Edible Indy Winter 2022: Survive | No. 46

edible INDY

HOOSIER REFLECTIONS

Survive.

It is a word that truly can cut deep into a soul and can invoke a waterfall of emotions. It is a word each and every human has felt at some point in their story and often it shapes us. Our Winter issue came to be very quickly and effortlessly through a phone call with our managing editor mentioning the word survive—and 30 minutes later we knew who and what this issue had to include and why these stories needed to be told.

One thing you will note from cover to cover is orange—both the fruit and the color. Throughout history orange has been significant in many cultures and customs, in sales and marketing, and is internationally the color that warns us of imminent danger and to keep us safe. In recent years our family started to include a single orange on our seder plate. That orange represents the fruitfulness for all Jews and the inclusion of the LGBTQ+ people and women within the Jewish community. The color also symbolizes rebirth, renewal, optimism and warmth. Orange is used symbolically in countries such as the Netherlands, where it is the national color symbolizing unity. In Japan it means happiness, love and courage; and in Hinduism it is the most sacred color, representing fire and purity. Buddhist monks wear this color not only for purity, but to be one with earth.

Every story told in this issue has courage, happiness, renewal and strength somewhere. It is inherent in each of us to survive even in times when we might not. That survival is something we fight for every day and sometimes even minute by minute. Acknowledging it exists gives us the power and fortitude to “recycle pain into purpose,” as Leanna Chroman (our cover person) says in her own tale of survival. It is about finding a way out and a way up.

For me personally, it is about generating moments for us to move forward in this time when our rights as women are being stifled, when our human compassion gets lost, and when we must make the most of our ability to lean into our life with dignity and pride while others may not be able. This issue is personal to me as I feel heavy emotions across every page. I leave this issue with hope and optimism that we will survive to thrive with hope and resilience.

With gratitude and hope,

Jennifer L. Rubenstein, Editor in Chief

Want to advertise with us? Reach out to me personally at jennifer@edibleindy.com.

edible INDY

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EDITOR IN CHIEF Jennifer L. Rubenstein jennifer@edibleindy.com

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Francine Spiering

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Every e ort is made to avoid errors, misspellings and omissions. If, however, an error comes to your attention, then you probably have not had enough wine with your healthy food! Please accept our sincere apologies and, if it’s important, please notify us. Thank you. No part of this publication may be used without written permission from the publisher. © 2022 all rights reserved.

Member of Edible Communities

photograph: Marissa Molloy

THE GOODS

HEARTS OF GOLD

Support for mental health is part of the menu at Indy’s GoldLeaf café

words: Julie Yates | photography: Jennifer L. Rubenstein

SoBro is home to a café with a heart of gold. GoldLeaf Savory & Sweet is known for great coffee and mouthwatering breakfast and lunch offerings—and the décor serves up a feast for the eyes as well. The sapphireblue interior is adorned with pieces of work crafted by local artists. Also notable is the niche the business has carved out in the community evidenced by its caring and accepting atmosphere, reflecting the culture of the surrounding neighborhood.

Owners JC and Kristine Bockman ensure their business is a safe spot for all and have made it their mission to give back. Dine-to-donate days have contributed to the fundraising efforts of local IPS schools plus a nearby Montessori school. On Thursday nights during the colder months, “Cozy up with the Bockmans: Casserole Night” fosters a sense of community as harried parents connect with each other while picking up a dinner designed to warm families’ hearts as well as tummies.

Raising awareness of mental health is a main priority. The couple has chosen to support NAMI Indiana, the local organization of the National Alliance on Mental Health, through events and an annual weeklong art show. NAMI is dedicated to helping people who live with serious mental illnesses. They train volunteers, provide support groups, enable continuing education for professionals and partner with other organizations for systems change at the state level.

The Bockmans met in Seattle and lived in New York before coming to Indianapolis. It’s a bit of a full circle for JC since he attended Indiana University in Bloomington. They chose SoBro as the location for their café because the neighborhood’s spirit of acceptance closely aligned with their personal values. JC has a business background and attends to day-to-day operations while Kristine’s chef training enables her to concoct specialty espresso drinks, delicious sandwiches, wraps, pastries and much more. During the time both JC and Kristine worked for Tiny Footprint Distribution, relationships were developed with local vendors and some of their goods are incorporated in Kristine’s recipes or sold at GoldLeaf.

The café bravely opened in June 2020, early in the COVID pandemic. Following best practices, mandates and protocols, the Bockmans ran the business as totally takeout. It soon developed into a favorite spot to get a coffee or tea as well as the place to grab something scrumptious to go with it.

July 2020, the café held a special Saturday event to raise mental health awareness. In July 2019, almost a year to the date earlier, a dear friend of the couple passed away after years of struggling with mental health issues. An art show was organized by the Bockmans and held at GoldLeaf with a percentage of the café’s sales, as well as money donated, given to NAMI Indiana.

“In 2021, we wanted to do more. By then, we had indoor seating and lots of art on the walls. We were holding a First Friday art show every month to showcase five or so artists from the community. We thought, ‘What if we held the show the entire week before the First Friday of August and had the artists donate their pieces with art sales proceeds going directly to NAMI?’ It would be a positive experience where people could enjoy the art. That year we were able to donate $1,500 from art sales plus a percentage of café sales. It was pretty powerful stuff,” says JC Bockman.

