Desserts used to be an important part of Amish life while I was growing up. Every meal ended with dessert, including breakfast where pie, cakes, and cookies were enjoyed with cereal or a cup of tea.
Saturday afternoons used to be spent creating a variety of desserts, because a typical Sunday dinner ended with a big dessert course. You never knew who might be stopping by, and you didn't want to be caught unprepared.
Cake and fruit was the usual way of starting dessert. Bars, brownies, and cookies were often included in this part. Once everyone had finished that, it was time to serve pudding, which was often some elaborate creation. The final option used to be several kinds of pie.
Love for dessert is evident in Amish cookbooks, where the majority of the recipes will be for desserts.
Saturday, April 4, 2015
Friday, April 3, 2015
C ~ Candy
In the living room, standing on top of the desk, was a large, beautiful, carnival glass candy bowl. It was never empty. We weren't allowed to touch it, but every Saturday Mom would lift it off and hold it down so we could choose a piece or two as a reward kind of thing for being good helpers.
It was something I looked forward to all week.
And then the most wonderful of things happened. A customer, intrigued by all things Amish, happened to stop in our store one day. She bought a little something, and then several days later she was back with her grandchildren so they could meet us as well.
I don't know if it was our large garden, our plain homemade clothes, or the fact that our main source of transportation was a horse and buggy, but for some reason she thought we would never have tasted candy before.
She presented each of us children with a brown paper grocery bag, filled to the brim with candy.
After she left Mom allowed us to choose a few pieces, and then the rest was tucked on the top shelf in the pantry. We could have one piece per day, and had to share a lot of it with our friends.
The lady continued to visit several times a month, always bearing things she thought we would not get to experience otherwise. Delicious cakes, cookies, jams and jellies, and always more candy.
It was something I looked forward to all week.
And then the most wonderful of things happened. A customer, intrigued by all things Amish, happened to stop in our store one day. She bought a little something, and then several days later she was back with her grandchildren so they could meet us as well.
I don't know if it was our large garden, our plain homemade clothes, or the fact that our main source of transportation was a horse and buggy, but for some reason she thought we would never have tasted candy before.
She presented each of us children with a brown paper grocery bag, filled to the brim with candy.
After she left Mom allowed us to choose a few pieces, and then the rest was tucked on the top shelf in the pantry. We could have one piece per day, and had to share a lot of it with our friends.
The lady continued to visit several times a month, always bearing things she thought we would not get to experience otherwise. Delicious cakes, cookies, jams and jellies, and always more candy.
Thursday, April 2, 2015
B ~ Black
After the death of a loved one, Amish women will wear black for quite a while.
In the community where I grew up the rules for wearing black were strict.
If a grandparent, aunt, or uncle passed away, we were required to wear black when ever we went to church, or went visiting for the next six months.
If a friend passed we would wear black for a Sunday or two.
If it was a parent, child, or sibling, black was worn for an entire year.
With Amish families typically being quite large, it seemed the older you got the less you got to wear anything other than black, because chances were by the time you could quit wearing black for one person, someone else passed away. Not only did women have to wear black when one of their relatives passed away, they also had to wear it for the same length of time when one of their husband's relatives passed, which made the prospect of getting to wear some other color even slimmer.
In the community where I grew up the rules for wearing black were strict.
If a grandparent, aunt, or uncle passed away, we were required to wear black when ever we went to church, or went visiting for the next six months.
If a friend passed we would wear black for a Sunday or two.
If it was a parent, child, or sibling, black was worn for an entire year.
With Amish families typically being quite large, it seemed the older you got the less you got to wear anything other than black, because chances were by the time you could quit wearing black for one person, someone else passed away. Not only did women have to wear black when one of their relatives passed away, they also had to wear it for the same length of time when one of their husband's relatives passed, which made the prospect of getting to wear some other color even slimmer.
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
A ~ Asparagus
After months spent eating food we had preserved for the winter it was always nice to notice the first little spears of asparagus poke through the ground. Waiting for it to grow enough to be harvested was a little challenging and I would check on them every day in hopes we can have a meal that included something that was freshly grown. Canned vegetables, though good, simply couldn't measure up to something straight from the garden.
We weren't the only ones that seemed to be happy that the winter was over and there would be fresh vegetables to enjoy. The deer apparently kept tabs on asparagus as well and would come out at night to nibble on it. That is, until our dog decided she was going to spend her nights sleeping next to our asparagus patch. Her barking did the trick and we were able to enjoy several weeks having fresh asparagus every day.
Spring seems to have sprung here in our little corner of the world. Unfortunately we don't have an asparagus patch where we live right now. Sad, because I could go for a big bowl full prepared like my Mom used to.
We weren't the only ones that seemed to be happy that the winter was over and there would be fresh vegetables to enjoy. The deer apparently kept tabs on asparagus as well and would come out at night to nibble on it. That is, until our dog decided she was going to spend her nights sleeping next to our asparagus patch. Her barking did the trick and we were able to enjoy several weeks having fresh asparagus every day.
Spring seems to have sprung here in our little corner of the world. Unfortunately we don't have an asparagus patch where we live right now. Sad, because I could go for a big bowl full prepared like my Mom used to.
Wednesday Hodgepodge
We wanted to go pick up some meat at a butcher shop and for some reason they were out of everything we wanted.
2. Peter Rabbit, Bugs Bunny, The Energizer Bunny, The Easter Bunny, Rabbit (Pooh's friend), White Rabbit (of Wonderland fame), or the Trix Rabbit...which of these 'famous' rabbits can you best relate to right now?
The Energizer Bunny because it seems like I keep going and going. So much to do, so little time to do it.
3. When did you last find yourself scrambling to get something done? Explain.
Last Thursday I was scrambling to get everything done before I had to go meet LV at his workplace so we could go to an appointment we had.
4. Last time you were up at the literal crack of dawn? Why? Last time you stayed up all night? Why?
I am up every morning at the crack of dawn. Actually I'm up before then since I need to get breakfast for LV at 4:30 so he can eat before he leaves for work.
The last time I was up all night was last summer when LV and Sailor were on their way home from Missouri and I had wanted to stay up till they got here.
5. Crack a book, crack a bottle, crack a joke, crack an egg...which have you done most recently?
Crack an egg. Three of them, for breakfast about an hour ago.
My favorite part is Sunday afternoons when we're all gathered in the living room, reading, playing games, or what ever else strikes our fancy.
7. What's something I'd find on a bookshelf in your home? Other than a book I mean!
Nothing. The only things on our bookshelves are books. Hundreds and hundreds of books.
8. Insert your own random thought here.
Woodpeckers have always fascinated me, and when LV stumbled across this tree I couldn't help but be amazed at the determination this woodpecker had to have to create all these holes.
The pile of shavings at the base of the tree was impressive as well.
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