THE AMISH COOK
BY LOVINA EICHER
Our laundry is drying really well on the lines outside. The sun is shining but it looks cloudy towards the west. I am later at getting this column written but I couldn’t relax and sit down until the laundry was done. With the sun and the wind daughter Elizabeth is bringing in some of the dry clothes already. We are hoping everything will be dry before the rain.
We had a thunderstorm last night. Our neighbor lady said someone had spotted a tornado not too far from here. It missed us but sure makes us thinks of the ones not so lucky. Our thoughts and prayers are with all the people who have been affected.
Meanwhile, this week we want to start washing walls and ceilings, cleaning out our cabinets and drawers, and so forth. I would like to get a head start on cleaning for church services that will be held here at our home in 4 weeks.
Our thoughts linger to a year ago when we received the shocking news of the death of Emma and Jacob’s sweet little daughter Marilyn (who was my niece). It just seemed that it couldn’t have been true that she could be gone after her 8 short months here on earth. She is still so dearly missed but God has a reason for this, like he does for everything. And May 20 marked 11 years since my Dad passed away. The years go on by, but our memories of him stay with us forever.
Emma, Jacob, and family came here on Friday evening in honor of my 40th birthday which was Sunday, May 22. My husband Joe grilled chicken and made hot wings out on the grill. Along with that we had mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, cheese, ice cream and a homemade rhubarb torte (see last week’s column for the recipe). Saturday evening my friend Ruth brought pizza and ice cream cake for my birthday, what a treat. Sunday we attended church at our neighbors. It was a large attendance with families visiting from other church districts. While we were eating lunch I was given a piece of cake with a candle on it. Everyone began to sing “Happy Birthday” to me. Another lady there, Marie, also had a birthday and they sang to her as well. I am glad I wasn’t having my 63rd birthday like she was, 40 seems old enough for me.
Sunday evening I was surprised again when pizza was delivered for supper. Thanks goes to my editor Kevin for that. I told my husband Joe that it took three birthday suppers for my 40th birthday! Everything was greatly appreciated. It means a lot to not have to cook a meal when you are used to preparing three meals a day. We are enjoying lettuce and radishes out of the garden. It has still been very wet and I don’t have tomatoes, peppers, or cabbage out yet.
Joe doesn’t have work next week so he will be home to help. He hopes to get caught up with the outside work before church services are held here. The hay is also growing with all the rain we have had. Another thing Joe wants to crowd in is to go fishing. Bass season opens on Saturday and he would like to give it a try.
It is now after lunch and we have moved all clothes that aren’t dry yet on to the porch line where they will be protected from the rain. We have been having small thunderstorms every once in awhile this afternoon. A reader from Hamilton. Indiana sent me this cherry-rhubarb coffeecake recipe which I’d like to try. I will share it with you all. The recipe has three separate parts: the filling, the cake and the topping.
CHERRY RHUBARB COFFEECAKE
Filling:
4 cups rhubarb, chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup sugar
1 /3 cup cornstarch
1 can 20 ounce of cherry pie filling
Cake:
3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 /2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
Crumb topping
1 1 /2 cups sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 /2 cup butter or margarine
Preheat oven to 350. In a saucepan cook rhubarb and lemon juice over medium-low heat for five minutes, stirring often to prevent burning. In a separate small bowl, combine sugar and cornstarch and then add to rhubarb mixture. Cook and stir 5 minutes more until thick and bubbly. Remove rhubarb mixture from heat, stir in pie filling and set aside to cool. For the cake, in a large mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cut in butter until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. In a separate mixing bowl beat buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla. Add to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened. Spread a little more than half of the batter into greased 9 X 13-inch baking pan. Spread cooled filling over batter. Drop remaining batter by teaspoon onto filling. For topping combine sugar and flour. Cut in butter until mixture forms coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over batter. Bake at 350 for 40 to 45 minutes.
