Book Review: Simply Delicious Amish Cooking

 

From the back:

Unbeknownst to many folks outside the Amish Mennonite population in America, Pinecraft, Florida---a village tucked away in the heart of Sarasota---is the vacation paradise of the Plain People. Unlike any other Plain community in the world, this village is a virtual melting pot of Amish and Mennonites from around the world, intermingled with people, like author Sherry Gore's family, who live there year-round. Gore has put together a cookbook that represents the people who make Pinecraft unique.

With hundreds of easy-to-prepare recipes, 16 full-color photographs and black-and-white photographs throughout, this cookbook includes traditional favorites such as Sweet Potato Sweet Mash and Mrs. Byler's Glazed Donuts, as well as Florida favorites including Fried Alligator Nuggets, Grilled Lime Fish Fillets, and Strawberry Mango Smoothies. Interspersed with the recipes are true-life stories about births, engagements, weddings, deaths, funerals, celebrations, wildlife encounters, and accidents told through years of Sherry's Letters from Home column published in The Budget, the Amish newspaper. This delightful cookbook offers readers a faith-based, family-focused perspective of the simple way of life of the Plain People. It is truly a breath of fresh air from Sarasota, Florida!


My Reflections:
Oh my, Oh my! When I saw this book up for review I put a sticky note on my computer to remind me to request it on the release date. That is how bad I wanted this book!

I must tell you this book exceeded all my expectations. It is colorful, informative and not only on meal ideas but also on the Amish lifestyle, loved the diary type entries. I found myself reading these excerpts to the kids at meal times, just for the pure learning outcomes!
After much thought and recipe perusing I decided to test out the cheesy scalloped potatoes for a dinner party. I had a lot of complements and the overall presentation was pretty good too. Here is a picture of the result.

I thought I would surly have to get a cow to milk, or make my own ingredients, but to my delight the Amish use easy to acquire products like canned soup and tater tots in their recipes.

The pictures that accompany many of these recipes are stunning and urge you to try your hand at a new and tasty dish. I am looking at cooking these dishes in the next couple of days:
Caramel Corn, Cheesy chicken chowder, chocolate whoopie pies, and Amish Bean soup. Oh my watering mouth!

I would highly recommend this unique and informative cook book to anyone who wants to experience the comforts of a home spun meal, and the flavor of the traditional Amish of Sarasota Florida!
I received this book complements of Book Sneeze, free of charge in the exchange of my honest review.
 Thank you so much Book Sneeze!