Monday, June 8, 2009

Making Noodles

Several times a year Grandma Mast would have a noodle making day at her house. Aunt Lydia, Aunt Anna, and their children, and Mom and we children would arrive early in the morning with eggs and flour. Grandma had lots of eggs too from her flock of a hundred hens.

We would watch as they measured flour into 20 qt. bowls and separate the eggs, the yolks would be added to the flour and the whites were put into glass gallon jars. Cousin Emma and I were allowed to carefully measure in the salt. There was no talking as everyone was concentrating on counting the amount of ingredients they were measuring. Once everything was measured aunt Vernie and all us cousins went to play until the dough was kneaded. Kneading noodle dough was hard work and took quite a bit of time.

Once the dough was done to their satisfaction, we would eat lunch that aunt Emma prepared. Afterwards Vernie would wash the dishes while cousin Emma and I dried them. Once we were done with the dishes we watched as the women rolled out the dough on Grandma's big table. They rolled it into thin strips 6" x 5 feet long. Grandma had a noodle cutter, she would turn the handle as Mom and the aunts held onto the long pieces of dough and fed it through. It was fun watching as long strands of noodles came out of the other side.

As each piece was turned into noodles aunt Emma would gather them up in a big bowl and take them upstairs in one of their many spare bedrooms and spread them on cloths that she had prepared earlier as a place to dry them. We used to run upstairs with her and help her spread them out gently so they wouldn't be piled on top of each other. It was slow tedious work, but we didn't mind, it felt good to be considered big enough to help in such important work. Brother David and cousins Esther, Rueben, Mervin, and Lizzie Ann could only watch and hope that by the next time they would be big enough too, they spent most of their day playing with Vernie so I'm sure they didn't mind too much.

Once the last noodles were spread out to dry and the mess was cleaned up, we headed home with a gallon jar full of egg whites that would be used to make angel food cakes and other special treats. Aunt Emma would bring our share of the noodles once they were dried. It was something to look forward too, but for now we were anticipating all the yummy things that Mom was going to make with our egg whites.

21 comments:

  1. That sounds like it was fun but also hard to do. I'm not sure if I would be able to do that especially by myself. That is one thing that I admire of the Amish people is that they work together to get the job done. No fussing over this is mine and such. In todays society it seems like families don't help each other out.

    I live in West Virginia and I noticed a couple of months a go my neighbor is building a log house and she has Amish men working there most every day. They are apparantly being drivin in from Ohio. The license plate has Ohio on it. They arrive around 7 in the morning and leave around 4:30 in the evening. The house is almost finished and it is beautiful. It is the biggest log house I have ever seen.

    God Bless!
    Angela

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  2. I did not grow up making noodles but after I moved to Canada I would help with noodle making. It was very much a part of Amish Women's social life. Those Angel Food cakes are so yummy.

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  3. My Grandmother and her sisters all went in on a noodler together and then did the big noodle day. I thought it was strange since I had already seen noodles in their "natural habitat" at the bulk food store and market. Why not just buy them? But years later I still prefer the taste of those homemade noodles.

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  4. Oh thank you for this post. I so enjoyed hearing your story!
    You have a blessed day!
    Thought & Prayers~
    Carrie

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  5. I would love that kind of simple life. I think the world needs to get back to it! We need to find joy in the small things!

    http://randommusingsfrommypov.com

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  6. Sounds wonderful. My mother was an expert at Angel Food Cake! I've never had home-made noodles - bet they are delicious.

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  7. I am having email issues today but you should go check out my blog....just sayin' ;)

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  8. I see you likely "found" me thru Katie's blog. Glad to "meet" you! I am most anxious to read more of your former life as Amish. Is there anywhere in particular on your blog where you explain why you left?

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  9. I am so loving your blog,I found it last night and went pretty far back to read your stories.
    Until the internet decided it did'nt want to work anymore! lol Thank-"GOD",it's back and running!I just love so much about the Amish and always have been so interested in knowing and learning about their lifestyle.Ever since I found out that my grandfather was Amish,but left the farm when they have the choice.And I am so forgetting what that is called right now! lol I never did get to meet him and he was alive up to some years ago,but heard he really was'nt a good man!! Don't know,but wish I did! I loved having the last name "ZOOK",especially in school! Kids are so funny at what they ask you!I spend so much time in Lancaster,PA all the time.It's so peaceful and I only live an hour from there!
    I'm going to become one of your followers as soon as i'm done writing you a novel! lol Sorry,I was just amazed by your blog! lol
    Have a "BLESSED" week! Natalie,
    mommynoodles27@yahoo.com

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  10. Sounds like an interesting, fun, and productive day for all concerned. I'll bet there was plenty of family visiting while all that went on.
    Thanks for sharing the details of the process. I'll bet few of us "modern" women have been involved in making our own noodles.

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  11. Thanks for telling about noodle making. I've never had homemade noodles. I am sure they are 10x more delicious than store bought. I so admire the Amish and how they work together and make a large job make a frolic or gettogether out of it.

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  12. Hey thanks for leaving a comment on my blog.
    What a coincedence.. it looks like you are mennonite.
    I was sent to a mennonite school as a child in New Mexico.
    I have good memories from there and I really like mennonites. I hope you are well,
    God bless

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  13. I just love homemade noodles - boiled in chicken broth. Mmmmmm, I haven't had that in a long time. You should make some for all of us and have a noodle tasting party. Here's my RSVP. :) When we travel near an Amish/Mennonite community and stop at the bulk stores, noodles are always number 1. VERY cute story ~

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  14. Just stopping by for a first time visit ~ a very sweet place you have here! I am looking forward to reading more of your posts and getting to know you better!

    Thanks for stopping by my place and entering my giveaway!
    Kindly, ldh

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  15. I love your posts and am always looking forward to th next one. Thanks for sharing.

    Blessings,
    Elizabeth

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  16. You should write a book! What wonderful tales you tell. :) Did you happen to see my post on Minky's Marvels? In the background you can see a picture that I dearly love hanging on my wall. It features a little Amish girl in black bonnet holding a white cat. Now I think of you each time I look at it! You're living with me! lol

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  17. Thanks for your sweet comment and visit. I am so impressed with your blog and your past. Someday I would love to visit the Amish community. My mom used to make homemade noodles. They sure were yummy in her homemade soups. What a long hard day of work, the rewards so yummy.
    Your last post reminded me of the wringer washer we had growing up. I remember feeding the clothes through the wringer and hanging them on the line. It is amazing how much easier it is to do laundry today! :-)
    I ENJOY YOUR BLOG!

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  18. Former Amish!!?? I am a former old order Mennonite.
    Vie gates?

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  19. Oh what a neat memory. I make pasta, but ... I think I have it a bit easier. And my batches are far smaller than what you did! Just the thought of gallon glass jar of egg whites. Wow, that's a lot of eggs!

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Thank you so much for taking time to comment. I love hearing your thoughts.