The week-long event was held again this year. The whole gallery was decorated with donated art including jewelry, acrylics, photography, ink and watercolors. After the week ended, remaining pieces were set up on a smaller table available for purchase with funds going to NAMI Indiana.

“Mental health struggles shouldn’t be a big deal or a scary thing, but it is,” says Kristine Bockman. “The stigma needs

—Kristine Bockman

Kristine and JC Bockman, owners of GoldLeaf Savory & Sweet

“Mental health struggles shouldn’t be a big deal or a scary thing, but it is. The stigma needs to be lost. People need acceptance to get through mental illness and know they did not have to get through it by themselves and that they are not alone.”

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available.  Call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. The shortened number makes it easier to receive help.

NAMI Indiana is located at 921 E. 86th St., Suite 130, Indianapolis 46240. info@namiindiana.org | 1.800.677.6442 | NamiIndiana.org

to be lost. People need acceptance to get through mental illness and know they did not have to get through it by themselves and that they are not alone.”

According to statistics cited by NAMI, mental illness impacts all ages across all socioeconomic levels in the United States. Each year, almost 20% of adults are afflicted with a mental health issue while one out of every six children aged 6 to 17 experiences a mental health disorder. The ramifications include hardships on families, the economy and the burden placed on health systems that struggle to treat individuals in a timely manner. The pandemic and COVID have proven to be an even greater challenge to the mental health of all ages.

“NAMI Indiana is a good resource for people who may have someone such as a friend, daughter or son who is struggling,” says JC Bockman. “It is a great source because it directs people to where they can talk with someone and know you are not alone. Kristine and I are about creating happiness in people’s lives. People need to know there are safe places for people to get through mental illness.” n

GoldLeaf Savory & Sweet is located at 1901 E. 46th St., in the SoBro neighborhood of Indianapolis.

Visit @GoldLeafCafe on Facebook or Instagram to view special events and offerings.

Julie Yates is a freelance writer from Noblesville. She enjoys sharing the stories of individuals who have accomplished a goal they pursued—especially those who pursue culinary-related experiences.

RECYCLING PAIN INTO PURPOSE

Leanna Chroman.

When you meet her, you are immediately drawn to her style and stunningly kind eyes. You feel an urge to confide your every secret. She is just that kind of a person—the kind that doles out hugs, hearty greetings and well-wishes to everyone. Her engaging smile greets you as if she were meeting her best friend. It is hard to imagine that her story entails surviving hell on earth.

Leanna, 46, is the first to tell people she meets that every single thing that happens to her belongs in her life. She believes the events and incidents are only a fragment of her story and they do not have to define her. She isn’t a victim. She’s someone who takes the painful fragments and recycles them into purpose with optimism and hope along the way.

As she tells her own story, she spent a better part of her childhood moving to many different regions of the country with her family, following her father’s Pentecostal ministry. She has lived in 13 different states before calling Indianapolis her chosen home.

A childhood that should have been innocent was drastically altered when she was physically and sexually assaulted as a little girl. Her safety was shattered continually over the course of nine years at the hands of people she knew and trusted, even resulting in a pregnancy and miscarriage at the age of 14. She says she divulged the abuse to multiple adults over the years, but no one believed her or came to her rescue. Instead, she was told not share any of these “stories” with her father, whom she idolized and loved dearly, as something like this could exacerbate his medical conditions.

Her father had his first heart attack when Leanna was just 8 years old, she recounts. Her father was no longer able to provide for the family and this resulted in years of living in constant fear about where the next meal would come and how long they would have a roof over their heads. Constant hunger pangs, holes in her shoes and the full-length skirts with uncut hair required by the Pentecostal religion provided moments for others to be ruthlessly cruel. Leanna left school early to help provide stability, food and money for her family. When she was 19, she independently earned her GED.

Opposite: Leanna Chroman

The story of one person’s ability to have and give hope in the darkest hour

words: Brian Garrido & Jennifer Rubenstein | photography: Tanysha Parker

“I’ve always looked at myself as a survivor, never a victim,” says Leanna. “I think that tenacity is why I am here. I’ve learned how to repurpose and recycle the pain I went through to be able to help others, and that is inherently who I am.”

“I’ve always looked at myself as a survivor, never a victim,” says Leanna. “I think that tenacity is why I am here. I’ve learned how to repurpose and recycle the pain I went through to be able to help others, and that is inherently who I am.”

Her father passed away shortly before she turned 21 and her heart wanted to stay in Mississippi where her father was buried, she recalls. At the age of 27, she courageously came out as gay to her family and overnight she lost her entire family. Her mother, brother and sister no longer wanted to be around her because they believed homosexuality was contagious. But for Leanna, it was the beginning of living her truth and she started writing her next chapter in life. The one that is brighter.

The childhood trauma she suffered gave her drive and desire to become a police officer. However, that desire was quickly stifled when she learned there was a hiring freeze within the Indianapolis police department. She had to find something to hold her over until she the hiring freeze was lifted and, on a whim she applied for a server position at the then–newly opened Harry & Izzy’s in downtown Indianapolis. H & I was the second restaurant of what is now a line of restaurants and food and beverage products of the upscale hospitality group Huse Culinary. For Leanna, that whim started an unexpected 15-year journey at Huse Culinary. One where she has grown from server

to vice president of culture and learning and where she has found a family who embraces all of her.

“The restaurant industry is so diverse and that is what initially drew me to Harry & Izzy’s,” she says. “It was the first time in my life I could be me without judgement. They never made me feel less than or that they were checking the box because I was a woman or a lesbian.”

