kitty companiona

kitty companiona

Friday, October 28, 2011

The PA Dutch Market

Lately when I have called Mom her phone beeps with a low battery halfway through our usual 20-minute conversations.  She tried to get the back off the phone to see what kind of battery she needs but with limited strength in her hands, wasn't able to do it.  Zip and I decided that after his music lesson yesterday we would take her to get the new battery.  He was to drop us off at the Pennsylvania Dutch Market in Hagerstown while he had his lesson.

The lesson was cancelled at the last moment, but the plans went on anyhow.  I must add here that family outings are not without stress.  Mom is a perfectionist and is always right.  Always!  She likes to make moral judgments about people based on their physical appearance and many times voices them out loud within hearing of the offending person.  This makes me cringe!!!  She and Zip get along fine, so I usually let them walk along ahead and talk and I slink behind them trying to be quiet,  hoping for invisibility.  So that was the scenario yesterday.

This is a nice market!  Clean, neatly organized and well run with quality products.  (thankfully it was CLEAN, or remarks would have been made!)  It isn't huge, but is as nice as many of the larger markets found in Lancaster County, the heart of our Amish country.

We'll start in the dry goods and grocery section and work up to the really yummy stuff last.

A nice selection of specialty flours and pasta.


Pickles and jellies of every description.


Zip checking out the ingredient labels.  Yes, he looks like he ran into an Indian scalping party.  He went to the salon to get a 'trim' and returned home with inch-short hair!  Not his best look!


Mom checking out the chocolates.  She kindly bought me a box of dark chocolate raspberry jellies for bringing her along on the market excursion.  Sugar Free!  This was a hint!!!  (see what I mean???)


They are excellent and you can't tell they are made with no sugar.  I bought myself a small box of dark chocolate with mango puree.  Also yummy!  But how did I miss that espresso truffle???


There is a very impressive meat counter.  I wanted to get a picture of the wonderful selection of sausages, but there was a crowd in front of that area of the case.


The steaks were a thing of beauty!  We had to try two small filets.


A lovely selection of cheeses.  When we talked to the young man in charge of the cheese counter, we found that he lives only a few miles from us near Newburg!  I forgot to ask if they sell from their home.


My favorite part is the bakery.


Even if I don't buy, I love to look!


They are mixing up dough and making these treats right there on the spot so you know they are fresh.


There are several lunch stands, a section of Amish-built furniture, handcrafts and seasonal decorations.



Just as we were leaving we ran into Jill, my rughooking friend from Grant Street, her husband and son.  Jill was the kind person who offered us Penny for adoption.  That gives her a special place in my heart!
It was nice to get a chance to chat with her for a while.

We all had a great time at the market.  I went home physically and emotionally exhausted!  All I could manage in the evening was some knitting.

I've been working on a lace knit beret in a silk bamboo yarn that is sooo soft and nice.  I can't show a picture because I got up this morning and ripped it all out and am going to start over adding more stitches after the ribbing.  I want it to be a bit more pouffy.

The rughooking meeting of the Cumberland Valley hookers is coming up on Monday.  I guess it's time to start another project.





17 comments:

  1. What a great market. I just love shopping at places like that. Especially when they stock neat jams, herbs, and seasonings. I can't wait to see the knitting!

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  2. Cheese, chocolate, pastry and Snowmen?!?!?!?! I'm there! lol! That looks like a fabulous market! I bet that lace knit beret is going to be so pretty when you're finished!

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  3. I always enjoy your posts and today was no exception. Enjoy your Mom while you can,, even if she does drive you nuts some times. LOL

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  4. That market looks just fabulous, everything looks so good! His hair will grow back. Just look at him, and be grateful, he's all yours!

    Mommas, you gotta love them, with my M I Law, everywhere you go, every meal you sit down to, no matter where you are or who you're with it's the huge rats in her garden, how much weight I gained, how much acne I have or don't at any given time, how many times the dogs threw up and the source of their problem, how rotten someone's underwear was or any body function you could ever name, or imagine. Blow by blow details, and she doesn't hear well, so it's always a load discussion for the entire surrounding community at large!

