Dining and Food

While exploring the beautiful side streets and rolling hills of the Amish Heartland, it is easy to drink in the sights, smells and sounds. But there is another product of the Heartland that is just as easy to drink as the picturesque scenery -- locally grown wines. We take you to three local wineries in this story.   Read Story.

ORRVILLE -- If patrons do not come into the store with smiles on their faces, Rita Shisler will do everything in her power to make sure they have one on when they leave. And, she has been doing so for 38 of the 50 years (51 years this August) that Shisler's Cheese House has been in business. Shisler, the daughter of German immigrants, came to America with her family in the late 1950s.   Read Story.

For the past three years, Troyer's Country Market has worked to provide the freshest produce and best tasting food items available for customers who have come to expect just that. The retail store was the brain-child of John Troyer, chief operating officer and owner of Troyer Cheese, and his brother James Troyer, chief executive officer of company that their father, Jonas,.  Read Story.

Melvin and David Stutzman frolic like puppies on their way home from school on a November afternoon. A chilly wind and heavy gray clouds cannot contain their high spirits as they kick up brown leaves and jump over fallen tree branches along the road. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day and they know that Mom has been busy in the kitchen all day today. They can already smell the cinnamon and nutmeg, and taste the cookies, pies, and fresh bread that they know will be coming out of the oven.   Read Story.

The holiday season is nearly upon us. Cooks everywhere are beginning to plan what they'll serve for Thanksgiving and Christmas, the two holidays during which I'm quite sure the most food is consumed. These cooks are probably wondering how in the world they'll ever be able to prepare it all. Well, this year, I can help you; actually, Miller's Bakery can help you! They will take orders for your holiday delicacies to ensure your meal is a complete success (sorry, but you'll have to do the turkey yourself).  Read Story.

They often say the kitchen is the heart of the home. So if you're visiting northeast Ohio's Amish Country, "home" to the largest concentration of Amish in the world, you must visit Mrs. Yoder's Kitchen in Mt. Hope.  Read Story.

I don't know about you, but when my husband and I travel, we like to eat where the local folks eat " they know where the good stuff is! Recently, I sat down with Dennis Mullet, owner of Boyd & Wurthmann Restaurant, where the local folk around Berlin, Ohio, both the "English" and the Amish, have been going since 1938. It's where the good stuff is.  Read Story. (2 comments)

We eat a lot of cheese at our house. Swiss cheese, Cheddar cheese (the sharper, the better), Longhorn cheese, Hot Pepper cheese ... well, with the exception of Limburger, you name it, we'll eat it! Four years ago, we discovered Shisler's Cheese House, and we've been as happy as mice ever since! Shisler's Cheese House is no new establishment.  Read Story.

Right smack dab in the middle of downtown Berlin, in the heart of Amish Country, you'll find a delightful culinary shop that has absolutely nothing to do with typical Amish-style mashed potatoes, gravy, noodles, date pudding or homemade bread. In fact, its food products are about as far from down-home cookin' as you can get ... unless you're from Cajun country,.  Read Story.

As I was taking notes for this story, I found myself writing "homemade" this, and "homemade" that, over and over again. Finally, The Amish Door general manager Amanda Miller said, "You might as well just say 'everything is made from scratch.' Our kitchen is a very busy place, beginning very early in the morning." This "scratch" food is what brings people.  Read Story.

You know the song "Home for the Holidays," dont you? When I paid a visit to Troyer's Home Pantry recently, I came upon a re-make of that familiar ditty. As I drove into the parking lot, I pulled along side an SUV with Tennessee plates. For some reason, the lyrics of that seasonal favorite came into my mind.  Read Story.

To me, August in Amish Country means food -- and I'm not talking about chicken and dressing, mashed potatoes and noodles (although they're delicious too)! Driving around the area, you can't help but notice the many roadside stands and farmers' markets advertising all manner of fruits and veggies, all fresh from area gardens. From vine-ripened cherry tomatoes to bushels of sweet.  Read Story.

The holiday season is nearly upon us. Cooks everywhere are already planning what they'll serve for Thanksgiving and Christmas, the two holidays during which I'm quite sure the most food is consumed. These cooks are probably wondering how in the world they'll ever be able to prepare all that food.  Read Story.

The best prices (and many times, the best selection!) can be found down a winding lane or at the side of a country road -- in this area's bulk food stores.  Read Story.

It was an assignment too good to be true ... I was asked to visit Coblentz Chocolate Company in Walnut Creek! For a dyed-in-the-wool chocoholic such as myself, this was a heavenly mission! Coblentz Chocolate Company has been in Walnut Creek for 14 years according to Jason Coblentz, general manager and a partner in the company. Although the retail store has.  Read Story.

My husband and I recently spent a pleasant day in Switzerland. No, we did not take a quick flight to Europe on the Concorde! All that was necessary to visit Switzerland was to take State Route 39 east out of Millersburg, then follow State Route 557 south to the Guggisberg Cheese complex. From the Old World architecture of the buildings to the colorful costumes worn by the cheerful, friendly employees, we felt we were experiencing a genuine taste of the culture of the people who began to settle this valley more than 150 years ago.  Read Story.

There are many things to see and do in the Amish Heartland. But let's face it, the biggest attraction in the area is its well-deserved reputation for good food. And the best part of any meal in this territory is what comes after: dessert. No one really needs an excuse to sample the legendary delights that come from an Amish oven.  Read Story.

Do you revel in eating the cookie dough right off the spoon? Do you consider yourself a connoisseur of cake? Would you do just about anything for chocolate? If you're a sweet-toothed visitor to Amish Country, you've come to the right place (and if you happen to live here, you're even luckier)! The Amish Heartland is brimming with all manner of.  Read Story.