812 Summer/Fall 2019 by 812 Magazine

812 Summer/Fall 2019

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

WHAT’S INSIDE

Sweet job

At Schimpff’s Confectionery, candy is the family business.

DQSH How did story time divide a southern Indiana city?

James Keys

14 Calie Schepp

Trip down memory lane

A John Mellencamp driving tour has proven to be a hit for fans of the rock star.

Mushroom foraging A guide for Southern Indiana.

Warren and Jill Schimpff are the third generation of the Schimpff family to own and operate the Jeffersonville business.

Worth the drive

A look at three southern Indiana must-see museums.

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812 MAGAZINE STAFF

812:

THE MAGAZINE OF SOUTHERN INDIANA

Pictured here are the students from J481: Creating an Indiana Magazine. From left to right: Abigail Billing, Rachel Levin, Maura Johnson, Calie Schepp and James Keys. Not pictured, students from A450: Advertising Portfolio Workshop, who planned and developed the Lincoln Boyhood advertisements. Those students include Roberto Bejarano, McCall Donaghue, Hannah Ledesma, Raelyn Watts, Sze Lok Wong and Eric Wright. Also not pictured, MSCH-J 342 student Abigail Thompson, who contributed content.

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CANDY BUSINESS By Calie Schepp

Calie Schepp

TOP Warren and Jill Schimpff show off the candy museum at Schimpff’s Confectionery. ABOVE Handmade candy available at Schimpff’s.

arren and Jill Schimpff have been making candy for years now. Each day they wake up in their apartment, conveniently located right above their family owned candy shop Schimpff’s Confectionery and head to work. Their day consists of red hot candy making demonstrations, the shop’s signature creation. They give tours of their vintage shop and candy memorabilia museum, located in Jeffersonville, Indiana, to crowds of fascinated tourists. They feed meals and bags of chocolate treats to hungry locals. Schimpff’s Confectionery has been serving up homemade candy, treats and hot meals since 1891. Warren and Jill are the third generation of Schimpff’s to own the shop. The confectionery is a candy lovers dream. Picture your local soda shop, candy store, museum and all-around community hang out wrapped into one. When you enter, the aroma of freshly made cinnamon red hot candies welcomes you, a sure sign you’re at Schimpff’s. Rows and rows of handmade chocolates and toffees line the glass display boxes. Their website boasts an extensive list of recognitions. It has been listed in “Louisville Business First” as one of the area's top 20 for-profit attractions and national

media such as The Food Network, The History Channel/“Modern Marvels” and Paula Deen have focused their attention on Schimpff’s. The couple, Warren, 76, and Jill, 74, went to school all their lives together and started dating when they went to their respective universities. Warren has a PhD in environmental chemistry from the University of Michigan. He comes from a family of chemists, his mother and father both working in the field. “It’s a big family of chemists,” Jill said. “They’re all interested in how things work.” Warren said he peaked an interest in candy making and antique candy making machinery in his teenage years when he would visit the shop during the holidays. “I fell in love with the antique equipment and never gave it up,” Warren said. “After Jill and I got our degrees, we spent a year and a half in Sweden. I did a post doc there and we came back and my aunt invited us to come spend time at the candy store while we were looking for jobs.” Warren’s aunt and uncle, Catherine and Sonny Schimpff, ran the shop until they passed away in the late 80s. Catherine had encouraged Warren and Jill to help them at the confectionery upon their return from Sweden. “Warren’s aunt said ‘You’re just sitting on your dumps writing resumes? You can come down here and help us and be

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Schimpff’s Confectionery Address 347 Spring Street Jeffersonville, Indiana 47130 Phone (812) 283-8367 Website www.schimpffs.com Hours Monday to Saturday: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sunday: Closed

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useful,’ ” Jill said. And useful the Schimpffs were. They began helping with the candy making process in further detail, as Warren became increasingly fascinated with the antique machinery. The couple bought the shop in its 99th year to try and preserve the legacy their previous family members built. “We just couldn’t see it not be around,” Warren said. “So we bought the business to keep it in the family and keep history alive. Keep community history alive. For 10 years, we commuted back and forth from California to keep the business going.” Generations of families from the Louisville area have been coming to Schimpff’s, starting from when they were children to now going to visit with their own grandchildren. Local Brent Morris began visiting Schimpff’s when he was a child. “We had my grandson’s ninth birthday here on Tuesday,” Morris said. “It was a great time. The shop has made an impact on this community just by being here. It’s a nice place to come in and just browse around. There’s tons of interesting stuff in the museum.” Meredith Shephard, 17, is a candy maker at Schimpff’s. Her and her sisters are triplets, part of the sixth generation of Schimpffs working at the shop. She said she enjoys making chocolates on her spring break. “I like making derby mints the best,” Shephard said. “I’ve been coming around here for a long time. People like that its traditional and older. A lot of our stuff is handmade and people can tell through our demos.” Schimpff’s brings in visitors from all around the U.S. and the globe, some as far as Ecuador. “They come from all over,” Jill said.

Calie Schepp

TOP Customers browse the candy selection. MIDDLE Candy memorabilia on display as part of the museum exhibit. RIGHT Jars of candy decorate the walls of Schimpff’s Confectionery.

Warren and Jill said they’re grateful they don’t work office jobs sitting at a desk all day. “There aren’t too many people who have jobs where on a daily basis they get thanks,” Jill said. Steve Shephard, father of the triplets who work at the shop, will be taking over for Warren and Jill once they retire as owners. The sweet traditions at Schimpff’s don’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. Warren said, “We wanted to see if we could have an effect on the community by keeping the family business going, and it’s obvious we have had an effect.”

