By Kevin Williams
Time for our weekly whirl through the blogosphere for anything and everything Plain or Amish. So buckle up and let's explore.
Actually, pretty slim pickin's this week, but I did come up with some good stuff:
CLASSIC AMISH WHITE BREAD: The Daily Ridge offered up a recipe this week for classic Amish white bread. This recipe is one we've posted variations of before through the years but always great to revisit an old favorite! Check out the recipe here.
WATCH THIS VIDEO - PINECRAFT SLOWLY REAWAKENS: Writer and photographer Ernie Bontrager is in Pinecraft, Florida now capturing the Amish enclave's slow winter reawakening. For me, the video stirs a lot of emotions. I've been to Pinecraft several times and it's just a wholesome place full of good cheer, good people, all looking for a little relaxation under the west Florida sun. The "village" has its cast of colorful characters and Ernie Bontrager captures it so well. In this wonderfully authentic video you can watch a bus come from the Midwest and unload its Amish passengers, weary from a long, long ride, but excited to be in Florida. Click here to watch this wonderful video. Ernie has a memoir out now about his life from Amish to where he is now and some of the challenges along the way, I'll be reviewing that soon.
PEPPERMINT FUDGE RIBBON PIE: Okay, this recipe isn't technically Amish, but it should be:) and you'll want to try this for the holidays. Patricia's Patchwork is frequently delving into Amish recipes so I check there often and saw this gem. And, holy cow, she has an active social calendar. l mean, Rachel and I are hardly hermits, but this woman belongs to more clubs and groups than I can count (and most involve food!). Click here to get this delicious-looking recipe!
STEPHANIE REED'S AMISH BANANA BREAD: Author Stephanie Reed, scribe of several fiction books about the Amish, shares an Amish recipe for homemade banana bread. Click here for this wonderful recipe.
LAST MINUTE GIFTS: Sheesh, tough to get into the shopping spirit when temperatures are more like September than December, but Lehman's, in the heart of Ohio's Amish country, always offers a unique experience. Check out RaisingJane's post about some of the last minute one-of-a-kind gifts you can find there.
Kevin
Sounds like a great, welcoming group!