The Garage Food Hall embraces the eclectic history and cultural fabric of downtown Indy and occupies two of the historic Coca-Cola bottling plant’s original garage buildings. The 30,000 square foot community-focused hub brings together top culinary talent and local artisans to shock the senses and encourage guests to stay for “one more.”
ABBIOCCO • AZUCAR MORENA • BECKER SUPPLY CO. • BLU POINT OYSTER HOUSE & BAR
BRICK & MORTAR BARBER SHOP • CERTAIN FEELINGS COFFEE • CHAPATI • CLANCY’S HAMBURGERS • GAUCHO’S FIRE
HARD TRUTH DISTILLING CO.
HERCULEAN MEAL PREP
J’S LOBSTER & FISH MARKET
LA CHINITA POBLANA LICK ICE CREAM
POKE GURU
PUMKINFISH • SQUARE CAT VINYL • THE HARBOUR • AND MORE...
VENDOR LINEUP
On the Cover Stuffed Acorn Squash by Julie Kramer & Bryn Mooth. Recipe page 40.
1Get the same services with better care at a lower cost
National data shows local financial institutions offer the same variety of services at a lower cost and, on average, better interest rates and better loan terms. Local banks are also more likely to have better customer support because, in no small part, most local bank employees — like many customers — are long-time neighborhood residents.
2Put your money to work growing the local economy
Local banks channel most of their loans to the neighborhoods where the depositors live and work. This helps keep local communities growing and vibrant. Conversely, megabanks take deposits in one state and lend in others, placing a priority on serving large corporations. Using a local financial institution supports the creation and growth of local job-creating businesses that depend heavily on local banks for financing.
3Keep decisionmaking local
Local banks and credit unions make loan approvals based on face-to-face relationships and an understanding of local needs. Because of this personal knowledge, local financial institutions are often able to approve small business and other loans that big banks would reject.
4Local institutions share a commitment to our community
Local bank officers and other employees are typically deeply involved in local community affairs — sponsoring activities, leading service projects, serving on boards and making donations. Big banks, in contrast, are tethered to the places where they are headquartered.
5Support productive investments, not gaming and gambling
primary activity of most small banks and credit unions is to turn deposits into loans and other productive investments within the community. Meanwhile, big banks devote a sizeable share of their resources to speculative trading and other Wall Street bets that may generate big profits for the bank, but provide little economic or social value for the rest of us. If they bad, these bets can also put the entire financial system at risk. go
Whether
from the editors
Seasonal recipes and beautiful food photography are at the core of Edible magazine. So are important—sometimes hard—conversations. Now more than ever, it is time to reach beyond the pleasure of eating to support the people and organizations working tirelessly to design new solutions to the old problem of access to healthy food.
Food inequality can include multiple hurdles that reach beyond food itself: transportation, costs, poor quality. And what about the secondary issues such as hunger, malnutrition, chronic diseases and stress, just to name a few. In a country where up to 40% of the food supply is wasted (folks, that’s about 133 billion pounds and $161 billion!), it is time for some changes. While this mountain may seem overwhelming, there are ways you can help advance the causes underlying these issues:
“Almost certainly, however, the first essential component of social justice is adequate food for all mankind.”
—Author Norman Borlaug
1) Educate yourself. Research the people and grass roots organizations addressing food access issues. Understand the specific challenges happening in your community.
2) Work on your own habits and beliefs. Do you understand how people are being marginalized or silenced in your community? Read, learn and question yourself and your privilege. This may be uncomfortable, and that’s probably good.
3) Take action. Support these organizations with your time and your dollars.
Finding hope through the strife is what builds stronger communities. May these stories bring you hope for your city.
Ann Curtis
Edible Kentucky & Southern Indiana
Bryn Mooth
Edible Ohio Valley
Jennifer Rubenstein Edible Indy
Edible Indy would like to dedicate this issue to Lenny Rubenstein the publisher’s fatherin-law who passed away on September 22, 2020. He was one of the major reasons behind the purchase of Edible Indy with his love of Montgomery Inn ribs, Triple XXX root beer floats and all of the local ice cream shakes he loved to drink. This one is for you papa!
edible indy
Publisher Rubenstein Hills, LLC
Editor in Chief Jennifer L. Rubenstein
Advertising info@edibleindy.com
Contact/Subscribe P.O. Box 155 Zionsville, IN 46077
Contact/Subscribe P.O. Box 4820 Louisville, KY 40204 502.727.9799 EdibleKentucky.com info@ediblekentucky.com
edible ohio
Publisher Fairview Press
valley
Editor Bryn Mooth
Creative Director Julie Kramer
Copy Editor Reed DeWinter
Development Director Jennifer Kramer-Wine
Distribution/Subscriptions Irene Kramer
Advertising Amy Paul / amy@edibleohiovalley.com
Mike Eck / mike@edibleohiovalley.com
Contact/Subscribe
P.O. Box 355 Terrace Park, OH 45174
513.297.0810
EdibleOhioValley.com edibleohiovalley@gmail.com
Contributors Faith Blackwell, Megan Cowans, Charity Singleton Craig, Hannah Dailey, Kathleen Doane, Andy Hyslop, Brittany King, Lois Mateus, Kevin Necessary, David Nilsen, Michael Schrader, Jeneen Wiche, Michael Wilson
We want to share with you some of our families who work to bring their very best in craft beer, fine wine, cider, honey, meat, fruits, vegetables, and pumpkins - to your table - for
their knowledge and experience to create a great quality and selection of Southeast Indiana wines.
Great Crescent Brewery
Aurora, IN • 812-926-2132
Dan, Lani, and son Joe Valas started Great Crescent Brewery in November 2008 in a small storefront on 2nd Street in Aurora, Indiana. They since have expanded into a historic building built in 1843 which served as the warehouse for the Thomas and JW Gaff Distillery. At Great Crescent Brewery, a variety of their own specialty brewed beers are always on tap for sampling – along with your choice of one of their great meals. Tours of the brewery can be scheduled with the brewmaster.
Holtkamp Winery
Sunman, IN • 513-602-5580
Guilford, IN • 812-487-2695
buckwheat hard all year your family. and free-ranged Farm-raised long
buckwheat and alfalfa/clover honey, green onions, herb plants, chickens and Tennessee tomatoes. freezer beef, pork, chicken and rabbit, and local honey round out their offerings. Seasonal produce includes peppers (hot and sweet), eggplant, potatoes, yams, beets, turnips, cabbage, candy onions, acorn squash, pears and string beans. Business hours: Open 7 days a week May through the end of October, 10am - 6pm.
Beiersdorfer Orchard
Located on 75 acres in Guilford, Beiersdorfer Orchard is owned and operated by Hilda Beiersdorfer, son Jerry and family. Here you will find rows and rows of fruit trees. Some are sold fresh from the tree while others are processed into cider and apple butter. The farm market has a variety of items for sale, including homegrown apples, peaches and plums, along with products for canning. Tours for children and adults are also available.
Lobenstein Farm
St. Leon, IN • 812-576-3177
Doug Holtkamp and family started making wine in 2002 which stemmed from his love and enjoyment of drinking wine with friends and family. By teaming up with Jeff McHaan, who has over 30 years in the wine making and grape growing industry, they combine
Greystone Farm
Lawrenceburg, IN • 812-926-2132
Family owned and operated by Kelly and Adam Young, Greystone Farm supplies a variety of high quality and locally grown produce. Springtime
Located in the northern part of the county, Lobenstein Farm is home to one of Southeastern Indiana’s largest pumpkin festivals. The annual festival is held the first three weekends in October and draws about 30,000 people annually. Visitors are able to pick their own pumpkins from the field, enjoy hayrides, craft booths, a petting zoo, corn and hay mazes and homemade food. Please call for business hours.
fall flair
pumpkins & gourds & squash, oh my…
The fruits of summer become the harvest of autumn. . . some of our favorite heirloom & gourmet varieties we know & grow at Wilson’s are inspiration for both your fall doorstep & culinary creations.
sugar pumpkin an 1800’s heirloom, classic for pies & canning, their dark orange color & ribbed rind sets them apart. the flesh is sweet, thick, yellow, & almost stringless for kitchen convenience with a fine grain ideal for cooking.
jarrahdale an australian heirloom with a dramatic dusty grey to greenish-blue color, this pumpkin is a treasure for fall displays. the real treat is the thick, sweet, goldenorange flesh used to create autumn inspired soups, stews & desserts.
baby boo ghostly white beauties known for long & distinct green stems, perfect for holiday tabletops & for serving-up soups.
cinderella vivid in color with a flat & round shape, the cinderella squash is a foundational “stacker” for the fall front porch & the moderately sweet orange flesh is a feature for pies .
jack-be-little as adorable as the name, these edible, palm-size minis make their mark for table settings & small space fall flair.
peanut pumpkins pink-skinned with “warts” that make them all the more interesting, these are delicious, mild & fluffy when baked.
lakota in the brightest & deepest shade of orange, these pear-shaped pumpkins have tasty crimson flesh that livens up soups & slaws when grated fresh
one-too-many creamy in color with delicate orange lacing resembling a bloodshot eye gives this it’s unusual name. more ornamental than culinary, but worth it just for the conversation.
long island cheese buff colored with a fairly flat shape (for stacking) & ribs that make it resemble a wheel of cheese, this classic pumpkin has a sweet taste and is a good keeper for cooking well into winter. autumn
make a small journey with a big reward...
Lamp Post Cheese
lebanon, oh
On production days at Lamp Post Cheese in Lebanon, OH, passersby are treated to quite a show. Through large storefront windows, owner and chief cheesemaker Cecilia Garmendia can be seen standing over a huge stainless steel vat, monitoring 200 gallons of raw milk and bacterial cultures as it heats and transforms into one giant curd.