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MUSEUM SNAPSHOTS By Abigail Billing

Howard Steamboat Museum Hours Tuesday – Saturday: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Sunday: 1 – 3 p.m. Monday: Closed Admission Adults: $10 Seniors, Military, AAA, AARP: $8 Children, Students: $5

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Visit: 1101 E. Market St. Jeffersonville, Indiana 47130 (812) 283-3728 howardsteamboat museum.org

ust off the Ohio River in Jeffersonville, Indiana, sits a museum dedicated to the steamboat. Housed in the Howard family mansion, the Howard Steamboat Museum is a time capsule to the late 1800s. Built in 1894, the mansion has withstood flood and fire, yet the furnishings are still 90% original to the house. Along with being an architectural site of interest, the museum contains many different steamboat replicas and items from a variety of famous Ohio River steamboats. The museum tells the story of the Howard family, who ran the Howard Shipyard in Jeffersonville, Indiana. Started by James Howard in 1834, the Howard Shipyard became the largest inland shipyard in America, building more than 3,000 vessels running on the Ohio River in its 107-year, three-generation history. The late-Victorian mansion was built by shipbuilders as a way for the company to showcase its craftsmanship even if a steamboat was not available. Since it was built at the end of the steamboat era and the end of the family’s fortune, the interior was never updated, leaving it virtually the same as when the family lived there. While original furnishings are spread throughout the mansion, the second floor

is dedicated to the steamboat. Visitors can view full ship models, photographs, shipbuilding tools and more from the steamboat era. Fans of architecture, steamboats and history will find something new and exciting to learn at the Howard Steamboat Museum. Travis Vasconcelos, administrative assistant at the Howard Steamboat Museum, says, “It doesn’t matter what interests you historically. We have a little bit of everything, so you don’t have to be a steamboat fan to enjoy the museum.” Visitors will enjoy learning about this unique element of Indiana history regardless of previous steamboat knowledge. Along with the mansion, the site contains the original carriage house, which was recently restored to allow the space to be a rental facility for various events. This allows the museum to be fully self-funded relying solely on event revenue, admission and donations. The museum relies heavily on volunteers to tell its story. The friendly volunteers, many of whom have ties to the steamboat industry, are always ready to use their vast knowledge to answer any questions visitors might have. To learn more, visit: www.howardsteamboatmuseum.org.

Dubois County Museum Hours: Tuesday – Friday: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Saturday: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Sunday: 1 – 4 p.m. Monday: Closed Admission: Adults: $5 High School Students: $3 Elementary, Middle School Students: $2 Visit: 2704 Newton St. Jasper, Indiana 47546 (812) 634-7733 duboiscountymuseum.org

ocated in the unassuming former Jasper Corporation factory building in Jasper, Indiana, the Dubois County Museum tells the story of Dubois County through a variety of historical items from photographs and letters from soldiers to farm equipment and a replica log cabin. Since the museum is about a single county, one might think the subject matter would be limited. However, the museum, which opened in 1999, has more than 9,000 objects on display of its 41,600-piece collection and covers many different topics through the lens of Dubois County. Visitors might be particularly interested in the large exhibits on sports, military and

farm exhibits. The exhibit space dedicated to sports covers everything from high school state champions to pro athletes from the area. In the military exhibition, visitors can read the stories of veterans from Dubois County. Visitors can walk through a replica turn of the century Main Street Village to view how people once lived in the area. Visitors with young children will enjoy the Little Pioneer Play Area, where children can play and learn about pioneers. Programming for children is also offered throughout the year. To learn more about the Dubois County Museum, visit: www. duboiscountymuseum.org

Mathers Museum of World Cultures Hours:

he Mathers Museum of World Cultures works to bring the world to Bloomington though many different exhibitions. While each exhibition is only on display for a limited time, there is always something new to learn. The Mathers Museum began when Indiana University started acquiring objects and exhibiting them to the public. Originally the Indiana University Museum, which opened in 1963, the museum became the Mathers Museum of World Cultures in 1980. The museum has a permanent collection of more than 30,000 objects and 10,000 photographs representing cultures from around the world. The collection is

particularly strong in musical instruments, South and Central American artifacts, North African, Middle Eastern and Central Asian textiles and jewelry. Along with many different exhibitions, the Mathers Museum of Cultures puts on many different events from speakers and lectures to interactive family events, so there is always something going on at the Mathers Museum. Currently visitors can enjoy many exhibitions including: “Echoes of the Rainforest: The Visual Arts of the Shipibo Indians,” “México Indígena” and “Sacred Drums, Sacred Trees: Haiti’s Changing Climate.” For more information on the Mathers Museum, visit: www. mathersmuseum.indiana.edu.

Tuesday – Friday: 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Saturday – Sunday: 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday: Closed Admission: Free Visit: 416 N. Indiana Ave. Bloomington, Indiana 47408 (812) 855-6873 mathersmuseum.indiana.edu

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‘A GOOD STEP FORWARD’

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Brock Harder sank deeper into the disheveled cafe couch, staring down at his cup of coffee. “Their tactic is to pressure you into giving up, and it’s working,” Brock said, lowering his head. “I’m done after tomorrow,” he said. In one day, the stress would end, and life would go back to normal. Brock was at the tail end of an exhausting day. It was 2 p.m. and he had already been in and out of meetings — one was with the chief of the Evansville Police Department and its violent crimes taskforce unit. They strategized on how to keep everyone safe. A bomb squad was going to sweep the library early in the morning, and undercover cops would be scattered among protesters and counter protesters, the police chief said. It was up to Brock, a drag king and accidental community activist, to relay the message to other protesters. For the past two months, Brock had been on the front lines of an ideological battle — one that pitted the LGBTQ community of Evansville against local and national Christian groups. It all started when the Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library announced it would host a new program called Drag Queen Story Hour, where local drag queens would read to children. They scheduled the first for February 23, 2019, immediately drawing outrage from members of the community. A city councilman received backlash from the community after he called the

Despite protests, a drag queen story hour goes on as planned. By James Keys

event “reprehensible.” Drag performers and their circles of LGBTQ friends were harassed online, and many — including Brock — had received death threats as the event date got closer. Brock and dozens of others from the LGBTQ and ally community showed up to EVPL board meetings, advocating as much for DQSH’s existence as for their own. At the last board meeting before the inaugural DQSH, a motion was made to postpone the event indefinitely. No one seconded it. The show would go on.

