so that she would say everything without concealment. The old woman begged: “I told you, boyar, the whole truth with truth, I told the whole matter without concealment. And in all this I put the guarantee of all the saints and saints. Have mercy, sir, you are my merciful boyar! Let your soul repent, do not let sins to die!" The boyar thought, thought, and let the old old woman go to Kyiv-grad to pray to God, and on vacation he gave her gold treasury, and strongly punished her: to pray for the tsar and queen, and for their born child.

The ambassador went to the princes and boyars to tell what he had done. All the princes and boyars were amazed at his ambassadorial speech. They wrote down the ambassador's story and went to the king to petition. They bowed down to condemn the tsar on the damp earth, and at the petition they said the whole speech and presented articles written to the entire embassy case. And the king decided: things will happen as they happened. And the king and queen named their born child, in the name of what they met, Krupenichka. That royal daughter Krupenichka is growing up by leaps and bounds, learning all the book wisdom of older people. So the king and queen decided: how to give their brainchild away in marriage? And they send ambassadors to all kingdoms and states, and throughout all kingdoms, to look for a son-in-law for themselves, and a husband for their offspring.

It was not thought, it was not thought that the Golden Horde of Besermen rose up against him, the condemned king, to fight a war, to completely overrun his kingdom, to destroy his faithful servants. The Emperor Tsar went out to fight the Besermen Golden Horde with all the princes and boyars, with his entire kingdom, including women and children and old men. In that war, he, condemn the Tsar, was not lucky: he, condemn the Tsar, laid down his head with all the princes and boyars, with all his army. And that Golden Horde of Besermen was full of all the women and children, all the old people. And even that kingdom would not exist.

That tsar's daughter Krupenichka got everything to the evil Tatar. And was it he, the evil Tatar, who pestered Krupenichka into his Besermen faith, promising that he would walk in pure gold and sleep on a crystal bed. But Krupenichka did not believe his promising speeches. And he tormented the accursed Krupenichka with great, involuntarily hard work for exactly three years; and on the fourth he again began to force him into his Besermen faith. And she, Krupenichka, stood firmly in her Orthodox faith. At that time, an old sorceress from Kyiv passed through the Golden Horde of Besermen. So she sees, prophesying, Krupenichka in great work, in hard captivity. And she felt sorry for old Krupenichka. And she, the old one, wraps Krupenichka in a buckwheat grain and puts that buckwheat grain in her gate. She, the old one, is walking along a long road to Holy Rus'. And at that time Krupenichka will say to her: “You have served me a considerable service, saved me from great and difficult work; perform one last service: when you come to Holy Rus', to the wide, free fields, bury me in the ground.”

The sorceress, according to what was said, as if written, did everything that Krupenichka commanded her. How she, the old woman, buried a buckwheat grain on the holy Russian land, in a wide, free field, and taught that grain to grow, and from that grain of buckwheat grew about 77 grains. The winds blew from all four sides and carried those 77 grains to 77 fields. Since then, buckwheat has multiplied in Holy Rus'. And then the old days, and then the deed of good people for all to hear.

Victor BUMAGIN

#rainbow#paper#buckwheat#Rus

TO HOMENEWSPAPER RAINBOW

Wikipedia tells us that buckwheat is native to Northern India and Nepal, where it is called “black rice.” Wild forms of the plant are concentrated on the western spurs of the Himalayas. Buckwheat was introduced into cultivation more than 5 thousand years ago.

In the 15th century BC. e. it penetrated into China, Korea and Japan, then into the countries of Central Asia, the Middle East, the Caucasus, and only then into Europe (apparently during the Tatar-Mongol invasion, which is why it is also called the Tatar plant, Tatarka). In France, Belgium, Spain and Portugal it was once called “Arab grain”, in Italy - Turkish, and in Germany - simply pagan grain. In many European countries it is called “beech wheat” (German: Buchweizen) due to the similarity of the seeds in shape to beech nuts. Hence the Latin name of the genus Fagopyrum - “beech-like nut”. In Greece they call it μαυροσίταρο - black wheat or φαγόπυρο , which is clearly the original basis for the Latin name.

