"Koom Essa" or "Come Eat"

My heritage is Pennsylvania Dutch. (See blog post  Too Soon Old And Too Late Smart! ) We like to cook and eat!  Our recipes are simple and hearty.  Many recipes have been passed down from mother to daughter, either by word of mouth or handwritten on paper scraps such as the backs of torn-off calendar pages.  Ingredients might be measured by "handfulls", "pinches", "enough to sweeten", or "salt to taste."

So, "Koom essa," or "Come eat".   This is how you may be invited to a Pennsylvania Dutch meal where there is plenty of good food!

(photo by Cathy Clapper,  Dreamstime.com)

Red beet eggs are a popular pickled  Pennsylvania Dutch food.  My family includes them in the menu at every family gathering, even our traditional Easter and Christmas dinners.

Recipe for Red Beet Eggs

2 cans red beets and juice

3/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 cup sugar

6 hard-boiled eggs, whole with shells taken off

Heat the beets, vinegar, and sugar together until sugar dissolves.  Add the eggs to this mixture; the juice needs to cover the eggs.

Make this recipe at least one day early so the eggs absorb the pickled taste and turn a deep red beet color.