THE AMISH COOK
BY LOVINA EICHER
It’s a little past 7 a.m. and the bright glow in the eastern sky looks like a promise for a sunny day. The sun is always welcome at this time of the year. The ground is covered with snow again and the temperatures are colder. Finally feels like winter. Saturday morning our thermometer showed 6 degrees. The last few days the morning temperature has been around 20. The new stove is heating well and is saving us coal. It was high time for a new one.
I am making coffee. I don’t drink coffee every morning but it feels like I need some this morning. I was up with daughter Lovina, 7, during part of the night. She came to our bedroom and told us she has to throw up. Before I could get her to our bathroom she threw up on our floor. Sigh. I thought she felt warm, so I took her temperature and it showed 103. After some fever reducer she is sleeping well. She didn’t even wake up with the commotion of the other children getting ready for school. When my children get sick and I am tending to their needs my thoughts often go back to my mother. She was always there for us when we were sick and I would often think “doesn’t she ever get tired?” Now that I see it from a mother’s point of view it just seems natural to take care of them while they are sick. Sitting there in the middle of the night holding Lovina it makes me think of how fortunate and blessed we truly are. The quiet and peacefulness of the night somehow gives a person time to think back over the years. In May it will be 12 years since my dear father passed away but every February 17 my thoughts are with him as he would be celebrating another birthday if he were still here. If he had lived he would be 81 this month. Friday the 17th there will be no school and also the following Monday. The children are excited about having two four-day school weeks. That is their mid-winter break.
Wednesday will be their 100th day of school for this school year. Lovina and Kevin’s class do something special like bringing in 100 small items to count. I will probably let them take buttons. Also Kevin’s class has to bring 100 pieces of something edible like cereal, marshmallows, chocolate chips, cookies, pretzels or so forth. They mix it all together and call it “100 Hash” which they all enjoy eating.
Daughter Elizabeth stays with 3 young children 3 days a week while their mother works. She watches 1 year old twins and a 3-year-old boy. She enjoys the children and is used to watching over little ones from her experience being the oldest of 8. Tuesday Elizabeth and Susan will go clean a house nearby. I miss their help when they are home but they like to earn money too.
Last week I sewed Benjamin and Kevin each a new pant. I have another one cut out for Kevin which I hope to sew this week. Kevin has had a growth spurt and needs longer pants. I also have material to make me a few new dresses. It seems I sew for everyone else in the family and put my own sewing off. I sure could use a few new dresses. Another sewing project I hope to do is make the boys new Sunday pants and jackets. I don’t mind sewing the pants but the jackets are not my favorite things to sew.
Kevin brought home a fake snake from school and the boys having fun trying to scare me with it. This morning I went to put the eggs back in the refrigerator and I almost dropped them when I saw the snake between food containers. I imagine they would have laughed if they would have seen me drop them. It seems I should be used to that trick by now.
I’ll conclude the column by sharing this great recipe for “banana nut coffee cake.”
BANANA NUT COFFEECAKE
1 /2 cup oil
1 /2 cup milk
2 eggs
2 mashed bananas
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 1 /2 cups flour
1 cup chopped nuts
1 1 /2 teaspoons baking powder
1 /2 teaspoon salt
1 /2 teaspoon baking soda
Preheat oven to 350. In a large mixing bowl combine all of the ingredients and beat until smooth and creamy. Pour into a greased 9 X 13 cake pan. Add the topping.
Topping: 1 cup brown sugar, 1 /4 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 /2 cup nuts, 2 tablespoons butter, 4 tablespoons flour
Combine sugar, cinnamon, flour, nuts and cut in butter. Sprinkle on top of cake. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.
EDITOR'S THOUGHTS: How lucky the family is that has Elizabeth babysitting their children. She's responsible, great with children...It's got to be very difficult to find adequate, affordable child-care in today's world. It's not uncommon at all for Amish teens to get part-time jobs to earn a little "pocket money" and begin saving for the future. And little Kevin is ornery, I got a laugh out of the snake in the fridge trick!:) What did you think of the column this week?
Darlene Kistler-Alvord
Very interesting as usual...... I always enjoy the column.
Kathy Hartje
Hi my birthday is Friday feb. 17th! Happy Birthday Mr. Coblentz!
Dawn Kirk
It's funny how Lovina included a "sigh" in there when referring to her daughter getting sick on the floor.
One of my sons threw up from the top bunk onto his brothers below.(he had been at a friend's eating hot dogs and playing hard.)The vomit hit the following:his brother(who woke half way up saying,"Huh?"...)toys,blankets,pillows,a chair,the wooden bunk,the wall,and finally the floor,which,luckily is wooden.
I knew I would laugh later..
Another time,my husband was getting ready to go to work at 4am,he was in our only bathroom.My youngest woke up to use the toilet,he couldn't wait so we went into the back yard(invention is the mother of necessity-ha) we heard owls hooting which we had not heard before & that was a special moment.Now we hear them regularly.Sometimes see them flying, too.
Christy
I used to beg my kids to go straight to the bathroom if they felt sick. I assured them I would wake up if they got sick. But no, they always came in to wake me, then throw up on my rug.
Now I'm going to go try that banana nut coffee cake recipe!
Kevin
Pastor Bill,
Welcome! This is Lovina's recipe for "tomato butter", hope it's what you are looking for! - Kevin
TOMATO BUTTER
4 quarts stewed tomatoes
7 cups light brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon Allspice
Pour all into a saucepan and bring to a boil and then cook on a low simmer until thick. Pour into sterilized jars and seal.