The curd is cut into smaller pieces that are transferred to molds and pressed to expel moisture and through a series of steps, different cultures and enzymes are introduced to each mold to create different kinds of cheeses. Eventually, the resulting wheels are transferred to wooden shelves in the aging room where they are flipped and turned every day for three to 10 months, depending on the variety.
Currently, Garmendia makes three kinds: Haya, a tangy cheese good for melting; Toby, her take on cheddar; and Apollo, a Spanish Mahon style with a paprika-rubbed rind. Garmendia has experimented with a fourth variety using spent brewers grains, resulting in a cheese she describes as “creamier and funkier.”
Garmendia and husband Ryan Tasseff opened Lamp Post Cheese in October 2018. It was not the career or destination that Garmendia, who has a PhD in microbiology and grew up in Spain and France, envisioned. A cheesemaking workshop the couple attended while living in Seattle altered her destiny. When Tasseff took a job with Procter & Gamble and the couple settled in Lebanon, they decided it was time to make a part-time passion a full-time job.
In addition to the production and aging rooms, the creamery has a small deli space that features its cheeses as well as the cheese, wine and beer of other local producers. An adjacent room and bar is frequently the site of tastings and special events, and a new outdoor patio opened this summer.
Comfort food took on special significance this year. A favorite: the grilled cheese sandwich. Lamp Post elevates this classic with its Haya Cheese, sourdough bread from Sixteen Bricks and optional add-ons, such as prosciutto or peppers. The secret ingredient: “We use mayonnaise instead of butter,” Garmendia says.
— Kathleen Doane
Lamp Post Cheese 107 E Mulberry St., Lebanon, OH
513.934.7376 / LampPostCheese.com Fri 4pm–8pm; Sat noon–8pm FIND IT AT: Jungle Jim’s, The Rhined (Cincinnati), Market Wagon
An Indiana Company Defining a Healthier Future for People and the Land
“WE CAN'T KEEP 'SUSTAINING' WE NEED TO IMPROVE.”
—SARAH COTTERILL, CO-FOUNDER OF LINEAGE
Launched in 2018, the company is dedicated to pioneering a practice called regenerative agriculture, a practice that has soil at the heart of its mission.
“Everyone talks about sustainability these days, says Cotterill, but ‘to sustain’ just means to stay the same. The problem is that we can’t stay the same, we need to improve. Regenerative agriculture is a set of systems designed to improve the planets health season by season.”
THEIR FIRST STEP: HEMP.
Hemp is a bio-accumulator—a complicated word that means to clean the soil by pulling out
toxins like pesticides. It is one of the highestyielding crops on the planet making it the perfect crop to use for carbon sequestration, the process of pulling the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere and capturing it in the soil.
Shortly after the legalization of industrial hemp in 2018, Lineage launched Lineage Hemp Group, a farmer outreach and education program aiming to give farmers the resources to transition from conventional farming to regenerative practices. In 2020 the company will harvest over 750 acres of outdoor hemp and converting it into premium CBD products.
“Lineage Hemp, is a way for us to support our farmers and to create products that can directly serve our local community,” says Cotterill. The profits they make from CBD sales go back into their farmer programs. Co-founder Jamie Perkins sums up their mission “We are building a completely circular system, one that brings health and value to farmers, consumers, and the planet.”
To learn more about Lineage, visit their website LineageHemp.com or visit the weekly Lineage Winter Farmers Market, starting this November held every Saturday from 10–12pm at 7802 Marsh Road, Indianapolis.
Victory Gardens Urban Farm
louisville, ky
Last year, as Ebonee Sutton tended her backyard garden in the Victory/California Park neighborhood of west Louisville, she would look at the empty lot across the street wishing for a better view, a way to turn what she saw as an eyesore into something positive. As grocery stores around her have closed this year, she saw the opportunity to do something about it: turn the space into a garden, a place to bring people together to grow for the community.
What she didn’t envision as she started a GoFundMe page for her project, Victory Gardens Urban Farm, was an outpouring of support from all corners of the Louisville community, especially during a pandemic.
“The donations from people and businesses from all over has been one of the most inspiring parts of this experience,” Sutton says. “Every time I have needed something, it appeared or a donation gave me the money to buy it. The land, seeds and plants, fencing, wood, concrete blocks, everything I needed to get started.”
Making every inch count, Sutton grows a variety of produce including kale, herbs, tomatoes, greens, okra, tomatillos, squash, corn and more, utilizing every growing strategy imaginable: closed hydroponics, wicking tubs, raised beds, straw bales and a Hügelkultur bed, a technique of growing on a mound of compostable material. Sprinkled among the plot are handmade benches that welcome rest and conversation.
With most of her gardening skills self-taught, Sutton also credits a Guidance for Growers gardening class and the internet for helping her along the way. “What you can’t do, you YouTube,” she says with a laugh.
Much of the food harvested is delivered to senior citizens and friends who live in the community; the rest is turned into canned pickles, salsa, jams and tea Sutton sells through Facebook. As a personal trainer with her fiancé, Will Nimocks, she also uses food from the garden for their business Eat to Live Meal Prep.
As the growing season starts to wind down this fall, Sutton excitedly explains that her goals for next year include adding a chicken coop to the lot and “filling every empty lot with a garden.”
For now, this year fills her soul with pride as she shows her children Amaria, Yante’, Aurea and Adira Lane and stepdaughter Zaedyn Rael the importance of healthy eating, generosity, entrepreneurship and creating a stronger and more positive community together.
Lehr’s Prime Market is often referred to as Cincinnati’s best old-fashioned butcher shop, and for good reason. Offering the best of the old and the new, Lehr’s Prime puts a contemporary twist on everything that makes a traditional butcher shop special. Although the cornerstone of their business is the finest meat, they offer much more; Lehr’s has become a foodie destination.
Lehr’s Prime provides the freshest meats, local produce and unique groceries—along with a State Liquor Agency and an extensive wine and beer selection. Couple this with a 20-tap growler bar and wines served by the glass, and you have a truly pleasurable shopping experience.
In keeping with modern consumer sensibilities but grounded in their historic roots, the fine meats, produce and specialty items at Lehr’s come from the producer to the store with as little handling and distance as possible. Lehr’s Prime works with local farms and smaller purveyors, not only supporting the community but also ensuring the safety and quality of their products.
Lehr’s features “never ever” meats: never ever any antibiotics or hormones. Lehr’s hanging sides and much of their beef comes from as close as Georgetown, OH. Lehr’s Prime is also proud to offer Ohio Wagyu Beef. Their chicken is Amish-raised, pastured—and fabulous! Pork is from Indiana or Ohio.
Few meat markets still hand-cut your steaks and chops to order just the way you want them. But after 60 years, this family-owned business still does. Lehr’s experienced butchers pride themselves on making more than 30 flavors of fresh brats and sausages in-house and many “Grab and Grill” prepared grilling entrees—and don’t miss Ryan’s Blend, their signature burger blend.
In addition, Lehr’s showcases an incredible deli department, artisan breads, small-batch brands and local produce. A full-service professional kitchen prepares fresh deli salads and “Gourmet to Go” meal options that make dinner at home as easy as it is delicious. Go for the meat, camaraderie and the oldfashioned service; stay for a pint or a glass of wine.
See why Lehr’s Prime Market has been voted best East Side Sandwich Shop three years running and “Best Wine Shop, Caterer and Butcher” in 2020.
BEER, WINE & SPIRITS
GOURMET TO-GO
LOCAL MEAT CUSTOM CUTS GRAB & GRILL
Junonia Arts
Upcycle, recycle, sustainable, art, creative, local. These are just some of the words used to describe the talents of Shelley Hanmo Qian. While she holds both a master’s degree and Ph.D. of music in piano performance from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, Qian has widened the lens of her artistic talent even more to create Junonia Arts eco-friendly handmade cards.
Reusing paper from a variety of sources, including Edible Indy magazine, Qian transforms these unrelated cuttings into works of art, each uniquely designed with personal touches and a natural theme. What started as gifts for family and friends has turned into a business that ships nationwide.
Qian shared why the name is so important to her: “Junonia is a type of seashell native to Florida, where my husband is from. I thought to use this name as a symbol to unite me and my husband. After all, Junonia Arts is a project and a gift inspired by my husband's encouragement to me. I designed the Junonia logo myself, a seashell shaped art with my name initial ‘S’ inside.”
indianapolis, in Junonia Arts Etsy.com/shop/JunoniaArts Instagram @JunionaArts
According to Qian, the importance of making upcycled cards comes from a deep place: ”Creating art out of materials that are regularly thrown out is the core mission for Junonia Arts. I believe protecting our planet is a responsibility for everyone on a daily basis. I hope my art will bring joy and beauty to others while encouraging an eco-conscious spirit."
Embedded in the Indianapolis arts community, Qian enjoys collaborating with other artists. She recently opened an Etsy shop to sell her creations and a catalog of her work is available on Instagram. And, if you love something or want a custom card, invitation or piece of artwork, she is always open for a challenge.
For the last decade, Donny Greene has been working with the houseless population in Louisville, KY. When COVID-19 hit, this already vulnerable population found themselves even more so. Soup kitchens were closing, food bank shelves were empty and shelters could not keep up with the demand. So Greene and Louisville chef Rhona Kamar answered the call, joining forces with a few Kentucky restaurants and chefs to create Feed Louisville.
“When COVID hit, so many nonprofits shut down,” Greene explains. “So when that’s your last social safety net, what do you do? What’s your next step?”
Feed Louisville came in to fill the gap. The organization was founded with one goal: to deliver 500 meals a day to Louisville’s houseless population all over the city, with a focus on the south and the west end of town. According to Greene, by September 9 Feed Louisville had served over 50,000 meals.
