First Class Breakfast on the Titanic: Buckwheat Cakes

Buckwheat pancakes as part of a first class breakfast on the Titanic

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City/Region: Titanic | United Kingdom | United States of America

Time Period: 1896 | 1912

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Many of the recipes served on the Titanic were from Auguste Escoffier, but for this breakfast menu, I also used recipes from Fannie Farmer, whose book was extremely popular at the time.

Buckwheat has quite a strong flavor, what some may call “healthy”, and to be honest, it’s not my favorite. I would make these again with regular flour, or at least have them with a generous amount of syrup. The overnight rise gives them a slight sour tang that I really like.

“1/3 cup fine bread crumbs.
2 cups scalded milk.
1/2 teaspoon salt.
1/4 yeast cake.
1/2 cup lukewarm water.
Buckwheat flour.
1 tablespoon molasses.

Pour milk over crumbs, and soak thirty minutes; add salt, yeast cake dissolved in lukewarm water, and buckwheat to make a batter thin enough to pour. Let rise over night; in the morning, stir well, add molasses, and cook as griddle-cakes. Save enough batter to raise another mixing, instead of using yeast cake; it will require one-half cup.”

— The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book by Fannie Merritt Farmer, 1896

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Ingredients:

• 2 cups (475 ml) milk
• 1/3 cup (20 g) breadcrumbs
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons (6 g) dried yeast
• 1 cup (120 g) buckwheat flour, more or less as needed
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) molasses

Instructions:

1. Scald the milk by heating it to 180°F (82°C).
2. Pour the scalded milk over the breadcrumbs in a medium bowl and let it soak for 30 minutes.
3. Add the salt and yeast and stir until dissolved.
4. Stir in the buckwheat flour gradually until you have a batter that’s the consistency of modern pancake batter.
5. Cover and let it rise overnight.
6. Stir, then add the molasses and stir again.
7. Place a pan over medium heat, and when it’s hot, pour ⅓ cup batter for each cake. Cook for 1 to 1 ½ minutes, flip, then cook for 1 more minute.
8. Arrange the buckwheat cakes (with syrup if desired) with smoked salmon cornets, baked apples, and shirred eggs on a tray. For extra authenticity, include black currant conserve, Frank Cooper’s Vintage Oxford mramalade (as it was misspelled on the Titanic's menu), and watercress. Serve it forth.

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