“I first met Leanna when she was a server at Harry & Izzy’s Downtown,” recalls Craig Huse, CEO and president of Huse Culinary. “Leanna is the type of person that makes herself known. She’s a leader amongst her peers, and I could tell—we all could tell—that she was born to be in the hospitality industry, and we were blessed to have her on our team. Her genuine care for everyone, whether our guests, co-workers, or anyone she comes across, is so evident. Leanna’s superpower is her ability to convert genuine care into actionable support quickly.”

Leanna is also one of 51 employees with double-digit tenure, out of a little more than 800 in all the Huse Culinary brands. Importantly, these years of hospitality work gave her the career she wanted by becoming the first executive female leader and the first acknowledged lesbian. “When they asked me to take the role

“When [Huse Culinary Brands] asked me to take the role of vice president for culture and learning, Craig Huse said to me, ‘You’ve shattered all of our ceilings.’”

of vice president for culture and learning,” she says, “Craig Huse said to me, ‘You’ve shattered all of our ceilings.’”

“They have always listened to the people in the organization, making impactful changes and allowing for people to grow in ways they may not even be aware of,” says Leanna. They encourage Leanna to cultivate her will to make a positive impact on the community around her. Her past abuse along with the ostracizing of her sexuality drives her passion for LGBTQIA+ and women’s rights. That passion leads her to speak with the support of Huse Culinary and their leadership at the Indiana Statehouse on such crucial topics. It also gives her a platform to champion change within the organization itself.

She listens to the employees within Huse Culinary and advocates for more effective change, equity and fairness. “I recognized and embrace the impact I have on other people who work here that are in both the women and the LGBTQIA+ community. I also recognize the importance of understanding the power of equity in the workplace and creating new initiatives to be more inclusive.”

Huse offered, “[Leanna’s] a special person. She is the heart and soul of our culture at Huse Culinary. We all spend so much time dedicated to our careers and serving others. It’s valuable to have Leanna making sure that our time together is fun and purposeful and that we embrace and love each other along this journey.”

“I’ve been through some real hardships in my life,” Leanna says. “People asked multiple times, ‘How do you maintain a positive attitude with all the things you’ve been through?’ For years, I couldn’t answer that. There was just something in me that always says ‘Everything will be OK. You’ve got this.’ I take after my father. He was such a giver. He was just so compassionate towards people. He always wanted to give back. He was willing to step in and help people in their time of need.”

“These stories are not pretty” she says, “but it’s my truth. If you don’t tell your story, there is no chance for you to move on. No chance to heal. I have never been afraid of telling my story and know trauma doesn’t see race, religion, gender, culture or age. I know what pain feels like. I know true suffering and I refuse to be a victim. I refuse to have these stories define me,” Leanna adds.

“I want people to be hopeful and resilient and know you do have the fortitude to be more than a survivor. You have the ability thrive.”

Leanne Chroman certainly shows us how. n

PRINT IS ALIVE

Brian Garrido has written food stories for LA Weekly, Clever Root and DailyMeal.com. He moved to Indy from Los Angeles with two dogs and his partner, Nick. Follow him on Instagram @briangarrido

Jennifer L. Rubenstein is the publisher and editor-in-chief of Edible Indy. Follow her on Instagram @gingerandviolets

PERSONAL ESSAY

THE WALNUT TREE

Surviving through the seasons

words & phototography: Kate Oliver

The black walnut tree in my garden emerges from the earth, just past the floating cedar porch my wife and I built two years ago in April after ripping out the old sinking brick patio. Wearing gloves to protect our dry winter skin from the rough edges, we removed each brick by hand and marched 752 of them, wheelbarrow by wheelbarrow, down the pea gravel slope to a pair of pallets in the driveway. There is a particular way to stack bricks on a pallet—and like many other things, I didn’t learn this until I needed to know it.

We know very little about our house’s former life before an artist renovated it some 30 years ago, blowing out walls, raising rooflines, closing in the front porch. As the third pair of owners since, we are slowly building shelves of red oak to create a library where there was once an old concrete porch. My wife and I made a deal: Once one section is full of books, we’ll build the next—but I believe she underestimated my ability to procure books, now that I live in 1,600 square feet and not a tenth of that.

The front door faces east, looking out on several Amur honeysuckles that we call “fairy trees,” one crab apple and black cherry tree each, a cluster of bamboo, a line of tall old maples. The back door also faces east, so we do not have traditionally defined yard spaces. We have, quite simply, the garden—and the walnut tree seems to anchor it—all eyes drawn to its sheer size and presence.

Upstairs, the raked windows follow the steep pitch of the roofline, and still I cannot see the crown of the walnut tree. Hanging over the sun porch, the garden, the cedar porch, are the long branches of the walnut tree, the rachis and leaflets creating dappled, shadowy lace when the sun is high overhead.

Last autumn, the heat lingered well into November, and the leaves on the walnut tree did not turn. The first freeze would bring the leaflets and rachis down in a matter of hours, a naked, dead tree from one alive and dressed. Delicate leaves that naturally fall in a whisper became like lead, loud enough to startle me, to wonder what was happening upstairs. I stood at my bedroom window, tucked away inside the walnut tree, where I was a child in a tree house, and watched the walnut shedding the too-long summer in frozen minty green clumps, fast as rain. After each frozen green leaflet had taken leave of the tree, still attached to the stem, the cedar porch disappeared. I could not see the flaking paint on the roof, the grass, the stones I had salvaged from under the old brick patio and carefully arranged around the flower beds. The walnut tree stood bare, her lacy clothes strewn about at her feet.