* * * Before the sun had even risen, a caravan of police officers pulled into the EVPL North Park public parking lot. A handful of officers circled up, chit chatting and strategizing between sips of coffee. A handful of Church goers pulled into the parking lot across from the library. They grouped up, unloaded their neon posters, and joined together in solemn prayer. They prayed for everyone’s safety, and for the innocence of children. The group migrated across the street to the front doors of the library, “Protect Our Children” and “Jesus Christ Saves” posters in hand. The group set up shop directly across from Brock and his girlfriend Brooke, both visibly tense. Leaning against the sandstone of the library building, Brock put his hands in his

pockets. “I wish I didn’t have to be here,” he said, looking across the caution tape at the group. This would be the start of a long day for both sides. For Brock and others in the LGBTQ community, it was a day of non-stop self-advocacy. An out of town radical Christian group flew in for the event, equipped with megaphones, abrasively homophobic banners, and GoPro cameras. For hours on end, the group hurled insults and condemnations at most everyone. “Repent, sinners.” “Transgenders are perverts.” As the day went on, the dialogue got more personalized. “Look at it over there. Hey, are you a boy or a girl? I shouldn’t have to guess!” Families had to be escorted to the library doors by community activists who acted as buffers between young children and megaphone-toting religious zealots. To the right, kids were greeted by posters that said “Stop Sexualizing Children” and “Sad Day.” To the left, kids had their choice between rainbow sugar cookies and a hug from Cinderella.

* * * In a way, this DQSH debacle was a case study in what it means to be queer in southern Indiana — what it’s like to be sometimes viscerally hated for the life you live. For Zack Hoskins, the only openly transgender

employee of EVPL, this is just what it means to be transgender. As the director of pre-K reading programs, Zack’s job is quite literally to read to kids — and the kids love him. “They’re always just so excited, they’ll run up to me and yell my name whenever they see me,” Zack said. But working with kids has made Zack much more sensitive to the bigotry and hatred that sometimes overwhelms the adult world. Kids aren’t born with the same prejudices that adults develop, and Zack gets to see this every day. “Sometimes I say things and immediately freak out like the kids are going to judge me,” said Zack. “But they never bat an eye.” Once Zack was working on a short film with one of the library’s after school programs. He and the kids were excitedly hashing out details — plotline, actors, props — and thinking of a place to screen the final product. In an enthusiastic realization, Zack told the kids they could screen it at the local movie theater since Zack’s husband, Dominic, is the manager. Zack immediately froze, realizing he’d just accidentally come out. “I let it slip that I was gay, but the kids didn’t even notice I don’t think,” he said. “They were just pumped up about the film.” More than anything, the after-school group’s elation made him realize how resistant kids are to bigotry. His identity made little difference to them. If anything, it was reason for celebration because now they get to see their movie on the big screen. But Zack’s experiences with adults have been drastically different. Zack’s wedding was protested by the Westboro Baptist Church. He’s gotten death threats, has been called names, and was even outed at work. “It’s just crazy to think my existence offends so many people,” he said. As a pre-K story-time reader, Zack reads to kids in schools all over Evansville — including private Christian schools. A familiar face at a handful of local schools, he’s loved by both kids and school staff alike. But this past year, a religious group in town outed him to the Christian school he was supposed to read at. He was devastated. “I just didn’t see what the problem was,” said Zack. “I still don’t.” Days went by while the school deliberated, giving Zack plenty of time to think. He thought back to all the times he was assaulted with hugs by a pack of 8-yearolds. Back to the hokey pokey dance parties and dress-up story times. He thought back to all the parents and kids who saw a role model in him. So did the school. They advocated for Zack in the face of religious bigotry, but

James Keys

The North Park public library in Evansville hosted its first Drag Queen Story Hour in February. The event drew protestors, some from outside the community, equipped with megaphones, homophobic banners and GoPro cameras. Despite the protests, around 400 parents and children showed up for the event.

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Zack was left wondering why the conversation was had in the first place. Why would his identity ever be cause for getting fired? Incidents like these are why Zack woke up early the morning of Feb. 23 and drove down to the library. It’s why he stood in solidarity with his friends for hours, all the while berated by megaphone-toting hate groups. He and his friends were ridiculed, harassed by protestors, and called names like “pirate dyke,” “weirdo,” “freak,” and “school shooter.” After hearing that last insult, Zack couldn’t help but laugh. That last one was Zack’s favorite. “It just made no sense,” he laughed. But most protestors weren’t that loud or obnoxious. Many stayed silent, letting their solemn presence and humble posters speak for themselves. In this crowd, Zack saw a familiar face — the parent of a kid in one of his after school programs. This kind of thing isn’t uncommon for Zack. “I’ve had parents ask me if I’m planning on having kids because their kids love me so much,” Zack said. But when these same parents find out that Zack is transgender, they change their tune. “The same parents will tell me I shouldn’t have kids,” said Zack. “And honestly, it’s kept me from having kids.” Zack and his husband just bought a house, and the two have settled into stable jobs — a logical time to start thinking about kids. But he and his husband both agree it’s not the time or place for two transgender men to bring a child into the world. “The whole Drag Queen Story Hour thing has brought a lot of hate to the surface,” says Zack. “It’s so emotionally taxing for me, so I can’t imagine bringing a kid into this.” But would he ever leave Evansville? “No way. I have friends in Brooklyn and really liberal, artsy places,” Zack said. “But I can’t abandon my community, or else how would it change?” As exhausting as it is to be on the front lines of the fight for queer existence, Zack doesn’t see any other option. “Who else will show out for us?” Zack asked rhetorically. The controversy of DQSH has stirred up hatred, giving divisive groups a platform and reason to mobilize. But it’s also made Zack realize more than ever how important diversity and visibility are to developing young minds, which is why Zack loves his job so much. He knows he’s making a difference, whether it’s by reading a nontraditional story to kids, or by simply being a visible role model. One of Zack’s favorite story-time books is “Julian Wants to be a Mermaid,” the story

James Keys

A Drag Queen Story Hour event at a local library pitted the LGBTQ community of Evansville against a national Christian group. Despite protests, the February event went on as scheduled.

of a young boy who wants to dress up like the elaborate women in Carnival festivals but feels like he can’t. After reading it one afternoon, Zack felt its immediate effect. “A kid came up to me and asked if it was okay that sometimes he liked to dress up in his mom’s clothes, if he was allowed to do that,” Zack recalled. It broke his heart that kids felt like they weren’t entitled to self-expression. But this is exactly why DQSH’s occurrence — however contested — was such a victory for the LGBTQ community in Evansville. “Trans and queer people are

rarely able to claim public spaces as their own,” Zack said. “But seeing all those kids having a good time, that was a good step forward.” For Zack, Brock, and many in the LGBTQ community, the event was an exhausting success. Although they were berated with insults for hours, they saw nearly 400 parents and children show up for the event — 275 were able to make it inside to the story time. “E stands for Everyone” is a current branding campaign for the city of Evansville. Maybe that is true after all.

