Amish Cooking: The History of a Recipe is the History of its People

With so much information available on the Internet, I do not buy cookbooks as often as I used to. That is a shame, really, because a cookbook has personality and gives the reader a certain perspective that allows the recipes to mix into a culinary diary of sorts. Today when you go onto the Internet to find a recipe, you are just getting the recipe. You do not get the point of view or the personality that is a part of the history of that recipe, which is unfortunate.

While I am no longer collecting cookbooks, I do have some that I have not opened in years. I cannot possibly give them away, and it is fun to occasionally revisit a favorite book like the  one that I picked up in Ohio a few years ago. It is a beautiful book, called “Cooking from Quilt Country: Hearty Recipes from Amish and Mennonite Kitchens,” written by Marcia Adams. In 1989 the author also hosted the 26-part national PBS cooking series, “Amish Cooking from Quilt Country.” Adams was fortunate enough to be invited to spend over a year in Amish and Mennonite kitchens; there she was introduced to a cooking lifestyle that is untouched by time. The book, like the series, explores cooking that is closely associated with the land and the seasons.

The Amish have a unique cooking style, very simple and rustic, yet fresh; they make everything  from scratch, and that goes for their food as well as every item they use in their daily life. I have tried a few recipes out of this cookbook. While the Amish do use a lot of white sugar (which, granted, is processed) and other ingredients that are not typically on my standard list, the book is still really fascinating. The cookbook goes into the history of the Amish and the Mennonites, giving examples of a typical Easter meal or a wedding meal and the tradition behind the dishes.

Adams writes that “It would be impossible to write a book about the food of the Amish without reviewing their history, for their history has written their recipes” (xii).   “Cooking from Quilt Country” illustrates the history and the recipes of the Amish, blending these elements into an entertaining and enlightening narrative. I have quite a few cookbooks still on the shelf, and I’m excited about the idea of sharing more of my favorites in future posts.

Until next time, eat well.