We worried for our walnut tree last winter, worrying she might not return come spring after the forceful freeze exposed her, stripped her bare without her consent. What would our garden be without the anchor, her arms leafy and full and offering? Spring came, and the maples would begin to bloom, the honeysuckles and the redbuds, the black cherry, the crab apple. We knew she would take her time, as walnut trees do in spring. One of the hackberry trees

We might have never known anything was wrong, that our tree could not hold all she was carrying, until the limb cracked sometime in the dark while we slept, tucked away in the tree house. If we are not looking closely, how do we know what anyone is carrying?

encircling the back of our studio, usually the last to the party, would sprout a little green at the very tips. Still, the walnut did not return.

When I was a little girl, my grandfather would send us to the yard to pick up walnuts for a penny each, teaching his granddaughters the value of hard work, an afternoon well-spent. He kept the pennies in a milky green footed bowl on his dresser, the color of the inside of an Andes mint, the color of the walnut leaflets last November when they fell, sparkling with frost. The walnuts in my grandfather’s yard fell in droves, all of those big old trees producing hundreds of bright green spheres, rough to the touch, spicy and heady. I would rub the scent onto my hands and sniff for hours after returning home, wanting to inhale the woods, which I came to associate with the warm love of my grandparents. Each walnut picked up was labor, each penny rightfully earned, a lesson to his granddaughters, who would become women after he was gone. Nothing and no one was beneath us, and everything was for us.

The lone walnut tree in our garden was bare until one morning it wasn’t, perhaps with the right combination of rain and sun and warm days. And then she was leafing out, branches heavy with leaflets and new growth, hanging low over the porch and the garden, her shade thick and comforting. We noticed one walnut first, and then two and three and ten. Our tree had not produced fruit in the first two summers we lived here, and by all accounts the tree should not have yielded such high quantities of fruit and growth after a warm autumn and late, rapid freeze. She surprised us all, coming back with ferocity and fullness, fruit high and low in her sprawling branches.

I noticed the branches drooping low in early August, brushing against my face as I clipped basil from the planter box on the porch. Heavy with fruit, with production, and still so strong, stately. We might have never known anything was wrong, that our tree could not hold all she was carrying, until the limb cracked sometime in the dark while we slept, tucked away in the tree house. If we are not looking closely, how do we know what anyone is carrying?

That morning, my eyes opened and focused, the green sharpening into layers of leaflets, brown branches eclipsed by firework bursts of lush, bright life. The walnut tree is the first and last thing I see each day, and sometimes I will sit underneath her or come upstairs to wrap up inside, and still, there is so much I don’t know about her. But I am learning. The fracture was some 30 feet up, on a limb as long or more, perhaps 10 feet from the trunk in a great, broad bend. I scampered out of bed and out to the garden in my skivvies, opening the porch door to a hot rush of air, and followed the limb line to the very end, drinking in the humid summer morning as gulps instead of breath. The walnuts, clustered in twos and threes, had multiplied across the branches and twigs, the boughs heavy with fruit and production.

A walnut tree, a mother, a woman, a survivor.

Once a sapling with promise, stripped of her leaves, coming back stronger. This time it will work, she will be okay now, and she will bear this fruit and carry it too. Maybe this will show them; this will say, I am okay.

Maybe I will believe it too.

Now it is September, and the leaves are slowly turning to gold. Walnuts fall in great, loud whacks—we cannot sit on the cedar porch for fear of one knocking us out cold. They slam into the roof, plunk into the little dipping pool we made out of a grain bin, clatter as they tumble down the porch steps. She is releasing them, one by one, and her limbs grow lighter. The process is messy, and we take great care to let her find her way again. I let her know it is okay to let go. I stand at her trunk and wrap my arms around her toughened bark.

After many years of chasing summer, I am looking forward to winter. I think of the walnut tree, all those bare branches at rest, and the hope that will come again in spring. n

Writer’s Note: For this piece, the ask was to write about my life on the road and my Airstream renovation business. Yet as I sat down to write, my drafts felt off. I couldn’t find the story. Nomadism, renovating Airstreams, and writing a book on the subject catapulted my name into the public sphere, yet as big as those things may seem, they are a small part of who I am as a whole. I am moving on from the identity I’ve been boxed into or held and wanted to write a piece from where I am today, not where I used to be. I didn’t want to write another version of the same story I’d been telling for nearly a decade, and once I realized where the block was, I wrote this essay with ease. My wife likes to say “When something feels forced or too difficult, it’s not right.” Sometimes, the difficulty is worth overcoming. Other times, the block is there for a reason. When I let my heart lead and not the assignment, I could write—and write something that has meaning to me now, in this season of my life. Sometimes we must let go to move into whatever comes next for us.

Kate Oliver is the author of The Modern Caravan: Stories of Love, Beauty, and Adventure on the Open Road and co-owner of the book’s namesake, The Modern Caravan, an Airstream design and renovation studio inspired by her family’s four years living as nomads. Kate is a mother to one human and two dogs, and is currently trying to publish her second book, a memoir of love, belonging and life on the road, and writing a third book with her wife about trauma and healing. Kate spends her days writing, creating and healing in the arms of her chosen family and the shade of her beloved walnut tree.

