I believe I know in advance what most readers will think on encountering the word, “Buckwheat”: “Ewww - wheat!”, or, “Pancakes!”
I’m here to tell you it’s not all that simple. A) Buckwheat is not a form of wheat, and, B) it’s great for so much more than pancakes.
First the facts. Buckwheat seeds are technically herbs, not grains - or at least not cereal grains. This isn’t an important distinction for the civilizations that have enjoyed buckwheat foods for thousands of years but it’s meaningful when we start combining it with other products for taste and performance. Like grains, buckwheat can be ground into powders coarse and fine, used to make a huge range of baked goods, cooked without milling in porridges and accompaniments, and depended-upon for important nutrients. Buckwheat flour even has properties that remind us of other baking flours, since it absorbs water at a predictable rate and makes a sticky, cohesive dough which isn’t inclined to fall apart when baked, or to dry out easily.