“Wonderful Good” Food
The Pennsylvania Dutch http://www.kerchner.com/padutch.htm are of the Palatinate German and Swiss heritage. When these immigrants arrived in the New Country, they and the local Native American tribes shared recipes and combined their magickal systems to create a unique American one called PowWow. http://www.controverscial.com/Pow-wow.htm
The Deutsch ate well. They brought their Old World recipes to America, then added the new one’s vegetables to new “receipts.” The cuisine is known for its soups, relishes and hearty dishes.
Soups and Relishes
Oyster Stew: Heat 1 pint oysters in their liquor until the edges of the shellfish curl. Add 2 c milk and 2 Tbs margarine and heat.
Pretzel Soup: Heat 6 c milk, 6 tsp margarine and 6 beer pretzels broken into pieces and simmer for 15 minutes.
Corn Chowder: Dice 3 slices bacon and 1 small onion and cook together until onion is glossy. Drain fat. Add 2 16 oz cans corn and liquid. Bring to boil and reduce heat to simmer. Add 4 c milk and simmer for 1 hour. 1 c cooked diced chicken may be added with milk.
Chow Chow: Please refer to PA Dutch Thanksgiving Feast.
Red Beet Eggs: Mix together 12 hard boiled eggs, 2 16 oz cans sliced red beets and juice, 6 packets sweetener and ½ c white vinegar. Boil, then simmer ½ hour. Add 1 large thinly sliced onion. Refrigerate at least 24 hours.
Bean Salad: Drain 1 16 oz can each sliced green, wax, lima and kidney beans. Rinse lima and kidney beans. Chop or thinly slice 1 medium Bermuda onion and mix with beans. Add ½ c white vinegar and ½ c salad oil. Blend. Refrigerate overnight.
Sweet and sour Red Cabbage: Boil 1 medium head thinly sliced red cabbage and three diced slices bacon until cabbage is done. Blend 1 c water, 2 Tbs cider vinegar and 4 packets sweetener and pour over cabbage. Pour over cabbage and bring to boil. Simmer 30 minutes. Refrigerate overnight. Serve chilled or reheated.
Cottage Cheese with Apple Butter: Apple butter is put on top of individual servings of cottage cheese, then mixed together.
Apple Sauce: Serve canned applesauce sprinkled with ground nutmeg and cinnamon.
Roast Pork and Sauerkraut
Mix together 2 large cans sauerkraut and brine and 2 medium sliced onions. Put in bottom of roasting pan. Sprinkle 6 lb boneless pork loin with garlic powder and place meat over sauerkraut. Roast at 325 degrees for about 3 ½ hours or until meat juices run clear when pierced with fork, basting pork with sauerkraut juice every ½ hour, adding water as needed.
Mashed Potatoes
Cut potatoes into ½” cubes and boil until done. Drain water. Add 3 Tbs margarine and ¼ to ½ c milk and mash together. Whip with fork until fluffy.
Apple Pie
Core and cut 6 apples into eight slices each. Mix ¼ c sugar 1 Tbs flour and sprinkle into flour pie shell. Put apples into shell. Sprinkle with ¾ c sugar and ½ tsp cinnamon. Dot with 2 tsp margarine. Bake at 350 degrees for ½ hour or until apple are done and juice is thick. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or lemon sherbet.
Related articles:
Christmas Feast: PA Dutch Style
PowWow: Pennsy Dutch Arcane Art: German/AmerIndian Magick
Sources:
The Food Book, James Trager, ( Grossman Publishers, 1970)
Pennsylvania Germans, William T. Parsons, (Chestnut Books/Keschte Bicher, 1985)