Buckwheat, buckwheat, buckwheat, buckwheat, buckwheat - Dahl has all these names. It is difficult to say when and under what circumstances the name " buckwheat, buckwheat" came into use in the Russian language. But, as linguists believe, this is apparently a short possessive adjective from " grk" (that is " Greek"). "Greek - imported from Greece". By the way, in the Smolensk region buckwheat porridge was called “walnut porridge” - like “walnuts”. This is consistent with the version according to which buckwheat they began to call her Slavs because it was brought to them from Byzantium in the 7th century. There is also a second version, according to which buckwheat- for many years - cultivated mainly by Greek monks at monasteries, that’s why it was named buckwheat

However, there is also a version according to which buckwheat has long grown in Southern Siberia and Altai, and the inhabitants of present-day Russia ate it 2000 years ago, and the name itself became official after the 15th century. This theory is supported by the fact that Tartary buckwheat, Tatar grouse, kyrlyk(Fagopyrum tataricum (L.) Gaertn.) - grows wild in Siberia and is found in two forms: ordinary And rye, or rusty(F. tatar. G. var. stenocarpa).

There are also Slavic variants of the origin of this word, which may have a right to life, given that it was the Russian lands that could be the birthplace of the heroic porridge. For example, the word “buckwheat” could come from “heat” - perhaps for better storage the grain was baked in an oven, or maybe in the Middle Ages this was the only porridge the Slavs cooked. And finally the most incredible explanation The porridge was named after its color: brown - brown - buckwheat.

Types and cultivation of buckwheat

Buckwheat is divided into two types - ordinary and Tatarian. The Tatar is smaller and thicker-skinned. The common one is divided into winged and wingless. A winged species of buckwheat is widespread in Russia. The husk is generally noticeable in weight, accounting for up to 25% of the weight of the entire grain. Buckwheat is not very demanding on soil. Apart from Russia itself, all over the world it is cultivated only on waste lands: in the foothills, on abandoned peat lands, on wastelands, sandy loam soils. Apart from this, it is not profitable to plant anything on such lands. Buckwheat practically does not need any fertilizers. Chemical fertilizers spoil its taste. Like all crops, it responds very well to organic fertilizers. Buckwheat is not afraid of weeds. It will crowd them out and choke them out in the first year of sowing, and in the second year it leaves the field practically free of weeds. The weak point of buckwheat is short morning frosts after sowing.

Types of buckwheat

Buckwheat or simply buckwheat was and remains the most revered among cereals; it was not without reason that in Ancient Rus' it was called “mother”.
Whole buckwheat grains, peeled from the shell by “steaming”, are called Yadritsa. Porridges made from such grains turn out crumbly, and they are often used when baking meat - when stuffed, it gives off excess fat to the core.
Sechka(prodel) is called crushed buckwheat. This does not mean that the grain is very small, it has simply lost its integrity - “cut”. This cereal is ideal for baby feeding, as it boils better and faster.
“Smolenskaya” Buckwheat differs from all others in size - no larger than a poppy seed. Ideal for people suffering from intestinal diseases. It is very similar to buckwheat flour, so “Smolensk” buckwheat is often used to make casseroles, as well as filling for pies.
You can also simply highlight green buckwheat. Unlike ordinary buckwheat, green buckwheat is not steamed; it is carefully cleaned and sold almost immediately. Green buckwheat is a carrier of a huge number of substances, including iron (to improve blood health), potassium (to maintain a healthy heart and improve blood pressure), phosphorus and calcium (without them, your nails will constantly break, your hair will split, and your bones will will become very brittle). Magnesium contained in buckwheat is an excellent antidepressant. It is most often consumed raw to preserve the full range of nutrients.

What can you cook from buckwheat?

Porridge is made from buckwheat - we have known this since childhood. Buckwheat porridge is an excellent side dish for seafood, fish, milk and eggs. The proteins of these products will complement each other, which means the body will receive more energy. When cooking porridge, it is important to remember that some of the beneficial substances remain in the water, so calculate the amount of water so that you do not have to drain it.
But that's not all. Buckwheat is ground and flour is obtained, from which you can bake pancakes, pancakes, and if you add a little wheat flour to it, you get bread with an original taste. The Japanese make special soba noodles from buckwheat flour. And the Chinese even offer buckwheat chocolate, liqueur and jam. In addition to grains, you can use leaves and shoots. The buckwheat plant is more similar to rhubarb than to wheat. That's why the leaves are used to make salads, soups and seasonings. In the Himalayas, buckwheat is considered not a food, but a medicinal plant.
Let's remember about a unique delicacy - buckwheat honey. Since everyone knows that the buckwheat product - buckwheat - is very healthy, its properties are largely imparted to buckwheat honey. Like buckwheat, buckwheat honey is very rich in macro- and microelements.

