5 comments about Mennonite Community Cookbook: Favorite Family Recipes.

1. OK, it's a little old-fashioned, but it's a relic of a bygone age, and many of the recipes deserve to be given new life.

   The weaknesses are mostly in some of the main-course recipes that, by all appearances, can be extremely fatty and greasy. Speaking as someone who just lost 30 pounds, I don't need that! But they're probably good for an occasional indulgence.

   The cookie, cake and pie recipes are the book's strongest point. Saucepan Fudge Cake is easy and unbelievably good, and Rochester Cake (also labelled as Grandmother's Favorite Cake) is outstanding, a layered spice cake with a raisin filling and topping. It's a great favorite of mine for parties.

   The recipes for pickles, jams and jellies will probably interest a lot of people in reviving the dying art of home canning.

   There are recipes that probably don't work at all in today's world, or are probably not up to modern tastes. A Russian "birthday cake" is pumpernickel bread, sliced and spread with cottage cheese, and the recipe is probably presented more as a historical curiosity than anything else. Another recipe, for a "Pork Cake", is something like a cross between a fruitcake and a meatloaf and will probably make modern cooks gag.

   Still, there are many good good good recipes in this book. Hearty old-fashioned fare, not something to base one's diet from, but a great addition to a cook's library.




2. I acknowledge the Madman's points: most of the recipes in this book do not conform to today's dietary standards. But bear in mind that this book was first written over 70 years ago. That's when my mother got her copy. She still has it with the cover's half-torn off and pages stuck in loose and scribbled on. This was a Pennsylvania Dutch housewife's book of recipes for Pennsylvania Dutch housewives. They weren't worried about waistlines or BMI numbers. They needed to feed their families who worked in the fields or guests over for a holiday feast.
   
   I also agree that the strength is the desert section, but that is the specialty of the PA Dutch. My brother, sister, and I would spend winter days with mother making cookies from the recipes and I even took a turn at making the cream puff recipe once for a church social. They turned out great!
   
   Not only is this a wonderful recipe book, but to me, it is a family treasure.



3. The Mennonite Community Cookbook is a major compilation of eleven hundred recipes drawn from Mennonite cookbooks and updated with standard measurements and directions but otherwise unaltered. These simple yet flavorful dishes were contributed by Mennonite families all over the United States and Canada, and include such offerings as Old-Fashioned Bean Soup, Salmon Roll with Egg Sauce, Toasted Spice Cake, and Baked Stuffed Turnips. Each recipe is quite short, yet the instructions are crystal clear and easy for cooks of all skill and experience levels to follow. The Mennonite Community Cookbook is a simply superb repository of old country flavor and culinary creations that have weathered the test of time.



4. I grew up in a Mennonite home and many of these foods, I've given this to cookbook to many of my friends and extended family members. Some really great dishes, try the graham cracker fluff it's a favorite at our house.



5. The recipes in this book are for farmers, who are cold all winter and hot all summer, so they are hearty and filling. However, if you are trying to cook light, they are easily modifiable. Use ground turkey instead of ground beef or sausage. Use turkey sausage instead of pork sausage, etc. You can often substitute canola oil for butter. You really only need to use shortening or lard when it effects the consistency, like in pie crust. Even made as they are written, these recipes are much healthier than the average fast food or restaraunt meal. They are also healthier than the average prepared meal out of the grocery store freezer. They are meant to be served up with heaping helpings of fresh vegetables. Some are great simple fare to serve up when you don't have time to cook. I find that the farmer's summer supper (a mixture of torn bread, fresh fruit and fresh milk) is great on hot summer nights when its too hot to turn on the oven and heat up the kitchen. I have used the sour milk griddle cake recipe for decades (substitute buttermilk if the idea of using sour milk bothers you, or sour fresh milk with a tablespoon of vinegar). Recently, I have gotten totally hooked on the buckwheat pancake recipe. I love the cornbread recipe, and I often make it by substituting a can of creamed corn for the milk. Its much healthier than eating store bought bread, with whole grain and vegetables both in the same bread.

5 comments about 20 Most Asked Questions About the Amish & Mennonites (People's Place Book, No 1).

