The first Amish store I would like to share is Hayloft Candles.
The place sold homemade ice cream and candles. I didn't pay too much attention to all the stuff till I bought some ice cream, but they had pretty interesting candles. Maybe I should look through more carefully next time.


They had work area right in the store so it was interesting to see the work area.

But I was so focused on getting this ice cream cone that I just skimmed through the store and walked right to the ice cream section. I tried Raspberry and it was only $1/scoop and it was a wonderful ice cream! Not too sweet like store-bought but just right. Mmmmmmm...I want some more....Mmmmmmmmmmmm

It also had a petting zoo right beside the store. It just asks you to make a donation at the entrance.

Here are some pictures I took of some 'starving' animals. Animals seem to be ALWAYS hungry...even our Nine (our dog) is ALWAYS hungry. Sometimes it seems like our Nine seems to eat 24/7.

These animals were all so hungry too..maybe since it was lunch time? Anyhow...this one was just so eager to eat some food that it stuck its head out...I hope it went back in okay.

This peacock...suddenly walked into llama cage where EVERYONE (including the llama who suddenly woke up and paid attention to the peacock) could see it spreading its tails and simply just walked away again folding it back again (show off ...lol). I guess I got lucky with this shot.

And although it was petting zoo..I didn't pet any...looking was enough for me. Eh hehehhehe...although I had some temptation to 'poke' their nose...

And this one was doing whatever it was doing...
There were more animals so if you get to go, say hi to all~

And if I am remembering right, right across this store was small Amish market stand with bunch of homemade stuff and veggies. When we were driving around, I realized that Amish community open up small farmer's markets through out the community as well as right from their home. (You might know better than I do about all of this since it was a new stuff for me.) Anyway this particular market had one big bag of fresh spinach only for $1 something (of course we bought it) and some freshly baked cookies..etc. I regretted not taking enough cash with me. Everything looked so good that I wanted to buy some more to take home.

With all the organic and healthy stuff craze these days..Amish markets are definitely somewhere you can get budget friendly and yummy organic stuff! I'll show you other stores as well...I just wish they were closer.

Yes, there's a dutch market in Burtonsville (which has been 'planning' to move fore months to Laurel). I should go visit it again very soon. I loved their fried chicken wings. But the atmosphere is totally different and seems to be more "Amish" in PA...Let me know what you think of this place if you ever went or planning to..!

Hayloft Candle is located at:
99 South Groffdale Road
Leola, PA 17540
www.hayloftcandles.com

One day I was hungry and my stomach wouldn't stop growling...I dragged myself out to the kitchen with nothing to eat...NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO....

My lovely mom came to the rescue! I saw her doing this and that and I don't even remember what she was doing...and Ta-da~! She whipped up this wonderful spicy fish soup in no time which tasted amazing like she spent a whole day cooking this soup (but just spent less than 30minutes..actually it felt like she cooked in 5 min. LOL)

I love you MOM! I don't know how moms do it...moms around me ( not my moms...) just seem to be at ease and their hands moving so quickly (yet precise) and present wonderful dish that seemed effortless and taste amazing! Is it the years of experience or do they get some super powers when they become MOMS???? seriously!

I wonder if I'll ever be like that if I ever become a mom...Ta-Da....yeah...right...LOL!

But we always miss homemade cooking during our busy lives. Don't we? At least I do. I really get sick of eating out and just miss homemade meals.
I miss that special taste you just can't get it from the store bought ones. I'm sure you know what I mean. Koreans call such taste mom's "Sohn Maht." Sohn means 'hand' and Maht means 'taste.' It describes the wonderful taste of homemade cooking that everyone loves. The term implies that whoever cooks for their own family, traditionally the mother of a family, transfers love and care into a unique taste while cooking (with hands). That's why your mother's cooking is always so good!! Mothers want to feed their children something healthy and tasty and we can taste her love. It's her Sohn Maht!

Even Kimchi tastes different in different households and different stores. Not only are the store bought Kimchi expensive, but they lack SohnMaht. Since I was little, I always watched her make Kimchi and I was always the one to try Kimchi first before she stuffed them. If I say OK, she starts to stuff them. Even today she asks me to try Kimchi and sometimes I help her out too. It may seem like nothing much to others but it is something I will always remember. Someday I maybe the one letting my daughter to try some first, doing the same things I did with my mom.

If you are just too busy no one will condemn you for buying one (we buy some too when we run out of Kimchi and just can't find the time to make more), but maybe once in a while making your own Kimchi could be something special for your family! Scroll down to find Kimchi recipes! Let them remember and treasure your Sohn Maht! I know I can't forget my mom's Sohn Maht.

