The Amish Secret For Keeping Cookies Fresh
Because the Amish lifestyle forgoes modern technology, community members must find creative and innovative ways to adapt to the ever-changing world. For those who are unfamiliar, the Amish are a group of people who swap motor vehicles for horse buggies and light bulbs for natural sunlight, as detailed in A World To Travel.
Of course, the reasoning for this non-traditional way of living isn't that simple. Their decisions are closely aligned with their religious beliefs. According to BBC, they follow the Bible verse "be not conformed to this world" (Romans 12:2) in a literal sense and believe their salvation comes from this separation.
For people who don't follow an Amish way of living, it might be hard to understand how certain tasks are accomplished. Personally, one of the first things you might wonder about is how food is freshly preserved without the use of common types of technology. While they won't have to worry about mistakes everyone makes with their refrigerator, the Amish need other methods to store food items. When it comes to cookies specifically, the answer might be simpler than you think.
The key to preservation
Some tried-and-true foods are popular in every lifestyle and it seems like cookies are just one of those things. Sugar cookie recipes are a beloved staple in Amish culture, with many spanning the web. Most of you probably know that an air-tight container is the best way to prevent foods from drying out, but according to Taste of Home, the Amish keep cookies fresh for longer by adding a small piece of bread in the container. If cookies have gotten too crunchy, it can also help soften them up, as stated in the article.
So, how exactly does this trick work? Pure Wow informs us that the cookies will absorb moisture from the slice of bread, keeping them soft. It also warns you to use a neutral type of bread to prohibit flavor transfer and only a small amount of bread at once. It states that an excessive amount of bread can turn cookies mushy.
More storing tips
Due to their limited resources, the Amish are masters at preserving many non-cookie foods as well. Before the start of the winter months, Amish women prepare hundreds of jars of meats, fruits, and vegetables, according to The Classroom. Sauerkraut, which is popular in the Amish community, is readied for fermentation and placed in crocks for a week to 10 days. Although electricity is prohibited, Amish 365 advises that many settlements allow solar or gas-powered refrigerators for effective food storage. In the past, they would use ice houses, or buildings filled with ice from bodies of water to keep food cool for the majority of the year.
The Amish culture, though varying from what non-Amish are used to, proves that it's possible to be self-sustaining without unnecessary luxuries of the modern world. Next time you bake up a batch of cookies, remember to store them with a piece of bread to keep them soft and fresh.