This time it will work, she will be okay now, and she will bear this fruit and carry it too. Maybe this will show them; this will say, I am okay.

In our kitchen, we recycle leftovers. We are aware of how our eating habits, including the food we waste, can be detrimental to climate change. But also—and anyone who transforms leftovers to create something new will concur—we know that those leftovers are the delicious start of a whole new meal. It’s better for your wallet, too, to cook with what you already have.

Leftovers. They can be as little as a quarter cup of gravy that transforms simply sautéed mushrooms and peppers into a delectable sauce fit to cling to pappardelle. Orange peels left after juicing that become a flavor bomb when you simmer them soft and pulp them up. Mashed sweet potatoes that intensify the flavor of your homemade bread, giving it a beautiful orange hue. Or create a veritable fritter fest using beer or tempura batter for larger pieces, or flour (or breadcrumbs) and egg to bind together chopped or mashed leftovers. Here are a few of our favorite meal “makeovers.”

Filo Folds

Once you discover the ease of using filo dough (from the freezer; there is no ease in making your own), the next step is to fill and fold the sheets with whatever leftovers you have, into any shape you want. We’ve made shrimp curry parcels, ground lamb and chickpea (from a stew) triangles, roasted vegetable pies and sweet filo cups using apple stuffing left over from making apple pie.

Lentils Love Leftovers

There is no more forgiving a pulse than lentils. They love to liaise with the widest range of flavors and textures. A lentil dish really doesn’t need a recipe, just a basic method of cooking lentils—brown, Puy, beluga—soft. After that, lentils will roll with any sauce you have left; with any chopped vegetables, meats or other pulses; and with any garlic, heat and spices you want to add. Finish with a dollop of Greek yogurt, some fried onions and fresh herbs and no one will be the wiser that they ate this same food yesterday.

Random Risotto

Risotto is another perfect vehicle to repurpose leftovers and turn them into a delectable new dish. Start with a basic risotto and gradually add your favorite leftovers: for instance, coarsely chopped sausage, small chunks of roasted butternut squash, beetroot or parsnip. Even a good cupful of Bolognese sauce becomes a different dish when stirred into creamy risotto.

Tutti Trifle

Trifle is a classic English dessert of layers of soaked cake, jelly, fruits, custard and cream. Many versions exist out there, perhaps because this dessert is so perfect to incorporate other, leftover desserts. Didn’t finish the pudding, or have fruit compote galore? Layer it with your choice of cake (or use leftover Orange Peel Polenta Cake!—recipe on page 20) and top it with cream.

Leftovers. They can be as little as a quarter cup of gravy that transforms simply sautéed mushrooms and peppers into a delectable sauce fit to cling to pappardelle.

TURKEY DINNER DUMPLINGS IN CARROT TURMERIC BROTH

These pillowy stuffed dumplings in a comforting broth are among our favorite ways to repurpose leftovers. Here, we use a mashed mix of turkey dinner leftovers or you can create your own filling from leftovers. The roasted turkey carcass makes an excellent broth but a tasty store-bought broth works just as well.

Serves 4

½ amount of dumpling dough (see below)

2 quarts good, delicious (turkey) broth, enriched with turmeric and spices to taste

2 medium carrots, cut into semi-circles Fresh herbs for garnish

FOR THE FILLING

About 2 cups finely chopped and mashed turkey (or other) dinner leftovers. Season to taste and you have a ready-to-use filling.

DUMPLING DOUGH

Makes 2 (16-piece) dough rolls 2 cups unbleached organic plain flour + extra for dusting

½ teaspoon salt ½ cup warm water (bathwater temperature) + extra as needed

Mix flour, salt and warm water in a bowl with a wooden spoon until you have a shaggy dough. Dump on a floured surface, cover with plastic wrap (save it for next step) and let rest for 15 minutes.

Dust your hands and knead for about 6–8 minutes, reflouring your hands every time you feel the dough stick. The dough is ready when it feels elastic and no longer sticky.

Divide the dough in 2 equal pieces. Wrap one piece in plastic and store in fridge (up to 3 days) or freeze (up to 3 months). Cover the other piece with plastic and let rest for 30 minutes. Proceed as per directions at right.

Roll rested dumpling dough into a log about 1 inch thick and divide in 16 equal pieces. Flour the surface again and roll each piece into a roughly 3-inch-diameter round. Place a good teaspoon filling in the center of 1 dough round. Brush edges with a little water using your finger and fold the dough over to create a half moon. Press tight along the edges to seal. Proceed with the remaining dough rounds.

(To freeze dumplings, place them on a sheet (with space between them) and place in the freezer. Once frozen, you can store them in a freezer bag).

Heat the broth in a large pot. Add the carrots and cook until soft.

Carefully lower each dumpling into the simmering broth. Stir carefully to make sure no dumplings stick together and bring the broth back to simmering (if needed). Simmer for 3–4 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the dumplings.

To serve, divide the dumplings among 4 bowls. Add the carrots from the broth and finally pour in the broth. Garnish with fresh herbs.

ULTIMA SWEET POTATO CAKES

These are perfect on their own, maybe with a dollop of thick yogurt and a lick of leftover cranberry sauce. Or you can serve these savory cakes as part of a main course.