Kimchi Recipes:
Traditional Whole Napa Cabbage Kimchi
Quick 'n Easy version Kimchi
Non Spicy American Cabbage Kimchi
Kimchi Fried Rice
Young Radish Water (YeoulMoo Mul) Kimchi
White Non-Spicy Kimchi

Kimchi Facts:

About Kimchi
Different Tastes of Kimchi
Korean Homemade Kimchi Part I-Most Popular

Basically, we will be pickling a napa cabbage and stuff daikon stuffing mix between the pickled Napa leaves. Daikon stuffing mix is all the ingredients combined together.
Let's start!

You will need the following:

Ingredients
Pickling
1 whole Napa Cabbage (Medium-size)
1/2 cup 'morton' salt
4 cup water

Daikon stuffing
12-14oz Daikon/Japanese radish, peeled
3 scallions, cut into 2 inches lengths
1 oz ginger root, peeled and minced
2 tsp finely chopped garlic, purchase from a store or chop it at home
1 tsp 'morton' salt (for Daikon stuffing)
1/4 cup fish sauce
1/4 cup sweet rice power OR flour
1 cup hot chili pepper flake(NOTE: COARSE powder! Not the fine powder!! & make sure it's MADE IN KOREA)

Korean pepper powder on ebay:

Korean Dried Red Pepper Powder 300g - Kimchi, Seasoning + Bonus Ginseng Tea US $22.45

***Young's Tip: You can adjust the amount of ginger, garlic, hot pepper, and scallions based on your taste.***

Directions:

DON'T wash it yet. Just take off all the dirty (holes..unappealing brown color) outer leaves.

Don't cut all the way through. Cut into Napa about an inch and then separate with your hands.

Split Napa into 4 parts. First split into two halves and then into quarters. Now we are ready to pickle Napa.

(**Remember 1/2 cup listed for pickling?) Just mix half of salt (1/4 cup) with water in a bowl first.
Soak Napa in the salt water and take it out right away. Squeeze out excess water gently.

With the remaining 1/4 cup salt, sprinkle in between each Napa leaf. Make sure you control yourself so you'll have enough for all of them. Press Napa down firmly to help salt soak in....Let it sit for 2.5hrs.

WHILE YOU ARE WAITING FOR NAPA ...we will start preparing radish stuffing.

Mix 2 cups water and flour or sweet rice powder in a pot and stir till boil. Turn it off when it boils and let it cool. Set it aside. (This porridge like mixture is called "Pul" which is used to pull all the flavors together and to help fermentation process.)

Thinly slice daikon (or Japanese radish).

Combine chopped radish, hot pepper flake, scallions, minced ginger, garlic and mix in a large bowl. Next, combine fish sauce, 1tsp salt, and Pul (porridge mixture) and mix thoroughly (but gently) again.

(BECAREFUL!!!:There are 2 kinds of hot pepper flakes. One is coarse flakes and the other one is fine powder. Coarse flakes are the ones used for Kimchi. The pepper powder is for making hot pepper paste.
Also, make sure those peppers are from Korea. You should be able to find that information on the back in English.)

WHEN NAPA IS READY...

Wash Napa thoroughly in the running water. Wash 3-4 times. Make sure to clean between the leaves too. Drain.

Lightly stuff radish mixture into Napa leaves. (Here, you need to estimate equal distribution and don't overstuff).

Put stuffed Napas in a jar, smallest leaves facing up. (You should leave some room for fermentation or it will overflow from the jar). Press them down firmly to get rid of any air bubbles. When you put all Napas in, mix any remaining fallen leaves and stuffing together. Put the mixture in the jar to cover Napas (This is to aid fermentation process). YAY!!

Let the jar sit 24hrs in a room temperature and then store in the fridge.

Enjoy!!!

***Young's Tip: You can start eating Kimchi even before you let it sit for 24hrs.***

Kimchi Recipes:

Quick 'n Easy version Kimchi
Non Spicy American Cabbage Kimchi
Kimchi Fried Rice
Young Radish Water (YeoulMoo Mul) Kimchi
White Non-Spicy Kimchi

Other Recipes:
Bulgogi-Korean BBQ beef
Spicy Chicken Bulgogi
Korean style Pickl (Oiji)
Fresh Spicy Cucumber Salad
Fresh Tofu Salad
Stir Fried Eggplant
Mini Ground Turkey Pancake
Zucchini Jun

Kimchi Facts:

About Kimchi
Different Tastes of Kimchi
Korean Homemade Kimchi Part I-Most Popular
Homemade Kimchi vs Store Bought Kimchi