1. This book is the first in the People's Place Booklet series on the Amish and other Old Order Anabaptists. This particular book goes into 20 top questions on the Amish and Mennonites, ranging from "What is the difference between the Amish and the Mennonites?" to "What, in fact, holds them together?" Along the way, the reader is treated to many black-and-white pictures, and a lot of information on the Amish and the Old Order Mennonites.

   Now, it must be said that this book focuses primarily on the Amish and Old Order Mennonites, and only occasionally talks about other groups, using them for comparisons rather than as subjects for discussion. But, that said, it is a goldmine of information on the Old Order Anabaptists, telling the reader who they are, where they came from, and what they believe. I found this to be a highly informative book, and highly recommend it to you.

   If you are interested in the Amish and other Old Order groups, then I cannot recommend this book to you enough. Buy it!




2. I found this book to be a quite readable overview of the Amish and Mennonite, although out of necessity it has to be quite general in order to be such a slim volume. My only complaint it that some of the "questions" are not answered satisfactoraly, namely that about the problems that the Amish currently have to contend with. Also, some of the photos (all in the book are black and white) are fairly dark, something which could easily have been avoided.



3. I would think most people buying this book are interested in conservative Amish and Mennonite groups, not the liberal/mainstream Mennonites. However, this book seems to make a point of explaining the liberal/mainstream views on issues without necessarily saying it is their stance and is contrary to conservative Mennonite/Amish views. Of course, this may be because the authors are mainstream Mennonite and feel just as much "Mennonite" as the ones in buggies. While I won't dabble with that topic in this review, I'm not so much opposed to them identifying mainstream Mennonite views so much as them not clearly identifying them as such and as a contrast. A bit of history of the conservative vs. mainstream movements during the 20th century would have gone a long ways, even if just a couple paragraphs, to explain why there are pictures on one page of a Beachy Amish congregation with segregated seating a plain dress, and then a woman with a short skirt smoking a cigarette on the other. "You mean, they're both Amish/Mennonite groups? How is that?" a reader may ask.
   
   But, the book does cover some basic questions readers may have about conservative Amish and Mennonites. Perhaps the less publicized book by Stephen Scott, Introduction to Old Order and Conservative Mennonite Groups (People's Place Book 12), by the same publisher would be a good introduction to conservative Mennonite groups. Scott is with a plain church and is a professor at Elizabethtown College, I believe.
   
   Anything by Donald Kraybill is usually a good place to start with the Old Order Amish, but he must be taken with a grain of salt; after all, he is a sociologist not an Amish theologian, so you miss a component of the culture and practice there.
   
   And you won't find much of anything on rumsprunga in this book. That's because it's an overpublicized media entertainment stunt that is far from portraying universal practice. There are many Amish groups that do not practice rumsprunga, and many more that have only a moderate form of it. The media's practice is like taking a run-down inner city school and portraying it like it represents all US schools.



4. Take a good look at them. I'm an Anabaptist, it means rebaptizer, the born again Christian sect that says it's for adults when they're of age. For every hundred dollars you spend, they go that much in the whole. They come from third world countries where American society is a big deal. Some of the most prejudice people who ever lived. It's totally 50s, one of those totally 90s things where cheeseburgers where a huge deal to them. I mean, who would want tio steal your cheeeseburger? If they would put some common sense into this, like having themselves popular, but instead they refuse to grow up and are totally 50s. This book stinks but check out People's Place Book 10 that abolutely rules for traditional Amish. A nabaptist- it's for adults only.



5. Although the Amish and Old Order Mennonites are remarkably fascinating for their simplicity, peacefulness and deep emotional ties that modern industrial society lacks so much, this book, which I originally found in a bargain bookshop near my home in Carlton, unfortunately does not offer a great deal that curious people (like myself) ought to know about these groups.
   
   The first book in the "People's Place" series, the book answers many crucial question about these groups but does so in a rather shallow and stereotyped manner that is unlikely to help the reader deeply understand and make his or her own judgments about the qualities typical of these groups. Whilst they explain clearly many quesitons like why the Amish reject higher education or why they dress as they do, there is very little effort to relate them together in a coherent fashion to the lifestyle they lead. As a person with a great interest in what motivates people and societies, I cannot consider this a good thing.
   