As owner of Prana, a wellness food and beverage company, and Ramsi’s Cafe on the World, Kamar’s food connections helped recruit donors and volunteers. Each day, restaurants, chefs and farmers they partner with prepare hearty meals of their choice. In the evening, Greene loads his truck and hands out meals, water and other nonperishables. “There are neighborhoods where I pull up
and a group of people will be waiting,” he says. “We don’t gatekeep resources; we tell them, ‘You take what you need.’”
Currently, Feed Louisville serves around 400 meals a day, six days a week. But they want to do more. The organization is in the process of applying for 501(c)(3) status. They’ve also launched a farmers program that allows the community to purchase produce for Louisville’s houseless population directly from local farmers.
Beyond feeding houseless populations, the organization is working to shift the way the community thinks about those experiencing homelessness. “If we can all work on our sense of intimidation when we see someone on the street, that would really help,” Kamar says. “Make eye contact with people. They are not in this position by choice. This pandemic has taught us anyone could be in this position.”
Brittany King
Feed Louisville
502.876.2287
FeedLouisville.org rhonakamar@me.com
enroll online
Join our community supported fishery to reserve your share of our harvest. You’ll get a seasonal assortment of fish and crustaceans harvested just for you! Your share is delivered directly to your door every month you’re enrolled with stories from the fishing grounds and mouthwatering recipes you’ll love.
responsible harvest
Our small-boat fishermen harvest with care using low-impact gear. Your wild seafood is meticulously handled from the moment it’s plucked from the frigid North Pacific waters, immediately iced, hand-filleted, and blastfrozen for sashimi-grade quality and fresh-from-the-ocean flavor (yum)!
feel good fish
We always pay our fishermen above-dock prices, which allows them to harvest like craftsmen and deliver the highest quality. We guarantee our fish is traceable to the source, so you know exactly where it comes from. And we donate 1% of revenue to causes preserving the wild. That’s fish you can feel good about.
Blast-frozen at the source for a fresh taste!
Responsible seafood direct to your doorstep!
Fork & Pie Bakery
newtown, oh
The best family recipes are charmingly inexact: a handful of this, a pinch of that. The recipe for Fork & Pie Bakery might read something like this: Stir together one heaping portion of gardening know-how, a scoop of professional baking experience and a pinch of Appalachian grandmother, then bake and finish with a sprinkling of friendliness.
Owner Stevie Rufener draws culinary influence from summers on her paternal grandparents’ farm and her maternal grandma’s “MacGyver” way of cobbling together whatever food she had in her rural kitchen. The Ohio native developed her professional skills working for several years at a bakery-pizzeria in Hawaii, turning out bread and pastries for retail and commercial customers.
Like many food entrepreneurs, Rufener started out in her home kitchen. “I was baking things for other people and for school events, and then did a wedding, and then suddenly I was like, ‘I’m going to do this NOW!’” she says. Just a few days later she started selling at the Mt. Washington farmers’ market, where her gluten-free items drew raves.
In 2018, Fork & Pie opened a shop in a cottage on the main drag in Newtown just east of Cincinnati proper. Still a farmers’ market fixture, Rufener also supplies coffee shops across the region. She encourages customers to “stop by, say hi and eat pie”—housefavorite tomato-basil pie, along with sweet and savory hand pies, giant cookies, breakfast sweets and breads.
Rufener sources gluten-free sorghum flour from a Kansas grower; she says it yields a pie crust that’s so flaky and flavorful that she no longer makes pie pastry with wheat flour. Seasonal ingredients come from Rufener’s backyard garden or the tangle of herb plants and tomato vines outside the bakery. “We try to grow as much as we can—if it’s not in our yard it’s at my dad’s family farm in Southeastern Ohio.”
Bryn Mooth
Fork & Pie Bakery 6836 Main Street, Newtown, OH 513.914.5589 / ForkAndPieBakery.com
FIND IT AT:
Ft. Thomas, KY, and Madeira, OH, farmers’ markets; Carabello Coffee, Hyde Perk, Mile 42 Coffee, The Coffee Shop on Wooster
Adeep blue ring speckled with smaller white dots, reminiscent of stars in the night sky, the Circle Kombucha logo is anything but arbitrary. The tranquil circle is a perfectly balanced shape, mirroring the equilibrium the company strives for in life, career and tastefully-crafted kombucha. But while fruity, fizzy tea drinks are a tasty step toward cultivating the harmonious lifestyle the company advocates, founders Skylar Williams and Matt Whiteside understand that it’s not enough—as long as their fundamental rights to safety and respect are under attack, a truly balanced life isn’t entirely possible for many in the LGBTQ community.
On a mission for inclusivity, Circle is pushing for LGBTQ visibility in ways big and small. Team members marched in last year’s Indy Pride parade, designed rainbow cans for their product and supported organizations like True Colors United. With 2020 setting a backdrop of such deep uncertainty, they believe it’s more crucial than ever to be sipping kombucha from the right side of history.
Marketing and culture manager Komal Sheth says that doing the right thing is only natural for a business whose mission boils down to making everyone feel welcome. As a gay woman, she’s proud to work for a business that’s so devoted to diversity and acceptance in their staff, partnerships and message.
“We don’t do it just to do it,” Sheth says. “It’s tough for businesses to take a stand on certain issues because they worry about politics. But for us, we don’t see politics in treating people fairly.”
IN: Elbert’s Natural Food Market, Evansville; Hubbard and Cravens, Indy and Carmel
OH: Fusian, Cincinnati; Aladdin’s, Cincinnati
And many other locations across the region
The NEIGHBOR LOAVES Project
FEEDING PEOPLE THROUGH FEEDING BUSINESSES, ONE LOAF AT A TIME.
members of the
Earlier this year, ACG and
Eric Schedler and Katie Zukof, owners of Muddy Fork Bakery in Bloomington, IN, are
Artisan Grain Collaborative.
its member bakeries launched a program to provide fresh bread to local food pantries.
WORDS CHARITY SINGLETON CRAIG | PHOTOGRAPHY MEGAN COWANS
The idea for Neighbor Loaves was born like many other great ideas: in the shower. In the early days of the COVID-19 outbreak, Alyssa Hartman, Executive Director of Artisan Grain Collaborative (AGC), spent her few minutes getting ready each morning thinking about the problems emerging in the grain value chain her organization supports. Everyone was affected: Bakers lost much of their wholesale business overnight. Farmers and millers benefitted from an early uptick in sales of flour, but there was great uncertainty about the future, especially as farmers prepared to plant spring crops. At
the same time, hoarding left grocery shelves empty, which surely meant that food pantries were running low, too. And lots of people were eager to do something to help their neighbors.
The problems were mounting, but what about solutions?
Hartman saw the potential for something as elemental as bread to help people across industries and communities. At its core, the Neighbor Loaves program she founded is simple: Customers pay for loaves of bread that are baked with local grains and donated to neighborhood food pantries and community feeding organizations. The implications are far reaching, though. With extra demand, bakers can retain employees and sustain their businesses. By providing local grain, farmers and millers are assured of ongoing sales. Food pantries receive fresh bread to distribute to those in need. And people who want to help have an easy opportunity to do so.
“With so much need, people aren’t sure how to help,” Hartman says. “With this particular ask—pay about $6 to support farmers, bakers and food pantries—you get a lot of bang for your buck.”
INDIANA BAKERY GETS INVOLVED
Bloomington, IN-based Muddy Fork Bakery was one of the first AGC member bakeries to join the program. Owner Eric Schedler joined AGC last year because the organization aligns closely with the values he and his wife, Katie Zukof, hold for their own business, including support for local grain economies. Schedler also appreciates AGC’s progressive activism and the communitymindedness that fueled Neighbor Loaves.
As part of the Neighbor Loaves project, Muddy Fork contributes 75 loaves of 100% whole grain wheat bread to Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard in Bloomington each week. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, approximately 60% of Muddy Fork’s total sales are online, making it easy for customers just to add a Neighbor Loaf to their existing order, Schedler says. If they don’t receive 75 weekly orders, Muddy Fork kicks in the difference.
To fulfill the Neighbor Loaves orders, one Muddy Fork baker works an 8-and-a-half-hour shift on Sundays to make and bake the bread, with packaging and delivery on Monday mornings. That means Neighbor Loaves not only provides bread to those who need it but also helps pay the baker’s salary. As well, Muddy Fork sources grain from nearby Janie’s Mill, in Ashkum, IL, further contributing to the local grain economy.
The Muddy Fork Neighbor Loaf is a simple whole wheat sourdough, made with flour milled in-house from Janie’s Mill wheat plus water, salt, sourdough starter and yeast. Unlike many of their round artisan loaves, the Muddy Fork’s Neighbor Loaf is baked in a loaf pan. Not only does that allow them to take advantage of lower temperatures in their wood-fired brick oven, which by Sunday has cooled considerably after being fired up on
Wednesday, but also the loaf-shaped bread is “more accessible” for folks coming to the food pantry who “may not necessarily be into artisan-style bread,” Schedler says. One loaf costs $5.75.
THE FUTURE OF NEIGHBOR LOAVES
By early August, 20 bakeries in five states had donated approximately 13,000 loaves of bread to 20 Midwest food pantries through the Neighbor Loaves project, resulting in more than $85,000 circulating in local economies. AGC hoped to have 10 more bakeries participating and a total of 20,000 loaves donated by the end of September. But that’s not the end of Neighbor Loaves. The program has been so well received by everyone involved that AGC plans to continue with Neighbor Loaves indefinitely, and in September a Wisconsin bakery began contributing fresh tortillas.
“A lot of urgency has left the room, and it will be really interesting to see what happens in the future,” Hartman says. “But I’m proud of what we’ve done so far to support farmers, bakers and millers through the initial hiccup of the pandemic—plus all the
Basic Whole Wheat Bread
This recipe is courtesy of Muddy Fork Bakery; it is similar to their Neighbor Loaves bread. Find them at MuddyForkBakery.com.