Marilyn from MI
Oh the memories! My father is also gone, but if he had lived he would be 91 in March. I don't think we ever stop thinking of our parents on special days. When we were little, and sick, our mother used to get "squeamish" (especially if there was someone new on the way) and our dad would very tenderly take care of us with no problem.
Audrey Deming
I always love reading the column, I have been reading it when published in the paper or online, since Lovina's Mom started the column. I also will be trying the Bananna Coffee Cake. Sounds great. Thanks, Audrey
Keneil
I made the Banana Coffee Cake but as cupcakes instead. It works perfectly and tastes great.
Jan Landwehr
I really enjoy reading Lovina's column both on-line and in the newspaper. Although the Amish lead a different lifestyle, they really are no different than the rest of us.
Kevin
Well said, Jan...and thanks for reading the column!
karen
That's what i was thinking as I read the column as well. I love that the boys' sense of "humor" was shared. It was also a very poetic lead.
Carolyn Price
I too remember the nights setting up with sick children. I have six . Oldest is fifty three, youngest thirty four. Each one was so precious. I can remember setting in our rocking chair holding the little ones with a high fever, bowing my head and asking my Heavenly Father to touch their little bodies and make them well. Yes it is a very special time with the precious ones, and definately I feel blessed also. Is there any way to have a amish pen pal. Just wondering.
Kay O'Neal
New to your site. Enjoy your recipes as well as your column.
My husband and I have
Kevin
Welcome to amishcookonline, Kay!
Connie Rafferty
I just finished the column and I love to read them. This one was very interesting and I want to try the recipe, I always look forward to seeing just what she has in mind for us readers.
Linda from KY
I thought this column was particularly delightful, except for the account of little Lovina's illness, of course. I can definitely relate to being the mom taking care of sick children, as I've been through that with my four kids. I'm praying Lovina feels better soon. I think the "100 Hash" for the 100th day of school is a great idea! I chuckled at Kevin's prank with the snake, too. My youngest is an 8-year-old boy, and it is very much like the kind of thing that he likes to do.
Sherri
Kevin's prank with the snake made me smile. When my children were younger they also enjoyed hiding a toy snake, never knew where it would turn up. They also had to take something to school on 100th day. I sewed 100 buttons on a sweatshirt for my daughter. I enjoy reading the weekly column.
Kevin
Sherri, welcome, thanks for reading the column!
Connie Fritz
I am new to the website but read Lovina's article in our local newspaper every week. I have ordered the deal on the cookbooks and am anxiously awaiting there arrival!!! Are the recipes she gives in her article in the cookbooks are are they new ones?? Just wondering if I should keep writing them down. Thanks for sharing your life with us it very interesting! God Bless!
Kevin
Connie, yours should arrive this weekend...and there are so many recipes that have been shared in the column over the years that it's hard to say...Usually the ones that appear in Lovina's column are "new" ones, ones that aren't in any of our cookbooks, but sometimes she'll repeat recipes...so sorta varies:) Welcome to amishcookonline, hope to see you here again!
Susan
Oh, the sound of a child waking you to throw up. My husband and I joke that it needs to be a chime option on the alarm clock. Nothing will get you up faster than a child's voice by the bed, "Mommy, I feel like I'm gonna....blech!!!" Love your website and appreciate you sharing Lovina's column.
Kevin
Thank you, Susan, welcome to amishcookonline!
Susan
Hi Kevin - I am new to the site and was wondering perhaps a silly question - How does Lovina pronounce her name? Is the "i" long like vine, is it short like gin, or like an "ee"? I hate mispronouncing names and then find you have been saying it wrong the whole time! :o)
Dawn Kirk
it's La-vine-ah.
Dianne
Love reading Lovina's article every Monday in our local paper. Read her mother's before her. The Amish are settling in our area (Carroll County, Ohio). My daughter's neighbors are Amish and she is getting milk and making her own butter, sour cream, cottage cheese, buttermilk, etc. She loves it. They are an asset to the community. Love hearing about Lovina and Joe's children and everyday life. Thank you so much for sharing them with us. Love going to Holmes county especially in the summer to see their beautiful gardens and flowers, only 40 miles from us.
Kevin
Dianne, I take it you read the column in the New Philly Reporter? I love that area...glad the Amish are moving into your area, hopefully not the beard-cutting variety!:) Thanks for reading the column!
don krueger
Excellent family letter. Hope the child is well now. We need more letters like this. tks don
Tammy
I love reading this column. I agree that the amish people are no different than us. I can only imagine the ornriness of the boys. Thank you for the column and the recipes. God bless.
Kevin
Tammy, welcome to the site!
Betsy Thompson
I can sure relate to children throwing up in the night! Mine are all grown now, but can remember many nights sitting and rocking a sick child. And I got my laugh out loud moment this morning reading about the snake trick! Boys will be boys no matter what their background is!
Just finished re-reading all my Amish Cook cookbooks over the last couple of days and have tagged some recipes to try. It was like revisiting old friends!
Betsy
Brigitte
I have been reading Lovinas' column for years, and look forward to each week. Lovina inspires me in every way...when I think of all the work she does, the cleaning, the cooking and baking, the canning, the sewing, taking such good care of her family...her list is endless!!! I have to laugh at how some of my friends think unloading the dishwasher is such a chore!! After reading her column, I will get busy cleaning or baking one of her recipes. Thank you, Lovina.