Judy
3,099 reviews
Treasured Amish & Mennonite Recipes Fox Chapel Publishing- ISBN 978-1-56523-599-1 There are several pages for the Introduction. They explain how the book came into being and also pictures and stories and a brief history of the Amish and Mennonites. Who they are, what they believe some of their culture, etc. The first section of Punches and Drinks will give you a useful recipe for dandelion's among others. Most all the drinks contain fresh fruit such as currants, grapes and even rhubarb. Unique appetizers and a nice selection of soups and salads. You will want company just to try some of the out! You can find a recipe to make your own mustard and a variety of dressings. Under the Main Dishes and Casseroles you will find Piggy Casserole it is easy to make and fun to say. Impress your family by serving Imam Bayildi, sounds like something very exotic when it is really stuffed eggplant. The next section brings you to European Dishes where you can use a fancy name for a coffee cake and then we move onto Traditional Classics that explains some of their get together s and the recipes for large groups. Included in this group is Dandelion Wine. Side Dishes and Vegetables includes a recipe for Super Duper Potatoes. With a name like that you just have to try them. The Breads section has a recipe for Kringel and a really easy recipe for Quick Water Bread. To loosen things up around the house make sure you try out the Berliner Pfannkuchen no one has to know they are prune-filled doughnuts. The next section tells you how to make cheese even cream cheese. If only I had a cow or a garden as the next section is Pickles, Relishes and Sauces. This section gives you the recipe for ketchup to go with that homemade mustard earlier in the book. Jams, Jellies and Fruit Butters come next. Perfect recipes to go with the bread you made earlier Tomato Marmalade sounds daring or since you been picking dandelion's for the wine and punch keep a few aside and make the Turtle Brand Dandelion Jelly. Good food while getting the weeds out of the yard. Now for some Desserts and Sweets. Between Fudge to Cracker Jack your bound to find a favorite or two before heading to the Short breads and Blueberry or Elderberry Pie. Maybe some Grasshopper Pie and a Black Forest Torte to go with the Dandelion Punch you could get a theme going for a party from this book. The Christmas Cake looks similar to the beloved fruit cake. Delicious puddings are in this section as well. Now we have arrived at Grandma's Remedies. I know my grandma could always fix anything. From Poultices to Hair Tonic there is bound to be a remedy to what ails you. The last chapter gives a few recipes on how to make your own soap. There are 627 recipes in this book and many are simple to make. Book received through NetGalley for review
Published in cooperation with Mennonite Central Committee.
Vicky
Author18 books54 followers
This is the third edition of this favorite cookbook. In this one, there are old, comfortable recipes such as Faschtnachts, Chicken Corn Soup, and Whoopie Pies as well as many new ones. In addition to the great food recipes, there are also sections on making your own soap, tonics, and liniments. The chapter on desserts alone makes this a definite must for all kitchens. One thing about these recipes, they are the stick-to-your-ribs kind of cooking that is rarely seen in cookbooks any more, unless you’re Paula Deen. They use butter and lard and salt and eggs and more. If you are watching carbs, fats, sodium, or have other dietary restrictions, read the book just for the drool factor. The stories behind some of the recipes are interesting and the pictures are nice. But this is not diet food. It is substantial food that will tantalize your taste buds and leave you groaning with pleasure. I will note, though, that I was surprised at the number of recipes that rely on canned soups or other store-bought items for their sauce bases. Grandma would never have opened a can of “cream of mushroom” soup or dropped in a bouillon cube. I was also disappointed that the chicken corn soup relied on purchased noodles instead of “rivels” – a must in Pennsylvania Dutch cooking. That being said, I love reading this book and remembering some of the recipes my grandma and mother made. I still use a lot of the recipes today, though adapted to our more streamlined living style. I love reading recipes for a family of four or six, then suddenly coming across one for fifty. Those are just fun. Yes, they can be cut down for smaller portions, but it’s just so startling and fun to see: 25 pound sack of flour, 50 onions, and so on. This is a definite buy on my shelf and a recommendation to anyone with any interest in plain, old-fashioned farm cooking, or who just wants to donate to a good cause. Pick up a copy, read it, and be prepared to drool. 9/2/11
Learn a little on the Amish ways and cook like them too. This cookbook is full of wonderful gut sticking food (Oh yeah, that’s right up my ally LOL.) So let me say up front if your watching your weight this one wont be for you. You get everything from punches and drinks to soap making. You will also find some recipes for European dishes and for a huge crowd of 200. There’s something for everyone in this book. The Amish are know for the new craze Whoopie pies. I have had them years ago when I went to the Amish in Ky and always wanted to make this and now I can. The only downside is there are no pictures of the recipes but the recipes makes up for it. I recommend this cookbook to any cookbook lover. I know it will be going on my cookbook shelf when it comes out.
