Dutch Country Foods and Where to Find Them in South Carolina

What Dutch Country Foods Are and Where They Come From

Dutch Country foods are the traditional dishes and ingredients of the Pennsylvania Dutch—a religious community descended from German and Swiss immigrants who settled in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, starting in the 1700s. Despite the name, these people speak a German dialect and follow Anabaptist traditions like the Amish and Mennonites. Their cooking reflects a practical, farm-based life: preserved vegetables, slow-cooked meats, fresh dairy, and herbs grown in kitchen gardens.

The foods themselves are hearty and seasonal. You'll find pickled vegetables, shoofly pie, chicken and dumplings, scrapple, and fresh bread. Many dishes use herbs and spices grown or dried at home—dill, sage, thyme, and celery seed appear constantly. The cooking style emphasizes making use of everything and preserving the harvest for winter, which is why pickling, canning, and root-cellar storage shaped the cuisine.

South Carolina has no significant Pennsylvania Dutch population, but the foods have become popular across the country through farmers markets, specialty shops, and restaurants that celebrate regional American cooking. You can find Dutch Country ingredients and prepared foods in South Carolina through mail order, specialty grocers, and a handful of local businesses that stock or make these items.

Key Takeaways

• Dutch Country foods come from Pennsylvania Amish and Mennonite communities and rely heavily on home-grown herbs, preserved vegetables, and farm-fresh dairy.
• South Carolina specialty food shops and farmers markets sometimes carry Dutch Country products, though selection varies by location and season.
• Mail-order sources like Lancaster County businesses ship pickled goods, dried herbs, spice blends, and baking mixes directly to your door.
• Restaurants in South Carolina that focus on Appalachian or farm-to-table cooking may feature Dutch Country–inspired dishes or use their ingredients.
• Growing your own herbs—dill, sage, celery seed, and thyme—lets you recreate Dutch Country flavors at home without ordering specialty items.

Where to Buy Dutch Country Foods in South Carolina

Specialty food shops in larger South Carolina cities sometimes stock Dutch Country products. Check with independent grocers, gourmet shops, and stores focused on regional or ethnic foods in Charleston, Columbia, and Greenville. Call ahead to confirm they carry what you're looking for, since inventory changes and many shops order items on request rather than keeping them in stock year-round.

Farmers markets across South Carolina occasionally feature vendors who sell pickled vegetables, jams, and dried herbs from Pennsylvania Dutch producers. The Charleston Farmers Market (held year-round on Saturday mornings at the corner of King and Wentworth) and the Columbia Farmers Market (Saturday mornings, year-round) are good places to ask vendors whether they source Dutch Country items or can order them.

Online retailers ship Dutch Country foods directly to South Carolina. Websites run by Lancaster County businesses, Amish bakeries, and specialty food distributors offer pickled beets, pickled vegetables, dried herb blends, scrapple, shoofly pie filling, and baking mixes. Shipping costs vary, but many items are shelf-stable and travel well. Search for "Lancaster County foods online" or "Amish foods mail order" to find current sources.

Common Dutch Country Herbs and Spices You Can Use

The herbs most central to Dutch Country cooking are ones you can grow yourself or buy dried. Dill appears in nearly every pickle recipe and in soups and stews. Sage flavors poultry dishes and sausages. Thyme goes into meat broths and vegetable dishes. Celery seed is used whole in pickles or ground into spice blends. Parsley and chives finish soups and egg dishes.

Dried herb blends sold as "Dutch Country seasoning" or "Pennsylvania Dutch spice mix" typically combine celery seed, sage, thyme, and sometimes marjoram or savory. These blends work well in chicken and dumplings, pot roast, and vegetable soups. You can also buy individual dried herbs from any grocery store and combine them yourself to match recipes.

Pickling spices—mustard seed, coriander seed, peppercorns, and bay leaf—are standard in Dutch Country preserves. If you plan to make your own pickled vegetables at home, these are inexpensive to buy in bulk from spice shops or online retailers and will last for months in an airtight container.

