By Kevin Williams
There are some really wonderful Plain writers out there and I love showcasing them, I have three different ones this week, plus regular news, so let's get started:
This sign was on the door at the home nearby Millie's, but it wasn't Millies house. I was mistaken, but the people here knew where Millie lived and directed me. Otto is a VERY common Amish last name here.
AMISH AND MENNONITE WRITERS
MILLIE OTTO'S UGLY DUCKLING CAKE: Millie Otto shares her weekly thoughts from Arthur, Illinois, plus a recipe for "Ugly Duckling" cake, the recipe sounds pretty good to me. Here is an excerpt of her column this week:
We are having a very warm summer afternoon. And humid. The temperature is 98 degrees, the heat index is 115 degrees. But it is summer and I love it! It is a very quiet afternoon. Maybe it is too warm for things to be stirring. I'm thinking daughter Rachel was glad she had a taxi to take her to her sister-in-law today so she didn't have to run a horse all those miles in his heat.
So, for more Millie and her recipe for Ugly Duckling Cake, click here.
SARA MILLER'S AMISH CORNER: This is a monthly column from a newspaper in Geauga County. If you look at all the Plain writers out there, Sara's article is probably the most "traditional" in that she does a lot of name-dropping, recounting of family gatherings, but it's done in a very no-frills, non-literary way....I enjoy it, but it's just fun because each Plain writer brings something different to their column. Here is an excerpt from Sara:
On Aug. 21, my niece Fannie and Amos Bontrager, of Augusta, Wis., spent the afternoon and evening with me. They stayed for dinner, then in the evening, sons Ray, Perry and Katie Ann, Joe and Saloma and Richard also came. We sat around the patio at daughter Sylvia and Dan’s house. Amos and Fannie then went to Crist and Ann Byler’s for the night.
I spent 10 days in Mio, Mich., at daughter Betty and Melvin Byler’s from Aug. 4 to 14. I spent one day with sister Liz and one day, sisters Liz, Clara and Sylvia spent the day at niece Wilma’s for Liz’s 89th birthday. On Friday, we had a family get-together at niece Bertha and David Bontrager’s. It was a very nice day.
Click here to read Sara's whole column.
MENNONITE MEMOIRS: Man, I continue to be just enthralled with this column from an Old Order Mennonite woman in Pennsylvania. Her writing is insight, lyrical, humble...I love it and am so happy to be able to share her with you each week...here is an excerpt:
Time seemed to stand still as I stood inside the screened door of our front porch. Having recognized the call from the bluebird parents for their fledglings to try their wings for the first time, I had turned from my duties to watch and wait for a rare nature show. In fact, I never saw three bluebirds take turns to fly from the birdhouse on the grape arbor. As the crickets sang and gentle breezes touched me, I let the golden moment sink into my heart before it sped by on summer wings.
Read her whole wonderful column here!
images from the LaGrange County, Indiana tourism board, they shared them with me years ago, feels good to reuse them!
WONDERFUL SHIPSHEWANA: Seems a little bit like a tourism piece to drum up business to Shipshewana that, like many tourism destinations, has been hit hard by COVID. But the photos and imagery and information is nice, click here to read.
CORONAVIRUS SPREADING AMONG THE AMISH? This is an interesting article because it really is tough to come by information about the virus's spread among the Amish. My guess is that it's pretty high because the Amish, in general, congregate a lot, don't social distance as much, and tend to have a lot of intergenerational families living with one another. Not a good recipe to stop the spread of COVID. An excerpt of the article:
Experts believe that some practices among the Amish — such as funerals and other gatherings — could have helped the virus spread in the community.
County health departments collect some demographic information about who tests positive, such as race or ethnicity, but patients are not specifically asked their religion.
Read the whole article here.
APIE CAKE: I love learning new Amish and Pennsylvania Dutch recipes and this is one I had not heard of....any of our Pennsylvania readers know about this? Here is a description:
Apie cake is a favored breakfast treat, much like Shoofly Pie, but unlike it or Shoofly Cake, apie cake is not so sweet, is denser than coffee cake — some versions being deliberately “dry” — and lends itself to dunking in hot coffee making it the perfect morning treat or late night snack. Although we Dutchies enjoy it warm from the oven, many feel the flavor is best the next day — or beyond.
Many a PA Dutch cook whips up apie cakes in multiples of two, three, or more, usually in 6-, 8- or 9-inch cake or pie pans. It is one of those generations-old traditional regional foods whose recipe is passed down through the years, and I think it safe to say nearly every family’s recipe is different in some way than every other family’s recipe.
Click here for the full recipe.
AMISH AUCTION
This is a super opportunity for some fun, food, and fellowship for anyone in the Youngstown, Columbus, Ohio, Wheeling, WV area there is this coming up tomorrow (Saturday), if you can do it and keep your social distance, absolutely give it a try! Here are the details:
– A benefit for the Pine Hollow Amish School will be held Saturday at the school located on Pine Hollow Road near Rogers. There will be an auction beginning at 10 a.m. featuring a Raven crossbow, $500 shopping spree, patio set and pellet gun. There also will be a bake sale, a 50/50 raffle and raffle baskets. The drawing will be at 1 p.m. and the winner need not be present. Breakfast featuring pancakes, sausage, gravy and biscuits will be served from 8-10:30 a.m. Lunch featuring hamburgers, hot dogs, french fires and dessert will begin serving at 10:30. For more information on the event, call David at 831-6977 or Harvey at 330/360-9752. Donations are appreciated.
My mother made the ugly ducking cake , but she just called it Fruit Cocktail Cake. I have her recipe and make it now. It is a very easy cake to make.
Okay, I thought the recipe sounded familiar, I have heard of, and eaten Fruit Cocktail Cake, always interesting to hear the different names things go by...