Useful properties of buckwheat
Rich in amino acids, it has high nutritional value and contains a large amount of protein - easily digestible buckwheat proteins account for 86% of the total (15% protein per 100 g of cereal). The natural protein of buckwheat is similar to the protein of the cells of the human body and is nutritionally equivalent to soy proteins. Sometimes buckwheat is also called a meat substitute - precisely because it contains a large amount of protein. Contains calcium, phosphorus, iodine, vitamins B1 and B2, B9, PP, E, etc., and a lot of fiber.

Buckwheat is rich in lecithin, so it is useful for diseases of the liver, nervous and cardiovascular systems. Lecithin removes cholesterol, radionuclides, and toxins from the body, so buckwheat helps with high cholesterol levels. Buckwheat contains rutin, so it can prevent varicose veins and hemorrhoids. Due to its sufficient folic acid content, buckwheat is necessary for people with heart failure, diabetics and is indispensable in dietary and baby food. In terms of copper content, which is necessary for the formation of hemoglobin and the prevention of anemia in the human body, buckwheat is superior to other cereals. The increased magnesium content in buckwheat improves digestion and helps reduce cholesterol levels in the body.

Buckwheat porridge is useful for hypertension. Buckwheat has the ability to lower blood pressure. Constant consumption of buckwheat porridge promotes normal hematopoiesis and maintains the functioning of the nervous, endocrine and excretory systems of the body at the proper level. Buckwheat strengthens capillaries and detoxifies the liver, is very useful for the intestines, especially for constipation; in addition, it helps get rid of mild depression by raising dopamine levels.
It has been established that, according to physiological nutritional standards, a person needs at least 8 kg of buckwheat per year. One of the most popular and effective diets is the buckwheat diet. Buckwheat not only helps you lose excess weight without strong negative feelings, but also cleanses your body of waste and toxins. Dr. Laskin’s anti-cancer diet is even based on buckwheat.

Where to buy in Greece

In principle, you can buy buckwheat in local supermarkets, for example AB (Vasilopoulos), although the price there is steep. 3.80 euros per 0.5 kg. Therefore, I can recommend the so-called. Russian shops, of which there are quite a few scattered in the capital of Greece and throughout the cities of the country. There this product can be purchased on average for about 2 euros per 1 kg. The best buckwheat is traditionally considered Altai kernel, but which of them is actually real Altai can only be determined by specialists.

Author of the article: Marina Borodina Stein

Of course, buckwheat. Buckwheat is a truly Russian national dish, long revered in Rus'. “Buckwheat porridge is our mother, and rye bread is our father”, “Shchi and porridge are our food” - such well-known sayings reflect respect and love for this dish.

How did buckwheat appear in Rus'? V.V. Pokhlebkin writes: “The botanical homeland of buckwheat is our country, or rather, Southern Siberia, Altai, Mountain Shoria. From here, from the foothills of Altai, buckwheat was brought to the Urals by the Ural-Altai tribes during the migration of peoples. Therefore, the European Cis-Urals, the Volga-Kama region, where buckwheat temporarily settled and began to spread throughout the first millennium AD and almost two or three centuries of the second millennium as a special local culture, became the second homeland of buckwheat, again on our territory. And finally, after the beginning of the second millennium, buckwheat finds its third homeland, moving to areas of purely Slavic settlement and becoming one of the main national porridges and, therefore, the national dish of the Russian people (two black national porridges - rye and buckwheat).”

Since the 15th century, buckwheat gradually penetrates into Europe, where it is called differently, but invariably with an eastern slant: in Greece and Italy, the grain is called Turkish grain, in France, Spain and Portugal - Arabic or Saracen, and in Russia - Greek, because By this time, buckwheat in Russia was grown mainly in monasteries by Greek monks. In the second half of the 18th century, Carl Linnaeus gave buckwheat the name “fagopyrum” (beech-like nut), and in Germany, Holland, and Sweden it began to be called “beech wheat.”

Buckwheat is an indispensable component for a healthy diet for several reasons. Firstly, it is grown without chemical fertilizers, since it is unpretentious to soil. Secondly, no pesticides are used when growing it, since it displaces weeds from the fields on its own. Thirdly, buckwheat grains contain: easily digestible proteins - up to 16% (including essential amino acids - arginine and lysine); carbohydrates – up to 30% and fats – up to 3%; many minerals (iron, calcium, phosphorus, copper, zinc, boron, iodine, nickel, cobalt); cellulose; malic, citric, oxalic acids; vitamins of group B, PP and P (rutin).

