The Apple Crisp and the Commons

Last Sunday afternoon, our DC-area Mennonite church held its regular potluck fellowship meal.  For as long as I can remember, potluck meals have been a staple of every Mennonite church my family has attended.  (We’ve also attended non-Mennonite churches but they have tended to have significantly fewer potlucks). At the last meal  I noticed the dessert [...]

Canning Spaghetti Sauce

When I was very young and my family still lived in Pennsylvania, I remember my mother, grandmother and aunts preserving all kinds of fresh produce during the months of late summer and fall.  During the winter, my grandmother always had a cellar full of canned peaches, pickles, applesauce, tomatoes and cherries.  All of the aunts [...]

Sauerkraut & Dumplings

Traditional Mennonite/  Pennsylvania Dutch cooking is pretty heavy on meat, starches and sweets.  I’m fairly positive that I’ve never seen a traditional recipe that called for whole-grain anything. So… when  I recently sat down with The Mennonite Community Cookbook that I’ve inherited from my mother and grandmother, I decided to see what gems I could discover in [...]