I rose early, disturbed by the storm. I wanted to crawl back in under the blankets but knew I had much to accomplish this day. Mindful that guests were expected, I took extra care while dressing my hair. I made my way to the summer kitchen and found the logs had already been stacked and lighted. It was already hot, the rain had done nothing to cool the house.
Breakfast finished, I went to the cellar to retrieve the various things for the baking I had before me. Back in the kitchen, I began to stir the ingredients in the heavy bowl. First butter and eggs, then sugar and blackberry jam, now soda, spices and flour. I poured the mixture into the two ready tin pans, and placed each in a heavy dutch oven on the hearth. I retreated to the garden for a walk trying to refresh myself from the heat. I found no breeze in the garden, and so returned to my labors.
Now for the tea biscuits; butter, cream, sugar and flour. I mixed the ingredients with my fingers. I patted and rolled the dough until it was just the right thickness and then cut out the biscuits with a water glass. The tea biscuits would cook quickly, but might still be warm when the guests arrived. I thought that I might serve them with apple butter. I hurried to lay the tea things out on the table.
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Anyone who has ever prepared meals on a wood-burning cookstove will appreciate the innovation of a separate kitchen from the house used to prepare meals in the heat of summer.
There are a considerable amount of Amish here in Hardin and surrounding counties and they use this practice frequently.
When I was growing up, we didn't have that luxury. Everything was cooked in the kitchen year-round. That meant the corn bread and biscuits were made for the day very early in the day, usually before daylight, in the cool of the morning. Dinner (lunch) was cold affair of leftovers so the stove was not stoked in the summer for dinner. Supper was usually not prepared until after sundown, in the cool of the evening.
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