Makes 1 loaf
2¼ cups finely ground whole wheat flour (fresh if you can get it)
1 cup water, 80°F–100°F
¾ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon yeast
Up to 1 tablespoon honey, optional
Seeds for finishing, optional
Pour water into mixing bowl; sprinkle in salt and yeast (and honey if you are using it). Add flour and mix by hand until all flour is hydrated and there are no dry streaks in the dough. Dough should be loose and sticky. If stiff or dry, add more water, a couple tablespoons at a time.
Let the dough rest for 30 minutes. The gluten structure will begin to form, reducing kneading time. Knead dough with one hand while rotating the bowl slowly with the other hand for 5 minutes. Briefly knead dough with a wet hand by going around dough just once (a process called a fold) every 30–60 minutes.
people who got to eat bread!”
And it’s the bread that really made this program what it is. Schedler believes people are drawn to bread “because it’s so simple: just grain, water and salt.”
Hartman calls it “sort of magical” that you could take these humble ingredients that are unappealing on their own and make them into something delicious and nourishing. “At a time when we have so little control, from these things that don’t look like a lot, you can feed your family,” she says. “There’s just something about bread.” n
Charity Singleton Craig is the author of The Art of the Essay: From Ordinary Life to Extraordinary Words and Poetry and On Being a Writer: 12 Simple Habits for a Writing Life that Lasts. Her work has been featured in publications including In Touch Weekly, The Write Life, The Curator, Christianity Today and Tweetspeak Poetry You can find her online at CharitySingletonCraig.com or on Instagram @charitysingletoncraig.
About 3 hours after mixing, the dough will have risen significantly. Dump dough out of the bowl. Flatten on the counter into a long rectangle. Fold in the dough from either end until it is about as wide as the loaf pan is long, and then roll it up swiftly and with some tension, starting with the part nearest you. Let dough rest seam-side down for a few minutes.
If you want to seed your loaf, roll it in a wet towel, then roll in a plate of seeds. Place it in your loaf pan seam down, slash the top with a sharp knife in two or three diagonal lines across the middle and slip the pan into a plastic bag.
About an hour later, the dough will have risen by 50%. Remove from bag and bake in a 425°F oven for 20–30 minutes, until top is nicely browned. Let loaf cool completely and crumb set for a couple of hours before cutting into it.
Pantry Provisions
Quality ingredients allow us to discover the tastes and traditions of the far reaches of the world. Rich olive oil, grains, tinned fish, jams, and baking supplies can be found ranging in price from $4 -$70. Matiz Paella rice is a mainstay in our pantry at $9.
Cast Iron Cookware
Kick it old-school with the undeniable reliability and longevity of cast iron. The essential piece? The Dutch oven for bread, soup, and braising. Staub's 4-quart enameled cast-iron cocotte is a customer favorite for its funtionality. Big enough to cook off bread, make chili, and braise small cuts of meatSmall enough to be light and space saving. $429 - $457, special holiday pricing $99 -$150.
A Return to the Fundamental Kitchen
An opportunity lies underfoot, in our kitchens, to cultivate the basics and explore the aspirational. Discovering the joy of hand cut pasta, boiling the perfect egg, feeding a sourdough starter, pickling the season’s harvest or baking the perfect cake is all possible in the time and space once filled with errands and commutes. This season return home and cultivate a sense of purpose, nourish loved ones with a meal, and create a sense of pride with these beloved kitchen fundamentals from Goods For Cooks.
SHOP THESE ITEMS AND MORE 115 N. College Ave. Bloomington, Indiana. GoodsForCooks.com
Barware Essentials
Proper tools and ingredients for the perfect cocktail or zero-proof evening ritual help ground us in the here and now. A hand-finished walnut muddler from Brothers Muddlers $30; Distilled, non-alcoholic spirit Seedlip Spice 94 $37.99; Viski Brass Jigger $14.99.
Baking Essentials
Quality baking supplies are essential to your kitchen with prices ranging from $4.99–$59.99. Our favorite all-purpose rolling pin is Fletchers' Mill heavy wood pin with painted handles. Its weight ensures an even thickness with less effort $40.
A Book to Inspire
If you feel as though you've cooked your 4589th meal this year, get out of the rut and explore culture near and far. Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking by Toni Tipton-Martin $35.
A hand-lathed wood bowl, a piece of local pottery or kitchen tool can connect us to our region, it's crafters, and traditions and are something handed down through generations. One-of-a-kind, handlathed burled-maple bowl by Frank Pearsall. Handmade bowls range from $49 - $299.
Handcrafted Tools
His Toughest Boss
DAYTON CHEF DANE SHIPP LEFT A WELL-REGARDED RESTAURANT POSITION TO RUN HIS OWN BUSINESS. HE IS WORKING HARDER THAN EVER.
Now that he’s working for himself following a stint at a popular Dayton brewpub, Chef Dane Shipp seems to be constantly on the move.
WORDS DAVID NILSEN | PORTRAIT MICHAEL WILSON
Chef Dane Shipp is working hard. That’s always been a part of Shipp’s drive, but it’s kicked up a notch since he stepped away from his job as executive chef of the Lock 27 Brewpubs in Dayton in June and began consulting and catering. He works for himself now—and his boss is relentless.
“I sleep probably three hours a day,” he tells me with a laugh when we speak on the phone in early August. He’s in the car, heading to Yellow Springs, Ohio, to cater for a documentary that comedian Dave Chappelle (a Yellow Springs resident) is shooting for Netflix. “People don’t see it, but I’m always working. Now that I’m working for myself, it helps, even though I’m working harder than ever.”
CULINARY CURIOSITY
Shipp started working at Lock 27 in 2017 and became the Executive Chef in early 2020. The blend of casual atmosphere with upscale fare allowed him to experiment with a wide variety of new dishes, following his curiosity through the world of cuisine. “I created four or five new dishes a week for three years at Lock 27,” Shipp says. “That’s when my name started going around town.”
He built that name equally with well-executed twists on pub classics like chicken wings with peach habanero salsa, along with unexpected but satisfying diversions like vegan sweet Thai chili cauliflower bites.
Shipp has been vegan for three years, and while that presents certain challenges in the kitchen when he’s preparing meat dishes, he explains that it’s not as hard as folks might think.
“The meat is the easiest part. It’s everything that’s around it that has to be perfect. Vegan dishes are challenging, though, because I’m new to that. You have to replace the texture of meat. Flavoring is easy. Herbs, spices, those are all vegan, and that’s what makes meat taste good. I want to create vegan dishes that non-vegans will want to eat.”
Shipp’s passion for food began at home. He started cooking when he was 11 years old, and his mother gave him the early tools he needed in the kitchen. “My mom worked a lot, so I had to learn how to feed myself. She would get off work a couple hours after I got home f rom school, so she taught me how to make simple stuff,” he explains. “Whatever she had, I’d throw together. I’d fail a lot, but you learn the hard way.”
His mom taught him that you have to fail to succeed, and that permission to make mistakes in pursuit of excellence has carried him through difficult times. An injury derailed a college basketball scholarship, and a health condition forced him to leave culinary school. The path he’s followed wasn’t the one he charted, but he’s right where he wants to be.
“The decision I made to become my own boss has been one of the best decisions I’ve made in my career,” Shipp says. “It’s extremely scary, but I believe in myself and the support I get.”
COOKING FOR CHANGE
Shipp began working for himself in early June as the country was in the midst of national protests against police brutality and systemic racism. On June 6, he published a poignant post on Instagram explaining how people treat him differently based on whether or not he’s in his professional space. Part of the content read:
“The only time those people feel safe around me is when I have a chef jacket on. Well this is me underneath the chef jacket. Black skin, tattoos. 6'0˝, 250 lb. stature, and a head full of locks. Stereotypes would say I’m a thug, but in reality I’m a hardworking, ambitious, kind-hearted human being.”
On the phone, he explains more about this frustration. “It’s weird, man. Right now, just being in a black T-shirt, people view me way differently,” he says. “People get afraid when I’m near them, tightening up their purses or whatever. It’s just what you live with being a Black man in America. I don’t let it get to me, but I recognize it.”
One of Shipp’s first projects as his own boss was organizing a Juneteenth fundraiser at Toxic Brew Company, a craft brewery in Dayton’s Oregon District. He prepared a menu of classic Southern soul food, and proceeds from sales went to the Dayton chapter of Black Lives Matter, which had a booth set up at the event to register people to vote.
“If I can get people to register to vote by luring them with a decent meal, that’s great,” Shipp says.
A CHEF’S LIFE
One of Shipp’s tattoos is a chef’s knife on his right forearm with the words “Chef’s Life” beneath it. It’s a handmade Japanese knife Shipp had coveted for years and now uses.
“I got the tattoo way before I got the knife,” he says with a laugh. “It was one of those things I wanted to speak into existence.”
Through tenacity, curiosity and an endless pursuit of excellence, Shipp is speaking his own future in the culinary world into existence, one exhausting day at a time. It’s hard work, but that’s nothing new.
David Nilsen is a beer and food journalist living near Dayton. He is a Certified Cicerone, as well as a member of the National Book Critics Circle and the North American Guild of Beer Writers.
Cajun Shrimp & Grits
Chef Dane Shipp posts his latest creations on his Instagram feed, a veritable tasting menu of delicious dishes like the one he generously shares here. Find him @chefdanefly.
Serves 2
2 cups milk
1 cup yellow cornmeal
¼ cup chicken broth
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
12 grape tomatoes
2 tablespoons minced red onion
10 peeled, deveined shrimp
3 tablespoons blackening spice, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup heavy cream
2 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
Thinly sliced scallions (white and green parts)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
For the grits:
Heat milk to a low boil in a medium saucepan. When it just starts to boil, slowly whisk in yellow cornmeal. Cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Whisk in chicken broth and Parmesan cheese; season well with salt and pepper.
