With all the nearby lakes here in Michigan a lot of fishing is being done by people around here during this nice stretch of weather. We have enjoyed quite a few meals of fresh fish and have more in the freezer.
I enjoyed my first time out fishing on the lake. My husband Joe took me one evening on his boat. At first I was a little nervous but I finally got the feel of the boat. It wasn't long before we found a good place to fish. Joe helped me bait my hook after teaching me how to cast a line. We weren't fishing very long when I caught my first fish; it was a bluegill. Later I almost had a big bass but it got away before I could pull it into the boat. It was exciting enough, though, to make me want to go again. It was also very relaxing and peaceful out on the water.
Joe told me I did a good job of casting. I think he was a little afraid at first that the worm on my hook would land in his hair. We came home and I helped clean fish for the first time. We then went over to Jacob and Emma's house to meet up with our children. My sisters Verena and Susan had taken the children with them to Jacob's house earlier. We all planned to "camp out" there for the night.
We slept in tents in their yard, which was exciting for the children.
The next morning we cooked breakfast outside. We had bacon, mushrooms and asparagus on the grill, along with fried potatoes, eggs, biscuits, sausage gravy, cheese and hot peppers. We also enjoyed chocolate milk, juices, coffee and fresh tea from the leaves from Emma's tea plants. It was fun to once again cook over an open fire.
My friend Ruth told me how she does her asparagus on the grill. Joe used her method of coating it with olive oil and grilling them. It was very good.
Peas and squash are ready to use now, adding a few more garden goodies to our menu. Also some of my cabbage heads are good-sized and will be ready to use. We like to dip our squash in a batter made of one egg, 3/4 c. flour, 1/2 c. milk and 1/2 t. salt (or choose a seasoning of your choice). Then we deep fry the slices in olive oil. Some of the family like to eat this with bread and salad dressing, adding lettuce and cheese. We also use this above batter for onion rings, mushrooms, chicken or fish.
Meanwhile, we continue to harvest the tea plants from our gardens. The recipe I am about to share is a good way to put tea up for the winter so it can be enjoyed year-round. Spearmint, peppermint and comfrey are our favorites, but there are quite a few different varieties.
Tea Concentrate
6 c. water
1 c. packed tea leaves of your choice
1&1/2 c. sugar
Boil 4 cups water, add the leaves, put the lid on kettle and take off burner. Let set 10 to 15 minutes. Strain and pour over sugar. Then rinse the leaves with 2 cups of cold water. Put 1 cup concentrate in container and freeze. One cup concentrate makes a 2-quart pitcher of tea. Take 1 cup of concentrate and add 2 quarts and ice cubes and serve.
Lovina Eicher is Old Order Amish. She hand-writes this column from her home in southern Michigan. Anyone with cultural or cooking questions can send them to: Lovina Eicher, The Amish Cook, P.O. Box 2144, Middletown, OH 45042. Read all of her columns online at www.record-eagle.com/amishcook.
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