By Gloria Yoder
Greetings to all on this cool, rainy day.
Various food combinations are something I’ve been thinking about quite a bit these last days. I’d love hearing from you about what unusual types and styles of food combinations you’ve learned to appreciate and enjoy.
To me, pineapple is one of the most amazingly versatile fruits. It can be used in countless ways. I remember the first time I heard of pineapple chicken pizza when I was a little girl. I had never thought of eating fruit such as pineapple on pizza.  But now I have learned to eat pineapple not only on pizza but on just about any type of chicken whether it’s in a chicken-rice casserole, in a salad, or on the grill. Bring on the pineapple!
RANDOM SCENE: School lets out in Flat Rock, Illinois, the Amish settlement where Gloria lives.
Pineapple adds a moderately sweet flavor along with a juicy texture that boosts the quality of any dishes.
We like purchasing pineapple by the case and cutting them up for later use. I both freeze and can them for a convenient, flavorful fruit to be used in smoothies, mixed fruits, salads or whatever strikes my fancy.
My mother-in-law and I share a special liking for yogurt. It too can be used in countless ways. When making a dish I like substituting yogurt for sour cream. The same principle is used when making any hot dishes that ask for sour cream: plain yogurt may be used instead. Homemade yogurt is something I make quite frequently while sour cream is a specialty at our house. Therefore the thrifty way out is to use yogurt instead of sour cream whenever possible.
Also, when eating a rich dessert, trying putting a dab of lightly sweetened yogurt on the side and eating it together. You’ll find the tartness of the yogurt deliciously enhancing the dessert, taking the edge off the sweetness. I enjoy yogurt with any desserts such as cobblers, pies, cakes, etc.
There are some food combinations, though, that I can’t help but wonder whoever came up with the idea and how they got started on it. Have you ever tried eating cheese on your apple pie? I’ve never tried it myself but believe it or not, for some, it’a hit!
Or how about eating gravy with cherry pie? Yes, I’m not kidding! My Dad loves what we call pan gravy with cherry pie! Before Dad and Mom were married Mom had never heard of, much less imagined, a combination as such. When she first found out about it she wasn’t convinced of it being a brilliant idea at all. During Dad’s boyhood days they had it every now and then for a treat. Cherry season is here, who will be brave enough to give it a try?
This gravy recipe is a favorite of ours. In fact, we use it at almost all of the weddings here in Flat Rock. At our wedding they made 30 batches of it.  Don't worry, you don't have to have it with cherry pie, it goes great on mashed potatoes!
- ½ cup butter
- 1 /4 cup flour
- 1 /2 teaspoon seasoning salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- Melt butter, heat until browned.
- Add flour and seasoning. Whisk together and boil several minutes.
- Add chicken brother and water Bring to a boil.
- Let boil several more minutes, stirring constantly
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Renata
In An Amish Garden by Laura Anne Lapp ( not the novel by the same name), she mentions that they eat apple sauce with their pizza. I thought that was an unusual combination. I am still trying to pluck up my courage to try it. Gravy and cherry pie - not something I would try 🙂
As usual, I enjoyed Gloria's column! Thanks very much. I will have to try this recipe next time I am going to make gravy!
Blessings
Renata:)
brenda
oh my our mashed potatoes homemade noodles cottage cheese and lima beans stacked on the plate does not sound at all peculiar after hearing about cherry pie and gravy..
I must agree with the versatility of pineapple though.
I I so enjoy your letter/visit every week
Linda
I grew up in Quincy, Illinois and my grandmother lived with our family until she died at the age of 89. She was of German descent. in the 1960's, I distinctly remember her putting gravy over cinnamon rolls. It wasn't as disgusting as it sounds! In my youth I recall grandma taking packaged cinnamon rolls, slicing them up, and putting chicken gravy over them. I haven't eaten it in a very long time, but it was an interesting sweet/salty flavor combination. I suspect the practice started during times when food was scarce and this may have been a way of making use of stale bread to create a filling meal. Similarly, she would put toast in a bowl and pour coffee with cream and sugar over it.
Kevin
Blech, Linda, sounds awful, but your explanation sounds plausible!
brenda
now the coffee and milk over toast, biscuits or other pastry is good.
Kay
I have lived in Massachusetts my whole life and we put cheddar cheese on apple pie and also on plain donuts. Yummy!
Nana
The gravy recipe sounds good and similar to how I do it but the caveat is that you need a good , rich home cooked chicken broth. The stuff in a box or can is mostly water and the bouillon and chicken base stuff is nearly all salt. A good beef broth is tasty too.
Kevin
Yum, Nana, if I am ever near you, I'll stop by for supper!:)
Florence Weinberg
Hi Kevin
I live in South Africa and I have been receiving your blogs and recipes for quite a while. I really don't know how it came about but one day one popped onto my iPad and I enjoyed it and have been enjoying them ever since. I have tried quite a few of the recipes and I and my family have found the dishes I made delicious. I particularly like the simplicity of the recipes.
Re gravies may I be so bold as to tell you how we make gravy way down here at the bottom of the globe. I am of english stock ( with a few other nationalities thrown in.)
After the meat or chicken has been roasted we remove it from the pan and let it rest awhile we then set too to make gravy. We mix a tablespoon or two with a little water and add it to the pan drippings making sure that there is not too much fat in the pan we stir it into,the drippings while scraping them all to,the centre, warm water is added while stirring until the required thickness is reached. It should really just coat the back of a spoon to be ideal. A little tomato paste or tomato juice can be added for added flavour but not too much. Crushed garlic and minced onion can also be added. If necessary the gravy can be sieved through a mesh sieve to make it extra smooth.
Kevin
Florence, thank you so much for the insight into your gravy-making. So fun to have readers in places so far away. Would one day love to make it to South Africa. Thanks again for sharing and hope you stick around! - Kevin