For t he tomato relish:
Quarter the grape tomatoes and toss in a bowl with minced red onion. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
For the shrimp:
Generously season the shrimp with your favorite blackening spice. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; add shrimp and cook in for about 2 minutes on each side, until just pink.
For the Cajun cream sauce:
In a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, reduce heavy cream to about ½ cup. Add 2 tablespoons of blackening spice and whisk to combine. Cook until the sauce thickens and takes on a nice orange color.
For plating:
Spoon grits into two serving bowls; top with Cajun cream sauce. Scatter bacon crumbles all over, place tomato-onion relish directly in the middle, and place five shrimp around it. Garnish with scallions.
HINDMAN SETTLEMENT SCHOOL PROVES HENRY DAVID THOREAU'S POINT: “THOUGH I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT A PLANT WILL SPRING UP WHERE NO SEED HAS BEEN, I HAVE GREAT FAITH IN A SEED. CONVINCE ME THAT YOU HAVE A SEED THERE, AND I AM PREPARED TO EXPECT WONDERS.”
Near right: Families participating in Hindman Settlement School's food and garden programs plant seed potatoes earlier in the spring.
Far right: The Apple Stack Cake Cobbler recipe from Hindman blends two traditional Appalachian desserts: the stack cake and the cobbler. Appalachian tradition holds that members of the bride's family would bake thin cake layers to be assembled and served at the wedding meal.
WORDS LOIS MATEUS | PHOTOGRAPHY HINDMAN SCHOOL
Hindman Settlement School, the first rural settlement school in America, is tucked into the mountains alongside Troublesome Creek in the picturesque small town of Hindman, KY, where in 1902 its founders set out “to provide education and service opportunities for people of the mountains, while keeping them mindful of their heritage.”
When people ask what exactly a settlement school is, Josh Mullins, Director of Advancement, explains: “A settlement school is an oasis of teaching and learning. Our cultural heritage and traditional education, arts and agricultural programs are focused on honoring and passing along mountain traditions.
“Specialized programs like our dyslexia tutoring,” he continues, “have evolved over the years to address critical needs of local youth and families. None is more important in this pandemic year than Foodways and Knott County Grow Appalachia.”
PRESERVING OLD WAYS, PROVIDING HELP
The central mission of both of these programs is to address the persistent food security issues in the Appalachian region by helping as many people as possible learn to grow as much as possible for their personal use and for sale at the local farmers’ market.
Families in Knott County Grow Appalachia, a partnership with Berea College, participate in gardening classes, get help with tilling their gardens, and receive plants, seeds, fertilizer and tools. The Settlement’s small farm and greenhouses serve as research and teaching facilities; sharing these organic and sustainable operations provide opportunities for families and farmers to learn best practices for their own gardens.
“Foodways is truly a ‘teach people to grow good food and you can feed them for life’ experience as we together study life-changing lessons in good food for good health,” explains Foodways Director Jason Brashear, a graduate of the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture.
This year, it has been especially difficult to communicate with families who in the past have come together for regular monthly garden workshops. Brashear and Corey Terry, who manages the Settlement’s on-site gardens and high tunnel operations, have used social media and online videos to answer questions and share instruction about harvesting, cooking, canning and other preservation techniques.
“It’s been a year of testing out new methods to keep our programs rolling. We are not necessarily adept at setting up c ameras. More than one video has been made with our iPhones taped to a hoe handle,” Brashear says with a smile.
Even with social distancing, turnout at the Tuesday and Saturday Knott County farmers’ market hasn’t diminished as participants in the Foodways program have produced an abundance of fresh vegetables.
Through grant support, the market is able to offer double dollars to senior citizens and federal food assistance recipients and, in collaboration with the Knott County Diabetes Coalition, offer Diabetes Dollars—a prescription program of healthy eating options for diabetics.
In addition to vegetable production, Foodways raises three rounds of organically pastured poultry each year for sale at the farmers’ market or for use in special community meals in the Settlement dining hall.
Through the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, the Settlement gardens and farm supply dozens of members with fresh, local produce for 13 weeks from May to August.
And as the growing season winds down, the certified canning and preserving program offered in the state-of-the-art commercial kitchen becomes more important, giving gardeners the ability to save the fruits of the harvest for the uncertain food supply in the months ahead.
One gardener recently brought a bushel of white half-runner snap beans to the kitchen for flash freezing. “Eking out the last of summer and saving this food for my family to enjoy in the future restores my hope for a better fall and winter,” she said.
A SHIFT IN PROGRAMMING
As this coronavirus summer stretched on, it quickly became apparent that most of the Settlement’s well-known events would be off the table for some time, so the staff created a series of live conversations among writers and chefs.
An “Agrilachia” series has been livestreamed with notable speakers like Kentucky-bred writer Ronni Lundy, known for her love of her native mountains and knowledge of the cultural ties among food and gardening and cooking.
Some programming of the popular Dumplins’ & Dancin’ celebration of farmers, musicians, chefs, seed savers, dancers, food activists and others committed to the preservation of Appalachia’s food and dance traditions, will be presented digitally November 2 through 7. (Visit Hindman.org for details.)
October means the staff’s planning and marketing activity turn to the Settlement’s Holiday Gift Boxes, a major fund- and friend-raising project, as boxes of local goodies can be shipped anywhere. There are clever items to choose from, with Tadpole Hollow Pickles and a gluten-free Frogtown Fruitcake added to the selection this year.
Mullins concludes: “Even with the challenges of this year, the Settlement’s core is unchanged. Growing food locally becomes even more important when supply chains are disrupted and some shelves in the grocery are empty. We are committed to continue to invest in improving this mountain community’s understanding of what good, local, accessible food means to diet and overall health.”
Brashear adds: “There’s a lot we don’t know about this lost year, but we do know if you plant seeds, they will grow. There is faith in a seed.” n
Hindman Settlement School’s work involves tutoring services for children with dyslexia and their families; cultural heritage programs that promote Appalachian literature, music, dance and art; folk arts education programs; community service programs in partnership with local organizations; and the Foodways initiative to change the way youth and families think about growing and preserving food and eating a healthier diet. Hindman.org
Apple Stack Cake Cobbler
Courtesy of Hindman Settlement School
Serves 16
Apple Compote
8 cups dried apples
4 cups apple cider
1½ tablespoons cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
Juice of ½ a lemon
¾ cup sugar
Pinch of salt
4 cups chopped fresh apples
Combine first seven ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer 45 minutes over medium-low. Stir occasionally and mash apples with back of spoon or potato masher. Add 4 cups chopped fresh apples and stir. Continue cooking 45 minutes more, stirring and mashing to desired texture. If too much liquid is absorbed and apples are dry, add 1 cup water. Remove from heat and cool.
Batter
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
½ cup sorghum or molasses
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
11/3 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1½ tablespoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon salt
1¼ cups unsalted butter, melted and cooled, divided use
¾ cup buttermilk
In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix sugars, eggs, sorghum and vanilla paste on medium speed for 6 minutes.
Mix together flour, spices and salt. With mixer on low speed, add dry ingredients in two batches; mix until just combined. Combine buttermilk and ¾ cup melted butter; add to batter and mix until combined.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Pour apple compote into a greased 9-by-13-inch pan. Pour batter over apples, and drizzle ½ cup melted butter over the batter, pouring carefully around the edges. Bake for 45 minutes without opening oven, then check for doneness. If it is still wet in the middle, bake 5 more minutes. Cool at room temperature overnight. Dust with powdered sugar.
Writer Lois Mateus lives and gardens on Tallgrass Farm in Mercer County, KY.
Overlooking
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WINTER SQUASH WONDERLAND
IN SEASON NOW, THESE SWEET, STARCHY BEAUTIES ARE PERFECT FOR YOUR FALL TABLE.
WORDS BRYN MOOTH | PHOTOGRAPHY JULIE KRAMER
Mid-fall can be a bit melancholy for those of us who aren’t quite ready to say goodbye to summer produce like heirloom tomatoes, melons and sweet corn. But rejoice! Fall’s bounty is here: apples, greens and a whole variety of fascinating squashes. (And, for the record, Merriam-Webster backs me up on the plural of squash as squashes.)
Winter squashes are quite different from their summer kin such as zucchini, pattypan and crookneck—they’re toughskinned and firm, sweet and starchy. And they’re well suited to cool-season cooking methods like roasting. You’ll find them in ample supply on farmers’ market tables across Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio this fall. Here’s what to do with these funky-shaped, yellow-fleshed delicacies.
TYPES OF WINTER SQUASH
ACORN Dark green and deeply ridged, this squash is shaped like its namesake.
BUTTERNUT The most versatile of winter squashes, the bellshaped butternut has an even-colored tan skin and smooth surface, with a deep orange flesh.
DELICATA Oblong in shape, mostly orange or yellow with flecks of green and shallow ridges. Very fresh, small- to mediumsized delicata squashes have tender skin that is edible. They’re also nice for stuffing.
HUBBARD Large, grayish-blue and football-shaped, the hubbard looks a little intimidating. (You may have one in your home as a fall decoration.) But it’s delicious, with a flavor that marries sweet potato and pumpkin.
PUMPKIN Find all kinds of heirloom types at local markets. Big jack-o’-lantern pumpkins aren’t good for eating, but smaller “pie pumpkins” are great for roasting.
SPAGHETTI Large, pale yellow and oblong, this type has flesh that separates into spaghetti-like strands when cooked. Top cooked spaghetti squash with your favorite marinara.
HOW TO COOK
Their firm texture and thick skin make winter squashes a little tough to handle, so a very sharp knife, steady cutting board and some elbow grease are essential. Thanks to their ridges, acorn squashes are difficult to peel; you’re better off cutting the squash in half pole-to-pole, scooping out the seeds and roasting with butter, brown sugar, and salt and pepper.
