The variety of cereal used is usually yellow maize, but often buckwheat, white maize, or mixtures thereof may be used. Coarse grinds make a firm, coarse polenta; finer grinds make a creamy, soft polenta.[4] Polenta is a staple of Northern Italian, Swiss and Balkan (where it is also called kačamak) cuisines (and, to a lesser extent, the Central Italian one, e.g. Tuscany)[1] and its consumption was traditionally associated with lower classes, as in times past cornmeal mush was an essential food in their everyday nutrition.[5] In Romania and Moldova, this dish is known as mămăligă.