Young Abraham Lincoln preferred getting an education to doing his chores on his family’s farm in Indiana. Every chance he got, he put down the plow and picked up a book. Now, you can try your hand at chopping wood, milking cows, and even splitting some rails at the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial. Who knows, the work might even inspire you to pick up a new book CPF ǪPF QWV OQTG CDQWV JQY #DTCJCO .KPEQNP VTCPUHQTOGF JKOUGNH HTQO a poor farm boy into one of our greatest presidents.

13 3027 East South St. Lincoln City, IN 47552

(812) 937-4541 www.nps.gov/libo/index.htm

812 SUMMER/ FALL 2019

Photo via <a href=”https://www.goodfreephotos.com/”>Good Free Photos</a>

HOT SPOTS S

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By Maura Johnson

ettled in the town of Seymour, Indiana, is an interactive tribute to the humble beginnings of a global superstar. American rocker John Mellencamp, known for songs like “Pink Houses” and “Hurts So Good,” was born in Seymour, Indiana in 1951. An interactive driving tour now memorializes Mellencamp and the time he spent in the southern Indiana town. The tour, called “The Roots of an American Rocker: An Audio Driving Tour of John Mellencamp’s Hometown,” started as a brochure and was eventually adapted into a CD, said Jane Hays, the public relations manager at the Jackson County Visitor Center. The tour features 14 stops, each of which are significant to Mellencamp’s life and career. The buildings can be recognized by anyone watching Mellencamp music videos, or perhaps his movie debut “Falling from Grace,” but Jackson County Visitor Center Executive Director Arann Banks said the tour is mainly a hit for hardcore Mellencamp fans. “We’ve had people from all over the country that come in to pick it up,” she said. The popularity of the driving tour ebbs and flows with what Mellencamp is doing, as visitors tend to increase when he’s touring, Hays said. More fans from overseas, particularly from Australia, visit when Mellencamp is on tour. The tour came about at the request of fans who wanted to be where John had been in the town, so the locations are those that are meaningful to Mellencamp, Hays said. “We just wanted to give them something they could put their hands on so they could be a part of our town and John’s history here,” Hays said. According to his official website, John Mellencamp started his professional

John Mellencamp performed at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater, Fla., on March 29, 2019. JAY CRIDLIN/Tampa Bay Times

career as Johnny Cougar at the request of his manager, who believed no one would buy an album from someone with the name “Mellencamp.” Many of the stops on the tour are locations seen in his music videos. Hardcore Mellencamp fans that flock to the area come in hoping to see or get in touch with the singer, Banks said. But for locals, the experience is like that of any town with a local celebrity. “To us, it’s just the guy that lived here and this is where he went to school, the same school thousands of us went to school to. But for Mellencamp fans though, that’s really fascinating for them,” she said. Along with directions on how to get from place to place in Seymour, the CD

also includes interviews from people in Mellencamp’s life. The interviews featured in the CD are meaningful to fans because they know who the people are, Hays said. People like his mother and high school girlfriend, who he wrote the song “To M.G. (Wherever She May Be)” about, are among those you can hear from on the tour, Hays said. Hays said it was cool listening to the making of the CD, as she got to sit in on the interviews. Many interviewees shared memories they had of Mellencamp in Seymour. “The side of him that you see on TV and in concert is not the side that people around here see,” she said.

The Southern Indiana Center for the Arts, a house

nestled behind other buildings just off the main highway leading into Seymour. The house is not only featured in a music video, but was also bought by Mellencamp and is now rented out by him. The center is the only permanent exhibit of Mellencamp’s paintings, according to the driving tour.

This map is an approximate of signifigant locations on the John Mellencamp Driving Tour in Seymour, Indiana.

Seymour

31 65

Seymour High School, where Mellencamp went to school from sophomore to senior year, the tour said. Known as a class clown by one of his teachers, Mellencamp wrote the song “To M.G. (Wherever She May Be)” about a girlfriend he had in high school.

The Schneck Medical Center, the location where Mellencamp was born in 1951 and was also used in the film “Falling from Grace,” according to the narrated audio tour. The medical center looks much different than it used to when Mellencamp was born, said the tour.

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Classics Illustrated

The world is your mushroom By James Keys

— Look for grassy areas with moist soil; available in early spring, dies with summer heat; mild flavor and delicate texture. Identify based on oval-shaped leaf pairs and small, white flowers; has hair along stem, and should not have milky sap.

Springtime in southern Indiana is a sight to behold — days get longer, meadows pop with color, and foraging is in its prime. Southern Indiana has a delicious variety of spring and summer edibles to pick from, whether you’re looking for delicate greens or hearty mushrooms. But aside from the free produce, foraging is also a great way to slow down and get in touch with Hoosier forests, wetlands, and meadows. Between the blackberry brambles and chanterelle clusters, you’re sure to rediscover the beauty of southern Indiana.

Wild Greens: Some wild greens like chickweed and dandelion greens are available nearly year-round, but spring ushers in a delicious variety of bitter greens, wild lettuces, and delicate herbs. Wild greens are incredibly high in phytonutrients, calcium, iron, and vitamins A, C, and K. Aromatics: Aromatics are a chef’s best friend; they add pungency and freshness to any dish. Much like wild greens, aromatics like wild carrot, wild garlic, and wild onion can be readily found in backyards and overgrown cornfields.

— Has a delicate onion taste that makes a great addition to salads; look for wild onion in moist meadows and grassy areas around late spring and summer, or harvest onion bulbs in the fall; identify based on round stems, leaves like blades of grass, and an intense oniony smell.

— Find plants that haven’t flowered yet if you’re wanting delicate leaves for salads; leaves get more bitter as the plant matures, but are still great for sautéing. Identify based on milky sap, “toothed” edges on leaves, hollow stems, and leaves grow in a rosette or circle.