Hubbards and pie pumpkins can be stemmed and cut in half; scoop out the seeds and then roast until tender. For butternut squash, cut right above the bulbous part (that’s where the seeds are), then use a peeler to remove skin from t he neck and the bulb. Cut the bulb in half and scoop out the seeds. Cut the flesh into chunks and roast or steam.
And about those seeds: Yes, you can roast them. Not just the seeds from your Halloween jack-o’-lantern, but any plump winter squash seeds will do. Scoop the seeds into a colander and rinse well, removing as much of the stringy stuff as you can. Spread the seeds on a rimmed baking sheet and dry overnight. Toss the seeds with a splash of olive oil and a good measure of seasoned salt and bake in a preheated 325°F oven for 20–30 minutes or until toasted and nicely browned. n
Roasted Stuffed Acorn Squash
To make this a hearty main dish, stuff squash halves instead of quarters.
Serves 4 (main) or 8 (side)
2 large acorn squashes
2 tablespoons butter
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 large carrot, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
½ cup dried cranberries
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
2 cups cooked brown or wild rice blend
1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 large egg, beaten
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan
Salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 375°F. Halve squash, remove seeds, then cut each half in half lengthwise. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt; place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake about 40 minutes or until tender.
In a skillet, melt butter over medium heat; add vegetables and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook until soft, about 8 minutes. Add cranberries, thyme and nutmeg; cook 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl; add rice, pecans and parsley; season well with salt and pepper. Let cool. Stir in egg.
Brush squash with olive oil. Use an ice cream scoop to mound stuffing on each piece, pressing in place. Top with cheese. Bake 30–40 minutes, until squash is soft and cheese melts (cover with foil if browning too quickly).
Butternut & Sautéed Shrimp Pasta
This surprisingly delicious combination is inspired by Giada De Laurentiis.
Serves 4
¼ cup olive oil, divided
3 cups diced butternut squash
2 garlic cloves, minced
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1 cup vegetable broth
1 pound large peeled, deveined shrimp
12 ounces penne, cooked according to package directions
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
1/2 cup sliced fresh basil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
In a skillet over medium heat, warm 2 tablespoons olive oil until it shimmers. Add squash and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until squash takes on some color and starts to soften, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook 1 minute. Add broth, bring to a simmer; cover and cook until squash is tender, 7–8 minutes. Cool slightly, then use an immersion blender to purée smooth. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
Season shrimp with salt and pepper. In a skillet over medium heat, warm 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add shrimp, sauté 3 minutes; turn and cook another 1–2 minutes, just until shrimp are pink. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of cooking water. Return to pot set over low heat. Add squash purée and milk, stirring to create a glossy sauce that coats the pasta. Add a splash of cooking water if needed. Add Parmesan and stir until incorporated. Plate pasta; top with shrimp, basil and additional Parmesan.
Pumpkin Cookies
From Academia Barilla, this Italian recipe is lightly sweet and perfect for fall. Makes 36 cookies
1 small (about 11/2 pounds) pie pumpkin
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
2/3 cup (packed) brown sugar
1 large egg, separated 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Grated zest of 1/2 lemon
¼ teaspoon salt
21/2 cups all-purpose flour
Coarse turbinado or sanding sugar, for finishing
Remove the pumpkin stem and cut in half; remove seeds. Cut each half into 3 pieces. Place in a steamer basket set over simmering water; cover and steam for about 15 minutes or until very tender. Cool, then scoop out flesh and mash; measure 1/2 cup of pumpkin.
In a mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar together. Add egg yolk a nd mix well, then mix in pumpkin. Add cinnamon, lemon zest and salt; blend well. Add flour and mix well. Transfer dough to a work surface. Divide in half and roll each half into a log about 11/2 inches in diameter. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350°F; line a baking sheet with parchment. In a small bowl, whisk the egg white to blend. Brush dough with egg white, then roll in sugar to coat. Slice into rounds about 1/2 inch thick. Transfer cookies to baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes, until golden brown.
Creating One Bowl Meals
One meal bowls.They are a versatile and efficient way to prepare delicious and healthy meals. Eating the basic five ingredients provides micronutrients, fiber and satiety all of which are a necessity for any diet. Prepping a variety of ingredients over a weekend provides ease and minimal effort in creating weekday meals often alleviating the stressors of daily meal planning. Tobie Hall, a holistic health coach, gives our readers some tips on getting creative with making these bowls at home.
THE BASIC 5
Whole grains: quinoa, farro, brown rice, buckwheat or rice noodles
Simply choose any combination of the above list and viola you have successfully created a tasty bowl. There are an infinite number of ingredients to be used for any lifestyle. Combining beans with a grain helps to make a complete protein base for any bowl and adding greens either sautéed or fresh gives an added vitamin boost. Add, eliminate, play, create. The sky’s the limit, make it yours.
The
offering holistic health coaching to clients seeking to make a change in their wellness journey. She believes nutrition that follows organic whole foods, creating change in their lifestyle that makes room for growth will help with decreasing heart disease risk, inflammation, and disease ultimately increasing happiness.
FIND MORE INFORMATION AT UpWithTheSunWellness.com
Tobie Hall is owner of Up With
Sun Wellness
ExtEnding Summer’S Bounty
SIX TECHNIQUES FOR ‘PUTTING UP’ THE BEST LOCAL PRODUCE FROM YOUR GARDEN AND BEYOND.
The garden is still producing, and now’s the ideal time to turn some of the bounty into things that we can enjoy during the winter months. During the summer our vegetable garden—along with an abundance from other local farms—keeps us well supplied in fruits and vegetables; the focus is shifting now to “putting up” the garden. Most preservation methods are remarkably easy: freezing, canning and pickling are the three most common techniques, and jam-making, fermenting and dehydrating are worth exploring, too. There are some basics to learn, but all in all anyone can do it. I’m here to encourage you to try some standard food preservation techniques; they really are quite gratifying, especially if you grew the produce yourself.
Technology means that we can FREEZE just about anything these days. Our great grandmothers did not have this luxury.
Here’s the most important thing to understand: If you choose to freeze your overflow of vegetables from the garden you need to blanch them first. Blanching is a quick cook method that stops enzyme activity in the vegetable so it will stop ripening. Once a vegetable is harvested, it produces enzymes that continue to push it past peak; blanching stops this. Most vegetables can be dropped into a pot of boiling water for 2 minutes to arrest the enzyme activity; then stop the cooking process by plunging the vegetables into an ice bath for 2 minutes; drain well and pat dry with a towel and package your servings in airtight containers for the freezer.
For CANNING , I finally got a pressure cooker a few years ago after getting over
my fear of exploding lids (childhood stories from my mom and her sisters told of people being burned). So I can do more than process by the hot water bath method. The hot water bath is still preferred, though. A large pot of simmering water will kill bacteria and seal jars, but this is not suitable for all vegetables (low-acid vegetables like beans and beets must be pressure-canned).
with a vinegar, sugar and spice syrup. Recipes abound representing variations on the theme. A basic pickle recipe calls for about 8 ripe cucumbers, ½ cup of salt, 1½ cups of sugar, 3½ cups of vinegar, and a teaspoon each of celery seed, mustard seed and turmeric. Soak the cucumber slices in salted ice water for at least 4 hours; you can either pack the soaked cucumbers in jars or cook them first for a couple of minutes in vinegar before filling the jars. Top the jars off with syrup made from your vinegar, sugar and spices. The more you reduce the syrup, the sweeter the pickles will be. Once the jars are packed and the syrup is added, seal the sterilized jars and place in a hot water bath (at a low simmer with about 2 inches of water covering the jars) for about 15 minutes. Pretty easy, yes!
Tomatoes are the easiest to can. Their natural acidity means that all you have to do is cook them a little a nd pack them in sterile jars, add a teaspoon of salt, seal and process in a hot water bath for about 15 minutes. You can peel and seed, or not. Peeling a tomato involves scalding in boiling water until the skin cracks; ladle the tomatoes out of water as they crack and let them cool a bit so you can handle them. The skin should just slip off. I then rough chop them, cook them down a bit with some salt and then pack them in jars, and into the hot water bath they go.
PICKLING uses vinegar to add the acidity needed for preservation. Cucumbers, peppers, green beans, beets, onions, carrots and any combination thereof can be pickled
MAKING JAM is even easier. Fruit, sugar and pectin are all you need. I just follow the directions on the pectin package and I have turned blueberries, blackberries and raspberries into enough jam to get us through until next May when the blueberries ripen again.
FERMENTATION has gained widespread popularity, too, and it is not just about turning cabbage into sauerkraut. The process of lacto-fermentation converts sugars in the vegetable into lactic acid. This quickly creates an acidic environment where bad bacteria cannot grow. Refrigeration after the desired ferment is achieved slows the process. Fermentation expert Sandor Katz explains, “Fermentation pre-digests foods, making nutrients more bioavailable, and in many cases, fermentation generates additional nutrients or removes anti-nutrients or toxins. Ferments with live lactic acid-producing bacteria
intact are especially supportive of digestive health, immune function, and general wellbeing.” Basically, the sugar and starch in your vegetable turn to lactic acid as the beneficial microorganisms feed on the ferment. Indigenous microorganisms initiate fermentation. (I am reminded of my sourdough starter here.)
Salt is another component of fermenting vegetables. Salt draws the liquid out of the vegetable creating brine that seals out oxygen. Oxygen is the enemy of this type of fermentation. The basic technique calls for mincing your vegetables into small pieces. The more surface area exposed, the more juice is drawn from the vegetables.
For example, transfer minced mixed peppers (I like combining hot and sweet varieties) to a mixing bowl; add sea salt and macerate the mixture with a wooden spoon. The salt pulls the natural juices from the vegetables, promotes a crisper texture to the ferment, gives the salt-tolerant lactic acid bacteria a competitive advantage, and slows fermentation—which, in turn, extends shelf life.