- cookbooks
Sheryl
343 reviews1 follower
Great cookbook!!!
Darren
1,193 reviews55 followers
This is one of those books that you could inadvertently miss, partially through ignorance and partially since the book can be sidelined, missed or just invisible on the bookstore shelf. To miss this would be a shame. Treasured Amish & Mennomite Recipes, written by Mennonite Central Committee and published by Fox Chapel Publishing. ISBN 9781565235991, 320 pages. Typical price: GBP13. YYYY.
For the uninitiated, the Mennonites and the Amish are religiously-dominant societies that follow a Protestant tradition and stress that they should live out their beliefs in daily life. Many ‘modern day’ activities and developments are eschewed and for many outsiders they might know more of them through the portrayal of being buggy-driving, ‘Pennsylvanian Dutch’ who tend to hold strong ties to their German heritage and agricultural roots.
This book is a collection of over 600 recipes gathered from these communities with, at times, a hint towards modern-day conveniences such as the use of tinned soup instead of making it all afresh, whilst remaining good, hearty and tasty.
Starting by presenting an interesting, well-written overview and history/introduction to the Amish and the Mennonites, the book seamlessly moves up a gear to pump out recipe after recipe at a seemingly break-neck pace. Split into key chapters of punches & drinks; appetisers & dips; soups, salads & dressings; main dishes & casseroles; European dishes; traditional classics; side dishes & vegetables; breads; cheese making; pickles, relishes & sauces; jams, jellies & fruit butters; desserts and sweets; Grandma’s remedies and even soap making! Whether by intention or design, you probably have several good recipe books rolled into one. Just the thing if you are starting out in a new home and have had to rely on microwave, take out or mother for your nutrition to date!
Some of the recipes are very basic, such as how to make mashed potatoes and some are quite surprisingly esoteric (for a society that gives the appearance of being quite insular) such as Vietnamese spring rolls. This is one of the joys of this book as each page can reveal a surprise. The layout is spartan but to the point. No full colour photographs of each dish, just the ingredients, the instructions and maybe a concise history or nugget of information. This does not feel a drawback.
The binding of this book, however, feels a little on the flimsy side and the pages are a little lightweight, leading to this reviewer noting that some of the pages were already straining at their binding. A slightly more robust binding and paper might have been a good idea, particularly when you consider the size, breadth and purported daily use of this book.
This book does not set out to preach or convert the reader! Some of the information might be harmless and quirky, such as Grandma’s remedies involving foodstuffs but who is this reviewer to question what might work? It certainly doesn’t compromise the book’s charm and design. The introductory text is interesting but even if you skip over that then you still have a good, basic recipe book without the ego or attitude that other mega recipe books often radiate.
When you consider the price, coverage and general (positive) quirky nature then this is one of those books that might be a nice addition to your collection. There are not that many books that you will possibly buy that can even detail a typical funeral dinner for 200!
Patty
151 reviews
This book begins with an explanation of the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) and how this book came to be. There is also a brief history of the Amish and Mennonites. This cookbook contains 627 recipes. The recipes are organized by category, such as, Main dishes and Casseroles, Traditional Classics, and Desserts and Sweets. There are even chapters titled Grandma's Remedies and Soap Making. The recipes are simple. All the items needed for them would be in your pantry or found easily at the grocery store. There are no complicated instructions, they are short and sweet. There are pictures, sayings, and tips scattered throughout the chapters. The pages have a burgundy plaid checkered border at the top. The beginning of the book with the history of the MCC and of the Amish and the Mennonites is very interesting. I'm sure many people have not heard of the MCC, including myself, until I read A Stranger's Gift by Anna Schmidt recently. The photographs in this book are wonderful. You won't be wanting for a recipe in this book with it's 600+ recipes to choose from. The design of the book would be appealing to those who lean toward the quaint country decorating style. A person who collects cookbooks would enjoy this as a gift. I did my review reading an e-book. I liked the book so much, I'm got the printed version of the book because I collect cookbooks. If you like cook simple but delicious food this cookbook is for you. I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for my honest review.
