This is a transcript of a Pennsylvania German talk presented at Muddy Creek Farm Library, Farmersville (Ephrata), Pennsylvania, on September 4, 2015.
Excerpt: "The main thing this evening will be [another] nice talk by...Alan Keyser having to do once again with old Pennsylvania Dutch foodways...Now, the last time I spoke...I described where folks used to eat and how they ate. This time I want to talk a bit about where and how they cooked their food and did their baking, and also about the use of smokehouses." The conversation discusses hearth cooking and all it requires: firewood, pots and pans, and chimney cleaning.
Issued as: Journal of the Historical Society of the Cocalico Valley, 20 (1995).
"The original manuscript ... resides in the private collection of Amos B. Hoover and is part of his Muddy Creek Farm Library.... Special thanks are extended to Alan G. Keyser for ... translating ... from its original German script into English ...."--[Prelim. p. 3].
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Summary
The journal features the fascinating translation of the eighteenth century "Debit Book" of Ephrata Cloister householder Michael Müller / Miller. The book, which spans the years 1748-1786, is filled with the names of early Cocalico Valley residents. Miller, a "jack-of-all-trades," was a farmer and window-maker, he repaired farm equipment, tools and spinning wheels, he sharpened scissors and plow shares, and distilled liquor. His family spun and wove flax and wool and produced articles of clothing which were sold to their neighbors.
