Proof the yeast in the 1/4 cup water, sugar and ginger. Mixture should be bubbly after 5 to 15 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the 1 cup water, molasses, butter, and salt. Add the proofed yeast and mix well.

In another bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups of the rye flour, and the remaining flours. Add the flours to the yeast mixture, and mix 100 strokes. Be sure to get all the flour from the bottom of the bowl mixed into the dough. Gradually add the remaining 1/2 cup rye flour, stirring well.

Spray a loaf pan with nonstick spray and place the dough in the pan, spreading with a knife to meet the corners and smooth the top. Place the loaf pan in a larger pan that has about 1 inch of hot water in it. Cover the pan with foil and place the pans in a 350 F oven.

Bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and the pan of water. Bake an additional 45 minutes. This loaf will not sound hollow when you tap it, but will have a rich brown crust. Remove from the pan and place on a rack to cool. Slice thin to serve. Store in the refridgerator.

Author's Note: We asked Joyce Weingartner, who helped us test many recipes, to create a wheatless bread for us. She delighted us with this, a batter bread that has a rich nutty flavor, great in sandwiches or all by itself. For those who are allergic to wheat, this bread is a suitable substitute, as buckwheat is not in the wheat family. This loaf will not rise as high as most kneaded wheat breads, because there is far less gluten in these flours.