The Essential Amish Cookbook: Lovina Eicher Answers Your Questions (& Shares 3 Recipes)
Lovina Eicher is an Amish mother of eight and author of the Lovina’s Amish Kitchen column (and formerly the Amish Cook column). She answers your questions in today’s post. Lovina is the author of The Essential Amish Cookbook and the Lovina’s Amish Kitchen column.
To enter to win a copy of The Essential Amish Cookbook, just leave a comment on this post. I’ll draw a random winner and post it next week.
Lovina apologizes for not being able to get to all the questions (life as an Amish mom is busy!) but thanks to everyone who submitted one. I added some of my own questions at the end. I hope you enjoy.
A note on The Essential Amish Cookbook
Just a quick note before we get to your questions. I have been reading through the cookbook the past several days. It has beautiful photos and a lot of recipes that look delicious.
Lovina typically adds a comment at the end of each recipe, either a helpful hint – for instance, what you can substitute if you’re missing an ingredient, general tips and suggestions, or something personal, e.g., like about how her family likes the dish.
Here are a few examples:
The first year I had a garden, I planted twelve zucchini plants. I had more zucchini than I knew what to do with! The next year I planted two plants and they both died, so I didn’t have any zucchini that year. So goes life with zucchini.
This is our favorite cheese ball. We always made it when I was growing up. We like it with a variety of crackers.
Potato salad is popular in the Amish community. It can be served at weddings, funerals, reunions, and picnics. At home we would eat potato salad on bread for sandwiches.
Some of the recipe names are plain and descriptive.
You’ll find a lot of classics, like Meat Loaf, Bread and Butter Pickles, Church Peanut Butter Spread, Plain Apple Pie, and Breakfast Casserole.
Others are quite creatively named, suggesting surprising ingredients or other innovations.
Here are some of my favorites (meaning names, not going by taste, as I haven’t tried these – yet):
Lazy Day Lasagna
Hobo Suppers
Outrageous Chocolate Chip Cookies
Stay-Crisp Coleslaw
Refrigerator Rolls
Poor Man’s Steak
Amish Wedding Nothings (aka Knee Patches)
And some of the recipes are simply surprising in their combination of ingredients. For example:
Buttermilk Cookies with Glazed Maple Nut Frosting (And Bacon Bits)
Zucchini Chocolate Chip Bread
Banana Whoopie Pies
Peanut Butter Cracker Fudge
On to your questions now. And I think it’s time for me to go grab a bite.
Lovina Eicher Answers Your Questions
Michael Sparks: When it comes to cooking, what season do you enjoy cooking the most and why?
Lovina Eicher: I like summertime cooking best. It’s easier and cheaper, because there’s the garden to go to for a lot of ingredients.
Erin: Maybe Lovina has already answered this, but I’d like to hear more about cooking for a big group.
Lovina: The ladies in our church help each other with baking when we host church services. For weddings, we have recipes that we share with each other. Working together makes things much easier.
AJ: I wonder if calf liver with onions in gravy is a traditional Amish food? What about stuffed pig belly? What about goose or duck?
Lovina: Beef liver and onions are eaten by a lot of Amish families, but I am not sure whether that dish would be called “traditional.” Personally, I don’t care for liver and onions at all, so my family doesn’t get them too often! My children agree with me, but my husband does like it.
Pat M: We live around the Arthur/Arcola Illinois area. We’ve purchased numerous baked goods over the years from Amish bakers and have noticed they all seem to be stingy with spices. For example cinnamon anything; i.e. rolls… hardly ever have much cinnamon in them; especially compared to how most of we English prepare them. Do the foods Amish make for sale to the public often differ from what they make for themselves at home?
Lovina: Not in our area. We cook and bake just the same at home as we do for things we sell. Some cooks are just better at it than others. I love cinnamon and vanilla, and I will put extra in my foods sometimes. Maybe it’s just that community.
Carol J: I have always wondered HOW the Amish gals and children can get their feet clean, after going barefoot, most of the time?
Lovina: I grew up being barefooted most of the summer when a young girl at home. Now I’m sold on Crocs, and due to fallen arches, I can’t go barefooted for long anymore. As far as cleaning feet—hot water and soap go a long way!