Fungi: Possibly the most decadent of all the foraged goods are mushrooms, and for good reason. Wild mushrooms are earthy and savory, and lend incredible depth and body to any recipe. Mushroom hunting is at its best in spring, when April and May showers are followed by warm, sunny days. Southern Indiana is home to a dizzying variety of mushrooms, some of which are fatally toxic, so make sure you know what you’re doing. Tips and Tricks: While it may be daunting to start foraging, soon enough you’ll have some secret places of your own. Here’s some great starting points to start exploring the edibles in your area: Harvested corn fields, overgrown lots, public parks (although not dog parks!), forests, meadows, creek beds, and grassy areas by railroad tracks are all money makers. Just make sure you’re in clean soil away from heavy amounts of carbon emissions and pesticides. It’s also good practice to harvest around 10% of the edibles you come across both so that you can leave some goods for the next eager forager as well as any pollinators. As much as you can, try not to harvest entire root systems of foraged goods, except in the cases of invasive species. For edibles like wild onions and mushrooms, it’s important to leave roots and bulbs intact so they’ll be there next season.

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PRESIDENTIAL PATH At the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial, visitors can learn about the 16th president, who grew up in present-day Spencer County. “Land of Lincoln” might be the official slogan of Illinois but Indiana can lay its own claim to the 16th President of the United States. Abraham Lincoln lived in southern Indiana from 18161830, from the ages of 7 to 21, on land that eventually became a part of Spencer County. The site of Lincoln’s family farm during those years can be found today inside the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial, a 200-acre location run by the National Park Service in Lincoln City. Located there is a memorial building/visitor’s center, featuring a museum, memorial halls, gift shop and a short film about Lincoln’s time in southern Indiana. In addition, guests can visit the Lincoln’s cabin site, a replica of the Lincoln farm, and the grave site of Lincoln’s mother Nancy Hanks Lincoln as well as walk the Lincoln Boyhood Trail, including the Trail of Twelve Stones.

Abraham Lincoln In Indiana

Honoring a president

According to literature provided by the National Park Service and the Lincoln Boyhood Memorial:

Interest in Lincoln’s Indiana roots increased after his death in 1865. In 1917, a marker was placed on what was believed to be the location of the family’s cabin (traces of the cabin could not be found). Later, in 1935, a bronze casting of the cabin sill logs and hearthstones were placed as a memorial. In addition, the Pioneer Cemetery where Nancy Hanks Lincoln is buried was taken over by the State of Indiana in 1907. The location eventually became the Nancy Hanks Lincoln Memorial Park. In 1926, the Indiana Lincoln Union was formed to raise funds for a formal Lincoln Memorial. A plaza, with a towering flag pole, was dedicated in 1931. The Trail of Twelve Stones, featuring stones and materials gathered from highlights of Lincoln’s life, and the memorial building were completed in 1943.

In 1830, Thomas Lincoln moved his family to Macon County, Illinois. Abraham, then 21, moved to the village of New Salem.

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Historical Landmark

Interested in a visit?

The Lincoln Boyhood Home was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960, and the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial was established Feb. 19, 1962.

The Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial is located at 3027 East South St., Lincoln City, Indiana 47552. It is located five miles west of Santa Claus and seven miles south of Interstate 64.

Legislation that would transfer ownership of the then-Nancy Hanks Lincoln Memorial Park from the state of Indiana to the federal government was introduced by Senator Vance Hartke and Congressman Winfield K. Denton. The proposal included the donation of 200 acres containing the cabin site, the grave site of Nancy Hanks Lincoln and the memorial building. President John F. Kennedy signed the legislation.

The memorial, which is in the Central Time Zone, is open every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. The Memorial Visitor Center currently is open daily from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. throughout the summer. For more information, call (812) 937-4541 or visit www. nps.gov/libo.

Courtesy photos TOP LEFT, MIDDLE LEFT: Interior of the cabin that shows how the Lincoln family would have lived during their time in Indiana. ABOVE: Exhibits on Abraham Lincolnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life in the museum at the Memorial Visitor Center. BOTTOM: The Abraham Lincoln Hall in the Memorial Visitor Center.

OPPOSITE LEFT: The Carpenter Shop at the Living Historical Farm. OPPOSITE RIGHT: Hiking trails along the Trail of Twelve Stones.

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While some presidents were raised JO comfortable homes, some in mansions, Abraham Lincoln was raised in a log cabin right here in Indiana. Life was tough, but his boyhood was the making PG the man. Learn more about his early life at the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial. Visit the historical remains of Lincoln’s childhood home. From authentic 19th century farm life 20 reenactments to trails once walked by Lincoln himself, it’s an experience that will give you 812 and your family a greater appreciation of a boy’s journey from a log house to the White House. SUMMER/ FALL

30272019 E. South St. Lincoln City, IN 47552 • (812)-973-4541 • https://www.nps.gov/libo/index.htm

The virtues of sourdough

By James Keys ook at the ingredients label on most sourdough bread and it may seem simple — flour, water, salt. But sourdough is far from simple. That floral tang and nutty, yeasty flavor characteristic of sourdough takes time and years of skill, neither of which you’ll see on an ingredient list. Everything from temperature to humidity to grain type can alter how a loaf of bread is handled. Working in tandem with the environment is a skill that most every baker is forced to develop. “There’s just so many variables,” says Eric Schedler, owner of Muddy Fork Bakery in Bloomington, Indiana. Part homestead, and part bakery, Muddy Fork is a small operation that cranks out an impressive 300 loaves of bread and up to 700 croissants weekly. They’ve been in business for nine years and are a farmer’s market staple in the Bloomington area. All of these variables keep things interesting for Schedler and his team, though. Things like amount of water, proof time, and even bake time can differ nearly every day — it’s up to bakers like Schedler to pick up on these nuances and work with them, not against them. “The bread tells you what to do,” says Schedler. Bakers just need to listen. To prepare for a single Saturday farmer’s market, Schedler and his team have to start three days in advance. First, whole rye, kamut, and turkey red grains are milled into fresh flour — a often messy affair that leaves a light dusting over flour throughout the kitchen. Schedler then uses this fresh flour to feed his starters, which are mixtures of flour and water that harbor wild yeasts and bacteria. The next day, Schedler starts mixing dough, a beautifully sticky process that requires equal parts forearm strength and intuition. Unlike breads made with commercial yeast, naturally leavened breads often start with a much wetter dough — 75-100% hydration, compared to 50-60% for commercial breads — which gives the resulting loaves evenly spaced air pockets, springy texture, and a dark, crispy crust. Experienced bakers like Schedler and his team have fast-moving dough hands that effortlessly portion and shape sticky dough into yeasty parcels. “Shaping dough takes a long time to get right,” Schedler says. Watching bakers at Muddy Fork shape dough is like watching a choreographed dance — corners of wet dough are quickly folded inward, rolled up, its seams intuitively stitched together to produce a smooth, taut ball of dough. Correct shaping is crucial for getting the

