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Amish Country - Part 3
Written by: Janet Pope
Photography by: Donald
Food!!! Need we say more…
Our first day was a "train day", our second day turned out to be an "Amish" day, and our final day ended up to be a day of good food-- Donald's favorite kind of day.
We began the day with a delightful breakfast at the Australian Walkabout B&B. The table was set with crisp white linen and fine china, along with a pair of lace gloves and a chain of pearls, loosely tossed in the center surrounding a floral tea pot. The place setting was as pretty as a picture- so Donald took one. And by the way, the breakfast was good too. We said goodbye to our hostess, Valerie, and we were off.
Our first stop of the day was the Lancaster Central Market, which was already brimming with customers. Hailed as being America's oldest farmer's market, in operation since the 1730s, it houses a multitude of shops, featuring mainly plants, fresh produce, meats, baked goods and other delicacies from around the world. The sights and the smells overwhelmed our senses. Everything looked so appealing! Many people are there to shop, but you can also taste your way around, enjoying tidbits here and there- a piece of cheese here, a loaf of bread there, and a cookie everywhere.
Right next door is the Lancaster Quilt & Textile Museum. Located inside a 1911 bank building, it is similar in style to a scaled down version of New York City's Penn Station. The main banking room is currently the exhibit gallery featuring 82 Amish quilts.
"Some see quilts as bed coverings to be used, while others see them as heirlooms to be saved. Still others revere them as a craft...as art objects. The Quilt Museum sees them as windows to the Amish culture." The Amish are discouraged from standing apart and the focus is always on the community, but these quilts are one of the few ways that the Amish exhibit their own unique sense of style and tradition. Each quilt is a work of art, and while we were there a group of French women were oohing and ahhing at each one. It seems that the quilts needed no translation.
Lunch was at the Kling House at Kitchen Kettle Village. Originally known for their homemade jams and jellies, the restaurant is housed in the childhood home of the owner of the village, Pat Burnley. We were still full from our large breakfast and all the tasting we did at the Market, but that did not stop us from enjoying our sandwiches and the accompanying homemade relishes.
Pat joined us at our table and gave us a little background on the restaurant and the Village. There are 39 shops surrounding the restaurant ranging from quilt shops to leather workers. The Jam 'n Relish Kitchen is the focal point of the village. It features Amish and Mennonite cooks in an open kitchen making jams, salsa, dressings and more, with every counter holding more jams or spreads to taste on a cracker.
The whole place is a great place to browse and spend a leisurely afternoon. While we walked around each shop there were musicians in the center square entertaining the crowds and the weary husbands left sitting to hold packages-- Donald being one of them. He was bored from shopping, but at least he was full.
With bags full of goodies, it was time to head off to our next stop--Gettysburg.
We found Lancaster to be a remarkable town, steeped in a unique culture, but brimming with things to do, places to eat and an array of places to shop. We will definitely not wait 25 years to come back.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
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