TiaB: I’d be interested in knowing what an average two week meal “diary” looks like at Lovina’s house.
Lovina: Never the same and too much time to write out—sorry! Check out my cookbook.
Mary Turner: I have noticed that the Amish recipes use lots of onions, I can’t eat onions, will the recipes be ok without them?
Lovina: You could use onion salt or some other similar seasoning. Another idea would be to leave an onion whole in soups and take it out before serving.
Additional Questions
Which dish(es) are your family’s favorites?
Lovina: Hard question—we have lots of favorites. Favorite breakfast: eggs, fried potatoes, bacon and toast. Other meals: meat—beef, pork, chicken, fish—we love it all. Fresh veggies out of the garden, various soups and casseroles. We like a variety, so it’s hard to choose a favorite. And each family member has a different favorite!
What was the hardest part about doing this book?
Lovina: 1) Time—there is just so much extra time with raising a family. 2) Meeting deadlines.
What was the best part about doing this book?
Lovina: When it finally went to press.
Which is your favorite dish to make? Least favorite?
Lovina: My favorite thing to make is bread or rolls. My least favorite would be something I don’t like to eat, such as sweet potato casserole.
How do you write your column?
Lovina: I write my column with pen and paper. Some columns I can write in 15 minutes while others I need to just get away from everything so that I can think. I write every Wednesday or Thursday.
What are some interesting things you have heard from readers of your column over the years?
Lovina: A lot tell me they consider us like friends or family due to “hearing” from us every week. Reader mail has held lots of encouragement for me!
Here’s more on The Essential Amish Cookbook. You can find the book via several retailers at this link.
Update: Lovina Eicher’s Essential Amish Cookbook Winner (Plus 3 Recipes)
We’ve got a winner of The Essential Amish Cookbook following the Q-and-A giveaway with author Lovina Eicher.
But first, here are 3 of Lovina’s recipes for you – a main dish, a salad, and something sweet. Thanks to Herald Press for letting us reprint them here.
3 Recipes from The Essential Amish Cookbook
Want to test-drive a few of Lovina’s dishes?
Here are three recipes you can try, along with the additional notes from Lovina that she adds to each recipe in the book.
Hobo Suppers
- 10 red potatoes, unpeeled and cut into chunks
- 1/2 cup onion, diced
- 1/2 cup green bell pepper, diced
- 2 cups carrots, sliced
- 1 cup celery, chopped
- 1 (16-ounce) package smoky links, cut into pieces; or 1 pound smoked sausage, cut into pieces
- Salt and pepper, as desired
- Cheese, sliced
Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
In a bowl, mix all the ingredients together except the cheese. Divide the mixture into the amount you want for each serving, placing individual servings on sheets of aluminum foil. Fold foil over, wrapping tight, and set on grill for 10 minutes on each side.
Open up foil; if potatoes are soft, add a slice of cheese. (If potatoes need more time to cook, close pouches and return to grill before adding cheese.) Re-wrap and grill a few more minutes until cheese is melted.
Alternatively, can be cooked in oven at 400°F for 10 minutes, then turned over and cooked for 10 additional minutes. Check doneness of potatoes before adding cheese.
—
Hobo Suppers make a great dinner when it’s hot outside and I don’t want to heat up the kitchen. I gather the onions and green bell peppers right out of my garden and we head to the grill. The children help assemble these suppers wrapped in foil.
From The Essential Amish Cookbook by Lovina Eicher. ©2017 Herald Press. All rights reserved. Used with permission.
Amish Macaroni Salad
- 3 cup cooked macaroni
- 1/2 cup carrots, chopped
- 1/2 cup celery, chopped
- 1/2 cup onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons prepared mustard
- 1 cup whipped salad dressing
- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Mix macaroni, carrots, celery, and onion in a big bowl until evenly combined. In a separate bowl, mix mustard, whipped salad dressing, vinegar, salt, sugar, milk, and salt and pepper. Combine with macaroni mixture and toss until thoroughly mixed. Refrigerate and serve.