bread to rise tall in the oven instead of spilling outward. Once the dough is shaped, it gets loaded into special proofing baskets and spends the rest of the day fermenting in a cold room. At this point, bacteria and yeast devour natural sugars in flour, producing acids and alcohols that give sourdough it’s characteristic flavor, and a longer shelf life. And because the dough rises at a cold temperature, Schedler’s bread has an alluring depth of flavor you’d be hard pressed to find at the supermarket. Then it’s off to the oven — a nearly 600 degree wood fired oven to be more specific. “It’s an ancient form of baking, but it’s tricky,” explains Schedler. “There’s a 30 second window between done and burnt,” he says. Loaves are shuffled into and out of the brick oven into the early hours of the morning, the only way to ensure fresh product for that day’s market. “I don’t get many weekends off,” Schedler says with a laugh. “But I love good bread so I’m okay with it.” Even with the early morning dough mixing and late-night baking, Schedler says he wouldn’t have it any other way. But in the craze of keto, gluten-free, and carb-free diets, anything yeasty and white gets a bad wrap. Bread is often villainized for its empty calories and nutritional one-notedness, and sometimes for good reason. Commercial breads are usually made with processed, bleached flour and commercial yeast — and a whole slew of preservatives, stabilizers, and other unpronounceable chemicals. Before jumping on the anti-carb, anti-gluten bandwagon, though, Professor Matt Bochman thinks people should do their research. “There needs to be a dialogue,” says Bochman, a home baker and yeast researcher at Indiana University. “Sourdough is so far from store-bought bread, especially when it comes to nutrition,” he continues. “People should appreciate good, artisan bread.” According to Bochman, sourdough starters contain lactic acid bacteria that give breads a tangy flavor as well as a variety of prebiotics and metabolites — both of which feed the probiotics in your gut. Through the fermentation process, these bacteria and metabolites also pre-digest some of the gluten in the bread, meaning that the final product is easier to digest. “We’re talking about a hidden world of stuff that people should really appreciate,” said Bochman. “I mean it’s so cool, this interplay between humans and the microscopic world.” But this is old news for bakers like Schedler. “It’s an art form,” he says. “Not a lot of people see that.”

But sourdough is far from simple.

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Off-season at Holiday World

By Maura Johnson

Courtesy photos ABOVE: Santa’s Merry Marketplace under construction. TOP: A roller coaster overlooks the empty wave pool in the water park.

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When you hear the phrase “amusement park,” you might think of a place like Disney World in Florida or Universal Studios in Hollywood. And though these are popular travel destinations tourists flock to in the summers when school is out, many are also able to enjoy the parks year-round. For some amusement parks, however, visitors can only engage in the fun during select months of the year. So what happens in the parks when visitors aren’t around? If it’s anything like Holiday World, the off-season months are just as busy as the summer months. Holiday World is an amusement park located in Santa Clause, Indiana, just a two-hour drive from Bloomington and around an hour drive from Louisville. The park, which opened in 1946, is comprised of four “lands” dedicated to four holidays: Christmas, 4th of July, Halloween and Thanksgiving. In 1993, Holiday World introduced their water park, Splashin’ Safari. Even before the park closes for the season, the park’s maintenance team gets a jump-start on the work that needs to be done in the off-season, said Aaron Berg, Director of Maintenance & Development. Things like taking apart certain rides, draining pools in the water park and winterizing buildings and rides are done when the park closes in the fall, Berg said. The park looks different during this season, as rides are taken apart and inspected by maintenance. Pieces of rides

are taken apart, leaving behind skeletal structures, and ride cars are tucked into various places throughout the park, said Paula Werne, Director of Communications. While walking through the park during the summer, you wouldn’t expect to see anything out of place. But in the off-season, ride dummies line the fences and water ride cars sit in the grass.

“The weather really drives our schedule.” Unique compared to amusement parks in warmer climates that operate year-round, Holiday World faces the varying seasons of the Midwest. With the demands of the off-season, and Indiana’s unpredictable weather, one of the biggest obstacles the park faces is weather, Berg said. When elements like snow and ice come around, certain maintenance tasks have to be rescheduled for days when the weather looks better. Other tasks that don’t require good weather to perform them are done on poorer weather days, he said. “The weather really drives our schedule,” Berg said. On days when the weather is bad, staff at Holiday World are kept busy with tasks indoors. Things that are brought into the buildings are taken apart, inspected and tested, whether in-house or sent away for testing. These inspections and tests are

to ensure that rides are working as they should when the park opens back up and guests are let on the attractions, Berg said. Different attractions require different types of maintenance. Wooden roller coasters demand more attention, Berg said. The park’s first wooden coaster, The Raven, was built in 1995. Though the tracks on steel coasters have to be maintained less, the cars on both steel and wooden coasters are inspected, Berg said. Coaster technicians have replaced 720 feet of track (that’s longer than the St. Louis Arch is tall). In order to work in harsh winter conditions, technicians cover parts of the track like a covered wagon to keep themselves protected and make work easier, Werne said. As the weather begins to warm up toward another summer season, things at Holiday World are shifting as well. The pace of the work being done picks up, as work is finalized and attractions are put

back into place. Pumps are put back in to pools to prepare for the summer weather and cars are put back on roller coaster tracks. One thing being done now and every day in the park is testing rides. In fact, Holiday World just won an audit excellence award from the International Ride Training for safety, Director of Attractions Lori Cotton said. A feature of ride testing and safety training at Holiday World is using test dummies. Though dummies used to be filled with corn feed, dummies are now plastic and filled with water. The water dummies are less problematic, as the bursting of corn-filled dummies produces an unexpected side effect when the feed hits the ground and stays there. Werne saw the result of this incident when giving a tour through the amusement park a few years back. “I actually saw corn that had grown,” Werne said.

