Puertorrican–Style Paella for a Crowd

Farm-to-bowl treats for the local canine community

DOGGONE GOURMET EATS

BY CRYSTAL LYNN KAMM PHOTOGRAPHY BY JENNIFER L. RUBENSTEIN

It’s no secret that humans love delicious food. Most of us can’t get enough of complex fl avors that complement each other and blend perfectly. Likewise, believe it or not, dogs also enjoy a fairly sophisticated palate. Although their taste buds only number around 1,700—compared with a human’s 9,000—their exceptional sense of smell makes consuming food a multi-sensory experience.

Most dog treats purchased at pet-supply stores are designed to look cute, but they’re not created with a dog’s taste in mind. Don’t dogs deserve treats that satisfy their taste buds too?

If you’re a pet owner seeking healthy, delicious treats for your dog, look no further than Nutty Mutt Bakery and Th ree Dog Bakery—both well-known for serving up gourmet treats that combine healthy, nutrient-dense ingredients and delicious fl avors that most dogs have never had the pleasure of experiencing. Many of the ingredients used in their handmade, freshly baked treats are locally sourced, not overly processed like most commercial pet treats.

Farm-to-Bowl

Owners Jamie Marx and daughter Abby Marx opened Nutty Mutt Bakery after trying a homemade dog treat recipe and discovering just how much their dog loved it. Creating new treat recipes started out as a hobby but has since turned into much more. After 10 successful years in business, their bakery has expanded from their original location in Greenwood. Th e mother-daughter team is now supplying baked goods to City Dogs Grocery in Indianapolis and selling treats online through their website and Etsy store.

Nutty Mutt Bakery crafts their dog-approved recipes from scratch, ensuring every item is as fresh as possible for each customer. “Because a dog tastes with his nose as well as his tongue, we know that the freshness and smell are really important,” says Jamie Marx.

And using local ingredients is important. Whether it’s shopping a nearby orchard for produce or making plans to grow the

NUTTY MUTT BAKERY’S BARKIN’ BLUEBERRY BONES

¼ cup unsweetened applesauce 2 cups water 3 tablespoons honey 3 tablespoons coconut oil (may substitute canola or vegetable oil) ¼ cup unsweetened coconut ½ cup fresh blueberries 1 tablespoon baking powder 3 cups oats 1–2 cups rice fl our Preheat oven to 325°F. Mix together applesauce, water, honey, coconut oil, coconut and blueberries. Add baking powder. Mix well. Add oats and let sit for 10 minutes, until liquid is absorbed. Add 1 cup of the rice fl our, and keep adding until the dough is stiff enough to roll. Roll dough to ¼-inch thickness and cut with a bone-shaped cookie cutter or any cookie cutter you have. You can also cut into small or large squares, depending on the size of your dog. Place treats onto an ungreased baking sheet and bake until tops start to turn a golden color, about 30–35 minutes. Turn oven off and leave the treats in the oven for at least 3 hours or overnight. This will help them to dry out properly. Store in a treat jar or other container for 2–3 weeks. You can also freeze them for a longer shelf life. These treats will be crispy, but not hard. For additional scratch made dog treats head over to EdibleIndy.com.

Two paws up for Big Love dog treats

Kate Wilson loves to bake. Th e former triathlete’s been making sweet treats for family and friends for nearly a decade, and for the last year has been selling her gourmet pretzels and chocolate truffl es to some pretty impressive clients like the Conrad Hotel and Hotel Tango. And, fortunately for the canine crowd, Wilson has expanded her love of baking to dog treats—dog treats that not only taste good, but are good for you (and your dog) too.

Wilson handcrafts her treats from organic, sustainable, human-grade ingredients and, whenever possible, uses local purveyors. For the base, she uses King Arthur 100% white whole-wheat Field to Flour, which can be traced from seed to shelf. And it’s the combination of healthy ingredients that Wilson says allows her to enjoy making these delicious treats.

Big Love dog treats are packaged in adorable, giftable Mason jars decorated with little charms for a personalized feel. Th e treats are bone-shaped, but each package also comes with a single heart-shaped treat, like a little love note in dog language. Th ey come in three sizes—tiny, small/medium and large—and can be purchased online at either of her websites: IAmKateWilson.com | MyPrettyLittlePretzel.com

Photography courtesy of Kate Wilson

herbs they need to make a recipe extra tasty, using locally sourced elements is a priority for the bakery. Marx explains, “We would like to be as much ‘farm-to-bowl’ as possible.”

Holistic health is also a huge part of what sets Nutty Mutt Bakery apart. Making sure that dogs are snacking on healthy treats instead of ones riddled with artifi cial ingredients can help to promote good health. As for their bestseller … it’s the chicken fries, made with chicken and honey and designed to look like french fries, and served in a french-fry-looking package.

Only the best ingredients

Another well-loved dog baker, Th ree Dog Bakery, opened a new Indiana storefront just last year. Owners Brett and Christy Zeller chose the location in the heart of Zionsville’s Brick Street District, where residents walk their dogs and often stop in for tasty delicacies. Th e original Th ree Dog Bakery is located in Kansas City, Missouri, but the Zellers focus their attention on being a solid part of the Indianapolis community. In keeping with their attention to detail and making their canine customers priority number one, they locally source many of their fresh ingredients, from blueberries to honey.

“Everything is all natural and baked. Th e treats are naturally sweetened with honey or yogurt so there is no added sugar or salt,” Christy Zeller says.

And if they need a special ingredient they can’t fi nd locally, the Zellers make sure they purchase it from an American producer. Brett and Christy believe this is one of the things that set their bakery apart from the others. “We take a lot of time and eff ort to ensure that all of our foods and treats in our store are not only loved by our customers’ dogs, but are also safe for them,” they said.

When it comes to choosing ingredients and creating new baked goods, the Zionsville bakery likes to include fresh, vitamin-rich produce as well as canine power foods like chicken, whitefi sh and peanut butter. But whether you chose one of their newly created treats, or a tried and true staple, one thing is for sure: Your dog will be happy and healthy because they’re getting only the best … and isn’t that what we all want for man’s best friend?

Three Dog Bakery | 120 S. Main St., Zionsville ThreeDog.com/three-dog-bakery-zionsville Nutty Mutt Bakery | NuttyMuttBakery.com Join

Hands on Cooking

at the 2017

11505 N Illinois St, Carmel, IN from 6:00 - 8:30pm Class cost: $45 per person / $75 per couple

All classes include: small noshes, gift bag, magazine, recipes and more!

Class sizes are limited. Reserve your spot today!

edibleindy.ediblecommunities.com/things-do/ediblemarket-district-cooking-classes-2017

upcoming classes:

June 15, 2017

Let’s Grill! Homemade Pizzas and Wine: Master pizza

dough and grilling methods with pairings of wine Featuring: St. Adrian’s Meats and Sausage, Lebanon

September 28, 2017

Eat Drink and Make Pasta: Learn how to make homemade pasta while sampling vino that will go with any pasta dish Featuring: Andrea Bettini, Bettini Pasta

December 7, 2017

Drop Biscuits, Corn Bread and Jam: Learn to make

bacon tomato jam, homemade drop biscuits and corn bread

January 18, 2018

Stews & Brews: Learn to cook stews and pair craft beer. Rescheduled to a later date

Knife Skills 101: Learn techniques of dicing, slicing and mincing vegetables, plus learn how to break down a whole chicken. Attendees get to take home chicken and veggies. Featuring: AshBlaeds, Indianapolis