—
This is one of my husband, Joe’s, favorite salads. I like to add chopped hard-cooked eggs sometimes. We usually have plenty of eggs, as we have our own laying hens.
From The Essential Amish Cookbook by Lovina Eicher. ©2017 Herald Press. All rights reserved. Used with permission.
Caramel Pecan Rolls
- 2 1/4 teaspoons (1 package) active dry yeast
- 1/4 cup warm water (110°F-115°F)
- 1 1/4 cup milk
- 1/3 cup butter, melted
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 5 cups bread flour, divided
Filling
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Topping
- 3/4 cup pecans, chopped
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
Caramel sauce
- 2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup heavy cream or evaporated milk
In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. Heat milk to lukewarm; pour into a mixing bowl, along with the yeast liquid. Add melted butter, granulated sugar, and salt. Add beaten eggs. Add 3 cups flour and beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. Add remaining 2 cups flour and stir to combine. Remove from mixing bowl and knead until soft and smooth, about 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size (about 45 minutes).
Prepare filling ingredients: Set out 1/4 cup butter to soften. Combine granulated sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl; reserve. Separately, prepare topping: Stir all the topping ingredients together; reserve.
Make caramel sauce: In a small saucepan, bring the brown sugar, butter, and cream to a boil. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Pour into a 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Sprinkle reserved topping on top.
Once dough has doubled in size, cut in half and roll each half into a 12 x 15-inch rectangle. Spread with softened 1/4 cup butter. Sprinkle reserved cinnamon sugar over butter. Roll up dough from one long side; pinch seams and turn ends under. Cut each roll into six slices. Place slices in pan, cut side down. Cover and let rise in a warm place until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes. Bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool 1 minutes; invert onto a serving platter.
—
If you like pecans, you will like these rolls. Some of our children like nuts, and some don’t care for them at all.
From The Essential Amish Cookbook by Lovina Eicher. ©2017 Herald Press. All rights reserved. Used with permission.
Essential Amish Cookbook Winner
I used random.org to draw a winner from your entries. The lucky winner is:
Comment #92, Susan Campbell
Congrats Susan. Email me your shipping address (ewesner(at)gmail(dot)com) and I’ll pass that to Herald Press so they can send you your cookbook.
If you didn’t win, you can find links to get the cookbook here.
![Amish “Music Mystery Supper” (Guess These 14 Food Riddles) [Updated With Winner]](https://amishamerica.com/images/music-mystery-supper.jpg)
From the other side of the world
I am very interested in how the Amish live and am particularly interested in Amish recipes. We don’t have any Amish living in my country, but I would love to visit an Amish community one day and try their food. I like to live a simple life and eat wholesome food and am inspired by the Amish way of life. It was interesting reading Lovina’s responses – it’s great to hear from a real Amish person.
I have 4 of your books in my Amish collection. This book would surely benefit my love of Amish/country cooking.
I would be thrilled to add Lovina’s book to my collection. Her column is the highlight of my week-the wonderful anecdotes she tells about her life and family and of course the delicious recipes she shares. I’ve made so many and they are staples in my cooking lineup. Grateful thanks to Lovina for sharing her stories and recipes.
Lovina
I thoroughly enjoy reading Lovina’s column. Thank you for the giveaway opportunity.
Family
How do you train your children to be good cooks? Are they encouraged to try things on their own?
cookbook giveaway
I love reading about the amish.
Visit to Holmes County
I would love to have this cookbook by Lovina. My hubby and I visited Holmes County several years ago and had a wonderful time visiting Amish families for breakfasts in their homes. I wrote a poem about our visit and have it on my site : http://www.poetrypoem.com/polyanthum I hope to revisit sometime in the future with God’s Blessing.
Pauline
Lovina Eicher Answers Your Questions (Essential Amish Cookbook Giveaway)
Thank you for a chance to win this cookbook I have many books and love reading of and about their/your ways of life
I have the Amish community cookbook, and this would be a wonderful addition.
Would Love To Win
Looks like an amazing book. Would love to win.
Cookbook
I would love to win your cookbook. I enjoy all that you write and thank you for letting us into your life.
love Amish cook books!
