By Kevin Williams
Our Amish Buggy product of the week is black bean salsa, which you can order from Amazon here. If you like yours with a bit more kick, you can order a "medium" version here.
This is good stuff, made and packed by an Amish family outside of Arthur, Illinois. Â There are more flavors which I'll talk about in the weeks ahead.
Related post: Menno-Mex, an awesome store in Aylmer, Ontario!
Related post: Delicious burritos
Related post: Mennonites in Mexico
Related post: 5 Amish Tex-Mex recipes!
I've talked before about the influence of Hispanic culinary culture on the Amish.  In rural areas of Kansas, for instance, where there are Amish communities there is also a very large Hispanic population. Yoder and Hutchinson have changed a lot as rural Kansas has experienced an influx of Hispanic residents. TaquerÃas and cantinas are now as common as corn and cattle. The south-of-the-border culinary influence has seeped into Amish kitchens as well.
The other way Hispanic foods get "transferred" to the Amish is via pop/commercial culture. Â Breakfast burritos, which McDonald's popularized, are now copied in homemade form in many Amish kitchens. Â Tacos, popularized by Taco Bell and others, are now popular in Amish homes.
Also, Mennonites who travel frequently between Mexico and Canada have brought many local recipes with them. Â And the Amish community in Beeville, Texas, just a couple hours north of the border, is proving to be a jumping off point for Mexican-influenced cuisine.
Salsas are a natural fit for the Amish. Â Tomatoes are plentiful in most Amish gardens, as are plenty of other veggies which make for a great salsa. Â Salsas really began appearing and taking off in Amish kitchens around 20 - 25 years ago and they are quite popular. Â Heck, you don't even need tomatoes to make a good salsa, as this recipe proves.
- 1 1 /2 cups of finely chopped cantaloupe
- 1 shallot, minced
- 1 /2 large green pepper, chopped fine
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
- 1 or 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 /4 teaspoon salt
- Combine all ingredients and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to blend.
Other favorite salsa recipes on Amish365:
CORN SALSA - This recipe comes from the Amish Cook.
AMISH THICK N CHUNKY HOMEMADE SALSA:  Click here. This one requires home-canning knowledge, etc, my favorite salsas are just the "mix n' stir" kind.
SWEET AND SOUR SALSA: Â This is a recipe from an Amish woman in Ohio. Â Honestly, I had never heard of "Tiger sauce", but she says it is in the same aisle as the hot sauce. Â And you can use regular corn if you don't have shoepeg.
- 1 15 ounce can field peas, drained
- 1 11 ounce can shoepeg corn, drained
- 1 large red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 /2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 /3 cup sugar
- 1 /2 cup vinegar
- 1 /4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon Tiger sauce
- Combine all ingredients and set aside.
- Mix all ingredients and pour over vegetables.
- Stir to mix.
- Let sit in refrigerator 8 hours or overnight before serving.
- Serve with tortilla chips.
- Makes approximately 4 1 /2 cups.
- Serves 10 - 12.
This also comes from an Amish woman in Ohio. SIGH, I forgot to have her clarify if she meant "mango" or "pepper"...I am assuming she meant the fruit.
- 1 cup finely diced, peeled mango (½ pound)
- 2 plum tomatoes, finely diced
- 2 tablespoons minced red onion
- 1 tablespoon minced bell pepper
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 /2 teaspoon vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 /2 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- Combine all ingredients.
- Serve with tortilla chips.
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