“If you’re just walking through the park it’s kind of a ghost town and you just never know what you’re going to see.” The summer season brings in warm weather and with it, a slew of student employees. Each season, Holiday World hires around 2,200 people. About two thirds of those people are college and high school-age. These students perform tasks like running rides and games, serving meals, lifeguarding, performing, cleaning and other jobs, Werne said. If you would like to know more about Holiday World, read updates about the park, and find park operation hours, check out Holiday World’s official website. Happy summer Hoosiers!

Courtesy photos TOP LEFT: Portions of a wooden roller coaster in the middle of repairs in preparation for the new season. ABOVE: Construction in the Christmas area of the park. LEFT: A behind-the-scenes look at rides in the park.

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INDEPENDENT BOOK STORES KEEP PRINT AWAY FROM GRAVE By Rachel Levin In 2010, books were pronounced dead.

According to articles written at the time, printed works were either slain by their own publishers, choked by the economy or drowned by e-books and promises of a new digital age. Populations of book-lovers wrote forlorn eulogies for the print industry, and coffins filled with nothing but apprehension were lowered into premature soil. These caskets were empty, of course, because the “death” of print books never actually happened. The truth is that independent bookstores aren’t struggling. Not only are they flourishing, but they’re perhaps the only hope consumerism has for clearing the fog of book-store doubt. Indie bookstores all over the country are responsible for an amazing movement; they’re shredding past eulogies and writing their own narratives, ones that reflect the prosperity of the industry. In southern Indiana, examples of these bookstores are Viewpoint Books, Fables & Fairytales and the Book Corner. “Independent bookstores are so much more than stores,” said Beth Stroh, owner of Viewpoint Books. “They’re gathering places. They’re venues for community events and activities. They’re places where you can talk to other book lovers or, if you’re an introvert, you can browse all the books you like and not be bothered. There’s much, much more than selling books that happens here.”

Stores like Viewpoint Books have irrefutable power; they

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combat the struggling book-store stigma by bolstering an aged, yet eternal zeal for literature, by defending the incalculable value of reading and advocating for all past, present and future works. Viewpoint Books embodies versatility and fortitude, even if the corner shop is unassuming at first. Its sign is untouched ’70s vintage and its two large storefront windows arouse not intimidation but wholesome nostalgia for window shopping on small-town afternoons. The inside is by no means flashy, modern or metropolitan, but what it lacks in glamour it makes up for in its antiquity. Stroh may be the “newer” owner of Viewpoint Books, but the store’s had roots in Columbus since 1973 and has been beloved by both community members and visitors long before the original owners handed it to Stroh. Despite myths about book-store vulnerability, Viewpoint continues to do very well; its sales have been on the rise along with its popularity. Stroh can recount dozens of visitors from all over the country, a detail that emphasizes people’s determination to shop local and buy books from the stores that value them most. “People are actively seeking out independent bookstores in communities,” she said. “They find us, somehow, and they make efforts to come here. It’s special.” Stroh’s observations aren’t unsupported, either. Data reveals that there is, and has been, a consistent, healthy growth rate for books and bookstores. A study conducted in 2017 by the PEW Research Center found that “print books remain by far the most popular for-

mat among all age groups,” with 72% of Americans in 2016 having read a print book and only 28% having read an e-book. Printed words on a page have a remarkable ability to transcend even the most glaring threats to their existence, and this power is what bookstores harness so well. Stores know how to utilize matchless social interaction and superior customer service — values one can only can find in-store at places such as Fables & Fairytales in Martinsville.

This quaint, independent children’s bookstore and its co-owner Dara Jackson have won outstanding business awards for their dedication to the market. Every aspect of the store, from its strategic shelf arrangements to its calculated collections of genres, is intentionally designed to better a customer’s experience and help children engage with art, literature and creativity. “It’s all about how you adapt,” Jackson said. “We’re on the comeback. It took us 15 years to learn how to adapt with types of [online] competition, but some of us have figured it out, and we’re doing very well.”

“Independent bookstores are so much more than stores, they’re gathering places.” One way Jackson adapts is with imaginative, personal touches that emblematize the magic of independent bookstores. While the store primarily sells children’s books and low-tech toys, there is one young adult section housing titles like “Harry Potter,” “Catcher in the Rye” and “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” that features a small, yet incredible detail. Underneath the outward-facing books are cards on which Jackson writes small synopses of the books, assigns them personal ratings and identifies potentially problematic themes such as sexual content, drug use or bad language. She reads every single book and takes the time to draft these cards so customers can have that unequivocal, personalized book-store experience. “Booksellers sell print books, and we’re very good at that, so let us be your personal shoppers,” she said. “People want that…they want more research into the product; it’s one reason why people choose to shop in store and not online.” However, there is an interesting conflict between in-store and online that many people don’t understand, and it’s proved to be a valid threat to independent bookstores.

When asked about the rumor that independent bookstores are struggling, Jackson immediately shook her head and said,

“Independent bookstores are struggling? No, no we’re not. But because people think we’re struggling, we’re facing a big problem that’s actually causing us to struggle: special orders.” Special orders are often placed by customers wanting to support small businesses, but in doing so, the opposite is actually occurring. For every special order, the owners have to buy that book from Amazon to place it in the hands of the customer, and this results in a loss of profit for the smaller store. “Amazon and e-readers have created this world where you can have any book you want instantaneously,” Jackson explained, “and so people are kind of in that world. They want their specific book. We lose money with every single special order.” To combat losses from special orders, Jackson pours herself into event planning to engage the community and bring in customers. While this might seem like an example of adaptation, it’s actually a glimpse into a cyclical nightmare. When special orders are placed, store owners resort to event planning to counteract the profit loss. The time-consuming process of event planning means owners work round-the-clock seven days a week, resulting in a lack of personal time and an increase in stress. Jackson and her husband have decided to try and sell the store — but not because of finances. “Money-wise we’re doing just fine…it’s simply a lack of time, and that all goes back to special orders,” she said. “So just come in, see if there’s something you want and buy it. If there’s not, that’s OK. You don’t have to buy anything, but this is still the best thing for independent bookstores.” Special orders do make up a significant portion of independent bookstore sales, but despite this factor, most bookstores across the country are still seeing incredible success rates. Fables & Fairytales and Viewpoint Books are two of more than 40 independent bookstores in Indiana alone, and while their prosperity may not be broadcast across media platforms, that success still exists. It’s true that the threats of free online reading material and e-books, the recession

and ample publishing layoffs did pack triple punches to the industry in 2010, but the American Booksellers Association, or the ABA, started reporting as early as 2014 that bookstores and books were back on the rise.

