Buckwheat Cookies

These cookies are very special. Besides offering an opportunity to dip into the bulk of buckwheat flour I've somehow accumulated, they helped me win over my father-in-law. My in-laws are Eastern European and aren't inclined towards sweet, baked goods as much as we are across the pond. But I couldn't help myself from wanting to have a warm, baked good here for them when they arrived to the States.

In the introduction to this recipe, Ms. Hesser suggests that these cookies taste like wet stone -- in a good way. She's right -- they do. And yes -- in the best possible way. The recipe uses a 1:1 ratio of white to buckwheat flour -- a bit more aggressive than most baked-good recipes with buckwheat flour. The 1:1 ratio makes for an interesting, but still pleasant, sweet grain flavor.

The first time I made them was when my then soon-to-be in-laws came for our wedding last September. My father in-law swooned immediately. These being especially good with tea only helped matters along. I made them this summer on their most-recent visit and he was equally smitten. I'm now aware of an unspoken request for their future visits. I'll gladly oblige.

Recipe on page 702 in The Book