UPDATE: Thank you to everyone who participated! This giveaway is now over. The winner is comment number 76, Wendy Newcomb. Congratulations, Wendy!
Today’s post is about Amish lifestyles and the only Amish Mennonite food and lifestyle magazine. The post is by guest blogger Sherry Gore, editor-in-chief of Cooking & Such magazine and author of Simply Delicious Amish Cooking, a charming book that highlights recipes, pictures, and stories from the Amish and Mennonite community in Pinecraft, Florida. ~Cindy
As editor-in-chief of the world’s only Amish Mennonite food and lifestyle magazine, my favorite aspect of the job is exploring different Amish and Mennonite communities through the words of our writers.
Lifestyles vary greatly from one place to the next; the differences of Plain people can be astonishing. For instance, some live on pastoral farms in pristine areas of the Northeast where clip-clopping sounds resonate on country roads that are lined with freshly painted white fences. Farming tobacco fields and blacksmithing are vocations handed down from one generation to the next.
Other Plain folks live in the South in a neighborhood found in the heart of a city that borders the Gulf of Mexico. Handyman work and house cleaning jobs provide a handsome paycheck; spectacular sunsets and bridge fishing are reward for a hard day’s work.
Then there are others whose lifestyles are a distinct contrast to that of farming and city life—ranching on 30,000-acre spreads in the Northwest. When branding time rolls around each spring, Mennonite cowboys spend their days running cattle, mending fence, and sharing the workload with other ranchers. Keeping the menfolk fed, operating small businesses, and teaching children are a few ways the women keep busy.
Mostly members of the Amish and Mennonite community write the stories inside Cooking & Such. Since publishing the first issue in 2011, I’ve read hundreds of submissions. Some moved me to tears, others are educational, and some have left me shaking my head. At times, I’ve even been convicted in my heart. Of course there are the stories that are laugh-out-loud funny, and tears roll down my face when reading these real life accounts. Each writer is gifted in his or her own right and each one brings a fresh, unique perspective to Cooking & Such.
Our mission is to provide wholesome reading material for the entire family that delights, enlightens and entertains at the same time.
We love hearing from readers about their favorite features. Some turn directly to the editor’s letter, while others quickly flip the pages to take in the food photos like eye candy. It seems that every reader has a favorite columnist. No matter the differences in opinions as to what’s best, everyone can agree on this: the magazine is visually stunning. Here’s a recipe featured in the summer issue. It’s for a lovely summertime Peach Shortcake. It’s easy to make, and tasty too, so tie on your apron and don’t be surprised when the shortcake disappears quickly from your kitchen!
Peach Shortcake
Summer peaches soak deliciously into the lightly sweetened shortcake.
4 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 cup butter
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
3 teaspoons baking powder
Mix flour, sugar, butter and salt until it resembles pea sized crumbs. Set aside 2 cups crumbs. To remaining mixture, add milk and baking powder. Pour in greased jelly roll pan and top with crumbs. Bake at 350 F for 15-20 minutes.
Cut into generously thick, tasty squares and stack with sliced, fresh summer peaches. Top with sweetened whipped cream.
For a chance to win the summer edition of Cooking & Such magazine, simply leave a comment at the bottom of this post on my website.
(If you’d like to purchase a subscription of Cooking & Such, go to http://www.sherrygore.com/magazine.htm)
If you are reading about this giveaway anywhere other than my website, such as on Facebook, in an email, or on Goodreads, please hop on over to my website by clicking here: https://www.cindywoodsmall.com/2013/07/17/summertime-recipe-and-more and leaving a comment at the bottom of my post to enter the giveaway.
Only comments left on my website will be entered into the giveaway.
The deadline for this contest is Wednesday, July 24 at noon Eastern Time. The winner will be chosen using Random.org and will be contacted privately, as well as announced on next week’s post.
As always, please remember that all of my giveaways are limited to US residents only. Please visit my giveaway rules and FAQ page for a complete explanation of the terms and conditions of this giveaway.
The winner of the blog post titled “3 Modern Amish Quilt Designs and Appreciating Life” is Juanita Godsey. Congratulations, Juanita. You’ve won an Amish-made wall hanging!
The winner of last weeks blog post, titled “Noah’s Ark and a Giveaway” is Lane Hill House. Congratulations Lane! You’ve won a copy of Meg Moseley’s Gone South.
If either of you didn’t receive my e-mail, please send your postal address to me at cindy@cindywoodsmall.com.