Bryan and I went shopping in Amish Country today in Shipshewana (Indiana). I’ve heard about Shipshewana from one of my co-workers and, considering her drive to get there is around two hours (one-way), I figured it was well worth a trip, and it was.
We took off mid-morning and went right to our planned stop at Yoders Meat and Cheese Company to look through their various dry goods, cheeses and meats. You can sample their cheeses, which varied from smoked mozzarella to buffalo wing cheddar, as well as salami, and beef and turkey jerky. We picked up a few things I’m excited about – some local honey, whole coffee beans and assorted licorice, but the real reason we drove 45 minutes was for their meat selection.
A row of doors greet you with signs letting you know if meat was grain-fed or grass-fed. In addition to a variety of ground beef and primal cuts of beef, you can choose from pork, veal, duck, lamb, turkey and chicken. We picked up a variety of meat, 20.75 pounds to be exact, of gorgeous organic beef, veal, pork and chicken. We’ll be sure to post about our various creations with this meat, and we can’t wait to get cooking.
In addition to stopping at Yoders Meat and Cheese Company, we ate at the Blue Gate Restaurant and Bakery.
I ordered the Chicken and Noodles (half order) -” homemade noodles and chunks of chicken generously ladled over creamy real mashed potatoes” with a side of green beans. I was transported back to my great-grandmother’s kitchen eating this delicious dish. It was just the right dish to order on a cold, winter day when I’m fighting off a cold. Bryan ordered the Amish Country Sampler, which consisted of fried chicken, roast beef, ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing and corn. The fried chicken was juicy and the ham was delicious, according to Bryan. To top lunch off, we had to finish with pie. I ordered the old fashioned cream, which tasted like the homemade pudding I grew up eating. Bryan ordered the Dutch Apple, which was also delicious and had a crumbly, cinnamon-y crunchy topping.
We shopped around the rest of Shipshewana and found a few treasures:
- The Pampered Pet Boutique – picked up a few things for Brew, our black lab, including sweet potato chewies
- Red Bud Gift Shop/Coffee Tea Cafe – bought some loose tea samples
- E & S Sales – great place with bulk spices and other pantry necessities (flour, sugar, dried fruit, oil, etc.). Cash only, but they do have an ATM
All in all, we enjoyed our trip to Shipshewana and will definitely be making more return trips. Know of any hidden treasures within a few driving hours of southwest Michigan? Please share them in our comments section.
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PR gal and foodie who loves cooking, red wine, entertaining, shoes, coffee, gadgets, gardening and magazines.
I used to work in the corporate communications department for a Fortune 500 CPG company and am serious about meat. I currently work for a PR agency in the home appliance industry. 
You should definitely check out the Mill Race Farmer’s Market in Goshen come spring. Not only are there many local farmers selling their produce, meat, and cheese directly, there’s also a wonderful baker using locally milled grains. Unlike the so-called “homemade” menu items oft-touted in Shipshewana, Rachel’s Bread is the real deal. And she actually uses the the local ingredients in her cooking. Any person that appreciates quality food, made with ingredients grown locally and sustainably would appreciate what she has to offer.
Thanks, Justin. We’ll definitely have to check it out this spring. We’ll also have to check out your pizzeria – we walked by it after we’d already eaten and we are huge fans of woodfired pizzas.
Thanks for stopping by our store in Shipshewana last month. We are currently working on a website for our tea and tea supplies. Just curious what kind of tea that you got from us? what where your thoughts on the quality? Thanks for the free press, hoping that we can serve you better in the future and that you have many more memorable forays to Shipshewana!
I’m very excited to hear you have a Web site! I picked up a few of the sample bags of spearmint, peppermint, mango white tea, orange and spice, apple spice and jasmine, and have enjoyed the ones I’ve tried so far – great flavor. I moved away from loose tea several years ago, but would like to get back to drinking loose tea. I also bought a tea strainer, and was impressed with the various tea pots and tea cups you have in store. Thanks for posting and I’m sure we’ll be back to visit.