I’ve not been a big fan of peanut butter, at least not as an
adult… As a child I was a pretty finicky
eater, and I ate way too much of the stuff when whatever was on the table didn’t
suit me. Since then, I’ve had no taste
for it—or at least, I didn’t until my Amish friend Ruth introduced me to
something they make which is commonly known as “Amish peanut butter.”
When it’s sold in the local stores it’s often called “Amish
Church Peanut Butter.” This is because
it is made as part of the standard after-church meal. The Amish don’t have church buildings—they hold
church in their homes, barns, or out in the yard under a rented tent. After the three-hour service, the host family
feeds everyone lunch before sending them home.
The meal is pretty standard and unchanging. I never understood this until I gave it some
thought, and then it made all the sense in the world… Hosting church (a task that may fall to a family
twice a year) is a stressful task.
Everything is cleaned and scrubbed as the family tries to put their best
foot forward for their guests. Imagine
the added stress if the hostess had to try to equal or outdo the lavish spread
put on by the previous hostess, always competing to try to “keep up with the Yoders.” (And that kind of pride or one-upsmanship is
anathema to the Amish.) It makes more
sense to standardize the meal. And part
of that meal is Amish peanut butter.
How does it differ from what we’re used to? I’ve seen various recipes in Amish cookbooks,
but in the Amish community I am most familiar with, it is a blend of peanut
butter, marshmallow fluff, and Karo syrup.
So it is lighter and sweeter than regular peanut butter and it is
oh-so-good. It is sold all over Amish
Indiana, and it’s not cheap—although it’s more reasonably priced at the places
the locals shop, like E&S Foods. It’s also on the table in many local
restaurants.
Amish Church Peanut Butter.
One more reason I like Amish Indiana.