Your Chicken Pot Pie Ain’t Much if it Ain’t Dutch

Last week my Gram sent home a bowl of her mouth-watering chicken pot pie to comfort me during my recovery from back surgery. I had it for dinner that night, then for lunch the next day. I even considered it for breakfast. It’s THAT good. So good, in fact, that I took a picture and posted it to Facebook to show off her skills.

That’s when the debate began.

Several of my friends argued that my photo was not “chicken pot pie,” at least, not as they know it.

They insisted chicken pot pie is an actual pie with a crust, carrots, peas, chicken and potatoes. Maybe in some parts of the world, but around these parts, chicken pot pie is made in a POT.

It consists of thick, doughy, hand-cut squares, tender shredded chicken, slivers of onions, and big chunks of cooked potatoes. Add a few key herbs and spices, et voila! A Pennsylvania Dutch masterpiece!

This whole situation got me thinking…these are family traditions I’ve never really considered important but need to continue to maintain.

Here we are, living in the year 2012, in the era of “quick and easy.” Buying a frozen chicken pie and heating in the oven would be a breeze, but it would completely defeat the tradition behind this homemade delicacy.

From there, I began to think of other Pennsylvania Dutch traditions or sayings we use in our home. Although I consider myself fairly "modern day," my husband will tease me from time to time when my “Dutchified” side comes to life.

I sometimes catch myself affectionately calling my boys "schnickelfritz" or "nix-nootz"  (take THAT spell-check!) only to realize my friends are staring at me as if I was . And yes, I suppose I am.

My maiden name was Wolfe, and I married a Holtzhafer. You can’t get more German than that. Our families are of the Pennsylvania German heritage. My in-laws are still able to speak some of the language, which draws from me the little bit that I heard growing up around my great-grandparents.

Phrases like “Outen the light!” and “I’ll wait on the machine” seem normal to me. 

Have you ever said “It’s spritzing out?” or “Quit rutsching around!”?  My mother-in-law often says, “It wonders me” when she’s perplexed by something.

Saying "ecks" instead of "eggs" is not uncommon in our family. A “v” sounds like a “w” and vice versa. “Winnie the Pooh” comes off as “Vinnie da Pooh.” “ (The “z” becomes an “s” too.)

Have you ever heard someone end his or her statement with “Say now?” Yep, I’m one of those people.

This is something I hope to continue to share with our boys. It’s a unique part of our Pennsylvania German heritage.

Hex signs, fiscal living and scrumptious chicken pot pie are delicious pieces of who we are. It’s important we keep those traditions alive so our children can pass them down to their children.

And you know, the Pennsylvania Dutch folk are always right, say now?