I’ve visited Amish in Ohio & Tennessee would like to go again sometime!
What is your favorite get together or sisters day activity? Quilting, canning, or just being with friend and family.
Want to Bake Like Mom!
I will forever try to become the baker my mother was. The only thing that compares with my mom’s cooking is Amish cooking. I don’t need anything else!
Love your recipes
I always look forward to Mondays to read your column in the Goshen News in Goshen, IN.. Love your stories and recipes!!
Fun questions! Thanks for sharing these. I love reading Lovina’s column and I’m definitely intrigued by her cookbook.
Thank you
I have been reading Lovina’s column since I was a young wife. My grandpa enjoyed the column every week. I began in 2007 to cut out and date the column every week and tape it in a notebook for him to read them all together. He enjoyed reading and was a shut-in in the winter. Sadly I never got to give it to him. He died in 2010 at age 91 and the notebook still wasn’t full. So I just kept doing it. I now am on the 3rd notebook and have not missed any article. I enjoy going back and reading them. Thank you for the interview.
Heidi
Rochester, Minnesota
Cook Book
Looks like a lot of delicious recipes in this I love Chicken & noodles oh so good
Love this interview and Lovina!
It was by chance that I happened upon levinas cookbook in a half price bookstore and I immediately fell in love with it! I would adore to be able to get her new cookbook but unfortunately I don’t have a job at the moment so money is tight. We have made several recipes from The cookbook that we have though and they are delicious! Growing up my grandmother was close friends with an Amish lady who lived in Indiana. Her name was Sarah Coblentz and she was so kind. She would Austin host and welcome English to her house for dinner so my family has always missed some of the recipes that she made for us, as she is no longer with us. These recipes are very similar to hers and definitely bring back a lot of nostalgia! Thank you for the lovely interview and for posting this!
Love this interview and Lovina!
( my apologies if this post twice but I seem to be having issues with posting a comment so I wanted to try again.)
This is a lovely interview! People ask some good questions and I really enjoy hearing from her! Her recipes are amazing and I would love to win a cook book!
Love the Amish Cook books!
I have most of the Amish Cook books and would love this one too!
Cook book entry
I love to read your column. I would love to win your book.
Lovina questions and answers
I love seeing Lovina’s emails in my inbox. I make a point of getting something to drink and relax a few minutes reading all about Lovina, her family, and the amazing foods she cooks for her family.
It keeps me smiling all day long and I have tried quite a few of the recipes
thanks
Sheila
whole chicken fryers
We buy eggs from Amish locally and they sell chicken fryers. How should we prepare those?
Wedding food
I love the roast and creamed celery. I would love to have recipe but no one will give it to me. I am a driver so thought I might be allowed. I am looking forward to reading your cookbook
Thank you for the oppritunity. God bless!
Vielen Dank! Thank you!
Prior to riding Amtrak, my only encounter with the Amish was either a field trip to Lancaster (PA) with my schoolmates or a family vacation (also to Lancaster PA – we are from the state of New York).
I met a woman in Costa Rica later in life who grew up Mennonite, which was my first inkling about that particular branch of the tree. She was not and is not a strict follower of much of what I read here, but it did not matter much, and we are still friends today.
I credit Amtrak with providing myriad opportunities to meet and befriend the Amish and Mennonites. I won’t name them here, but I was surprised and delighted to hear from a newlywed Amish couple I had met in Chicago’s Union Station not long ago. I lamented that my traveling clothes were surely not nearly as comfortable as the dress my friend was wearing. I asked where and how I might get one, and she actually offered to make one for me. She asked for (and I gave) my measurements, and I will make every effort to arrive personally to get the dress and meet her in her new home, if the community would permit it – and if her extremely dedicated life allows it!
The title for my comment is an expression of my gratitude to you and others like you, who help the “English” and other outsiders to learn about you in this friendly (non-instructive or condescending) way. Sincerely. 🙂
So Enjoyable
I really enjoy reading about your family and life. It is so very interesting. I love cooking for my family and friends. I would also love to win the cookbook!
origin of recipes
My grandmother’s family came in the early 1700’s. They were Lutheran but spoke Pennsylvania Dutch, and everything she cooked or baked was like the Amish, although she never used a cookbook or measuring tools. Do you?
