Naturata Organic Crispbread

In Japan, a path to wealth and prosperity has led through buckwheat noodles for centuries. Anyone who finishes a bowl of "Toshikoshi Soba" down to the last morsel on New Year's Eve may hope for financial fortune in the new year. This custom has been documented since the Kamakura period in the 13th century. At that time, temple priests and wealthy rulers provided the people with buckwheat soup at the turn of the year. The connection between buckwheat and wealth can be traced back to a ritual common among goldsmiths and gilders during this period. In the High Middle Ages, gold leaf was beaten extremely thin, and every tiny remnant was valuable. To avoid leaving any gold dust in fine indentations and uneven surfaces, buckwheat flour was blown onto freshly gilded carvings and sculptures. The fine flour was able to absorb the gold particles without damaging the gilding. Since then, soba noodles made from buckwheat have been regarded in Japan as good luck charms and money magnets.

Contrary to what the name suggests, buckwheat has nothing to do with wheat. Because the triangular nutlets visually resemble beechnuts but can be used like wheat grains, the plant has nevertheless been known by this name for over 500 years. Botanically speaking, buckwheat is not a grain but a knotweed and is more closely related to rhubarb and sorrel than to wheat, rye, or spelt. In Central Asia, buckwheat has been cultivated for over 4,500 years. However, it did not reach Central Europe until the late Middle Ages. Its arrival in the 14th century coincided with a time marked by crop failures, famines, wars, and the plague. For the beleaguered rural population of this era, the undemanding plant was seen as a gift from heaven. Buckwheat also grew on poor, sandy soils where wheat and rye yielded little. It made few demands on the soil, required hardly any fertilization, and could be harvested just 10 to 12 weeks after sowing. In many regions, buckwheat therefore quickly became an indispensable staple food.

The farmers, who had to live under the simplest conditions, were grateful to be able to cultivate buckwheat. The rulers who owned the land, however, were suspicious of the new plant from the Far East. Among the nobility, buckwheat was frowned upon as "heathen grain"; expensive white bread made from wheat, on the other hand, was regarded as a status symbol among the upper class. Ironically, however, buckwheat has a significantly higher nutrient density than wheat. It contains all nine essential amino acids, minerals such as magnesium and iron, as well as various B vitamins. Buckwheat cultivation in Central Europe reached its peak in the 17th and 18th centuries. It was then gradually displaced by the potato. The tuber from the "New World" also had low soil requirements but was considerably more productive. Alongside the potato, higher-yielding grain varieties and changes in cultivation methods ensured that buckwheat was increasingly displaced throughout Europe.

The fact that buckwheat was rediscovered in the 20th century is mainly due to health food stores and organic shops. Since then, the pseudocereal has enjoyed increasing popularity. Besides its high nutrient density and nutty aroma, buckwheat has another advantage: it is naturally gluten-free. Buckwheat flour is traditionally used for pancakes, galettes, waffles, bread, and biscuits, as well as for thickening sauces. Due to the lack of gluten proteins, it is often mixed with other flours or used for rather flat baked goods, such as Naturata's Buckwheat Beetroot Crispbread. The combination of nutty, earthy buckwheat flour with the earthy-sweet flavour of beetroot provides aromatic variety for snacks, brunch, and packed lunches.

Naturata's crispbreads are airy, crispy slices made from plant-based ingredients. The recipes are limited to just a few components. The simple flour blends with legumes, chestnuts, buckwheat, or rice offer a tasty bread alternative. The crispy slices complement breakfast, brunch, and supper. They pair well with savoury toppings as well as sweet or plant-based spreads, but can also be enjoyed plain or served as an accompaniment to soup and salad.