Pennsylvania Dutch Tradition

Having grown up in northeastern Pennsylvania, one of my favorite traditions came from a childhood of fastnachts! Pennsylvania Dutch celebrate Fastnacht Day the day before Ash Wednesday to mark the start of Lent. The idea behind it was to use up ingredients like butter, sugar, and lard before the fasting that occurs during Lent. Fastnachts are a type of doughnut, and when you grow up with them, not much else compares. 

Fastnachts don't have a hole, are square-shaped, and are often potato based. My dad told me that my grandmother used to make twelve dozen every year. She had stopped making them before I was born, so I never had the opportunity to taste hers, but there were a few local bakeries that sold them all throughout my childhood, and one still does to this day. 

My mom, not being Pennsylvania Dutch, bought fastnachts, but also called it Doughnut Day. Not sure where this idea came from, but in my house, the last to get up in the morning was labeled the doughnut. Being the youngest, I remember being annoyed year after year when she'd say, "Good morning, Doughnut."

I got my hands on my grandmother's recipe once I started traditions with my family. Because it was for twelve dozen, it seemed impossible to reduce it to a dozen or two. I reached out to that one bakery near my hometown to see if they would ship fastnachts, but no luck. I found a website that did ship, but the cost of shipping alone was over the top. So, over the years, I substituted all kinds of recipes and just kept on calling it Fastnacht Day. A few years ago, we found a market that carried all kinds of ethnic treats. I had high hopes, but only found paczkis, Polish doughnuts. My husband's mother is one hundred percent Polish, so we bought a dozen. 

Every year, after making a yummy version of a doughnut, I always swore I'd attempt that fastnacht recipe the next year. Here I am, years later and I still haven't. Perhaps once my homeschooling years are over and mornings aren't filled with doing lessons, I'll roll up my sleeves and make fastnachts. If it's the twelve-dozen recipe, I suppose I'll just share my Pennsylvania Dutch roots with anyone willing to try one. 

Happy Fastnacht Day!

❤️-shaped Food

 As I've shared before, I am all about food, and it is more often than not part of our family's traditions. So, on Valentine's Day, you know I am going to make heart-shaped food - sometimes for more than one meal.

The best heart-shaped recipe differs depending on which family member you ask. As with other traditions, some were a once-and-done attempt, and others reappear each and every year - either way, they all involved hearts. I could type a list of the foods we've made over the years, but it's much more fun to show you! Here are a bunch that I found pictures of.

It all started with a heart-shaped meatloaf.

Heart-shaped English muffin pizzas ready to go in the oven.

Sugar cookies!

Corn bread hot dog hearts were a hit.

Check out that pepperoni!

You can make a heart out of a hot dog.

Everyone loved this breakfast cake.

The only one not heart-shaped, but the one that has lasted the longest - ice cream sodas, made with a pink (or red) fizzy beverage.

Obviously, we like pizza - this time mini heart ones.

My husband, the scone making king, went along with the heart theme with these. 

Family Valentine Box

 

When I was younger (read: single), I wasn't a big fan of Valentine's Day. Even once I was married, I didn't like what I consider the obligatory feeling of it all. What I did love was the idea my sister came up with when her children were little - a family Valentine's Day box. So, I stole it. The idea, not the box!

Being the uncreative spouse, I asked my husband if he would like to make it, and of course his answer was yes. I should have known it would be a bigger and better version of the decorated shoe boxes I remember from childhood. A wooden crate, stencils, red paint, stain, and ta-da! Our box was created. (There are different heart patterns on the sides and back as well. He said he couldn't just leave them blank.)

We aren't really present people, but grandparents sent gifts every year that sometimes had our box overflowing. As soon as the cousins' valentines arrived in the mail, in the box they went. Of course, all the valentines that my three made were in there. as well as a sweet treat or two. My favorite was finding Reese's peanut butter cups - everyone knew those were for me. 

More often than not, we dig into our box after breakfast. I mean who wants to wait until later when you can start off your day with hearts, candy, and family time! We have another tradition that makes February 14th even more fun, and I'll be posting that one soon!