Column
I used to read your column quite often and show the recipes to my wife. But we moved a couple years ago and I have not seen your column recently.
Bread
You mentioned bread/rolls are your favorite food to make…..I have never been successful baking with yeast so I would love to have your cookbook to try your recipes.
Essential Amish Cookbook Giveaway
I would love to have this book!
FREE GIVEAWAY COOKBOOK
I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE ONE OF YOUR COOKBOOKS..I JUST LOVE GOING THRU WHERE SOME AMISH LIVE & SEE THEM ON THEIR BUGGIES. 🙂
Wanting Lovina's Cookbook
I would love to be a winner. I thoroughly enjoy her stories!I read Lovina’s Amish Kitchen ahead of any other email I get when she posts her column!
Lovina's Amish Kitchen
I look forward to Lovina’s Kitchen blog weekly. It’s very interesting to hear about the happenings of her family. Enjoy it very much! Look forward to seeing her new cookbook. Want to thank Lovina for taking the time to write weekly.
RE:Ingredients
Years ago, a Mennonite friend introduced me to something called “Smearkase.” I have forgotten exactly what it consisted of.Can you tell me the ingredients?
Thanks,Madeline
Keeping cool during day and cooking in the oven
How do the Amish deal with high temperatures and humidity, plus cooking in the oven at certain times of the day to keep life bearable.
Amish Family Life
I LOVE reading this column from Lovina!
I hope to visit an Amish community, soon, and often wonder how my life would differ IF my “ROOTS” hadn’t left the Amish/Mennonite Church, several generations ago?
As a Christian “Englisher”, it is hard to think how life would be without modern conveniences….Air Conditioning, in particular! Would love to win the Cookbook!
Thanks for this opportunity. Blessings ~
P.S. Are there any Amish settlements between Gettysburg, PA. and Niagara Falls, and then between there and Boston, that you are aware of?
Please advise & Thank you, so very much.
Amish Food Fascination
I am extremely interested in Amish cooking and have attempted to make a few things based on some Amish recipes I’ve found on the internet. I’m actually very excited to own this cookbook…….someday!!
Time
Lovina,
Thank you for your kind and thoughtful comments. We certainly appreciate your insightful comments on Amish living. We currently live in a community with many Amish and the household is certainly one that is extremely busy. Always cooking, cleaning, canning, doing household chores to keep the family arrangement running smoothly is the norm in this community. Thanks again for your efforts.
Jason
Hamballs
My daughter’s love eating hamballs every time we visit the area. How hard are they to make? I love all Amish food.
Cookbook Giveaway
Sounds like lots of great recipes in Lovina’s cookbook. Please enter me in the drawing. Would be a great book to win.
Wedding Celery
I understand that celery is always served at weddings. How do you cook it? Rather what is the recipe?
Loved the glimpse into an Amish Women's life!
We travel from CT to Lancaster PA every year and I just find the whole Amish way of living so fascinating. Thanks for sharing with us!
Cook Book
Thank you Lovina for your generosity. And for the publisher of this site, a special thank you as well. I love the Amish and many times have thought about buying a house close to an Amish community. God bless.
winning Lovina Eicher cookbook
I would love to win this cookbook!Blessings,
Rhonda!!!
Thanks
Thanks for sharing these Q&A. I was particularly amused by the person who asked how people get their feet clean. I go barefoot as much as possible and can’t imagine scrubbing dirt off is much different between Amish and English communities.
Cakes and pies
I read a lot of Amish novels… a lot! and I noticed that the Amish prefer pies and cookies as their desserts. Am I right? I just love pie as well, but do the Amish have any special cakes they like to make?
Fermentation and sheep
Questions; Do you ever make sauerkraut, wine, beer, fermented pickles and vegetables? Have you ever raised sheep for food, wool, spinning, weaving and knitting? We have enjoyed many recipe’s from your column and your love of life, family values and work ethics. Cecilia and Larry Robinson
Yeast
I have issues with using yeast in recipes. What is the correct temperature for water for getting yeast to ferment for breads, etc?