   The "People's Place" series may not have had a good start, but the much more detailed later books therein show it had much more potential than shown on this first title.

2 comments about Cookbook From Amish Kitchens: Soups (Cookbooks from Amish Kitchens).

1. Excellent in all phases: description was the selling point for me for my soup-loving gift recipient. It was all it claimed to be, shipped and received timely and in excellent condition.



2. I have all of these adorable little 'Cook Books from Amish Kitchens', and have really enjoyed them. The are very small and simple... the complete opposite of a coffee-table/display-style cookbooks we see most often today. This is a thin pamphlet with matte paper and does not include interior photos of any recipes (excluding the cover). The text is in a handwritten-style font and clearly explained. The recipes are very homey with basic ingredients and techniques; nothing fancy. Simple, delicious recipes in a simple, small booklet. RECOMMENDED.

5 comments about The Amish in Their Own Words: Amish Writings from 25 Years of Family Life Magazine.

1. Beautifully gathered stories of home life and community in the Amish settlements. Enjoyed them alland the reflections they gave. Like a quilt of people put together I enjoyed this very much.



2. We drove into Lancaster Cnty. yesterday to "see the Amish." I picked this book up (for a bit more than it is offered here at Amazon) and breezed right through. It is interesting - to say the least - and quite provocative. It debunks many of the idealized stereotypes I had of the Amish and portrays them as 'normal' people who have deliberately (and sometimes not deliberately) chosen a very separate Christian walk. Very inspiring, too. Highly recommend this for anyone interested in the Amish & Mennonites as well as all born-again believers in Christ.



3. How better to learn about the ways and lifestyle of the Amish than from their own words? Very informative and interesting! I feel all books are priced too high though and for that reason I am giving only four stars!



4. You will find this book engaging on several planes. There is a Sadness and a Joy, a Quaintness and a Moderninity. And don't be too surprised if you find yourself thinking there is a little Amish hidden inside yourself.



5. I went through an Amish Phase where I had to know all about Amish culture, and I read about everything I could find. I even visited a small Amish community tucked away in the Montana mountains. But the best book I found was this little gem, because it gives you a peek into the way the Amish themselves think and feel. Basically the book is a compilation of reader-submitted articles on a variety of subjects that have been published in an Amish-only circular. Everything from how they perceive their weaknesses as a community to their struggles with "young people" and changes to tradition - a MUST READ if you want to feel as if you were actually a fly on the wall of an Amish quilting bee or farmer's get-together.

5 comments about Cooking from Quilt Country : Hearty Recipes from Amish and Mennonite Kitchens.

1. Cooking From Quilt Country is by far the best cookbook (and I have many) that I have ever seen. Whether you want to lose weight or gain weight , recipies can be adapted for your own use and taste . Best of all, recipies can be done "by the book itself". I would honestly say this could be the only cookbook one woulld ever need and definitely would make a lovely gift!



2. book received in great shape and took less then four days to receive



3. COOKING FROM QUILT COUNTRY is a pleasure to read. The title comes from the fact that Amish and Mennonite people are famous for their quilt making skills.
   
   This book gives a little background of the Mennonite and Amish sects and how they came into existence. The roots of the two groups originated with the Protestant Reformation and the Swiss Anabaptist movement. The leader was a Dutch priest by the name of Menno Simons.
   
   This very informative book is filled with wonderful recipes and many photographs. Because the Mennonites and Amish have traditionally been farmers, they're also known for their wonderful foods. There are recipes for everyone here, but I was especially interested in the different vegetable dishes that are presented.



4. The recipes are hearty and filling, taste and look great too. My husband raves each time something new comes from this book!



5. What can I say I'm perpetually busy with three small boys and cooking always seems to allude me culminating in constant eating out.
   
   I have several cookbooks, either the kids won't eat the recipes I make, they taste awful, or it's to expensive with all the ingredients.
   
   This book is an absolute jem for the mother who needs to be able to fix a simple meal, quickly, and without all the ingredient fuss. Most of the recipes in here call for flour, butter, oil, lard, sugar. You know your basic staples.
   
