Traverse City Record-Eagle

Lovina Eicher: The Amish Cook

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September 28, 2009

Amish Cook: Delicious fish cut grocery bill

BY LOVINA EICHER

Yesterday we went to Jacob and Emma's house for a nice Sunday visit. It takes about 15 to 20 minutes to get there by buggy. We were glad to get to see and hold baby Marilyn again. She is so tiny and so cute.

While visiting we had a delicious meal of mashed potatoes, gravy, barbecued ham and pork chops, corn, cole slaw, cheese, tomatoes, peppers and homemade pie. Pie flavors were oatmeal, custard and shoofly. We also enjoyed butterscotch pudding and watermelon.

My husband Joe went fishing both Friday and Saturday evening. Saturday they had quite a bit of luck. He went with some friends on a pontoon. Altogether they caught more than 40 bluegill and some bass that averaged around 16 to 18 inches.

I fix the fish in different ways; sometimes I bread it and deep fry it, other times I roll it in eggs and flour and fry it. Joe likes it best when I just dip it in eggs, roll the fish in flour and pan-fry it. I like it best breaded and deep fried.

This is the first time Joe has gone bass fishing and he was really excited. I like bass, because it is more of a white meat, while Joe likes the bluegills. We'll have fish one night this week. Our children all like fish so Joe's fishing helps keep the grocery bill down.

Uncle Joe and Aunt Betty were out for a short visit on Friday. Saturday they came again and brought brother Albert and Sarah Irene along and their three youngest children. Joe was fishing so he wasn't home when they came.

The children don't have school today because of the county fair. It is a cloudy and rainy day today so we didn't do laundry. I'd like to make homemade vegetable juice this afternoon. Our last patch of sweet corn is ready so we have been enjoying that.

A lot of the community women will be busy canning grape juice this coming week because the U-pick grapes are ready to be picked. I am not going to do any grape juice this year as I still have enough canned from last year. It is such a good feeling to go to the basement to see all the jars that we have filled. Meanwhile, my cabbage is ready and I am thinking of making sauerkraut with some of it.

This week daughter Elizabeth will be assisting Emma with her household duties. She didn't have to go today as Emma's children are home from school. So I will miss her good help around here this week.

Two weeks ago, I had Joseph, 7, to the doctor as he fell from the pony wagon and hurt his wrist. They took X-rays and could not find a break but put a splint on it for two weeks. I took him back last week for a check-up and they re-took the X-rays. The results showed he has two fractured bones by his wrist. Instead of putting on a cast the doctor put the splint back on because the bone has started to heal anyway. Joseph was disappointed to not be able to get rid of the splint; he'll need another two to three weeks yet. One good thing -- it's his left hand so it does not affect his school work.

This is the recipe for the custard pie that I took over to Emma's.

Custard Pie

3 eggs

1/2 c. white sugar

1/4 t. salt

1 t. vanilla

2&1/2 c. scalded milk

1 level T. flour

Mix eggs, sugar, salt, vanilla and flour. Slowly stir in hot milk . Pour into a 9-inch pie shell. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake until set, about 25 minutes more.

Lovina Eicher is Old Order Amish. She hand-writes this column from her home in southern Michigan. Anyone with cultural or cooking questions can send them to: Lovina Eicher, The Amish Cook, P.O. Box 2144, Middletown, OH 45042. Read all of her columns online at www.record-eagle.com/amishcook.

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