Our trip earlier this week, through the Amish countryside in Lancaster County Pennsylvania.
Lunch
Lunch in an old Lunchmate Cooler and Alladin Flask waiting by the edge of the covered 'bridge' for the Buggy Drivers.
We chose to visit the Bird-in-Hand Bake Shop after our buggy ride through the Amish countryside. It is a short drive inside from the main Old Philadelphia Pike/ Route 340 but brings you into a green space, covered wooden glider swings, a small petting zoo..yes touristy but still good for a picnic! Photography is not allowed inside. A couple of ladies in Amish costume but men in 'normal' clothes... the usual touristy things for sale alongwith the Bake Shop produce.
Perhaps one had different notions about the kind of produce sold at the Amish stores like organic, natural etc..etc. Our ride, and the visit to the farm earlier should have cleared that notion but moi persisted...
Yes, the breads, the good selection of pies, the honey's and the preserves had that non-factory feel but it also had a commercial feel to it.
White Bread from the Bake Shop
Ingredients were Flour, Water, Vegetable Oil, Sugar, Applesauce, Yeast and Salt.
The bread was heavenly and we did not wait for any accompaniments and it stayed soft and tasty the next day too! The Boysenberry Jam was good; the ingredients listed were pectin, sugar and fruit. None of us are fans of sweet pies of any kind, but we did try a slice of Shoofly Pie sold for about 85 cents; nice molasses flavour but too sweet.
Something sweet other than pies?... and we decided to sample the Oranges Cream fudge which looked good but check the list of ingredients which included natural and artifical flavours and preservatives. Again, the fudge recipes I have tasted here have just that little over-the-edge-sweetness! The Indian version of fudge, burfi's and peda's...well at least the good one's, have just the right amount of sweet, taste and tooth to them!
