MANNAM Food: Amish Friendship Bread

Preparing and enjoying delicious food is one of the many ways MANNAM promotes peace. 

Perhaps I appreciate this so much because many of my childhood and adolescent memories include great baking. Among the delicious treats my grandmother, mother, aunts, and uncles prepared, Amish Friendship Bread is still one of my favorites.

I remember asking my mom to bake this for me one day. She said she had to get a "starter" from grandma first. She also told me it takes ten days to prepare the batter. I was frustrated but also interested. I discovered the bread is called friendship bread because you need* to receive a starter from a friend to bake the bread. After receiving the starter and following the instructions for ten days, some of the batter is placed into bags. Usually a couple bags are given to friends and one is kept (so hungry teenagers can have more bread in ten days).

The heart behind this is great and can teach us about peace. One must receive the batter, cultivate the batter, share with others, and keep some for oneself. The fact that it takes time is also a good reminder that we will need patience as we pursue peace.

I have enjoyed many great foods through MANNAM so I thought I'd share one of my favorites today. Hope you enjoy.



*Instructions on how to make an original starter at:
http://baking.about.com/od/friendshipbread/r/amishfriendshipbreaddirections.htm


Sources:
http://www.createdby-diane.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Amish-friendship-bread.jpg
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