Alison
236 reviews2 followers
Treasured Amish & Mennonite Recipes is a wonderful resource, not just for the wealth of wonderful recipes, but for the history and background information provided. It's quite remarkable just how many recipes are in this book, and unlike many cookbooks, this includes ALL the recipes you will need... If a salad calls for mayonnaise as one of its ingredients you can be sure that (most of the time) there is a mayonnaise recipe included. The majority of the recipes are pretty easy to follow, although some require a little more time and/or care, it is still definitely worth looking at...but most modern families will need to cut proportions down to suit, or be prepared to eat the same thing for a month. Pay attention to the quantities, the recipe tells you if you're going to be making enough to feed 50 people, or just four. The biggest surprise for me was the variation. Most people visiting our site will know that I have a "bit of a thing" for my Amish romances, which is almost exclusively my only exposure to the Amish world, and as these tend to be primarily focused on Amish of (Dutch and German) European decent, it was a surprise to encounter taco recipes, Vietnamese variations, and a wealth of Italian food. So if you, like me, are woefully ignorant of this culture, this book will do more than just provide you with recipes to feed all of New York in one sitting, it will provide an insight into the diversity you can get even within a small group.
Cherei
557 reviews67 followers
A superb combination of very old recipes from centuries past.. delightfully merged with recipes from local Mennonite and Amish communities of today! I've learned so much about the history of the Mennonites and Amish! This is not just a cookbook.. this is a book written with love of family and food! Who knew that the Mennonites have their own version of yuppies?? Muppies!! The author has a wonderful sense of humor.. and injects helpful sayings and hints throughout the book! This cookbook collection will make a superb gift to anyone that enjoys cooking! A wide variety of recipes and "receipts"! It doesn't matter what your skill level is when it comes to the kitchen or cooking outdoors.. this book provides you with many different types of recipes. From feeding a family to feeding a crowd of 200 or more! Some of the recipes are written in the old style.. where you may have to decipher and use common sense to figure out how to make certain foods. Others are more up to date and tell you how many servings and measurements. As someone who enjoys reading historical cookbooks.. I felt this book was a merged copy of favorite family recipes from the seventeenth century down through the ages to our modern world! Book will be released September, 2011 Book Received through NetGalley for review
Aislynn
238 reviews64 followers
I was really looking forward to digging into this cookbook and experimenting with some of the 600 or so recipes this book has. It has some pretty unique recipes from pies, cakes, casseroles to meatloaf and pot pies. I had fun going through and picking out what I was going to make for dinner that evening! The recipes were easy to follow and even the most beginner of cooks could handle them. The only downside was no photos for each recipe. I always love to see what the finished product 'could' look like once it was ready to eat. My only other complaint about this book was the use of canned soups in the recipes. Not something I expected to see, but I might have to give them a try anyways - just to see what they are like. I tried several of the recipes from this cookbook - I picked some fairly simple and quick ones and I was happy (and so was my hubby) with how they turned out. Each one had it's own pros and cons and I've added a few of them to my own rotation of meals. This is definitely a cookbook I'd love to add to my collection and would recommend this to almost anyone who is looking for something new and fun to try.
- ebook netgalley-read read-in-2011
Linda B
402 reviews9 followers
With 627 recipes, you really can’t go wrong with this cookbook. The Introduction is written by Carol Roth Giagnocava and the Forward is by Alan Giagnocavo in which they introduce the Amish and Mennonite cookbooks and the impact the funds have for the Mennonite Central Committee Relief efforts. There is also a brief history of the Amish and Mennonites. All of the categories that most cookbooks have such as Appetizers, Soups, Main Dishes, etc. are here, but there are also additional recipes for European Dishes, Traditional Classics, Cheese-making, Jams, Grandma’s Remedies, and Soap Making. The recipes included are good, hearty, home-cooking comfort food. There are also lovely rural countryside photographs to enjoy.
Seriously Reviewed
80 reviews6 followers
Yes, I am one of those women who actually READ a cookbook :) Strange? Perhaps but let me tell you that I find them very interesting. Not only do I get to discover a ton of yummy sounding foods, but I even get to learn about different combinations and ways of cooking. I was super excited to get the chance to read and review this one. There is nothing that I love better than going through my grannie's recipe box in search of treasured favorites. This book was filled with down home favorites that I will be tackling in my own kitchen to serve with love to my family and friends.
Kathy
903 reviews39 followers
This is an amazing recipe collection put together by the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC). The MCC is an amazing organization and I hope this fabulous cookbook is an excellent fundraiser for them. The cookbook starts off with the history of Anabaptists such as the Amish and Mennonites in North America. It is illustrated with gorgeous photographs. Mennonite bakers are unsurpassed so it is a delight to find all the recipes in one spot. Excellent recipes for pickles and relishes. An excellent addition to anyone's cookbook collection!
Kathely
131 reviews52 followers
Especially the candy recipes...