Buckwheat porridge easy to prepare (see Oksana Petrova’s article “Is your porridge crumbly? Is it for adults or for children?”). What else can you cook using buckwheat porridge as a base?

First of all, you can use all kinds of additives: raisins, mushrooms, liver, lard, fried onions, bacon - whoever likes what. You can use porridge with fried onions to stuff pies or fish. Historically, roast suckling pig was always served with buckwheat porridge. However, let's see what else can be made from buckwheat.

Buckwheat cutlets with meat: for 1 cup of buckwheat porridge - an equal amount of minced meat, 1 egg, 1 onion, butter. Beat the egg into the minced meat and mix well. Fry the onion in oil. Mix everything well, form into cutlets and fry in a well-heated frying pan.

Krupenik: for 2 cups of buckwheat porridge - 2 cups cottage cheese, 1 cup sour cream, 2 eggs, 3 tbsp. spoons of butter, 1 tbsp. spoon of crackers, salt to taste. Add cottage cheese, sour cream, butter, salt to the cooled porridge, mix and place in a pan greased with butter and sprinkled with breadcrumbs, brush with beaten eggs and bake. This is my grandmother's favorite recipe.

Krucheniki with buckwheat and garlic: 1 glass of buckwheat, 6 entrecotes, lemon, 4-5 cloves of garlic, egg, onion, vegetable oil, salt, black pepper - to taste. Beat the meat, add salt and sprinkle with lemon juice. Finely chop the onion, add half to the meat, and fry the other half in oil. Boil buckwheat, cool, mix with fried onions and chopped garlic, combine with beaten egg and mix well. Place the buckwheat filling on the slices of meat, roll it into a tube and tie with thread or secure with toothpicks.

Fry the krucheniki in oil for 7-10 minutes, then pour in a little water, cover the pan with a lid and simmer over low heat until cooked for 15-20 minutes. 10 minutes before readiness, you can add sour cream (half a glass).

Well, and finally: buckwheat can be used to make excellent face mask. Mix a spoonful of ground buckwheat with one yolk, a spoonful of buckwheat (or any dark) honey and a few drops of lemon juice.

Bon appetit and great complexion!

In Rus', porridge has occupied the most important place in the diet of the people from time immemorial. It was cooked from millet (millet), oats, barley, buckwheat and other cereals on weekdays and holidays. Buckwheat, or buckwheat, is the fruit of the buckwheat plant. Buckwheat belongs to the buckwheat family; its homeland is Tibet, Nepal, and the northern regions of India.

The name “Buckwheat” in Rus' comes from the word “Greek” - the plant was brought to us from Greece, the then Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium. Now buckwheat is an integral part of our national cuisine; moreover, all over the world it is associated with Russian culinary traditions. This, perhaps, is explained by the fact that “Buckwheat” has been known to us for a long time - from the 6th - 7th centuries and deservedly occupies an honorable place as an irreplaceable valuable dish on our table.

Types of buckwheat.

By type, buckwheat is divided into kernels, prodel, Smolensk, and green.
- The kernel is a whole large grain. This is the most valuable type of buckwheat.
- Prodel - grain with a chip, it can be large and small. Smolensk groats are crushed kernels.
- Green - raw, unprocessed (not dried) buckwheat.

Green buckwheat is more suitable for dietary nutrition than others.

Calorie content, composition and nutritional value of buckwheat.

Buckwheat has a calorie content of 307 kcal, which is not so little. But it all depends on how you cook buckwheat; if it is porridge with meat and butter, then the calorie content of the dish increases, and if you cook buckwheat only with water, it decreases.

For those interested in how many calories are in buckwheat, nutritionists answer that it is not enough. Buckwheat, cooked in water, properly prepared, is indeed low-calorie - 100 g of porridge contains 105 kcal. Thus, if there are no contraindications, then buckwheat must be included in the diet. It is also mandatory for children starting from 6 months as complementary food. It is also included in special dry milk infant formulas used from 3 months.

Approximate composition of buckwheat: protein (protein) - 12.8%, lipids (fats) - 3.2%, carbohydrates - 57%, dietary fiber - 11.4%, water - 14%, mono-, disaccharides - 2, 1%, 1, 3% fiber per 100 g. Buckwheat contains vitamins of group B - B 1, B 2, B 6, B 8, B 9, vitamins P, E, a, PP, maleic, oxalic, lemon, apple acids, starch, fiber. As well as micro- and macroelements - iron, iodine, copper, zinc, molybdenum, manganese, silicon, cobalt, chromium, phosphorus, calcium, sodium, magnesium, potassium. At the same time, buckwheat is the leader, or they also say “Queen,” among cereals, not only in terms of the wide range of minerals included in its composition, but also in their quantity.

