Did You Know?
The recipe for authentic Shoofly Pie, which is less of a pie and more of a "molasses cake" as the recipe states.
The history of how the Conestoga river came to be named in Waterloo Township. One of the men mentioned, Benjamin Eby, was an ancestor of Edwin Bearinger.
The cover page featuring a drawing by Elizabeth Bearinger. The flower coming from the heart may have symbolized the Mennonites' love for the land that produced their homegrown meals.
A recipe for Fashnachts (fried doughnuts) that Elizabeth acquired from close friends in Waterloo who were Russian Mennonite.
The "Shoofly Pie" recipe listed in this cookbook was once a staple dish in Mennonite homes. It was traditionally consumed at breakfast time, but over time, as a result of rising concerns over health and diet, its consumption at breakfast fell out of fashion. Considering the recipe contains two kinds of molasses, sugar, and butter, it is clear why it was deemed a poor breakfast choice, even if it was delicious! The recipe that Elizabeth Bearinger included in the cookbook likely came from ancestors who lived in Pennsylvania.
