The Amish Cook: Mission Work and Eclair Dessert

Editor's Note:  This column has some interesting references to mission work.  This may be one of the more stark differences between the New Order Amish and the Old Order Amish.  People unfamiliar with the New Order Amish church may label them as "more progressive" than the Old Order, but it's not quite that simple.  One of the key differences between the two churches is over Sunday school (the New Order has it, the Old Order traditionally has not) and evangelicalism.  The Old Order generally doesn't participate in mission work (but even here there is a broad spectrum, some Old Order Amish are quite involved with Mennonite Relief in helping to rebuild homes after storms, etc which is arguably "mission" work).    New Order church members are generally more open to "witnessing" to others, reaching out and if not spreading their faith, demonstrating it through work overseas building schools and helping feed the hungry.   For this reason, most New Order churches permit members to ride on commercial airlines, whereas most Old Orders are not.   Most youth in Gloria's Flat Rock settlement participate in overseas mission work before being baptized into the church. One of the biggest organizations in organizing overseas trips for the Amish is Christian Aid Ministries.  The New Order and Old Order churches are both "horse and buggy" churches and reject modern conveniences like electricity and automobiles in daily life.  - Kevin Williams

THE AMISH COOK
BY DORCAS RABER

Hello to everyone from Gloria’s Mom’s kitchen! I’m sitting here at our kitchen table with a cup of coffee while watching snowflakes drift down lazily.  Last winter I had the privilege of seeing several pictures of snowflakes through a microscope view.  Wow! What an awesome sight.

Daniel, Gloria, and children are in Ohio this week. I’ll let Gloria fill in those details next week. It will be so nice to have them back home again.

The small Amish school that scholars in Flat Rock attend.

It is very quiet here at the Raber home.  Husband David and son Jeriah left to do their turkey chores. We have three 500 foot turkey barns and then on to their logging job.  Our scholars Anna Faith and Keturah are at school.  Today, hot lunch will be served at school which is a treat for the teachers, pupils and the moms (no lunch buckets to pack!)  Recently there was hot lunch served at school and I forgot and sent buckets along to school. Sigh.  Every other week there is one day where parents rotate and bring in a hot lunch for the scholars. Gloria will write about that in a future column.

Last evening we lengthened our kitchen table and had a belated birthday meal for son Michael who turned 22. With Michael’s family and son Javin’s there were 12 of us around the table. Micah had requested “BLT pizza.”  I also made crusty baked potatoes and “Éclair dessert.”  I was first introduced to Éclair Dessert through several of our church ladies who come from Allen County, Indiana.  It is a top-notch 5-star rating dessert! I’ll include the recipe in this article It’s similar to cream puffs.  I remember some of us girls helping make cream puffs years ago in a home economics class.

Early this morning, Micah, wife Rose, and baby Jeanette, left for Indianapolis where the will board a plane and head for China on a mission trip.  They’ll be gone  4 1 /2 weeks.  I hope 5 month old Jeanette will enjoy the trip.  Usually she’s a content, cheery baby with a ready smile although sometimes she’s scared of some strangers. Isn’t it something  how secure a baby feels with Daddy and Mom?  Rose told me yesterday was the first time that they had gone away with horse and buggy that it wasn’t  too cold for Jeanette. She was able to sit up and look out and see the horse. She was so intrigued and fascinated! Rose’s family are horse lovers so Jeanette just might be the same.

My husband David and son Jeriah are planning to join Micah’s on their mission trip in several  weeks from now then return home with them.  So that means the 3 girls and I will have to keep “the home fires burning” I have  a feeling we are going to be more than ready to have Daddy and Jeriah home again! “Absence makes the heart grow (even more) fonder” you know.  The girls and I would like to go to Holmes County, Ohio and spend time with my family while the others are on their trip.  We’d be gone about 5 days. That means family food and fellowship!  My niece is getting married this summer and I’m looking forward to sitting around the table with Mom, my two sisters and nieces and hearing all about the wedding plans, wedding colors and wedding menu.  It’s a major event.  Hopefully Gloria will fill you in about the wedding then afterwards.  Enjoy this delicious eclair dessert!

ÉCLAIR DESSERT

1 cup water

1 /2 cup butter

1 cup flour

4 eggs

Bring water and butter to a boil.  Turn off heat and add flour all at one time. Stir until smooth ball forms. Remove from heat. Let stand for 5 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, stirring well after each addition. Beat until smooth. Spread in a greased 15 X 11 pan.  Bake at 400 for 30-35 minutes until golden brown. Cool. Put the following filling on top:

8 ounces cream cheese

1 cup instant pudding (2 small boxes)

3 cups milk

Top with 1 quart pie filling of your choice ( I used strawberry) Or you can drizzle with chocolate syrup.  Top with 8 ounces tub of whipping topping. Serve chilled.