The nutritional value of buckwheat lies in the optimal balance and high digestibility of all its components by the body - especially proteins, minerals and vitamins.

What are the benefits of buckwheat for the body?

Buckwheat prepared in different ways has different properties, and accordingly, the benefits from it are also different. Boiled, steamed, simmered in the oven in a pot or over low heat - very healthy. Boiled buckwheat without salt, spices, or fats is good for the stomach, it relieves and normalizes its functioning, improves the condition of the mucous membrane and intestinal motility. Due to the high content of magnesium and potassium in buckwheat, it is beneficial for the heart and vascular system. Regular consumption of buckwheat porridge and soups has a good effect on the condition of nails, hair, teeth, and bones.

Perhaps not everyone knows about the benefits of buckwheat for people intolerant of gluten, which is found in cereals. Buckwheat does not contain gluten, therefore it is a substitute for wheat, oats, rye, barley and all products based on them or with their addition.

Buckwheat is an excellent honey plant. Buckwheat honey is one of the most valuable, it has a characteristic dark color and a specific taste with a slight bitterness.

Buckwheat is also useful for those suffering from diabetes - its low glycemic index gives a gradually slowly increasing level of sugar in the blood, which is important for this disease. In other words, consumption of buckwheat by diabetics does not cause a sharp jump (increase) in sugar that is dangerous for them. Buckwheat is indispensable for weight loss; compiling dietary menus is indispensable without it - it combines high satiety (you don’t want to eat for a long time) with low calorie content, which promotes weight loss.

Buckwheat is useful for anemia, varicose veins, rheumatism, some diseases of the thyroid gland, liver, furunculosis and other skin diseases. Buckwheat is useful not only for existing diseases, but also as a preventative and improves certain functions, in particular for men’s health. How is buckwheat useful for men? Its use increases endurance and potency, which is facilitated by zinc and amino acids such as arginine, methionine, threonine.

For all its value, buckwheat is absolutely unpretentious when grown and is not demanding on soil fertility, therefore, practically no fertilizers are used on its crops, as well as agrochemicals for weed control, which is an undeniable advantage for the consumer. The resulting buckwheat is environmentally friendly - it is a pure and natural product.

The benefits of buckwheat for the body of pregnant women.
The benefit of buckwheat for expectant mothers is its high amount of vitamin B 9 (folic acid), which ensures normal intrauterine development of the fetus and the course of pregnancy in general. In addition, its content of essential amino acids, minerals (especially iron to increase hemoglobin levels in pregnant women) and other vitamins makes buckwheat a valuable, nutritious food and has a positive effect on a woman’s health, especially during this period. Buckwheat also helps pregnant women control their weight and not gain weight, which is also important during pregnancy.

This cereal is similar in protein composition to meat, which is the great benefit of buckwheat for the body. Of course, cereals cannot compare in taste and full composition with meat, but the content of amino acids in buckwheat is quite comparable to their content in meat. Therefore, those who, for whatever reason, have given up meat can easily replace its consumption with buckwheat.

Buckwheat also has a positive effect on milk production and quality. In addition, it helps to maintain an even emotional state - that is, to combat the frequent mood swings characteristic of pregnant women.

Buckwheat in folk medicine.

In folk recipes, various parts of buckwheat are used for treatment - flowers, grains, stems, foliage. Buckwheat flour was previously used as baby powder. From flour they made medicinal masks and cakes for the treatment of boils - they diluted it with boiled water or infusion of chamomile, celandine, and applied it to the site of inflammation. Flour is also used to increase hemoglobin levels in the blood when treating anemia - take 2 tbsp. l. / 4 times with 1/2 glass of water or milk. For pancreatitis, flour is mixed with kefir - 1 tbsp. l/glass and drink at night.

Flour is also used to treat the thyroid gland - equal amounts of buckwheat flour, buckwheat honey, chopped walnuts are mixed until smooth. The mixture is placed in a plastic container, a glass jar and put in the refrigerator, and then 1 day a week for breakfast, lunch, dinner - they eat only it, and it is better to drink only clean water.

Buckwheat leaves are used in the treatment of wounds - simply applied to the surface and fixed. The juice of the leaves has an antiseptic and healing effect. Buckwheat juice is used in the treatment of conjunctivitis - wipe the eyes with a swab dipped in it.

