Would you like to eat a home-cooked meal in an Amish home?

If you don’t yet have Amish friends who’ll feed you, you can always track down a home business providing meals for the public.

Photo by Beverly Kehe-Rowland. Jamestown Post-Journal

Last year we heard about two such places, in Lancaster County and NE Indiana.

Today, a look at another, in upstate New York.

Beverly Kehe-Rowland writes about her friend Cindy Burkholder, who serves dinners in her Panama, NY home:

In the beginning the business was set up in a building built next to their house by her husband. It was constructed especially for preparing and serving dinners, but after two years the family relocated to Panama where a very large room was added to their new home for the same purpose.

All baking is done on the morning of the day the dinner is to be served with the afternoon set aside for preparation of the remainder of the delicious meal. Her older daughters serve the food, while 7-year-old Irene and 9-year-old Sarah stand off to the side hoping one of the “English” will give them a smile.

Previously they required a minimum group size of 12. But now there is an open seating option – available one day per month this year from May to November.




Pricing ranges from $16-20 per person. Here’s the meal description via Beverly:

Groups have the option of one or two meat choices when reservations are called in. I recommend the turkey and stuffing and the flavorful, tender roast beef. Chicken, ham and meatloaf are additional options. All meals include real mashed potatoes, gravy, creamed peas, creamy plate salad, date pudding, bread served with butter and jam, choice of pie and coffee, tea or water. All dishes are made from scratch with real butter.

There’s an internationally-known resort not far from Cindy’s home, so she has hosted guests from Europe and Canada.

Vegetable pizza. Photo: Beverly Kehe-Rowland

Here’s the location and contact info to make a reservation:

Cindy’s Home Cooking
348 Weeks Road
Panama, New York
716-782-3069

As a bonus, Cindy shares 7 recipes. Here’s how she makes that Amish classic, the Haystack supper, for her family.

You’ll find the rest at the article link above, plus more details on setting up a meal at Cindy’s:

Haystacks

Ritz crackers, crushed

Cooked white rice, fluffed with fork

1 lb ground beef, browned and drained

1 qt pizza sauce

Lettuce, bite size pieces

Tomatoes, diced

Doritos, crushed

1 can Cheddar cheese soup

Taco sauce, optional

Combine pizza sauce with ground beef. On each plate, layer desired amount of crackers, rice, ground beef, lettuce, tomatoes and Doritos. Pour cheddar cheese soup over all. Serve with taco sauce.

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