Mennonite Recipes and a Brief History of the Amish

Enlarge Image Image Gallery In this newly revised edition of “Treasured Amish and Mennonite Recipes,” you’ll find an endless array of appetizers, main dishes and desserts that are easy to make and require only the simplest and freshest ingredients. Cover Courtesy Fox Chapel Publishing

In Treasured Amish and Mennonite Recipes (Fox Chapel Publishing, 2011), you’ll find 627 delicious, down-to-earth dishes your family will request again and again. You’ll see why these recipes, gathered from Amish and Mennonite cooks from across the United States and Canada, have been bringing families and communities together at the table for generations. Learn about the history of the Amish and how their beliefs, communities and agricultural heritage have shaped their dishes. Then try one of these comforting Mennonite recipes in this excerpt taken from the introduction, “A Brief History of the Amish and Mennonites.” 

Amish and Mennonite food is often thought of as good old-fashioned stick-to-your-ribs comfort food. It is associated with a time when families were closely connected to the land, raising, growing, and harvesting everything they consumed. But Amish and Mennonite dishes do not solely consist of well-known classics like chicken pot pie and whoopie pies. The recipes reflect the history and culture of these religious groups. They collectively tell a story of struggle and religious persecution and emphasize the strong bonds of family and community that are such an important part of Amish and Mennonite life.  To truly understand the scope and importance of Amish and Mennonite food, you must first understand the history and culture of these groups.

Mennonite recipes

Try these sensible yet satisfying recipes from Treasured Amish and Mennonite Recipes.

Zucchini Casserole Recipe
Apricot-Glazed Sweet Potatoes Recipe
Hash Brown Potato Casserole Recipe
Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Apple Blossom Cookies Recipe 

Who are the Amish and the Mennonites?

The Amish and the Mennonites are part of a religious group whose members are found throughout the United States, Canada, and many other countries.

The Mennonite church began in Switzerland in the early sixteenth century during the time following the Protestant Reformation. The reformation, led by Martin Luther in Germany, was a protest against the perceived corruption and heretical practices of the Roman Catholic Church. The reformation sought a return to the teachings of scripture and a focus on Jesus Christ. Around the same time that Martin Luther was nailing his ninety-five theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany, Urlich Zwingli was leading a similar movement in Switzerland.