A decoction of buckwheat stems, leaves and flowers is taken orally for colds, as an antitussive and expectorant. And when you have a runny nose, buckwheat heated in a frying pan is poured into a linen bag, which is applied to the nasal sinuses, thus warming them up and relieving inflammation.

Proper storage of buckwheat.

The shelf life of buckwheat, if done correctly, is 18-20 months. Buckwheat should be stored in dry rooms at room temperature and in closed glass, metal containers, plastic bags with a snap closure or in its unopened packaging. This will protect buckwheat from mold and pest bugs.

Buckwheat contraindications.

Buckwheat, despite its numerous properties that provide benefits to the human body, can still cause harm to some people. Buckwheat can only cause harm if it is consumed excessively, and even then not for everyone. The main thing is not to overeat and not to get carried away with the beneficial properties of buckwheat. Buckwheat is certainly healthy, but as you know, everything is good in moderation.

And if buckwheat is contraindicated for anyone, it is for people with increased blood clotting, as well as those suffering from stomach ulcers. In the latter case, buckwheat consumption should be, if not stopped, then reduced to 1-2 times a week. Basically, this is all about buckwheat, which can be useful for creating a homemade daily menu or diet. Eat to your health - bon appetit!
IN? Di - I know wisdom on earth and heaven; a multitude gathered together; certainty; direction; a link between two systems (interconnection); fullness; wisdom; knowledge (information.

Since ancient times, various porridges have occupied an honorable and important place in the daily diet of the Russian people. They, in fact, were the main and main dish on the table; not a single holiday or feast would be complete without them; they were eaten with milk or honey, adding vegetable and cow oil, fat, kvass, fried onions and other ingredients. One of the most popular porridges in Rus' was buckwheat porridge, which in the 17th century was rightfully considered the national dish of the Russian people, although it appeared in the vastness of our Motherland not so long ago. Brought to us from distant Asia, this culture quickly fell in love with our people, who even called it “mother”. And this love is not surprising and quite understandable, because buckwheat was inexpensive, it was grown everywhere, buckwheat porridge is remarkable in taste and nutritional quality, after eating a bowl of such porridge for breakfast you can feel full for a very long time. People considered buckwheat not only a tasty food, but also very beneficial for health; they consumed it when they lost strength and even when they had symptoms of a cold.

History of the origin of buckwheat

Many will find it surprising that buckwheat, from which such an ordinary and traditional side dish for the Russian people as buckwheat porridge is cooked, initially did not grow on the territory of Rus' and was brought there from Byzantium.

Some researchers claim that buckwheat as a grain crop appeared about 4,000 thousand years ago in the Himalayas (where dishes made from it are still called “black porridge”), other historians believe that this type of grain crop appeared in Altai (it was there that archaeologists fossilized remains of buckwheat grains were discovered in burial places and at sites of ancient tribes), from there it spread throughout Siberia and the Urals. In those days it grew as a wild herbaceous plant with small white inflorescences. People tried its seeds, which looked like small pyramids, and realized that they were edible; they began to make flour from them to make flatbreads, and also to cook tasty and nutritious buckwheat porridge from them. Neighboring countries unanimously borrowed this useful crop and began to grow and eat it everywhere, as, for example, did the Bulgarian peoples who lived on the Volga, who later passed the baton to the Slavic tribes. There are also theories about Ancient Greece as the birthplace of buckwheat.

How a foreigner became a native

According to various historians, buckwheat began to be grown in Rus' around the 7th century; it received its name during the times of Kievan Rus, when Greek monks from local monasteries were mainly involved in its cultivation. The Slavs really liked the rich and tasty porridge cooked from buckwheat grains, which was previously called buckwheat, buckwheat, Greek wheat, buckwheat, and also “Tatarka” after the name of the type of Tatar buckwheat with greenish inflorescences. On this occasion, there is an old legend about the royal daughter Krupenichka, who was captured by the Tatars and forced to marry the khan. The children born to them were so small and fractional that over time they turned into small dark grains. A wanderer passing by took them with her to her native Russian lands and planted them there, and so, according to legend, buckwheat began to grow in Holy Rus'.

Buckwheat came to Europeans much later, in the Middle Ages, at a time when there were wars with the Arabs, who were called Saracens. Hence the French name for buckwheat - Saracen grain, which, by the way, did not gain much popularity there either in those days or today.

As history shows, buckwheat of Himalayan origin turned out to be a rather capricious and finicky grain crop, very troublesome to cultivate, which, however, did not stop persistent Russian farmers who achieved good buckwheat harvests on fertile and fertile Russian lands.