Once your mixture has drawn out enough moisture, pour the mixture into a clean jar, pack it down firmly so that everything is submerged in liquid (you can add some non-chlorinated water to cover if necessary and use a weight or wadded up piece of parchment paper to keep submerged). Loosely seal the cap so that the carbon dioxide that the fermentation
ACIDITY LEVELS IN PRODUCE
A quick guide to pH levels in vegetables, low to high (a lower number means more acidic); foods with a pH of 4.6 or below can safely be preserved using the water bath canning method:
Tomatoes 4.3 – 4.9
Asparagus (strained) 4.80 – 5.09
Cucumbers 5.12 – 5.78
Cabbage 5.20 – 6.80
Beets 5.30 – 6.60
Beans 5.60 – 6.50
Squash (summer or winter): 5.79 – 6.00
Carrots 5.88 – 6.40
Corn 5.90 – 7.30
process produces can escape the jar. Seeing bubbles in the jar is a good thing!
Finally, DEHYDRATING fruits and vegetables can be done with a dehydrator—or in more creative ways like arranging thinly sliced tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet and putting it on the dashboard of your vehicle parked in the sun. The quintessential sundried tomato! Dried fruit in your oatmeal or rehydrated tomatoes in your winter pasta bowl are rewarding ways to enjoy the preserved harvest.
If you want to learn to “put up” food, then I recommend picking up an old canning book at the flea market or request the information from your County Extension service. It really makes sense to use these methods to extend the usefulness—and deliciousness—of the garden into the winter months. n
Jeneen Wiche is a farmer and professor at the University of Louisville. She writes a weekly column that appears in newspapers across Kentucky and Southern Indiana.
Lacto-Fermented Vegetables
Extend the life of vegetables and keep that fresh, just-picked crunch. Store this brine solution in the refrigerator and you can keep almost anything that will have a crisp crunch for weeks.
makes 48 oz. of brine
RECIPE FOR 5% BRINE
8 cups filtered water or spring water 6 tablespoons fine sea salt
Combine water and salt in a large glass beverage pitcher with a pour spout. Stir until salt dissolves. Store in the refrigerator until your harvest arrives.
START FERMENTING In glass jars, place any combination of cleaned and cut seasonal vegetables (cucumbers, beets, carrots, peppers, cabbage, green beans, etc). Add aromatics like garlic, onions, celery leaves, green onions, mustard seeds and peppercorns. Add sprigs of herbs like dill, thyme, rosemary or sage.
Tightly pack vegetables and herbs to leave as little space in jars as possible. Add 5% brine until the liquid reaches the top of each jar. Cover the jars with a dishtowel or cheesecloth and let sit on the counter, out of sunlight, overnight in a place that’s between 68°F–72°F. In the morning, press down lightly on the brined vegetables and notice very small bubbles rising from the bottom—this is the start of fermentation. At this point you can cover the jars and refrigerate to slow down fermentation. Or you can leave the jars on the counter, out of sunlight, to continue until you get to your desired degree of fermentation. When fermented to your taste, cover the jars and store in the refrigerator.
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A Plague of PANDEMICS
THIS YEAR, COVID-19 HAS TOUCHED EVERY PART OF THE WORLD, BUT HERE IN INDIANA, OHIO AND KENTUCKY, OUR NEIGHBORS HAVE BEEN FIGHTING A HOST OF ISSUES FOR DECADES. WORDS BRITTANY KING PHOTOGRAPHY FAITH BLACKWELL, ANDY HYSLOP AND MICHAEL WILSON
It is estimated that more than 610,000 people don’t have adequate access to fresh food across Indianapolis, the Ohio Valley area and Louisville, KY. In all three regions, it is often communities of color and low-income families who live in areas with inadequate grocery stores, a high concentration of fast food options and a low density of alternative markets serving fresh, organic food. Although these issues have been present in these communities for more than a decade, the global health crisis has only exacerbated them.
In addition to concerns of food apartheid, police violence against people of color has created situations where communities are on edge. In Indianapolis, Black residents are still seeking justice for Dreasjon Reed, a 21-year-old military veteran who was shot and killed near a public library by police in May. In Louisville, the community is still reeling after Breonna Taylor was shot to death in her home on March 13. In a sense, these communities are fighting many pandemics: one of systemic racism, another of food insecurity and, most recently, COVID-19.
A PILEUP OF NEED
Those three crises compounded each other to create a climate of even direr need for healthy food options in communities across the region. “One of the biggest things I think people misunderstand about food insecurity and how it affects low-income communities and communities of color is the assumption that people are to blame for their food insecurity,” says Kiana R. Trabue, MPH, Executive Director of Population Health Strategies at The Health Collaborative in Cincinnati. “Communities of color have fewer large supermarkets and small grocery stores than their white counterparts.”
And while proximity to retail stores offering a full selection of food items is a key part of the problem—neighborhoods without groceries are often called “food deserts”—the problem of healthy food access is a knotty one. “Food insecurity is a complex issue that includes access, affordability, education and capacity,” says Trabue’s colleague Lauren Bartoszek, PhD, Manager of Population Health Strategies at The Health Collaborative. “Someone who is food insecure may be close to a grocery store, but when their paycheck comes
“White residents: Ask yourself if you’re willing to sacrifice some of your privilege for Black lives to matter. You cannot cut the light on and off at the same time, you can’t say you benefit from a system of inequities and not be willing to give up some of those benefits.
“Start by looking at what Black organizers are doing, amplify that instead of creating your own things.”
— Shauntrice Martin, founder of The Bok Choy Project and #FeedTheWest in Louisville
In Louisville, the #FeedTheWest program led by Shauntrice Martin (left) marshals 800 volunteers to provide food to 18,000 residents in west Louisville, a collection of almost a dozen neighborhoods challenged by a lack of fresh food. This former Domino’s Pizza building at 23rd and Market Streets is being renovated to serve as a grocery store. After surveying #FeedTheWest members, the store will be called Black Market KY LLC.
in they have to pay rent and utilities first, therefore leaving less money for the more expensive healthy food options. It isn’t that they don’t want to but they are forced to prioritize basic needs for which many other people do not have to do.”
Nor is the problem limited to simply feeding hungry people. Food and health are inextricably linked in a cause-and-effect relationship. “Eighty percent of health is determined by factors outside of the healthcare we receive,” Trabue says. “The conditions where we live, grow and age are often more impactful than the medical care we receive when it comes to staying healthy and improving health outcomes. These factors include housing, transportation, utilities, hunger and interpersonal violence. Racism serves as the root cause of many of these factors. As a community, we are realizing the vital need to address racism and other health-related social factors in order to improve our overall health outcomes.”
In the midst of so much struggle and inequality, community leaders, activists and entrepreneurs across the three-state region continue to work to find lasting solutions for neighborhoods with a great deal of need. These community members have not appeared overnight, they weren’t activated by a hashtag on social media and they’ve been aware of their neighbors’ struggles for healthy food and fight to dismantle oppressive systems well before COVID-19 reached the U.S. This is their story.
GIVING IT ALL AWAY
When Indiana governor Eric Holcomb declared a stay-at-home order for the state, Hoosiers scrambled to the grocery store to grab what they could off the shelves, restaurant owners grappled with what to do with excess food, and business offices and schools that were still meeting in person moved to online.
In the midst of so much chaos, one establishment immediately turned its attention to the community: Cleo’s Bodega Grocery and Café. Located three miles northwest of downtown Indianapolis, Cleo’s is a new staple in an area that lost its only true grocery store, Double 8, in 2015. After opening at the end of 2019, COVID-19 was forcing the bodega to close just a few months later, but rather t han worry about selling the items on their shelves and closing until the governor’s order was lifted, the Cleo’s staff took all of their food, boxed it up and gave it to the community.
“I’d say we bagged about $7,000 worth of groceries and gave it away to families during that first week [of the stay at home order],” says Sibeko Jywanza, Director of Food Justice at Flanner House, the nonprofit that owns and operates Cleo’s. “Almost immediately we transitioned into a food donation hub for the near northwest neighborhood. We utilized our building as a donation spot so people could bring food to these families. To this day, we’re still servicing families and delivering food. It was a no-brainer to us.”
Before Cleo’s opened to the public in 2019, residents had spent years going back and forth with elected officials about the need for a long-term solution to the lack of fresh, healthy food in the area. While the closure of Double 8 and Marsh grocery stores had affected other neighborhoods across the city, those neighborhoods have since seen other grocers like Fresh Market and Kroger move in to serve them. The near northwest side, which is predominately Black and low income, has not.
“The grocery store business is hard; more times than not you’re losing money, especially with produce because there’s a shelf life,” Jywanza explains. Referring to two Indy neighborhoods, one predominantly Black and the other white and affluent, he says: “If you have a choice of putting
up a grocery store between the MLK area and Broad Ripple, you’re going to choose Broad Ripple; there’s community there, restaurants, night life, so as a business practice, it’s more profitable to put stores in places where you know people are going to go and purchase.”
With no other options to grocery shop nearby, residents often end up at Family Dollar or gas stations to buy what little groceries they can.
Beyond serving the community through the bodega, Flanner House has a variety of programs built to teach children, adolescents and young adults how to grow, prepare, cook and sell healthy food. Flanner House has been serving the Indianapolis community for more than 100 years.
SEPARATE, BUT NOT EQUAL
On June 2, 2020, in the Parkland neighborhood in Louisville, as employees and shoppers arrived at the Kroger store at 28th and Broadway, they were met with plywood-covered doors and windows. “They closed the store without warning because they were scared that Black people would riot,” Shauntrice Martin says. Martin is a Louisville resident and founder of #FeedThe West and The Bok Choy Project. Both projects highlight the discrepancies in produce at Kroger stores in underserved neighborhoods and procure food donations to provide fresh food to residents in these neighborhoods. Both initiatives are sponsored by the nonprofit Change Today, Change Tomorrow.
