Treasured Amish & Mennonite Recipes: 627 Delicious, Down-to-Earth Recipes from Authentic Country Kitchens
Grade: A 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.I love good old-fashioned comfort food so when I saw this cookbook I knew I had to check it out.  The first thing that struck me about it was how many recipes their were in it, 600 to be exact that cover every type of food you could want to make.  Some of the sections in the book are appetizers, main dishes and casseroles, European dishes, breads, and desserts.  The section I found the most recipes that I would like to try was the bread section.  I love to bake bread and their are some great recipes to try in this book. The one thing that I found disappointing was that a lot of the recipes relied on canned soups in the ingredients.  When I think of Amish cooking I think of food that is made from scratch with homemade sauces and soups, not canned ones.  I also saw a few that called for Velveeta cheese and that just doesn't sound homemade Amish to me. I would have to give this book 4 out of 5 stars, there are a lot of good recipes that remind of food my grandmother made and they brought back good memories.  Not all of the recipes were what I was hoping for, but still a worthwhile cookbook to have.I am struggling to find words to do justice to Treasured Amish & Mennonite Recipes . This new paperback was published in October 2011, and as its subtitle says, it contains "627 Delicious, Down-to-Earth Recipes from Authentic Country Kitchens". What the subtitle doesn't tell you is that it is full of delightful colour photographs of Amish and Mennonite areas, buggies and the occasional shots of people, and that the subject divider pages are illustrated with quilt square piece illustrations, which makes flicking to each chapter a delight in itself.  This lovely  book is incredibly comprehensive, cramming 627 recipes into its 336 pages and ranging from traditional Amish foods to more modern dishes such as Vietnamese Spring Rolls, covering hearty and filling casseroles, using dandelions to make drinks, cheesemaking, breadmaking, making your own pickles, jams and preserves, soap- making and a special chapter on traditional remedies. There are some wonderful pot-luck sized recipes too, most notably one for 20 gallons of Borscht which starts off with 50lbs of meat and bones ! The purist might balk at things such as using tinned soups and processed cheese as convenient bases for some recipes, but the most are cooked "from scratch". I loved reviewing the time-limited ebook from the publisher so much that I have bought my very own paperback copy from Amazon.co.uk.....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.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.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.The Pennsylvania Dutch are known for their unique traditional foods-recipes that reflect their German heritage and agricultural roots. Experience PA Dutch cooking with the authentic Amish and Mennonite recipes found in the pages of this cookbook. Inside, are recipes for everything from apple butter to chicken pot-pie, ham loaf to classic mashed potatoes. The book is also filled with interesting facts and fun stories about many of the recipes, sure to surprise and delight any cook. Bringing these delicious recipes into the kitchen will please any family! About the Author     Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) works alongside local churches and communities in more than 50 countries, including Canada and the United States, to carry out disaster relief, sustainable community development and justice and peace-building work in the name of Christ. MCC also seeks to build bridges to connect people and ideas across cultural, political and economic divides. My Review 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!Cute cookbook that gives the reader a glimpse into the Amish and Mennonite worlds.  This book is packed with trusted and traditional recipes.  Casseroles, stews, soups, mains, salads, beverages it's all in here.  If you don't already have a basic go to cook book this could be a good choice for you.The Pennsylvania Dutch are known for their unique traditional foods-recipes that reflect their German heritage and agricultural roots. Experience PA Dutch cooking with the authentic Amish and Mennonite recipes found in the pages of this cookbook. Inside, are recipes for everything from apple butter to chicken pot-pie, ham loaf to classic mashed potatoes. The book is also filled with interesting facts and fun stories about many of the recipes, sure to surprise and delight any cook. Bringing these delicious recipes into the kitchen will please any family! 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.This is a GREAT cookbook! Coming from Pennsylvania Dutch region in PA...there's lots of good "down-home" recipes that I would love to try (and some very familiar ones for my favorites, too!) Along with having LOTS of GREAT recipes...the book also has little helpful tidbits as well as really cute one-line sayings mixed in. I loved that aspect of the cookbook!! But...you're probably wondering what some of the oh-so-yummy recipes are...so here's a sampling of some of my favorites: Deviled eggs Ham balls Cinnamon rolls Funnel cakes Soft pretzels Cheesy scalloped potatoes Baked corn Fastnachts (doughnuts) Macaroni salad Lebanon bologna Shoofly pie ...and many more! I would highly recommend this cookbook!!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!I've contributed to and helped publish church cookbooks over the years. Those books usually contains favorite recipes from the congregation's best cooks. Well, here's one that is the mother, no make that grandmother, of all church cookbooks. Over six hundred recipes from the best cooks among Amish and Mennonite congregations is an amazing set of recipes. Because many of the church's members raise their own food, the recipes reflect that background. There are the standard chapters like main dishes, side dishes, breads and desserts. But there are also chapters on cheesemaking, pickling, jams, fruit butters and even soap making. There are two chapters I think are unique. One is "Traditional Classics" and the other is "Grandma's Remedies." In "Traditional Classics" the chapter starts with the social events that are standard within the community: Weddings, Funerals, Quilting Bees, Barn Raisings, and Threshings. What made it fun for me was to see what was on the menu at these events and the enormous quantity of food that was prepared. Keep in mind they do not call in professional caterers. This is do-it-yourself with help from friends and family. Here's an example from a typical Barn Raising for 250 men:     24 loaves of bread; 5 pounds butter; 21 crocks potatoes, boiled and riced; 4 large roasters of gravy beef; 8 crocks carrots, boiled and buttered; 3 crocks carrot and cucumber pickles; 45 large jars applesauce; 12 crocks sweet apple schnitz and prunes; 350 Amish doughnuts; 5 gallons maple syrup; and 45 lemon drop pies.     There is usually enough left over to feed all of the women and children, usually numbering anywhere from, 50 to 90. In "Grandma's Remedies" there are recipes for a bread and milk poultice, lots of uses for honey, vinegar, and teas, hair tonic, liniment, mustard plaster and so forth. Here's an interesting one:     Lily Whiskey     Fill a jar with the petals of the Madonna Lily. Get a bottle of good quality whiskey. Fill the jar so the petals are all covered. As they settle down, add more whiskey. This is especially good for burns and sores. Scattered throughout the book are quotes about food and sometimes life in general. For example, "Courage is fear that has said it's prayers." I know I've said it before but my favorite cookbooks are those that read like a good novel. Treasured Amish and Mennonite Recipes makes for great reading. I've been on a roll lately reading about the Amish and this was a very nice fit. I'll recommend this book to foodies who love the old-fashioned recipes from an area of the world devoted to the simple life.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"It's no secret that delicious food comes out of the Amish-Mennonite tradition. This cookbook has it all--classics like Gravy Beef and Whoopie Pies, fun ones like Cherry Moos and Piggy Casserole, and recipes from the Old Country--Fleisch Piroschky (meat buns) and Dutch Potato Soup. The recipes are easy-to-follow, not overwhelming for young or nervous cooks, laced with helpful hints and fascinating trivia and Penn-Dutch sayings. An authentic collection of delightful treats that will be a staple in your kitchen."I've read it cover to cover. One of my passions is reading a cookbook like a novel...sherishing every turn of the page. The photos, layout, graphics and of course the recipes are just yummy1