How buckwheat porridge was cooked in Rus'

The greatest expert on Russian cooking, historian William Pokhlebkin, in his writings, said that when preparing crumbly buckwheat porridge, the Slavs used yadritsa - cereal made from whole buckwheat grains; for sweet and semi-sweet porridge they took Smolensk groats (crushed, peeled kernels). In order to prepare viscous buckwheat porridge, popularly called porridge-smear, they used the so-called prodel, crushed grains of large and small sizes. Porridge was prepared in water, milk, with the addition of additional ingredients (mushrooms, vegetables, meat, poultry, fried onions and boiled eggs), served as a main meal or side dish for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It is almost impossible to spoil buckwheat porridge; in order for it to turn out tasty and healthy, you must follow some rules when preparing buckwheat porridge:

The proportion of buckwheat to liquid is 1:2;
The lid of the pan must be tightly closed during cooking;
After boiling, simmer the porridge over low heat and let it brew;
Do not stir the porridge until it is completely cooked and do not open the lid.

Buckwheat porridge was prepared and simmered in a Russian oven in a clay pot, served with butter or milk both on holidays and in everyday life, and by the 17th century it had become a national dish of the Russian people, which we still prepare and respect, like our distant ones. ancestors.

Already in the middle of the 9th century, that black, rye, spongy and fragrant bread with sourdough appeared, without which the Russian menu is generally unthinkable.
Following him, other types of national bread and flour products were created: dezhni, loaves, sochni, pancakes, pies, pancakes, bagels, saika, crumpets. The last three categories are almost a century later, after the advent of wheat flour
The commitment to kvass and sour was reflected in the creation of kvass itself, the range of which reached two to three dozen types, very different from each other in taste, as well as in the invention of the original Russian jelly of oatmeal, rye, wheat, which appeared almost 900 years earlier than modern berry-starch jelly.
At the very beginning of the Old Russian period, all the main drinks, in addition to kvass, were formed: all kinds of digestions (sbitni), which were a combination of decoctions of various forest herbs with honey and spices, as well as honeys and honeys, that is, natural honey fermented with berry juice or simply diluted juices and water to varying consistency.
Although the porridges were unleavened according to the principles of their production, they were sometimes acidified with sour milk. They were also distinguished by their diversity, subdivided by type of grain (spelt, rye, oats, barley, buckwheat, millet, wheat), by type of grain crushing or rolling (for example, barley produced three cereals: barley, hollandaise, barley; buckwheat four: core , Veligorka, Smolenskaya, I made; there are also three wheat: whole, korkot, semolina, etc.), and, finally, according to the type of consistency, for porridges were divided into crumbly, smears and porridges (very thin)
All this made it possible to vary from 6-7 types of grain and three types of legumes (peas, beans, lentils) to several dozen different porridges. In addition, a variety of flour products were made from the flour of these crops. All this baked, mainly flour food was diversified mainly with fish, mushrooms, wild berries, vegetables and, less often, milk and meat.
Already in the early Middle Ages, a clear, or rather, sharp division of the Russian table arose into lean (vegetable, fish, mushroom) and fast (milk, meat, egg). At the same time, the Lenten table did not include all plant products.
Thus, beets, carrots and sugar, which were also classified as fast food, were excluded from it. Drawing a sharp line between the fast and lenten table, separating foods of different origins from each other with an impenetrable wall and strictly preventing their mixing, naturally led to the creation of original dishes, for example, various types of fish soup, pancakes, kundums (mushroom dumplings).

The fact that the majority of days in the year from 192 to 216 in different years were fast, caused a completely natural desire for variety in the Lenten table. Hence the abundance of mushroom and fish dishes in the Russian national cuisine, the tendency to use various plant materials from grain (porridge) to forest berries and herbs (snot, nettle, sorrel, quinoa, angelica, etc.).
At first, attempts to diversify the Lenten table were expressed in the fact that each type of vegetable, mushroom or fish was prepared separately. Thus, cabbage, turnips, radishes, peas, cucumbers (vegetables known since the 10th century) were prepared and eaten raw, salted (pickled), steamed, boiled or baked separately from one another.
Salads and especially vinaigrettes were not typical of Russian cuisine at that time and appeared in Russia only in the middle of the 19th century. But they were also originally made mainly with one vegetable, which is why they were called cucumber salad, beet salad, potato salad, etc.

