By now, these old books with their recipes had become like cherished pieces of old china, each telling a story of the days when Grandmother was Queen of the kitchen... Mary Emma Showalter 

{HISTORY}

First published in 1950, The Mennonite Community Cookbook contains 1100 recipes compiled by Mary Emma Showalter (1913-2003) and collected by over 125 women from family cookbooks within Mennonite communities across the US.

Realizing that so many of these passed down family favorites were recorded in handwritten notebooks that soon could be lost to time, Mary Emma wanted to preserve as many as she possibly could so that they not only served as a record of past kitchen history but also as valuable resource for modern cooks. 

A runaway hit, The Mennonite Community Cookbook was an instant success and credited with being the first to bring Pennsylvania Dutch recipes from Amish and Mennonite communities to non-faith households. By 1979 when this edition was published it was in its 24th printing. Now over 75 years later it is still being printed. 

Containing recipes for all meals of the day, this collection focuses on the wholesome habits of cooks who favored home-grown vegetables, from-scratch baking,  and nutritionally balanced meals. Selected from over 5000 entries, each of the recipes were tested for taste, ease of preparation and favorability among the taste testers who helped in preparing this book.  Many recipes were passed down through families and were originally prepared using antiquated cooking mechanisms. But unlike the Amish community, Mennonite home cooks embrace modern electrical conveniences and so,  all the instruction and techniques in this cookbook have been converted to account for modern ovens, up-to-date cooking equipment (as of 1979!), and standard measurements to ensure success. 

Special chapters of interest include the baking chapters where all sorts of old-fashioned desserts and breads are featured - a style of baking that the Mennonite community was known for. wFun names recipe names abound here, so anyone who is interested in extending their baking range beyond chocolate chip cookies or chocolate layer cake will find a plethora of inspiring ideas. Burnt Sugar Cake, Mahogany Cake, Ragged Robin Cookies, Pfeffernusse, Ginger Creams, Grandma's Cherry Fritters, Knee Patches, Pond Lilies, Shoo Fly Pie, Cake Filled Pielets, Basket Ball Fuff, Tangle Cakes and Rosy Vanilla Whip name just a few creatively named desserts featured here. 

Beyond sweet treats other interesting recipes include Granddaddy's Green Tomato Pickle, Quince Honey, Pumpkin Marmalade, Puffed Rice Candy, Dixie Relish, Dandelion Salad, Tomato Dumplings, Baked Stuffed Turnips, Grandmother's Dried Hay Beans, Filled Noodles, Baked Macaroni and Cheese, Crock Cheese, Baked Stuffed Fish, Brown Fricasse Chicken with Dumplings, Six-Layer Dinner, Baked Whole Ham, Meat Tarts (Piroshki), Pluma Moos Soup, Gingerbread Waffles, Dewey Buns, Butterscotch Rolls and Banana Tea Bread.

Now a classic cookbook in kitchens across the country. The Mennonite Community Cookbook represents the best of simple, hearty, farm-to-table fare that has been feeding generations of families for centuries. As for Mary Emma, she lived a long life enjoying cooking, gardening, and writing. She earned her PHD in home economics in 1948 from Pennsylvania State University which led to an overseas post with the United Nations to assist with nutritional care for refugees in Egypt.  She was also the author of a beloved, long-running newspaper column for the Mennonite Weekly Review called Homemaker's Corner in which she shared recipes and stories about farm life, faith and the enduring joy of nature. 

A vintage newspaper ad appears here announcing the 1950 debut of The Mennonite Cookbook courtesy of the Lanaster New-Era, June 12th, 1950

{SPECIAL FEATURES}

 - 1979 Edition, 24th Printing

-  494 pages

- Illustrated throughout by Naomi Nissley, a Philadelphia-based artist, who drew inspiration for the cookbook from time spent sketching the pastoral Pennsylvania Dutch farms in Lancaster County, PA. 

- Also includes color photographs throughout 

{CONDITION}

In beautiful, practically brand new condition. This book contains no cooking spots or stains. The coverboards and interior pages are bright and clean. The spine is tight and all pages are intact. 

{SIZE}

Measures 8.75" inches (length) x 5.75" inches (width) x 1.25" inches (thickness) and weighs just under 2 lbs.