Thursday Favorites: Amish Soups (Yankee Bean Soup and More!) and Switzerland County

By Kevin Williams

Winter is beginning to settle in across the Midwest United States which makes it the perfect "soup weather."  Amish cooks are legendary for their  thick "scratch soups".   A soup is a relatively low maintenance dish that can simmer on the stove for hours while a busy mother goes about her day.

So let's explore some favorites!

AMISH RIVVEL SOUP:  This soup isn't fancy but, wow, it is a winner: simple, hearty, flavorful.  This soup is a tradition in many Amish settlements. Click here to see the recipe.

YANKEE BEAN SOUP (pictured):  This recipe comes from an Amish settlement in Upstate New York, where winters are long and soups are thick.  Read about this delicious soup and get the recipe here.

SWARTZENTRUBER CHILI SOUP:  It does get cold even in Tennessee where this recipe comes from. Click here for a very authentic, homemade, handwritten chili soup recipe.

LANCASTER CHICKEN  CORN SOUP: You can't really talk about the soups and the Amish without mentioning this recipe.  I think of it as more of a spring and summer soup, but, what the heck, soup of any kind is good on a cold winter's day! Check out this recipe here

SCENES FROM SWITZERLAND COUNTY:  No, not Switzerland Country, I'd love to make it there...SIGH, maybe someday....this is less glamorous Switzerland County, revisit my visit there here.