Autumn Buckwheat and Cider

It’s time again for the Autumn Buckwheat and Sausage Festival in Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania. This year the date falls on October 14, 15, 15, 2022. The tradition of using buckwheat flour to make pancakes goes back much farther than the beginnings of the Ohiopyle Buckwheat Festival which started in 1947. The festival had very humble roots, starting out as the fund raiser for the Ohiopyle Volunteer Fire Department and by the community wanting to keep alive the history of the area. The Buckwheat Festival still remains the chief fundraiser for the fire department.

The early method to fry sausage and “bake” the buckwheat cakes started out by cooking the food in cast iron frying pans over single burner open gas flames. The spiced and ground pork was hand-shaped by helpers before they made their way into the skillets.

That way of cooking continued at least until 1974 when I started to volunteer there to spend time with my-wife-to-be, Cindy Morrison. For a few years, my job was to wash dishes. That was a major undertaking. It seemed there was always something to wash.

Later I was pressed into service baking the buckwheat cakes. It was a move up in responsibility. This takes sweat and special care. By then, the wide griddles had been introduced. It was a hot job. The temperature of the griddles must be maintained for an even baking of the cakes that limited the air flow to that room. Smoke and heat quickly accumulated and at times it became very uncomfortable.

I was “rescued” by my father-in-law, Elmer “Bud” Morrison to fry the sausage. Soon afterwards, the sausage frying area converted to the wide grill surface. Each grill will hold nearly 3 dozen of the sausage patties. At last count, there were a dozen grills set up to thoroughly cook the pork patties before serving them to the guests. I’ve volunteered for nearly 50 years.

Chris Fennimore and WQED television often come. One year they recorded the Buckwheat Festival for a program on volunteerism. Usually WQED repeats a showing this time of year. Most years he makes the trek from Pittsburgh to visit the festival.

Once cooked, the sausage patties are placed in huge roasters to be transported upstairs to the dining area or to the school building next door to keep the patties hot and ready for those who come to enjoy the autumn leaves, Ohiopyle Falls, and the meal. The only change in the menu was the addition of pancakes for the younger generation. Steaming stacks of buckwheats, pancakes, sausage, freshly fried potatoes, bread and butter pickles, and applesauce are placed on the table “home-style” to assuage the hunger of the diners.