Growing up in southwestern Ontario, with frequent visits to St Jacob’s and Kitchener, and an interest in all things Germanic and Eastern European, I have had quite a bit of experience with some German Mennonite foods, and more Russian Mennonite foods.
I also own sone cookbooks.
I suppose we mostly have purchased the pies.
Half my own family descends from Austria - Hungary, not far from where the Russian Mennonites lived in the Old Country, so many of the Russian Mennonite, as well as Hutterite foods, are similar to what half my ancestors were eating
I also visited the Mennonite museum in Steinbach, Manitoba, which is especially interesting if you ever find yourself in Manitoba. We enjoyed some restaurants in Manitoba.
A lot of Mexican Mennonites live near Aylmer, St Thomas, Simcoe and along Lake Erie.
The most recent Mexican Mennonite immigrants have come to Canada from Sonora and Chihuahua since the drug wars and poverty have made life in northern Mexico unpleasant for many people.
I will report back as I try new places!
When I glance at the menus of Mexican Mennonite restaurants with online menus, the menu options look simpler, with less choices than restaurants run by typically Catholic Mexicans running taco shops.
I am seeing less green sauces available, and the filling for the enchiladas at the 3 places in Aylmer was ground beef. I’m an enchilada fan, and I was on the hunt for chicken enchiladas with green sauce or chicken enchiladas suizas yesterday, which do not seem to be made by the Mexican Mennonites in Aylmer. What I’m seeking is sort of more Tex Mex / Mexicali/ Mexican American, maybe dated Mexican American (circa 1960-2000) and the new spots in Toronto run by mostly Catholic Mexicans direct from Mexico also don’t tend to serve it .
I am also curious to try the Mexican summer borscht because the description looks nothing like regular Mennonite borscht or regular Ukrainian/ Polish/ Russian borscht.