   My kids love these recipes. The apples I made in brown sugar, fantastic. Tastes just like Cracker Barrels. I also like the fact that when your cooking this way the preservatives are at a absolute minimum, which is great.
   
   For those of you who commented on how healthy this book is please look into your history books or pictures of your grandparents. You can't find the fat person. I've been to several countries and America is by far the fattest. The other countries all lacked skim milk, low fat this, fat free this, and corn syrup in everything.
   
   I am by the way overweight and haven't gained a pound from this book. Moderation my dear. I've actually lost weight. Great book, I highly recommend.

5 comments about From Amish And Mennonite Kitchens.

1. Have enjoyed the easy to follow, tasty recipes repeatedly over the past 5 years. Especially like the soups! If you're seeking a good all-around basic 'down home' cookbook...this is a good one!



2. We have found so many tasty and easy recipes in this collection. From the Meatloaf, to the Potato Soup, to the Whoppie Pies... We could go on and on. All the ingredients you will generally have on hand. Simply the BEST.



3. Down-to-earth recipes, with easy to follow directions, have made this cookbook one of my favorites. No fancy names or haute cusine -- just good home cooking. Perfect for those who have a "meat and potatoes" family like mine.



4. I love this cookbook! It has simple, delicious recipes presented in an easy to read format. A plethora of hearty dishes awaits you, including a great section on soups. There is even a recipe for homeade root beer! I would recommend this cook book for anyone who likes classic American dishes and desserts made with easy to find ingredients.



5. This is a great cookbook. It reminds me of the home-style cooking in my mother's 1950's Betty Crocker cookbook. The recipes are not fancy and stylish...they are homey and comforting.

5 comments about The Amish Cook: Recollections and Recipes from an Old Order Amish Family.

1. If you are a fan, as I am, of the weekly Amish Cook newspaper column, this is a must-have for you. There are stories and tidbits of the column and daily life, as well as the recipes. If you like "The Amish Cook," stories about Amish life, or Amish recipes, this book has you covered x 3!! Get it! You'll love it!!!



2. This book is amazing to read just the stories alone get you hooked let alone the delicious recipes. I would reccomend this book to anyone.



3. I checked out this book from the library and after reading most of it, I decided I had to have my very own copy so I purchased one on Amazon the very next day. It is a wonderful explanation of how the Amish got their name, how they arrived in PA and there are many delicious recipes, too many to copy. I can't wait to try them as I love to cook from scratch. I purchase Amish food often and was pleased to find these recipes. The recipes consist of everyday ingredients most have on hand. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to eat well. The little stories are wonderful too.



4. These recipes are great in this book, and the best thing about these recipes is that you do not have to go to a specialty store to find the ingredients. Everything in this book you will probably already have in your pantry, and everything in this book is wonderfully flavored. The recipes are for a large group of people, so if you make a recipe make sure to have a lot of people ready to eat. There are some really interesting stories about the cook and her family in the book too. Well worth the money!



5. This cookbook has wonderful recipes from the Amish but it is much more.
   It reads like a diary of Elizabeth Coblentz's life as an Amish wife, mother, and grandmother. Very interesting details like how she used to make 9 loaves of bread every week and would have them coming out of the oven when her 8 children came home from school. She takes the reader along on a wonderful read of the Amish life; quilting, canning, church, gardening, and much more.

5 comments about Amish Friends Cookbook.

1. I collect Penna. Dutch style cookbooks. This one has not disappointed me at all. I grew up outside of Lancaster County and still enjoy Dutch style food. A lot of the recipes in this book I remember my Grandmother making. They are all very tasty and easy to adapt to your own tastes. I highly recommend it if you want to sample some good comfort food that is easy to make with many ingredients you already have.



2. Amish Friends Cookbook
   I love this cookbook! Has wonderful and easy receipes.
   Highly recommend it.



3. Very nice cookbook. The recipes are simple and common foods that I would make. The quotes at the bottom are inspirational.



4. I was very surprised by how much the Amish people depend on canned condensed soup for their recipes. I was expecting a cookbook that would have recipes to make many things from "scratch," but that is not the case. Also, I love shoefly pie, but the only recipe for it makes four pies. I don't need to make four pies at once.