Serves 2

1 cup leftover roasted sweet potato, mashed 1 tablespoon orange paste, optional (see below)

Scallions and herbs as needed

½ cup breadcrumbs

1 egg

Seasoning to taste Oil to fry

Mix sweet potato, orange paste (optional), chopped scallions, herbs, breadcrumbs, and eggs. Add seasoning to taste. Divide into four parts and shape each part into a patty. Heat oil in a frying pan and shallow-fry the patties until crisp on the outside, turning once, about 2 minutes each side.

ORANGE PASTE

Save up your orange peels from juicing as you will want a stash of this orange paste at the ready. Easy to make, a tablespoon of orange paste livens up cake batter, oats granola, butternut squash mash, pumpkin pie filling, spicy beef chili, cranberry sauce to name a few things. We use it in our Orange Peel Polenta Cake and it also deepens the flavor of our savory Ultima Sweet Potato Cakes.

Makes about 1 cup

2 cups coarsely chopped orange peels (pith included)

1 tablespoon raw cane sugar

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Toss orange peels with sugar and spread out evenly on a baking sheet. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the peels are softened. Purée in a blender. Store in an airtight container. It keeps for a week in the fridge.

ORANGE PEEL POLENTA CAKE

We like to use a coarse polenta for this cake. It gives a rustic, grainy texture. But you can use fine polenta just the same. If you make your own candied orange peel, save the syrup to brush the cake whilst still warm for that extra bit of sticky deliciousness.

Makes 1 (9-inch) cake

4 large eggs at room temperature

¾ cup raw cane sugar

¼ cup orange paste (see previous recipe)

1 cup ground almonds

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup olive oil + extra for greasing

1¼ cup polenta flour (cornmeal)

Candied orange peel to garnish (homemade or store-bought)

Toasted pecans to garnish

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Grease a 9-inch cake pan with olive oil.

Whisk eggs foamy in a large bowl. Whisk in sugar. Mix in orange paste, almond meal, baking powder and olive oil. Fold in polenta.

Pour mixture into prepared pan and bake 45–50 minutes, or until a skewer pierced through the center comes out dry. Remove from oven. Garnish to taste with candied orange peel and pecans.

Let cool before slicing.

Cake can be frozen for up to 3 months (wrapped tightly in clingfilm and then in aluminum foil).

Francine Spiering is a food writer and editor and the author of Houston Cooks. Follow her on Instagram @lifeinthefoodlane

News to Use

Resources to help you thrive on a budget

words: Ashly Stage | photography: Instagram

It feels like the world is in a weird place right now—which is saying something, after living through more than two years of health, societal and political emergencies.

What’s strange about these times is that they feel like a moment of “inbetween.” We have vaccines, but COVID still exists. Layoffs have hit certain sectors hard, and yet people are quitting jobs in droves as part of the Great Resignation. Inflation is high, but the jury is still out on whether an official “recession” will hit.

That last point has been pretty brutal for most of us. Even though politicians debate the severity of inflation, it’s clear that most Americans are feeling its impact on everyday items like groceries, gas, clothing, etc.

Hoosiers haven’t escaped these economic pressures. In an effort to extend the Hoosier Hospitality that seems to only grow in times of trouble, we’ve put together a list of resources that we hope will help you not just to survive but to thrive—on any budget.

BUDGET HELP

The Penny Hoarder – ThePennyHoarder.com – FREE to sign up for email newsletters: One of the most comprehensive sites for people looking to save money. It houses a “Work from Home” job board that’s well vetted, breaks down all financial-related legislation (stimulus packages, student loan forgiveness programs, etc.) and sends emails that contain money-saving tips and products that are always relevant.

Mint – Mint.Intuit.com – FREE to use: An app that helps you manage your spending through syncing your bank accounts, gathering your monthly bills and expenses, tracking investments and retirement funds, and tracking your credit score without penalization. The visuals are helpful and powerful; it’s basically what Michael Scott wanted Oscar to build him before he tried to outrun his debt on The Office.

JOB & SIDE HUSTLE HELP

edX – edX.org – FREE website: Similar to General Assembly, this is a hub of courses from little-known places like Harvard, Berkeley and Columbia. You can audit many of these classes for free; for a small fee, you can also receive a certificate at the end.

The Mom Project – TheMomProject.com – FREE to sign up for job board: A job board and career development hub for moms and other caregivers, The Mom Project is free to sign-up and use! In addition to being a well-organized job board that delivers a personalized list of openings to your inbox, they also offer career workshops and scholarships for career-building workshops and courses.

GROCERY HELP

Wildwood Market – WildwoodMarket.com – Indy-based grocer: Just outside of downtown’s circle center in Fountain Square, Wildwood Market delivers local goods and prepared foods handled with care. They often have a dedicated area of vegetables that are perfectly fine to eat but are coming close to their expiration date or are simply not the belles of the ball, for discount prices or free.

Imperfect Foods – ImperfectFoods.com – food delivery website: Speaking of strange-looking but still delicious foods, Imperfect Foods is a site dedicated to reducing food waste and making shopping easier and more affordable. Prices vary based on the type of food you order. You can choose from a spectrum of “conventional” to “organic”, your delivery area and how much you order (shipping is free on orders of $60 or more), but I can tell you that my weekly delivery of a mix of foods for a household of two adults, one kid and a dog is about $45–55 for a wide variety of foods.

