|
As
the leaves begin to turn color and swirl, tumbling from trees in
poetic somersaults before they hit the ground, we make our own seasonal
changes, rummaging closets and trunks for overcoats and blankets.
But we also raid the pantry and our recipe files for something that
warms our insides as well as our outside.
|
|
 One
culinary luminary has
taken that search for comfort cuisine much more seriously, poking
about the farmhouse kitchens of the Amish and Mennonite in some
20 states and Canada. She is longtime PBS-television chef and author
Marcia Adams, who has become most synonymous with bringing the gastronomic
culture and folkways of the so-called "plain people" to our table.
Marcia
says, "Food can sometimes
be too complicated and contrived." In Amish cuisine, she found the
roots of "honest cooking" and from them sprouted a blending of the
traditional with the modern. She has spent ten years sharing her
findings in her popular cookbooks and show, identifying this special
culinary genre as "Cooking from Quilt Country". "I have not
attempted a low-fat, low-sugar Amish cookbook," admits Marcia. As
a culinary historian, Marcia believes that she has the responsibility
of recording the Amish recipes, which are mostly orally handed down
and from there she encourages every cook to make his or her own
interpretations.
|
|
While
Marcia teaches traditional Amish recipes,
she also inspires us by bringing Amish reverence into our kitchens.
"Keep it simple," she advises, as do many of the greatest chefs.
Marcia Adams is perhaps one of the best qualified chefs to translate
simpleness into deliciousness as she has spent years at the side
of Amish cooks, learning techniques and blending them with her own
farmhouse style.
Whether
you are using so-called "gourmet" ingredients or
more basic foods from the garden, Marcia maintains that the soothing
lifestyle of the Amish and Mennonite paves the way for a comforting
kitchen at home in the midst of a society on the move. While you
might find Marcia at home in Fort Wayne, Indiana, cooking up shoofly
pie or Grandmother Yoder's Potato Salad, she also mixes up the old
with the new in recipes such as Date Pudding Trifle where Marcia
adds a pouring of creme de cacao over the Amish's homemade butterscotch
pudding and date cake concoction. "The liqueur is a worldly touch
the Amish would disdain," Marcia writes in her new book, "New
Recipes from Quilt Country." But she  admits,
"I quite like it that way." A Curried Leg of Lamb Roast with Apple
and Tomato, is another recipe where tradition and nouveau creativity
make for a memorable blend.
When you think of family traditions at the table during
the autumn season, the Amish come to mind as do many farming communities,
for this is such a big time for harvesting. We thought it fitting
to write about Marcia in this season, and offer you some of her
comforting recipes and thoughts for your own table at home.
|
