In Praise of Fast Food - Debbie Sams

I came across a wonderful article written by Debbie Sams for Hobby Farm Home and the sentiment is one that is very important to many of us today. A few weeks ago, I was selling my homemade baked goods and handmade preserves at the farmer's market in town and two Amish women stopped by my table. They told me that my preserves were beautiful and very well made. They bought a jar of my preserves to take home. I have cooked in literally hundreds of contests and competitions. My recipes have been printed in cookbooks and magazines around the world. I have a huge box of metals and ribbons that I won. Never, until that moment had anything been paid such a high compliment. These women KNOW what goes into these products and they are fine, fine, judges of quality. I dedicate this article to those in our community who are working hard everyday so that we have "fast food" when we want it. Here is the article in it's entirety.Thank you Debbie for writing it.


Our family really enjoys fast food: food that tastes delicious but is quick and easy to prepare with very little labor involved.
Early in the afternoon, I unwrap a fresh ham roast, lay it in a roast pan, pour a bag of frozen black eyed peas around it, add a little water and salt, put on the lid, and slide it in the oven. It takes me less than 5 minutes.
Now, of course, it took some time to raise the hog and load it in a trailer to take to the processor, and the peas had to be planted, watered, hoed, picked and shelled. But today, they are a convenient "fast food" to be cooked with the ham.
Later, with the delicious smells of ham coming from the kitchen, I wash some sweet potatoes and put them in the oven beside the ham to cook to a soft, syrupy sweetness. It takes just a couple of minutes to do. A few months ago, we were planting, weeding, and digging, but today, the sweet potatoes are quick and easy.
After sewing leisurely all afternoon, I go to set the table for supper. A nice clean tablecloth and pretty dishes and glasses make the table inviting. I decide pickles, beet pickles, and salsa will make nice side dishes for the meal. And even though we spent a lot of time growing, picking, chopping, and pickling last summer, a quick pop of the lid makes they ready for a pretty dish on the table.
Yesterday, after grinding wheat to make flour, I made some homemade bread. It took several hours to knead and bake, but today it's all ready to slice and serve with our homemade butter and homemade jelly. All I have to do is put them on the table.
As the family gathers around the pretty table laden with good food, sharing the news of their day and enjoying the fellowship of one another, we all agree: There is nothing quite as good as fast food- country style.