*Bonus resources! Head over to Ibotta.com and Rakuten.com to find coupons and get cash back for purchases made at over 3,500 stores. It’s as easy as downloading the app or adding the extension to your browser, shopping at your favorite stores and getting cash back via check or PayPal.

THRIFTING & UPCYCLING HELP

thredUp – thredUp.com – FREE online consignment and thrift store: A website that’s good for your wallet and the planet, thredUp is a site for all your clothing needs. With filters on filters that allow you to select your size, your preferred brand, trend, discount and more, you can find what you want at the price you want. They do have a premium section that’s a little pricier when you feel like splurging without the guilt.

Retro Metro – Instagram.com/indyremetro/ – Indy-based consignment store: Once described as “a thrift shopper’s dream” by WRTV, Retro Metro is located on the northeast of Indianapolis and invites around 45 makers to display and sell their art, furniture, clothing and everything in between. While the shop boasts unique and eccentric treasures, one thing many of the makers have in common is that their items are upcycled, which means they create high-quality products like purses, tables, hats and more out of previously discarded items.

TRAVEL HELP

Skyscanner – Skyscanner.com – FREE website: I’ve been using this site for years to find the best deals based on my sometimes very picky flying criteria. These days, it looks similar to the Google Flights system, but I still like some of the filtering options and the “Can’t decide where? Click here to search everywhere” option. I also like how they add on a hotel price in a clear, nonin vasive way, and like Google Flights, you can set an alert that tracks certain flights and trips you have your eye on.

Hopper – Hopper.com – FREE app: A hotel-focused app that points you to amazing last-minute hotel deals. A former colleague of mine used to book flights, then wait until the day before or even the day of arrival to jump on Hopper and find affordable hotel deals at major hotels. He says that it hasn’t failed him yet!

SELF-CARE HELP

*Don’t forget to look to see if there is a local Edible publication in the community you are traveling to as they often have great recommendations for supporting local businesses on a budget.

FitOn – FitOnApp.com – FREE app: There are a lot of great fitness apps out there, but I’ve yet to find an app that offers so many different kinds of workouts, from yoga to weight training to pre- and post-natal and everything in between. Plus, the trainers really do have their own styles and expertise, and you have access to all of the workouts and trainers for FREE! They have a premium, paid option for additional nutrition and customization options.

The Little Book of Hygge – Amazon.com – FREE on Kindle for Prime members: Based on the Danish idea of living a happy life, this quick read is filled with beautiful insights and tips on how the Danes build happy lives as they contend with long, very cold winters. These long winters mean they have to make the most of their homes through great food, mindful house design, gatherings with small groups of friends and lots of time by themselves. It’s a book that reminds you that you don’t have to spend a lot or have a lot to be happy.

Mental Health America of Indiana (MHAI) – MHAI.net – FREE website: It’s no secret that the pandemic emphasized the importance of good mental health. Even though certain aspects of the pandemic have subsided, dealing with financial stressors and continued challenges from a rough couple of years means most of us could benefit from some sort of help and connection with others. MHAI is a website where Hoosiers can access resources, counseling and events that can help them make mental health a priority. n

Ashly Stage started as a creative writer publishing poetry. Her interest in business and marketing has led to jobs as a copywriter, content manager and creative director. While she continues to dig deep for the discipline needed for novel-writing, she entertains herself with good stories, fried chicken and ’90s R&B. @ashstew914; website AshlyStage.Wixsite.com

Indiana-based Huse Culinary restaurant group is known for the iconic downtown Indianapolis St. Elmo Steak House and their culinary masterpiece dishes including their famous shrimp cocktail. They own and operate seven fine-dining restaurants with locations in Fishers and Indianapolis and are committed to providing the best ingredients and service.

photograph:

Dave Pluimer

Provisions Gift Guide 2022

There is a plethora of local artisans you could support as you plan your holiday gift giving. Here is our annual guide to some of the best. #shoplocal

Pantry

GOOSE THE MARKET 

Goose the Market’s All-Local Gift Baskets support our community’s food artisans right here and are available for nationwide shipping, local delivery or pickup. They make a perfectly delicious Indiana gift for folks near or far with easy online ordering. Browse all the themed baskets including customizable additions at GooseGiftShop.com 2503 N. Delaware St. Indianapolis GooseTheMarket.com

ST. ELMO FOODS 

Get all the famous flavors of St. Elmo Steak House in one box. Our world-famous spicy cocktail sauce, steak sauce and seasoning to complement steaks, burgers and chops, and our creamy horseradish to add tons of flavor to sandwiches, prime rib and more!

Order online: store.StElmos.com

Sweets

 JUST RENNIE’S

Give the gift that is always in good taste. Our elegant gift boxes hold 2, 6, 12, 18 or 24 of our incredibly good cookies, baked fresh to order, individually sealed. Choose from 11 delectable flavors. Order online with shipping to all 50 states. Order online: JustRennies.com

 GOODS FOR COOKS

With its iconic Italian design and patented innovations, the Marcato Atlas 150 Pasta Machine ($119.99) is internationally recognized as the gold standard of manual pasta machines. It’s a true beaut to admire and a real workhorse when it comes to rolling out pasta, featuring durable, oxidation-resistant aluminum rollers that prevent sticking while also magically imparting a porous texture to your dough (the better to absorb your delicious sauces). It adjusts to allow for 10 different thicknesses and there’s a handy attachment for cutting out fettuccine and tagliolini.

Located in beautiful downtown Bloomington, at Goods for Cooks, we are passionate about championing the virtues of good food, drink and the many benefits of gathering around a table.

