', called ' in

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

, is a buckwheat pancake in Breton cuisine. According to legend, the buckwheat pancake was born thanks to a Breton woman spilling buckwheat slop on a hot pebble in the chimney. Small quantities of buckwheat pollen have been found in the peat lands of

Brittany Brittany (; french: link=no, Bretagne ; br, Breizh, or ; Gallo: ''Bertaèyn'' ) is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica during the period o ...

that date to the 12th Century

Buckwheat Buckwheat (''Fagopyrum esculentum''), or common buckwheat, is a flowering plant in the knotweed family Polygonaceae cultivated for its grain-like seeds and as a cover crop. The name "buckwheat" is used for several other species, such as '' Fago ...

agriculture appeared in Brittany at the beginning of the 16th century: its output is irregular and low, but it was not taxed. Buckwheat grows on poor, infertile land and can be harvested three months after sowing, giving the nickname "the 100 days plant". Among many legends about

Anne of Brittany Anne of Brittany (; 25/26 January 1477 – 9 January 1514) was reigning Duchess of Brittany from 1488 until her death, and Queen of France from 1491 to 1498 and from 1499 to her death. She is the only woman to have been queen consort of Franc ...

, it is said that she developed its agriculture. Currently, the local production of buckwheat cannot supply the 15000 tons consumed per year in France, the preparation of these buckwheat pancakes relies on imports from China,

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, , is a country in Central Europe. Poland is divided into Voivodeships of Poland, sixteen voivodeships and is the fifth most populous member state of the European Union (EU), with over 38 mill ...

and

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tota ...

. A "protected geographic indicator" exists for Breton buckwheat flour and the "Blé noir tradition Bretagne" society consists of more than 800 producers and around ten mills in order to promote buckwheat flour usage (4000 tons per year).

References

Pancakes Buckwheat dishes Breton cuisine {{brittany-stub

See also

References