For the moment, the closest I’ve gotten to something like what’s really used to make tortillas is homemade hominy made with baking soda, put through a grinder. It’s not dried, and doesn’t fry well as tortillas, but it comes out the perfect consistency for making fritters or tamales.

It has to be put through a grinder instead of a food processor or blender because they will make it too frothy.

About 10 years ago I bought a buckwheat pillow to help neck ache. Settled down for the night and within minutes my chest closed and I had an asthma attack. I got rid of the pillow. Perhaps a year later I bought a prepared soup from a revered health person. Cooked up the soup, had a mouthful and immediately a reaction but this time, as with you, in my mouth and throat. I read the ingredients – buckwheat. And so it goes, anything multigrain the label has to be read thoroughly. But that said, I have even read the label (I bought a brownie from a health shop) only to discover as soon as I took a bite, voila – instant reaction, it was not included on the list of ingredients.

Even just yesterday I attended an Organic fair (I live in Cape Town, South Africa), I tasted a few things at a stand, asking first if there was buckwheat. She assured me the ones on the right of the stand were buckwheat but those have none. I tried a few, all good and then tried the nori/chili one. At first I thought it was the chili but, you will know, the sensation is very different and very immediate. Luckily there was an Ayurvedic stand selling allergy tablets, took two of those. Next stand had jars of honey selling at around $32 a jar! Took a huge tasting teaspoon of that (honey is an excellent anti-histamine) and then had a swig of aloe juice further on. The worst is feeling the reaction go down your oesophagus and into your belly. I recovered within an hour but still it was not pleasant and always leaves me feeling totally wiped out.

Over the years I have had extremely severe allergic reactions, once my GP even paid a home visit in the middle of the night! Through a process of elimination I realised I was allergic to buckwheat. The problem with buckwheat is that it is invisible in food. I am absolutely vigilant about reading labels, or if buying from health shops checking everything. I have also become wise to different cultures and their preferences for buckwheat so know what to avoid in restaurants or at functions etc.

I absolutely love health foods but unfortunately some people do not think to list the ingredient, largely through ignorance. If you do research you will see how big buckwheat allergies are in Japan and the East.

Be vigilant, read labels and always check – even that is not enough. I will be in Chicago in three weeks time visiting my daughter. I will be prepared with anti-histamines, and staying well away from buckwheat pancakes!

Regards
Catherine