Before pancakes became standardized breakfast food across America, mountain communities had their own traditions. In West Virginia, buckwheat cakes remain connected with Appalachian cooking and the agricultural history of the state.
They resemble pancakes, but buckwheat gives them a more distinctive, earthy flavor.
What are buckwheat cakes?
Buckwheat is not actually wheat, despite the name. Its flour can be used to make dark, flavorful cakes cooked on a griddle and served warm.
Traditional recipes and preparation methods vary, and some versions use a fermented batter that gives the cakes additional character.
Build a West Virginia breakfast
Buckwheat cakes work beautifully with butter and maple syrup, creating an easy connection between two regional food traditions. They may also appear alongside eggs, sausage or other hearty breakfast foods.
This is the sort of breakfast that makes particular sense before a day of hiking or driving through the mountains.
Look for local traditions
You are more likely to encounter buckwheat cakes at traditional breakfasts, community events and restaurants interested in Appalachian cooking than at every ordinary café.
Availability may be seasonal or event-based, so treat finding them as a bonus rather than something guaranteed on every menu.
Food with a sense of place
Buckwheat cakes are interesting precisely because they are not fashionable. They connect modern visitors with older rural foodways based on ingredients that could be grown and used in mountain communities.
If you find them during your West Virginia trip, order a stack, add some local maple syrup and enjoy a breakfast with considerably more regional character than another plate of generic pancakes.