Chatter 12 an Amish Dinner 09

We arranged to eat at an Amish farm and enjoyed an excellent dinner though it was all rather strange. The Amish are deeply religious and maintain a degree of isolation from the general community. To encourage their communality (Yep I think I made that word up) they do not have electricity in their homes - no TV and usually leave their telephone in the barn. But they use gas, know what's going on in the world and live in reasonable comfort. They have lots of kids and seem to be a growing community. Dinner was just like home except it was preceded by grace - in this case the Lords Prayer. Nearly everything was from the farm, home made or provided by neighbours. Devilled eggs with cheese, coleslaw, just out of the oven bread, organic butter, raspberry jelly, fruit salad were all on the table.

Soon followed by creamy mashed potatoes, a wonderful super moist ground veal loaf, cooked with egg, milk, a little sugar and oatmeal and a light sugar baste and vegetables all really good home cooking. Apple cake,

chocolate pudding and ice cream quickly followed and the whole meal was over in an hour or so. We happily left a donation of $35, which had been recommended, and got home very early.