Mushroom dishes were subject to even greater differentiation. Each type of mushroom, milk mushrooms, saffron milk mushrooms, honey mushrooms, white mushrooms, morels and pecheritsa (champignons), etc., was not only salted, but also cooked completely separately. The situation was exactly the same with fish, consumed boiled, dried, salted, baked, and less often fried.

Sigovina, taimenina, pike, halibut, catfish, salmon, sturgeon, stellate sturgeon, beluga and others were each individually considered a special, different dish, and not just fish. Therefore, the fish soup could be perch, ruff, burbot or sterlet.

The taste diversity of such homogeneous dishes was achieved in two ways: on the one hand, by the difference in heat and cold processing, as well as through the use of various oils, mainly vegetable oils: hemp, nut, poppy, wood (olive) and much later sunflower, and on the other, the use of spices .
Of the latter, onions and garlic were most often used, and in very large quantities, as well as parsley, mustard, anise, coriander, bay leaf, black pepper and cloves, which appeared in Rus' since the 11th century. Later, in the 11th and early 12th centuries, they were supplemented with ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, calamus (fallow root) and saffron.

In the ancient period of Russian cuisine, liquid hot dishes also appeared, which received the general name khlebovak. Particularly widespread are such types of bread as cabbage soup, stews based on vegetable raw materials, as well as various zatirukhi, zaverikh, chatterboxes, solomats and other types of flour soups, which differed from each other only in consistency and consisted of the three elements of water, flour and fat , to which sometimes (but not always) added onions, garlic or parsley.

They also made sour cream and cottage cheese (in the terminology of that time, cheese). The production of cream and butter remained unknown until the 14th century, and in the 14th-15th centuries these products were rarely prepared and were initially of poor quality. The butter quickly turned rancid due to imperfect methods of churning, cleaning and storing.

The national sweet table consisted of berry-flour and berry-honey or honey-flour products. These are gingerbread cookies and various types of unbaked, raw, but folded dough in a special way (Kaluga dough, malt, kulagi), in which a subtle taste effect was achieved through long, patient and labor-intensive processing.

Thick oatmeal

Porridge is a dish made from cooked cereals or flour.

Porridge is one of the main dishes of Russian cuisine, second in importance only to cabbage soup. In the armed forces of the USSR and Russia, porridge was the most common hot food, especially in field conditions (for this reason, an army cook is sometimes called a cook). Porridge is an integral part of baby food.

Depending on the ratio of cereals and liquid, the porridge turns out to be of different consistency: thick (steep) or crumbly, viscous (smear) and liquid (gruel). For preparing porridge, a typical method of heat treatment is simmering - prolonged heating of the porridge after boiling it.

Cereals

. . . It was also common in the rest of North-West Russia and Belarus. Brewed from rye, barley or oatmeal. Using the brewing method, a brew was prepared from rye flour, which in the North of Russia they loved to eat with lard.

M.: Young Guard, 1985. - pp. 89-102. - 191 p. M.: Light and food industry, 1983. - pp. 38-42. - 304 s. M.: Chemistry, 1993. - P. 230-237. - 336 p. M.: Soviet Russia, 1990. - pp. 106-109. - 256 s. M.: Kolos, 1992. - pp. 193-204. - 303 s. M.: Great Soviet Encyclopedia, 1959. - P. 248-249. - 772 s.

Real Russian porridge. Porridge is a cult dish

Porridge is undoubtedly an original Russian dish. Moreover, porridge is a cult dish. According to Old Russian traditions, during the wedding ceremony the bride and groom always prepared porridge. Obviously, this tradition gave rise to the saying: “You can’t cook porridge with him (her).” The entire history of the Russian state is inextricably linked with porridge. Russian porridge is the most important dish of national Russian cuisine.

Russia, as it happened historically, has always been and, I want to believe, will be an agricultural country. The main product of Russian agriculture has always been cereals (and, to a lesser extent, legumes). The Russian human body, over many centuries (and even millennia), has been formed and evolved on the basis of the structural composition of cereals. Man and cereals, during their coexistence, have created an inextricable community.

Only plants are given by nature the ability to accumulate sunlight (energy) and extract nutrients from the earth. Only plants have the ability to synthesize and accumulate nutrients and biologically active substances necessary for humans (vitamins, minerals, amino acids, etc.). The human body is independently capable of producing only a tiny fraction of the substances it vitally needs for a full existence.

That is why, since time immemorial, people have been growing plants for food. The most valuable and biologically important of them are cereals. Without them, our existence is unthinkable. Cereals are the compressed light of the Sun. They contain everything that our body needs for full functioning.