5. I purchased a copy of this cookbook for myself & immediately fell in love with it. Everyone who saw mine wanted one for themselves. Guess what they will be getting as part of their Christmas gifts? Not only is it full of outstanding recipes, but it also shares cultural information of the Amish principles and way of life. This is an excellent choice for anyone who cooks.

4 comments about Caring Enough to Confront:How to Understand and Express Your Deepest Feelings Toward Others.

1. David Augsburger, professor of pastoral care in a Christian seminary, helps Christian people to explore the nature of anger and a range of ways to work with this powerful emotion. He has created a very helpful chart that offers five different ways of moving toward resolution (when the time comes) each offering a range of caring and confronting. They include choosing my way, your way, no way, compromise, or creative effforts to discover our way. Augsburger explores how the Bible encourages both assertiveness and caring and helps the reader to find their own path, blending the two.



2. Confronting can be difficult and awkward. Augsburger uses practical tips to understand how confronting can be the most caring approach. Also offers details on how to communicate more effectively -- and expect others to do so with us.



3. Execllent book! Growing up, I was under the impression that confrontation was a negative thing - that if I confronted a person about an issue then that meant I was a bad person for having poor or hurt feelings. After I read "Caring Enough to Confront" I understood that confrontation could acutally be a positive response to negative behavior. I highly reccommend this book for anyone suffering from the confrontation jitters.



4. quoted from the 1st chapter to give you an idea what this book is about ~I Love You. If I love you I must tell you the truth. I want your love. I want your truth. Love me enough to tell me the truth.

   This book really helps those of us at times that have had to confront and have felt guilty for doing so.

   Caring and confronting together provide the balance of Love and Power which lead to effective human relationships.

   Like anything else there is a time for caring and a time for confronting. Each in it's own time. Care when caring is called for and confront when confrontation is required.

   Excellent Book for help in knowing how and when to care-front :)

5 comments about The Beverly Lewis Amish Heritage Cookbook.

1. I ordered this for my landlady, she said she hasn't cooked from it yet, but she loves it, we both looked through it when it arrived and we loved the little notes from Beverly Lewis, the recipes look delicious and very down to earth, my husband loves to watch the food channel but so much of it is too fancy and strange ingredients, that stinks! I will probably buy this sometime for myself. It is a lovely cookbook, and I recommend it to anyone who likes Beverly Lewis, Cooking, or collecting cookbooks, it is a must have. Go for it you'll not regret it. Have fun in your kitchen.



2. I'm really enjoying the cookbook. The recipes are simple and taste great. I made the breakfast pumpkin bread and everyone that has tried it really likes it.



3. I have this from the library and now I have to buy it--my entire family loves these meals, they are finally all pleased with my suppers! (The kids are 11, 9, 8 and 6). We have loved almost every single recipe. The only note I would add is that there is a LOT of sugar in them, which can be decreased by about 25%, and the dishes turn out even better tasting. I actually bought some Chocolate Crunch Surprise from an Amish-run store in Missouri a few years back--what a treat it was to make it today at home--it is awesome! We also love Bird's Nest, Baked Oatmeal, Perfect Pumpkin Bread, Chicken Mushroom Bake, Cabbage Patch Stew, Ginger Ale Fruit Salad, Grandma Buchwalter's Tuna Salad, and Chicken and Waffles. We didn't like the Hearty Vegetable Soup, and the waffles were too sweet (the only waffle recipe I've ever seen with lots of sugar in it). Also, the homemade mayo recipe does NOT call for Miracle Whip--it's a for real homemade mayo recipe. The recipes come from the author's grandmother's recipe box, and she lived from 1886-1954, so they're authentic, as far as historical, but from Old Order Mennonites. This cookbook has restored my love of cooking, and we're eating so well now!! And if you ever want to make your own Amish Friendship Bread--the starter recipe and all is right here!



4. Not much out of the way from a lot of other cookbooks but has some good standards and lots of nice little quotes.



5. This cookbook is great and has simple recipes and they do not take up your time. The recipes are not for large family. You can make it as it calls for or you can double it. I like this. These are great recipes. Way to go Beverly Lewis. I also like how she gives tips for some the recipes.