The association found that over the

“Independent bookstores are struggling? No, no we’re not.” past 10 years, independent bookstores have seen a national resurgence in popularity and affluence. A resurgence means more and more bookstores are being opened, established stores are appointing new owners and a new generation is stepping forward to dust off shelves and provide fresh vision to the industry. The ABA counted more than 2,400 member locations across the country in 2018, a number up from 1,410 member stores in 1,660 locations in 2010.

Indie bookstores are resilient

above all else. They offer unique — and unparalleled — opportunities for the discovery of great authors and great writing. They fuel communities, serving as both social centers and points of connection among readers, authors, other book lovers and neighbors. One interesting feature of these communities is their impressive appeal to a range of demographics. Age is an especially noteworthy facet, as millennials are working toward matching older generations in print book fervor. Cynics can say what they want about supposedly tech-obsessed millennials and “Gen-Z” kids, but these two groups are kicking tech to the curb in favor of printed works and the aesthetic versatility of independent bookstores. In 2016, Nielsen Books and Consumers reported that the 22-to-34 age group made up 37% of the print-buying

demographic, up from 27% in 2012.

Technology has created a void in

many millennials, one spawned by their 2000s era-childhoods that saw a rapid cycle of technological booms and product enhancements. In a world overwhelmed by automation, it makes sense why millennials are seeking the nostalgia and stability books can provide. This desire for physical books is not new, but the validation of want for those books is. Owners of independent bookstores stand by this affirmation as well, specifically Margaret Taylor, owner of the Book Corner in Bloomington. “People want to hold a book, they want to own it, they want the feel of it, they want to crawl in bed with a book,” she said. The Book Corner is an incredible representation of independent bookstores; it’s what all of them should aspire to be. The store has character, a loyal customer base and history beginning in 1964 when Taylor’s father opened The Book Corner and the now-closed Book Nook. The overriding success of the Book Corner is owed to its customer base, but also because of its appealing atmosphere. It’s a gem in the heart of a community rich with culture, but not much is done to advertise the store’s existence and value. It holds some events such as poetry readings and book signings, but Taylor chooses to rely on her faithful clientele to keep profits high. “People want to be here, to shop here and support us,” she said. “Not a day goes by where I don’t have customers thanking me for being here. I’m very appreciative that we’re in business. It’s a two-way street; I support my customers and they support me.” At the end of the day, crafting new dialogue around print is not easy, but forming relationships with customers is just one step in that process. It’s going to take massive social shifts to restore bookstores to their pre-recession glory, but unlike other industries, publishing has proved its ability to withstand the ebbs and flows of sociocultural change.

The Book Corner

Fables & Fairytales

Viewpoint Books

Address 100 N Walnut St. Bloomington, IN 47404

Address 38 N Main St Martinsville, IN 46151

Address 548 Washington Street Columbus, IN 47201

Hours 9 a.m. - 6 p.m., Monday 9 a.m. - 8 p.m., Tuesday-Saturday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sunday

Hours 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday-Saturday

Hours 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., Monday-Saturday Open later and Sundays for special events

Contact (812) 339-1522

Contact (765) 913-4100

Contact (812) 376-0778

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How one simple pie became No. 1 in Hoosiers’ hearts By Abigail Thompson Indiana is known for many things, from Lincoln’s boyhood home, to the legacy of Peyton Manning, to state fairs and NASCAR. But tucked away in a little recipe book in the Indiana Historical Society lies the secret to what makes part of Indiana’s history so rich: sugar cream pie. This pie, sometimes known as “Desperation Pie” because of its few and cheap ingredients, decorates many a table for important occasions such as “church pitch-ins,” birthdays, and Thanksgivings. Its legacy began in the early 1800s, and has continued to be a staple even centuries later. So what makes this lowly pie such an integral part of growing up in Indiana? The people of Indiana have not always fallen on easy times. Much like the rest of the midwest, during the 1800s when money was sparse and resources were dried up, Hoosiers needed an easy sweet treat. Some say it originated in the Amish communities of the state. Whoever developed it, the pie

was created during the off season, when the apples and fall berries were all used up for the season. This pie is straightforward, with traditional recipes requiring no eggs that it should be mixed with the fingers. Sugar cream pie would hardly get an honorable mention in a state fair contest. There are no juicy fruits, or oozing jams pouring out from the cracks. This pie does not need all that attention: it lets its rich, creamy interior do the speaking for itself. This “Finger Pie” so beloved by Hoosiers almost became enshrined by the state legislature. In 2009, a bill to rename it the official Hoosier Pie surfaced, but unfortunately did not pass. Regardless of the official recognition, any traditional Hoosier will tell you that their beloved pie is recognized in their own hearts as Hoosier property, no matter how state legislator votes. If you are looking for a quick and easy way to tackle the sugar cream pie in your own home, southern chef Paula Deen has a recipe to get you started (see box on the right).

Ingredients: 2 tablespoons cut into small pieces butter 3/4 cup milk 1/2 pint (1 cup) whipping cream 1/2 cup unsifted all purpose flour 1 1/3 cups sugar pinch nutmeg 1 (9 inch) unbaked pie shell Directions: Preheat oven to 450° F. Combine sugar, flour, cream and milk in a mixing bowl. Pour into pie shell. Dot butter bits all around top of pie. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Bake for approximately 10 minutes, and then reduce the heat to 350° F and cook for approximately 30 more minutes. Cool to room temperature and then refrigerate until chilled. Serve chilled. Cook’s Note: If using a glass baking dish, lower oven temperature by 25 °F.

A celebration of Southern Indiana. For inquiries about advertising in future editions of 812 magazine, contact IU Student Media at 812-855-0763 or email advertise@idsnews.com.

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