Pennsylvania Dutch: myths and misconceptions
Are the Pennsylvania Dutch actually Dutch?
No, the PA Dutch are actually of German ancestry and from Germany or even Switzerland, not the Netherlands. Our food reflects this heritage. My PA Dutch foods on this web site are food from Lancaster County, PA
and have much German influence.
Then, your foods are German...
No, not really. Recipes from the old country were brought to America, but adapted to fit the life and available foods here. There is a strong German influence with cherished foods such as sauerkraut and sausages, filled pig stomach, shoofly and other great pies and cakes, and more.
Did your PA Dutch ancestors speak German?
PA Dutch, the dialect, is a form of German that included words from other languages, especially Swiss,
and then
English. Many of the interesting PA Dutch sayings are quaint because of the broken
English and German syntax and idioms, like:
"Eat yourself full."
"It wonders me."
"Throw Amos down the stairs his hat."
"Outen the light."
"Red up the room."
"Go down the street a piece ways."
"Don't fret so."
"The rain, it makes down."
"The recipe calls for two eggs."
Why are the spellings so different?
PA Dutch was a spoken language, or rather dialect, since it was not a written language.
Words were spelled (and often mispelled) when things were finally written down. Take
the housewife's cookbook (which was a handwritten notebook of wonderful recipes).
You will see "Crisko" for Crisco, "cocoanut" for coconut, "receipts" for recipes, etc.
Even popular recipes were spelled several ways, for example:
A recipe made from Dried Apples and Dumplings (checking three different cookbooks) is called:
Schnitz un Gnepp
Schnitz and Knepp (adapted to English)
Snitz and Knep (simplified)
But, they are all pronounced the same: "snitz" and "nep."
OK, but where can I get some Dutch, rather than PA Dutch, recipes?
Dutch Foods from Holland (The Netherlands):
Great Dutch Recipes
Pea Soup (Erwtensoep) and more
Old Country Recipes from Pella, Iowa
More information on the PA Dutch (German): "Pennsylvania Dutch Are Of German Heritage, Not Dutch."
For more PA Dutch expressions, try this booklet:
"Ferhoodled English" a collection of quaintly amusing expressions heard among the Pennsylvania Dutch Folks,
published by Conestoga Crafts, 302 York Street, Gettysburg, PA, 17325-1996.
Conestoga Crafts also publishes another great booklet, "Pennsylvania Dutch Cooking," a collection of time-tested recipes for preparing many of the traditional foods and dishes favored by the Pennsylvania Dutch.
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