by Mary Ellis
Author’s Note: Linda told me this pie is a Kentucky favorite. Many versions of Chess Pie exist, some with cream or milk, and some with flour in place of cornmeal. Still others add lemon in place of vanilla and eliminate the vinegar. Some even add chocolate, although Linda feels her Aunt Peg’s recipe is the best. This recipe came from her mother (Linda’s grandmother), who died in 1933. The origins for Chess Pie are murky, but it has been suggested the recipe originated in England and was then brought to the Virginia Colony and Kentucky, where it became popular. Chess Pie is usually served at room temperature and doesn’t need embellishment, although whipped cream is nice. It can be stored at room temperature and was probably held in a pie safe in previous eras. Chess Pie is made with ingredients readily available on a farm, quickly assembled, and easily doubled or tripled for a large family. Enjoy!
Kentucky Corn Bread
Nannie Lizzie (Neely) Bray from eastern Wayne County, Kentucky
2 tablespoons lard
2 heaping cups cornmeal
1 heaping cup self-rising flour
Salt
1 pint buttermilk
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Use a tablespoon and put two scoops of lard in a 10-inch iron skillet and place in the oven while it is preheating. (Mom always used lard, but I have found that shortening works fine and is easier on my heart and mind.)
Meanwhile, Mom used her cupped right hand as a measuring cup. In a mixing pot or bowl, put 2 heaping cups of cornmeal mix, 1 heaping cup of self-rising flour, one generous pinch of salt, and mix with the right hand. (She never used a spoon to mix.) Get the buttermilk ready on the counter.
Remove the iron skillet from the oven. Make sure all of the lard is melted. Roll the lard around the skillet and halfway up the sides. Pour the extra in the cornmeal and flour mixture. Make sure that ¼ inch of oil remains in the skillet. Put the skillet back in the oven to get really, really hot.
Mix the cornbread mixture up by adding some buttermilk. Stir with the right hand and add buttermilk until it is a thick mixture, but can still be poured with a little help from the hand.
Take the skillet out (the lard might be smoking a little, but you can see the swirls from the heat). Pour in the cornbread mixture (it should sizzle when it hits the oil), scraping the bowl, and then put the skillet back in hot oven. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the bread is firm to the touch in the middle.
This makes for a crunchy crust on the sides and bottom. If there are any leftovers, they will not be the crust and they will not be thrown out. Leftovers can be used for the famous Kentucky cereal, AKA corn bread and milk.
Author’s Note: This comes from Donna Taylor, who was taught by her mother, Nannie Bray, a lifelong Kentucky resident. It is a procedure, not a recipe, for cornbread. As unbelievable as it may seem, she never used a measuring cup and her bread was always the same. But her mother never used a recipe, never owned a cookbook, and never had an official measuring cup or spoon. But nevertheless, everyone loved her cornbread.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. In what ways would it be difficult for someone Amish to hold down a job in the English world?
2. How might raising a contender for the Kentucky Derby conflict with a Christian’s ethical code?
3. Why do many Amish and some Mennonites reject the idea of vaccinations?
4. Why does Rachel prefer working at Twelve Elms instead of for her cousin Sarah?
5. What challenges does nurse/social worker Donna Cline face with her new assignment?
6. Both Jake and Rachel are attracted to lifestyles different than their own. What does Jake aspire for that puts him at odds with his parents?
7. Why does the Amish bishop originally refuse to help Donna, and what makes him change his mind later on?
8. What are some of the factors contributing to Rachel’s decision to date Jake?
9. How does Jake’s view of the role of religion in his life change over the course of the story? What precipitates the changes?
10. Jake and his dad butt heads on more than just the financial drain of Eager to Please. Why else is Ken displeased with his son’s behavior?
11. Rachel’s faith becomes more of a stumbling block to their relationship than her being Plain. What attempts does Jake make to find common ground?
12. Sarah must tread carefully with her cousin. What influence does she have on Rachel’s future?
13. Jake’s poor decision almost changes his family’s future forever. In what ways does his character grow from one rash act?
14. Donna is conflicted by several aspects of her job. How does her faith help in fulfilling her obligations?
15. There is no decision in life without consequences. In what ways will Rachel’s life change if she follows her heart?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mary Ellis grew up close to the eastern Ohio Amish Community, Geauga County, where her parents often took her to farmers’ markets and woodworking fairs. She and her husband now live in Medina County, close to the largest population of Amish families, where she does her research…and enjoys the simple way of life.
Mary loves to hear from her readers at [email protected]
or
www.maryellis.net
Living in Harmony
A Tragedy…a Refusal…a Shunning
Will Their Young Love Survive?
Amy King—young, engaged, and Amish—faces life-altering challenges when she suddenly loses both of her parents in a house fire. Her fiancé, John Detweiler, persuades her to leave Lancaster County and make a new beginning with him in Harmony, Maine, where he has relatives who can help them.
John’s brother Thomas and sister-in-law, Sally, readily open their home to the newcomers. Wise beyond his years, Thomas, a minister in the district, refuses to marry Amy and John upon their arrival, suggesting instead a period of adjustment. While trying to assimilate in the ultraconservative district, Amy discovers an aunt who was shunned. Amy wants to reconnect with her, but John worries that the woman’s tarnished reputation will reflect badly on his beloved bride-to-be.
Can John and Amy find a way to overcome problems in their relationship and live happily in Harmony before making a lifetime commitment to each other?
Love Comes to Paradise
A New Home…
A New Friend…
A Catastrophe…
Does she have a future to hope for?
Nora King is a woman in love. When Elam Detweiler leaves the ultraconservative Amish district of Harmony, Maine, and moves to Paradise, Missouri, Nora boldly follows soon after. But is she in love with the man or the independence and freethinking he represents? Though she soon finds work she enjoys and a new best friend in Paradise, Nora can’t decide whether she wants to capture Elam’s Englisch-leaning heart or commit finally to her Amish faith.
And then, unexpectedly, Lewis Miller comes from Harmony to offer Nora what every woman hopes for—a lifetime of unconditional love. As Lewis attempts to claim her affections, Elam’s interest piques. Suddenly, Nora is irresistible to him. Wooed by two such different men, will Nora come to her senses before Elam’s thoughtless choices ruin her reputation beyond all repair? Will Lewis’s pursuit survive the challenge?
Love Comes to Paradise is about fresh starts…and how faith in God and His perfect plans provide peace and joy in a turbulent and ever-changing world.
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