Today’s blog, that is.
ALL about the purchasing,making, preparing,
baking and enjoying of good food.
I am an admitted foodie!
I love all kinds of food- but I tend not to go too
heavy with sauces or pricey dishes.
I’d love to experiment and play with sauces and
expensive items- but my husband likes plain food
fixed well. So that is how I cook. Mostly how I cook,
anyway.
grilled pork chop with a stripe of homemade salsa, basmati
and wild rice and fresh corn on the cob.
roast beef on grinder roll ,green salad with olives and
freshly grated Romano cheese, and creamy Italian sausage and
flat bean soup.
We went to Wayne County- Farm country- to get the beans
and the sausage. This is a bulk food store run by the Mennonites.
I love the sign on the door. Definitely an indicator of what is
inside. From God’s blessing on modest dressing to being –
Closed to Closed on Sunday.
It has a deli- a baked goods area- a small produce table-
packaged bulk items- and fresh eggs from local farms and frozen meats
from local butchers.
And Lots of Mennonite ladies !
(also quite local!)
The market is right across the street from the church.
I bought the broad Italian beans and
sausage and went home to make a really delicious soup.
Really delicious.
Creamy Italian sausage and bean soup
Ingredients:
1 lb of bulk Italian sausage
2 large handfuls of Italian broad beans- almost 2 lbs.
1 sweet onion, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and julienned
5 cups chicken broth
Oregano and Basil, dried 1 tsp each
fresh 2 TBS each chopped finely
1 handful of fresh spinach
3/4 cup half and half- or cream
Method:
Sautee sausage and onions together, add carrot and continue cooking until
sausage is browned, onion translucent and carrots shiny and cooked.
Add chicken broth and herbs and simmer on low heat for at least 30 minutes.
Taste to see if it needs salt and pepper. Mine didn’t – although I ALWAYS add
fresh pepper at the table. 
Throw in your handful of spinach- this added a beautiful color and texture- and
put a lid to cover and cook for another 10 minutes or so.
Then add the cream, allow the soup to heat back up but don’t let it get to a boil!
Serve with a salad or sandwich.
Enjoy!
It is all very delicious. My mouth was watering over the pictures. Thanks for sending some home with me.
How interesting, Heidi! I didn’t even know who the Mennonites were, and had to look it up on Wikipedia. Definitely something very culturally different to what we have here…thanks for the photos and fascinating read!
We have very large groups of Amish in Wayne and Holmes county, here in Ohio. Most people are only familiar with the Amish of Lancaster County in Pennsylvania. That is where the movie “Witness” with Harrison Ford was located. If you are interested in seeing the Amish – that isn’t a bad depiction- although the bathing scene doesn’t ring true.
One question – are Amish and the Mennonites different religious groups?
Hi Celia-
Sorry I haven’t answered until now- we were in Long Island for my son’s ordination as an Episcopalian priest.
It was a great weekend even if it meant flying into NYC LaGuardia Airport on the tenth anniversary of 911.
To answer your question- the Amish and Mennonites have the same roots – but the Amish decided to stay a separate community- and have become quite insular and somewhat inbred. The Mennonites have splintered quite a few times, but they are basically evangelical believers- their faith is in Jesus Christ alone and not contingent on their community.
I wasn’t familiar with the Mennonites either.
What a lovely looking store though. Lots of goodies to fill my bags up with.
The store is a dream to shop in Brydie!
The prices are well below supermarket prices and the freshness and locality just can’t be beat!
I have filled up my bags more often than I like to admit! 🙂
I love creamy soups and I’m sure your soup has beautiful flavours from the Italian style sausages. Love the signage on the door too 🙂
Ha ha ha ! The first time I saw it I smiled- then I looked around and there were some women in halter tops and short shorts that I’m sure offended their sense of modesty.
And the soup is so good. I wish I had made more.
I may be making the sausage soup this evening! I don’t have the beans, but I have potatoes. Mmmmmm!
I hope you did make it Elizabeth- it is REALLY good!
Mom took me there the last time I was in town. I LOVED it, and the sign caught my attention immediately, too! Good for them for being bold in what they expect from their customers.
Martha- I wander about a little while after I’m done with choosing my stuff because I want to hear the end of some of the music. They still play a lot of the music I grew up singing. 🙂