October Thrifty & Estate Sales Finds Week #3 ~ #3 Cooking from Quilt Country & Tapestry - a Weaving of food, culture and tradition

Tapestry - a Weaving of food, culture and tradition, published in 2000.  The first cookbook put out by the Junior Welfare League of Rock Hill, South Carolina.  Rock Hill is a textile town located 25 miles south of Charlotte, North Carolina hence the title of the book. The recipes reflect the lifestyle of the community and each chapter opens with a painting from a local resident. The usual dishes are featured starting with appetizers, followed by brunch & breads, soups & salads, sides entrées and lastly, desserts. There is an interesting recipe for a Grated Apple Pie which requires only a  few ingredients and a blast from the past - a Harvey Wallbanger Cake. I remember being fascinated by the bottle of Galliano my parents kept in their bar (our house ALWAYS had a fully stocked bar while I was growing up) and the only drink I can recall made with Galliano was the Harvey Wallbanger - a concoction of Vodka and Galliano garnished with a cherry.

Cooking from Quilt Country, published in 1989.  The book is a culinary tribute to the Amish and Mennonite communities in Indiana and is an accompaniment to the 13 part PBS series of the same name. There are 200 recipes, many of which have changed little over decades, which the author collected from residents of the communities and also "attic receipts" - age old recipes found tucked between pages of old books or squirreled away in dusty trunks. The dishes reflect the diverse cultural backgrounds of the sects and include German, Swiss, Dutch and Alsace influences.

The chapters are grouped by the four growing seasons and incorporate  fresh produce grown by the farmers of the area. An introduction at the beginning of each section details the chores, farm duties, and church activities of the congregations.A few highlights are a wedding, a quilting bee and auctions. Of course there is a chapter on pies - a highly celebrated culinary Amish specialty - including a recipe for Raisin Pie, or by its other  moniker Funeral Pie, as it is often served at funerals. Since it is not unusual for an Amish woman to "put up" 400 canned fruits and veggies for the winter, there is a chapter on preserving/canning with recipes for sauerkraut, chili sauce and relishes in addition to the usual produce.