    I once found a note to myself that I wrote no long after we were first married, asking God to please not let me turn into her as I got older. Over 30 years later, now. But alas, it must be contagious in my husband's family, for I am more like her, than my own Mother. Woe, Woe Is Me!

    Have a great weekend, Pat & Zip!

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  5. Pat, you have anonymous spam in the comments, the one before mine, you might want to reset your comments on your blog.

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  6. Annie,
    I removed that offensive comment, but couldn't find a way to block him specifically. I like to leave my comments open to anonymous commentors because that's the only way some of my readers can leave them with Blogger not working right all the time.
    Do you know how to block specific people???

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  7. Hi Pat
    How I wish we had markets like that over here, no such luck, just supermarkets and small expensive shops. I love the choccy and cake stands best.
    Sadly my Mum is no longer with us but like yours mine was feisty and outspoken, I remember when she was in Hospital once, she told the Doctor in a loud voice that I was her daughter and I was a goer....,.
    I'm never sure what she meant by that but I felt like hiding under the bed, the Doctor just gave a feeble smile and moved on...
    Briony
    x

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  8. Hi Pat,
    I had to laugh as I totally know about the scene's caused by our oldster's!! My MIL does the same thing and she talks so loud! Dave gets embarrassed to death sometimes at the things she says...... one time it was about a midget right in front of him.. ..... :-)
    Looks like a wonderful place to visit and it's probably a good idea to go when you're not to hungry!! LOL!
    Thanks for the nice photos..... like going right along with you!!
    Have a nice and spooky Halloween! :{}
    Cathy G

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  9. Mothers! I remember one particular time when we were very short on cash and she threw a fit in the store, loudly proclaiming that she should have ice cream if she wanted it! Sigh...

    Great store, I like the ones with a bakery, so I can drool!

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  10. Wow what a wonderful marked!!!! I especially like the bakery and the seasonal decorations :-)

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  11. I block all the anonymous comments, I don't how to separately, if anyone can tell, I'd like to know too! I hope all goes well with your weekend, Pat. You are very creative and talented!

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  12. Pat,
    I am laughing at your outing because I have lived it many, many times. Whenever I go out with Mom and Auntie I always look for an escape route (in case they anger the villagers and we get chased out LOL)
    I would love to go to a market like that. Great stuff. I want some of those lemon pastries in the case.

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  13. Pat ~
    You post the best pictures and those pastries look Y-U-M-M-Y!!!
    Hugs :)
    Lauren

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  14. Hi Pat, Julia from the lost Paradise of Petals and Wool here.

    I'm skipping around on blogs through Firefox and accessing blogs by clicking on icons from the last blog I'm on , connecting in this way since I no longer have followers, I have to follow this way.

    I'm no longer able to access my Gmail account no matter what I've tried because they say I no longer exist.

    In any case I LOVE your post today. It's full of tempting food. That's my kind of market

    I'm sorry that your mom is kind spoiling your outings but you won't be able to change her. I think that this is a common problem. I bet that you will never run into the people who witnessed her remarks that has embarrassed you.

    I was very fortunate that my dear mom was discrete and even though we were a very large family I never heard her once say a negative statement about any of my sisters or brothers in law. She was a very wise woman and everyone who knew her loved her. I miss her a lot. Hugs, Julia

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  15. What ana amazing place ...maybe I#m glad there isn't one as good as that near me ...otherwise I'd have even less money. Your Mum looks good ...dare I ask what age she is? ... there is something about age ...I now find I have said things in such a way as to offend ...just a little ...but I never mean to at all....I so NEVER wanted to be that sort of Mum or MIL.
    Glad you had such a good day. xx

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  16. Hi Pat, I think that the Dutch market is a very special place and I do frequent it. Everything there is yummy! I loved your give away rug - so generous of you. Hope to see you soon. Seems as tho something is always getting in the way of our getting together.

    It was a joy to meet Lauren in Lancaster and have lunch with her. Wish you had been there with us.

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  17. Oh dear Pat,

    What have you done to me . . . I feel like I want to move and live there so I can sample all the goodies at the market. Those espresso truffles just make my much water, let alone some of the other desserts.

    We hope you found the battery because not all are the same even though they look alike.

    Warmest regards,
    Ms K and dad

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