When canning was perfected in the late 19th century, many Amish cooks found that process to be the solution to having meat with a fresh— rather than smoked—flavor, year round. Until then, fresh meat was stored either under fat in the cellar or in the cool springhouse. Recalls one woman, “We had a big water trough in our pantry that was spring-fed. It was as long as a bathtub and we used that to cool food.” Canning took away the pressure to use meat quickly before it spoiled. It provided the cook, too, with the prospect of a nearly instant meal, should drop-in company appear or other duties keep her preoccupied. Many Amish cooks still can meat since they are able to store it at home, in the absence of home freezers. As important as preparing flavorful and tender meat is creating a good gravy. The cook, whether using fresh or canned meat, intends to have a rich broth to work with when the meat is finished cooking.

The mention of it brings fond smiles to the faces of those over 50 years of age. “My favorite is Cold Soup,” an elderly man explained without hesitation. “From strawberry time to the end of peach season you can eat it. Tear up bread—homemade or bought—and put fresh fruit over it with milk. “We’d have a big meal at noon, then this was a cool treat about 4 o’clock in the afternoon. When we were in the harvest it was a good thing for the men who were more tired than hungry.” The soup was primarily a hot-weather dish, although one grandmother remembers Cold Banana Soup which could be eaten whenever the fruit man came by. By using bread instead of a shortcake, the cook was saved extra baking. The combination may have evolved also as a way to redeem the drier, homemade bread common at the turn of the century. Sometimes Cold Soup was the main meal of the day. Cooked or fried potatoes were frequently served with it to make the meal more substantial. The cook supplied the ingredients. The persons at the table made their own mixes.

Oyster stew brought a special variety to the soup menu in many Amish homes. Those persons who didn’t savor the oysters usually claimed to enjoy the flavorful broth! And it’s a tradition to add body to the stew’s thin milk base by stirring a handful or more of crushed crackers into each bowl.

Ham Soup is hearty. It was particularly well suited to wintertime eating when meat hung heavily in the attic and the vegetable supply was dwindling.

Chicken and corn have unusually compatible flavors. This soup is a newer twist on the traditional pot pie. With the addition of noodles or rivvels it has a close resemblance to, yet is a welcome variation on, the old favorite. Again, the ingredients are homegrown. Amish cooks are sought after to prepare the Chicken Corn Soup offered for lunch at local fire company dinners and at the food stands at farm auctions in the Lancaster area.

“My mother cooked from the garden. Usually she put in our soup whatever she had a lot of, plus a beef bone to give it flavor. Now the women use a lot of hamburger.” The ingredients vary according to the day and season. Some Amish cooks can gallon jars of vegetable soup. It’s a way to avoid wasting what can’t be eaten as food grows in excess in bountiful gardens. It’s also a deposit against drop-in company or a hectic day when housework interferes with food preparation. The seasoning in soups, as well as most warm dishes eaten by the Amish, is usually limited to salt and pepper. If any ingredient is added to the vegetables, meats, and milk, it is most often sugar. In general, people prefer mild food; one spicy exception is the wide use of horseradish, especially with meats.