Cooking from Quilt Country : Hearty Recipes from Amish and Mennonite Kitchens [Hardcover]

Marcia Adams (Author), Alexandra Avakian (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 13, 1988

Includes nearly 200 family recipes from America's heartland, a culinary folk history of the Indiana Amish and Mennonites. This celebration of farm life is a companion volume to the PBS series hosted by Adams. 64 full-color photographs.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Includes nearly 200 family recipes from America's heartland, a culinary folk history of the Indiana Amish and Mennonites. This celebration of farm life is a companion volume to the PBS series hosted by Adams. 64 full-color photographs.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Clarkson Potter; First Edition edition (February 13, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0517568136
• ISBN-13: 978-0517568132
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 7.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #438,199 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "The heart of regional American cookery", August 24, 2003

By 

Alejandra Vernon "artist & illustrator" (Long Beach, California) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Cooking from Quilt Country : Hearty Recipes from Amish and Mennonite Kitchens (Hardcover)

Unique and marvelous, this is a cookbook I enjoyed reading from cover to cover, with recipes I had never seen before, and as Ms. Adams explains in her excellent introduction, that because the Amish and Mennonites have kept themselves outside of mainstream society, "their folkways, language, and eating habits have changed very little in hundreds of years".
The layout for the recipes is not in a category format, but thematically and by seasons: 1. "The Greening of Indiana". 2. "Summer Days". 3. "Shades of Autumn". 4. "Winter's Rest"; as an example, though there are many superb, hearty recipes in "The Soup Pot", which is part of the final winter section, the tasty Asparagus Soup is part of "The Earth Stirs" in the first spring section.

Each chapter starts with some history, as in "The Barn Raising" in the summer section, which describes this terrific community tradition (those who have seen the Harrison Ford film "Witness" will remember the barn raising scene), where the women prepare a noon meal for a hundred or more men, and arrange it on long tables...and how these meals are "still prepared in kitchens without electricity" (pg. 65).
There is a chapter on Thanksgiving, with the traditional Amish-Mennonite menu. It would be interesting for someone with a large family to prepare this from the Apple Salad to the Mincemeat and Custard Cornbread.

The paper quality is good, with a semi-matte finish, and the photographs by Alexandra Avakian capture the atmosphere and beauty of the rural locations, the houses, the creative and colorful quilts, and the people; the children are exquisite, and look so healthy.
This book represents a wonderful piece of Americana and a basic part of our heritage; it is lovely to look at, a pleasure to read, and full of wholesome, nutritious and delicious recipes to treasure for generations.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Easiest, best pie crust, February 2, 2000

By 

dallas (Sunnyvale, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cooking from Quilt Country : Hearty Recipes from Amish and Mennonite Kitchens (Hardcover)

This is a delightful book that offers interesting glimpses of the Amish lifestyle and preserves some wonderful recipes. I greatly enjoy the photos and anecdotes in this book, as well as the terrific recipes.

I make the Hot Water Pie Crust in nine-crust batches and freeze it (it freezes perfectly). It is the easiest pie crust recipe I've ever used and tastes just like Grandma's. We don't have pie often, due to its fat content, but when we do, this crust never fails.

The oven-fried chicken recipe is also a winner. Again, it has a lot of fat, but it's great for special occasions and company dinners.

Kudos to Marcia for ensuring that these treasured recipes aren't lost, and for providing a peek at a unique way of life.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is the best Amish cook book I've seen yet., August 6, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cooking from Quilt Country : Hearty Recipes from Amish and Mennonite Kitchens (Hardcover)

If you like learning about the Amish and finding out how they live and eat,this is the book for you.This book is full of great receipes and a story to go with them. There are lots of beautiful pictures and stories telling you about Amish life. I recomend this book to anyone interested in cooking and learning about the simple life of the Amish.