Welcome to Amish Country
|
||
 Imagine a world without MTV... where teens dress alike, don't talk back, and actually like to work.... Welcome to Amish country
Okay... let's get this straight. Three whole days with no electricity... no cars (or any form of modern transportation, for that matter)... no Madonna... no Big Macs... Just what did we get ourselves into, anyway?!
That's the question my friend Catherine and I (there we are in the photo below) were asking ourselves when we decided to take a break from New York City and hit the road for a relaxing-not taxing-weekend in the quaint Amish country of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Little did we know what a culture shock this trip was going to be!
We first knew that we were entering a totally new world when we saw the land-miles and miles of rolling hills, filled with straight rows of corn and bright golden wheat.
One of the nicest parts of our visit was spending some time at the home of an Amish family. While we were there, we had a chance to talk to two Amish girls-nine-year-old Emma and seven-year-old Sadie Stoltzfus. They were so shy and polite, showing us around their home (which we noticed was without mirrors-no vanity, remember). Amish kids don't spend their days shopping at the mall or watching MTV. In fact, these two were taking care of their younger brother while their mom was out back. Even more astonishing, they weren't complaining one bit! They seem to be a lot more responsible than most of the people we know.
Other Amish kids were working out in the fields. It's not too unusual to see ten- to fourteen-year-old boys maneuvering six-horse plows. Most children are finished with school completely by the eighth grade. The educational goals for the Amish are to prepare young people for life in their community-not ours.
Before we left Lancaster, Catherine and I took a horse-and-buggy ride. It was peaceful, and we didn't have to stop for gas. Our driver even told us how fast we were going by counting how fast the wheel turned on the buggy.
Now, as we sit in stalled traffic on the way home every night, we really miss that place...
Recipes for some of the hearty Amish fare
OLD-FASHIONED LEMONADE
(Adapted from Marcia Adams's Cooking from Quilt Country)
This lemonade takes a little extra effort, but it's worth it!
10 lemons
1.5 cups sugar
6 cups water
Ice cubes
Fresh mint sprigs (optional)
Thinly slice 9 lemons, and place in a large bowl. Toss with sugar; let stand for 10 minutes. Press lemons with a potato masher to extract juice and oil from the rinds. Add water, a little at a time, and continue to mash lemons. (The more you mash, the more lemon oil you release.) Strain lemonade; place in a large pitcher. Slice remaining lemon for garnish. Just before serving, add ice cubes. Garnish with mint if desired. Makes about 2 quarts.
PUMPKIN WALNUT BISCUITS
(Adapted from Marcia Adams's Cooking from Quilt Country)
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter, cut into small pieces
1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts
2/3 cup canned or mashed cooked pumpkin
1/2 cup buttermilk*
Preheat oven to 450° F. Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices in a large bowl. Blend in cold butter with a pastry blender, fork, or your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add walnuts. In a small bowl, whisk together pumpkin and buttermilk. Add to flour mixture, and stir to combine (the dough will be quite stiff, and not all the flour will be blended in). Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead gently until flour is incorporated. Roll out the dough to a 1/2-inch thickness, and cut out biscuits with a 2-inch round cutter. Transfer biscuits to a lightly oiled baking sheet; bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Serve hot from the oven with lots of butter. Makes 12 biscuits.
*To make your own buttermilk, add 1/2 teaspoon white vinegar to 1/2 cup milk.
COUNTRY FRIED CHICKEN
2 frying chickens (each 21/2 to 3 lbs.), cut into pieces
1.5 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup milk
2 cups corn or safflower oil
Wash chicken pieces, and pat dry. Set aside. In a shallow bowl, combine flour, salt, and pepper. Place milk in another shallow bowl. Dip chicken pieces in flour mixture, and shake off excess. Dip in milk, letting excess run into bowl. Dip chicken in flour again, shaking off excess. Set aside. Heat oil in a large, heavy skillet on medium-high heat (oil is at proper temperature when a 1-inch cube of bread browns in 1 minute; adjust heat if bread burns or remains soggy). Cook chicken pieces, a few at a time, for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once. Drain on paper towels. Serves 6 to 8.
QUICK SUGAR SNAP PEAS
This tender, sweet vegetable is delicious prepared simply-sauteed in butter with salt and pepper.
1/2 cup water
4 to 6 tablespoons butter or margarine
1.5 lbs. fresh sugar snap peas
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
In a large saucepan, heat water and butter over medium-high heat. Add sugar snap peas; cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently. When peas are crisp but still tender, season with salt and pepper, and serve. Serves 6.
AMISH APPLE PIE
(Adapted from Marcia Adams's Cooking from Quilt Country)
This is the best apple pie-thick and rich with a crunchy topping!
4 large McIntosh or Granny Smith apples
1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell*
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons flour 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 egg
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract Streusel topping
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg Pinch salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 350° F. Peel, core, and thinly slice apples; there should be about 4 cups. Place apples in pie shell. In a small bowl, combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, egg, cream, and vanilla extract until well blended. Pour over apples. Bake for 20 minutes. While pie is baking, make topping: In a food processor bowl (or a medium-size bowl), mix the first six streusel ingredients. Add butter, and process (or blend with a pastry blender, fork, or your fingertips) until mixture is crumbly. Add walnuts; set aside. After pie has baked for 20 minutes, remove from oven and sprinkle streusel over the top, covering it completely. Bake for 40 minutes more, or until the top puffs and is golden brown. Let cool 5 minutes before serving. Serves 8 to 10.
*You may use a prepared pie shell or use this recipe for a single-crust pie:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup chilled butter or margarine, cut into small pieces
1 to 3 tablespoons ice water
In a medium-size bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Blend in butter with a pastry blender, fork, or your fingertips until mixture resembles cornmeal. Add ice water, a tablespoon at a time, blending in with a fork; use only enough water to bind flour. Turn dough out onto a floured work surface, and roll out into a 12-inch circle. Transfer dough to a 9-inch pie pan by folding dough in half, placing in pie pan, and unfolding it. Turn edge of crust under to create a smooth edge, then crimp the dough with the thumb and forefinger of one hand, or press it repeatedly with the tines of a fork.
|
   Beauty Health Fashion TravelWelcome to Amish Country
|
|
