These photos of a pantry in an Amish home were taken in Carroll County, Tennessee. Reader Brenda shared these some time ago and I’m just now getting to them (thanks, Brenda). What time of year do you think these photos were taken? Â For that matter, when do pantries look their thinnest? I’ve rarely done anything but deplete them, so IÂ couldn’t pinpoint when exactly canned good…
Below, the menu items for the Amish youth mystery supper, courtesy of Don Curtis. Some of these were pretty tough. How did you do? 1. Hygiene Essential – water 2. Colorful Downfall – mixed fruit salad 3. Healthy Rollups – dinner rolls 4. Variety Pack – broccoli and veggie salad 5. Point of Decision – fork 6. Pigs Disgrace – meatloaf 7. Foreign Fundraiser –…
Tom continues his New York Amish coverage with some photos of an Amish maple syrup operation in the Randolph, NY area (Conewango Valley Amish community). Says Tom: “I have been in the sugar shack when Eli’s kids and grands are watching and the women are making pancakes and drawing hot syrup out of the pan to pour on the pancakes. Â The hard work does…
Canning is an important part of the Amish home economy. Â Sprawling gardens provide a wide range of produce for Amish families. Canning helps keep Amish in fruits and vegetables throughout the winter. Â Amish also can some meats. Today Tom shares some photos from an Amish basement, also in the Jasper, New York Amish community. Â This is from the basement of a family with…
Last week on the Amish quilt shop post I mentioned I picked up a copy of Plain and Happy Living: Amish Recipes and Remedies. Â This is a book written by the quilt shop owner’s aunt. Â She noted that it isn’t common for an Amish woman to publish something like that (and even less so 20 years ago, when the book first came out). Since the…
Two weeks, 5 states, 15 communities. Five (plus) pounds. It was a whirlwind trip as I packed a month of visiting into 2 weeks of time. Â I spent the past weekend zonked out and resting up (3700 road miles will do that to you). But I’ve recovered enough to put together a collection of highlights from my recent Amish trip: Dessert at the home of…
Polish Amish Butter Reader Lindsay recently took a trip to a Chicago international market. Â At the market she found products from a company named Calma, which sells Amish-made products including honey, noodles, eggs, and apple butter. While there, Lindsay picked up some butter; Â this being Chicago (2nd-largest “Polish” city outside Warsaw), the label on the butter is partially in Polish. Â Calma was apparently founded by…
Pennsylvania and Maine have been locked in a sweets skirmish the past few weeks. Â The territory under siege is the famous whoopie pie. Folks in both states have laid claim to the whoopie as the official state dessert. Â If you can believe it, this topic has actually been debated in the Maine House of Representatives in recent weeks. Personally, if I were a native Pennsylvanian,…
Last week, an excerpt from The Amish Way mentioned a gentleman named Abner, a deceased Amish historian whose trade was bookbinding. Abner was apparently quite a remarkable person who touched a lot of people in his community. Â Brad Igou (The Amish in Their Own Words) knew Abner well and has shared some remembrances which he recorded after Abner’s death in 2002: A good friend has…
The short answer: yes. Burger King, Pizza Hut, and Wendy’s too. The bulk of the Amish diet still consists of home-prepared meals. Amish farmers have traditionally eaten a diet based around dairy products and home-raised foods. Most Amish today, regardless of occupation, have an extensive garden at home. Amish housewives still do a lot of canning. Amish diets have changed But with occupational changes, Amish…