November danced into our lives in a flurry of Autumn leaves and knitted scarves. Now, we have Thanksgiving to look forward to along its’ with the roasted turkey, buttered bread, and tantalizing pies.
For our friends — the Amish — fall is a wonderful time of harvest, reaping the work of their hands. Like most people, the Amish celebrate Thanksgiving with close family or friends and an abundance of delicious food.
The Amish Kitchen
In Amish families, the women rule the kitchen and Thanksgiving is no exception. Their kingdom — complete with aprons, measuring cups and endless amounts of ingredients — is where they thrive. If there is one thing for certain about the women, it’s their guaranteed ability to make a bounty of mouth-watering dishes.
Most mothers — the head of the kitchen — are in charge of the preparations, rising early to start the cooking and baking . Soon her daughters or daughters-in-law will join her, their hands digging in dough and their aprons collecting the dust of the fine flour.
Yet within hours, at noon, the feast is steaming hot and ready for enjoyment.
The hours of hard work: the peeling, chopping, and slicing of vegetables; the measuring, mixing, and baking of the dessert; the boiling, seasoning, and roasting of the meat and potatoes, all worth it to see the grateful smiles of their family.
The Amish Table
A typical Amish Thanksgiving meal includes the usual roast turkey with mashed potatoes and gravy. They feast on sweet potatoes fries, rolls and a cooked celery dish with tasty gravy which is often mixed with the meat and potatoes. For dessert, they indulge in the classic pumpkin pie, sweet puddings and fluffy cakes.
Tip: Try the Gooey Shoofly Pie for a fun, new dessert this Thanksgiving!
The Amish find their turkey at the grocery store, just like us, but the vegetables are usually homegrown or canned from the country markets.
The Amish Home
Pumpkins on straw bales sit in front of some front doors, welcoming guests across the doorway and into the warm home, as the fragrant of freshly baked pies waft out. Depending on the family’s preference, some Amish homes decorate their inside of their homes too with the classic fall decoration: pumpkins, autumn leaves, and more!
This year, and years to come, Thanksgiving meals connect the Amish families as they gather together for scrumptious food, yes, but also for each other’s company.
Nothing shows gratitude better than quickly-disappearing food by hands of the hungry men and children.