115 N. College Ave. Bloomington GoodsForCooks.com

PRAIRIE GENERAL: A QUESTION OF EAGLES 

Olive Oil Pouring Bottle ($62). Beautiful countertop pouring bottle for all your olive oil needs. Handmade by a husband-and-wife team in their SoBro Indianapolis studio.

Available online or in person.

1057 E. 54th St., Suite K Indianapolis AQuestionOfEagles.com

 GRAVESCO

Find unique and beautiful local handmade pottery, home goods and gifts at the new retail location in the heart of the Near Eastside of Indianapolis or visit the online store.

1501 E. Michigan St. Indianapolis Gravescopottery.com

Beverages

TINKER COFFEE 

Keep your kitchen stocked with some of the world’s most exceptional coffees with a Tinker Coffee subscription. Each month you’ll receive 2, 3 or 4 bags of a carefully curated selection of subscriber-exclusive coffees selected by Tinker’s roasting team. These are coffees you can’t get anywhere else and truly represent some of the finest coffees in the world. Subscription plans start at $30/mo with free shipping. Decaf options are also available.

Photo courtesy of @pinkbikemedia

1125 W. 16th St. Indianapolis TinkerCoffee.com/Shop

Jewelry

ZINK METALS 

 INDIE COFFEE ROASTERS

Indie Coffee Roasters had fun sourcing these three unique coffees for the holidays. This Limited Series Indie Select by producer Jairo Arcila, from the farm Santa Monica in Colombia, goes through a process called fruit maceration. This process is designed to accelerate coffee fermentation and break down the natural sugars, adding the notable sweet flavors of these coffees. Notes range from strawberries and cream to raspberry licorice to peach rings—a must for the novice to coffee aficionado on your list.

220 E. Main St., Carmel 1501 W. State St., West Lafayette IndieCoffeeRoasters.com

Rebecca Zink’s modern take on handmade jewelry is a celebration of materials. Steel, sterling silver and gemstones are meticulously paired in each unique piece, made to suit any occasion. ZinkMetals.com

ROBERTS CAMERA

Stocking Stuffers for the Photographer in Your Life! Shop all the latest photography gear. Visit us at 220 E. St. Clair St., Indianapolis.

Peak Design Camera Straps: The most versatile pro camera strap in the world, the newly upgraded Slide can be worn as a sling, neck or shoulder strap.

ProMaster 4-Layer Photo Gloves: Excellent for photography in cold weather. The 4-layer design is windproof and water resistant to keep your hands warm.

Photography 101 Pocket Guide: Carry the gift of photography wherever you go with this great guide that will answer all your questions while you are in the field.

Roberts Gift Card!

Fab Faves

ABBOO CANDLE CO. 

Clean-burning candles locally made.

AbbooCandleCo.com

PASTA GRANNIES COMFORT FOOD 

The new cookbook on pasta making from YouTube Italian sensations Fedora (96 years young) and Alba (86 years young) can’t be missed. Available online and at most bookstores.

CLUTCH & KINDLE 

Upcycled fire hose hats made by a local firefighter. 10% of all proceeds go to support first-responder mental health.

ClutchandKindle.com

SURVIVE

Local thoughts on the word of the decade

words: Jennifer L. Rubenstein

Survive. Bear. Endure. Exist. Handle. Last. Live. Recover. Suffer. Sustain. Persevere.

All words relative to where we are in this life and in this world. It may feel heavy, but it is also enlightening. The last two years we’ve shared a global pandemic, a mental health crisis for our youth and adults, and the worst economy in my adult lifetime. Survive seems to be the word of the decade so far—but with survival comes the ability to recover and persevere.

In the words the great songwriter Tom Petty, “There ain’t no easy way out and I won’t back down.”

Things to Ponder

Do you have tips on surviving or something you are doing in your life to survive financially or health-wise, either mentally or physically?

“This list could go on and on, but the one action that has reduced my anxiety the most is not letting my gas tank go below half full. The price at the pump doesn’t make me cringe, I am late for meetings less often and knowing that I don’t have to scramble to find a gas station at the last possible second gives me so much peace of mind.”

—Mel McMahon Stone, Indiana Owned

Do you have a recommendation on something you read recently that has given you the strength to survive?

“One of the most impactful books I’ve read this past year was To Speak for the Trees by Diana Beresford-Kroeger. Her story speaks to loss, perseverance and the innate relationship humans have with the natural world.”

—Audrey Barron, Wild Moon Acres

Do you have words of wisdom on the topic of survival and the world today?

“Too many times in today’s world, when there is a differing of opinion, the parties get angry with each other rather than learn from each other to find a way to compromise. This is a big challenge in today’s world and I am afraid the only way we can survive is by listening to all sides to best understand. I find by doing this it actually strengthens my convictions because in the re-learning process, I form a new conclusion which often coincides with my past conclusions.”

—Jeff Rubenstein, co-owner, Edible Indy

Get fresh updates on our work to ensure the future of agriculture includes all Americans.

farmland.org

Discrimination against marginalized groups in agriculture negatively affects all Americans by limiting the opportunities for farmers, workers, and consumers.

AFT is raising up diverse voices in agriculture, because we believe diversity contributes to a more resilient agricultural system, a stronger economy, and a more equitable society.

At American Farmland Trust, we believe agriculture is strengthened through diversity, just like the soil.