Dutch Country Recipes and Dishes to Try

Chicken and dumplings is one of the most recognizable Dutch Country dishes. The broth is seasoned with sage and thyme, and the dumplings are soft, biscuit-like pieces dropped into the simmering liquid. Many recipes include celery and onion, and the finished dish is comfort food at its most basic.

Pickled vegetables—beets, cucumbers, green beans, and mixed vegetables—are staples. The brine typically includes vinegar, sugar, salt, dill, mustard seed, and sometimes garlic. These keep for months in the refrigerator and are served as a side dish or condiment at nearly every meal in Dutch Country homes.

Shoofly pie is a molasses pie with a crumb topping, traditionally eaten for breakfast or as a snack with coffee. Scrapple is a breakfast meat made from pork scraps, cornmeal, and spices, sliced and fried until crispy. Both are available from mail-order sources or can be made at home if you find recipes online.

Growing Your Own Dutch Country Herbs at Home

South Carolina's climate supports growing most Dutch Country herbs outdoors year-round or during the growing season. Dill, sage, thyme, and parsley all thrive in South Carolina gardens with full sun and well-draining soil. Plant them in spring or fall, water regularly, and harvest leaves as needed throughout the season.

Dill grows quickly and self-seeds, so one planting often produces herbs for several years. Sage and thyme are perennials that come back each year and actually improve with age. Parsley is a biennial, meaning it grows leaves the first year and flowers the second, but you can harvest continuously. All three dry well for winter storage—hang bundles upside down in a warm, dry place for two to three weeks, then strip the leaves and store in airtight containers.

If you don't have garden space, grow herbs in pots on a sunny porch or windowsill. A five-gallon pot holds one sage plant or several parsley plants. Potted herbs need more frequent watering than garden plants but produce well and let you move them indoors if a hard freeze threatens.

Restaurants and Bakeries Featuring Dutch Country Foods

South Carolina restaurants focused on farm-to-table cooking or Appalachian cuisine sometimes feature Dutch Country–inspired dishes or use ingredients from that tradition. Call ahead to ask whether a restaurant sources from Pennsylvania Dutch producers or features these foods on the menu. Bakeries in college towns and larger cities occasionally make shoofly pie or other Dutch Country baked goods to order.

Some South Carolina caterers and event venues work with specialty food suppliers to offer Dutch Country foods for weddings and large gatherings. If you're planning an event and want to feature these foods, contact local caterers and ask whether they can source items or prepare dishes in that style.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Pennsylvania Dutch and Dutch Country foods?

Pennsylvania Dutch refers to the people and their language (a German dialect). Dutch Country foods are the traditional dishes and ingredients from that region. The term "Dutch" comes from a mispronunciation of "Deutsch" (German), not from the Netherlands.

Can I order Dutch Country foods online and have them shipped to South Carolina?

Yes. Many Lancaster County businesses, Amish bakeries, and specialty food retailers ship pickled goods, dried herbs, spice blends, baking mixes, and prepared foods like scrapple and shoofly pie to South Carolina. Shipping costs vary, but most shelf-stable items travel well. Search online for "Lancaster County mail order" or "Amish foods shipped" to find current sources.

Are Dutch Country herbs different from regular herbs?

No—dill, sage, thyme, and parsley are the same whether grown in Pennsylvania or South Carolina. What differs is how they're used in recipes and how they're preserved. Dutch Country cooking emphasizes dried herbs and pickling, so you may find pre-made blends or dried bundles labeled as Dutch Country, but the herbs themselves are standard.

Where can I find pickled vegetables in South Carolina?

Specialty food shops, farmers markets, and some grocery stores carry pickled vegetables. You can also order them online from Lancaster County producers. If you enjoy pickling, making your own at home is simple and lets you control the flavors and ingredients.

What herbs should I grow if I want to cook Dutch Country food?

Start with dill, sage, and thyme. These three appear in most traditional recipes and grow well in South Carolina. Add parsley and chives if you have space. All five are easy to grow from seed or transplants and dry well for winter storage.