Later in the day, Kroger issued a statement saying the store would be closed indefinitely out of “an abundance of caution.” The city of Louisville had been grappling with the killing of Breonna Taylor and then David McAtee, the owner of YaYa’s BBQ. McAtee, whose business is located near the Kroger store, was shot and killed at YaYa’s BBQ during a protest where he was calling for justice for Taylor’s family. The outpouring of support for Taylor was varied, but consistent. On the day of Kroger’s announcement, the store had been looted, which led to the closure. But with the closure came consequences – not for Kroger, but for the Parkland neighborhood, an area of Louisville suffering from food insecurity. Kroger closing its doors didn’t just mean that residents had to go to
another store a few blocks away—it meant that they were forced to travel across town to get groceries, in the middle of a global pandemic.
While Kroger’s doors were closed, Martin took the opportunity to press company leadership about their store practices. During her time in Louisville, she’s noticed a difference in Kroger stores in more affluent neighborhoods versus the boarded-up Kroger she frequented. “[Our Kroger] has very few, if any, organic options. Much of the produce is rotted or wilted,” she explains. “Workers are also paid a lot less in the predominately Black areas. So, Change Today, Change Tomorrow called them out on it. For the last few months we’ve been calling, emailing, and haven’t gotten a response.” Then, on August 2, 2020, Kroger commented to a post on Change Today, Change Tomorrow’s Facebook page. “All they said is that they’re committed to healthy food for all people. But we want action,” Martin says.
Martin has reached out to Kroger corporate numerous times; after no meaningful action, in August she went on a two-week hunger strike to call attention to Louisville’s food apartheid system, as she documented on social media under the username @BlackMarketKY and the hashtag #HungerStruck.
Cassia Herron, a grocery store organizer and urban planner, is taking a different approach. For the last decade, she’s been working from the belief that people have
In Cincinnati, volunteers with the nonprofit Childhood Food Solutions distribute food boxes to families in the Roll Hill neighborhood.
“The co-op model allows for the community at large to determine and control what the future of their community looks like.”
— Kenya Baker , community engagement director of Co-op Dayton
that’s currently under construction. More than 2,700 member-owners have signed on to support the market’s development.
(From left) In Dayton, OH, Lela Klein, Kenya Baker, amaha sellassie, Corinne Sanders, Shavelta Harding and Rachel Dominguez-Benner of Gem City Market stand outside the co-op grocery
the answers to the problems of a community. As she watched grocery stores close in Black Louisville neighborhoods, she began to brainstorm solutions that were rooted in Black residents taking fiscal ownership of the food they want and need, rather than relying on big-name grocery stores. Herron helped to start Louisville Community Grocery, an organization that practices cooperative economics.
“What we’re trying to do is get folks to come in at all levels of income, everyone puts their money together and then we buy what we can and separate it accordingly,” Herron explains. “This will allow us to buy local, organic food, things that we can’t get in our neighborhood, directly from farmers. It’s also a great opportunity for [Black people] to own something for a small investment.”
Louisville Community Grocery is looking for about 2,000 investors who can be part of the creation of the community grocery stores for about $150 per person. The city is also offering an opportunity for the organization to bid on up to $3.5 million in grant funding to start these stores.
THE GROCERY STORE MOVEMENT
In Dayton, OH, Gem City Market is taking a similar approach to Louisville Community Grocery in order to bring more grocery options to areas of the city. In 2015, residents began meeting and discussing the outcomes of Daytonians based on race, ZIP code, education and other indicators. Residents combed through opportunity mapping research compiled by Dayton and Montgomery County’s Epidemiology Section of Public Health. In reading through the research, community members decided that tackling the issues of food access was most important. Thus, Gem City Market was born.
Gem City Market is a plan to bring healthy, locally sourced food to lower Salem Avenue near downtown Dayton. Like Louisville Community Grocery, Gem City will be a co-op that is a community centered, full-service grocery store. Kenya Baker, community engagement director of Co-op Dayton, Gem City’s incubator, says it’s important that this store is a co-op for a few reasons. “The co-op model allows for the community at large to determine and control what the future of their community
l ooks like,” she explains. “This model doesn’t rely on profitability or market dips. It creates shared ownership and governance, allowing the community to build their destiny and shape their access.”
The market won’t just be a grocery store. Similar to Cleo’s Bodega, the space will house a café, a clinic and a teaching kitchen. “We believe that the grocery store is a movement. Capitalism programs us to work independently and competitively. The cooperative model forces us to work together collectively. It affords us the opportunity to pool resources, intellectual capital and interdependence,” Baker says.
In Indianapolis, Cleo’s Bodega brings fresh produce and groceries to the city’s near-northwest neighborhood, which is home to predominantly Black and Hispanic residents. The store has a backyard garden, and some of the produce offered in the cooler (bottom) comes from that plot.
The organization broke ground on the future location of the store in September 2019, and they anticipate Gem City Market will be open to the public by January 2021. To date, the market has more than 2,700 community member-owners.
A MOVEMENT, NOT A MOMENT
In the midst of a global health crisis that is disproportionately affecting Black and brown communities, residents of color in these three communities and across the country are also being forced to deal with the systemic and consistent violence against their communities by police. In a time when much of the country is watching and listening, because a pandemic is forcing them to, the response has been to support Black-owned businesses more, or share resources on social media. While these efforts are crucial and important, when asked how these three regions can support these efforts, Martin of #FeedTheWest says amplification, and not appropriation, is key.
“Start by looking at what Black organizers are doing, amplify that instead of creating your own things,” she says. “White residents: Ask yourself if you’re willing to sacrifice some of your privilege for Black lives to matter. You cannot cut the light on and off and the same time, you can’t say you benefit from a system of inequities and not be willing to give up some of those benefits.”
Jywanza, Cleo’s manager, wants communities that aren’t affected by police brutality, food apartheid and other issues to understand that they aren’t new. “Donations are always needed, whether that’s money, time or other resources,” he says. “In this new climate, a lot of people are aware of some of the things going on in our communities. Understand that food access isn’t the only issue and that none of these issues are new. Understand that a lot of these things were built this way on purpose in order to make this country what it is. If you really want to make a change,
you have to understand that you may have to give up some things so others can get a fair shake at life.” n
Brittany King is an alumna of the University of Missouri and an independent journalist based in the Midwest. She reports on education, race and women’s issues. Her work has appeared in AdWeek, The Washington Post, and various higher education publications.
Bok Choy Project (Louisville) RootCauseResearch.org
Louisville Community Grocery LouFoodCoop.com
Black Market KY (Louisville) BlackMarketKY.com
FoodChain (Lexington) FoodChainLex.org
This issue’s feature made possible, in part, by the generous support of Deeper Roots Coffee.
Oakley Coffee Bar | 3056 Madison Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45209 Findlay Coffee Bar | 814 Race St., Cincinnati, OH 45202
Wholesale, Consulting, Equipment, and Training
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Pilsner
Vinegar
Kombucha
Chardonnay
Merlot
Cabernet Sauvignon
Pinot Grigio
Latte
Dark Roast
Espresso
Fair Ridge Farms Kombucha
Small Batch Bourbon
Boone County Distilling Company—Born in 1833* Resurrected in 2015—makes authentic bourbon whiskey in Boone County Kentucky. Our brand a living tribute to the extraordinary pioneering spirit that started distilling 182 years ago. Each bottle combines 5 to 15-year hand-selected straight bourbon whiskey creating flavors that are full and satisfying.
is a
MadeByGhosts.com
Each bottle contains locally grown herbs, vegetables, or fruit. Smallest batches in the region. Bottled one-at-a-time by hand. Available at:
T Jungle Jim’s (Fairfield & Eastgate),
T Son’s of Toil Brewing (Mt. Orab),
T E.T.C. Produce & Provisions (Findlay Market),
T Hometown Cafe (Loveland),
T Bean & Brew (Batavia),
T Organic Farm at Bear Creek (Cincinnati),
T Community Market (Hillsboro),
T Yellow Springs Farmer Market FairRidgeFarms.com
“ Alcohol is necessary for so that he can a good opinion of himself, undisturbed the facts.”
A Smooth Sip of History!
Our small batch 1820 Bourbon is crafted the old fashioned way—double distilled, slow and easy in our old copper pot stills. Find out why our Ohio Frontier Whiskeys are legendary with a visit to Indian Creek Distillery located just north of Dayton Ohio.
StaleyMillFarmAndDistillery.com
“ I never drink coffee at lunch. I find it keeps me awake for the afternoon.”
—Ronald Reagan a man have a by
—Finley Peter Dunne
Coffee Ritual
Coffee can be a simple ritual and now more than ever, brewing coffee at home is a great way to find your daily rhythm. It doesn’t take much to produce a delectable cup: hot water, simple brewing devices and, of course, freshly roasted specialty coffee.
Join us on a coffee journey — exploring its incredible diversity from the regions and relationships where it is grown, down to its expressions of botany, process and attentive roasting. Visit our website to find your next favorite coffee. Whether it’s a seasonal offering, a tried-and-true blend or a dynamic single origin lot, we’re happy to ship directly to your door. Try out a subscription for a regular scheduled delivery of a distinctly delicious coffee. Treat yourself!
“There are no strangers here, just friends you haven’t met yet.” —Yeats
Pints & Union
With European-style décor, traditional pub fare and locally crafted cocktails, a visit to Pints & Union in the heart of New Albany, Indiana feels more like a trip across the pond rather than a drive across the river.
From Scotch eggs to fish & chips to vegetarian options and more, the full menu pairs well with the full beverage options, many from local crafters like Starlight Distillery and Hotel Tango, plus over 30 imported beers. Pints & Union has also recently partnered with the Bloomington-based Upland Brewery to feature several of there everyday offerings, seasonal releases, and specialty/rare sour releases.
Each month a guest chef and guest bartender participates in Starlight Spotlight, showcasing their pairing skills. Sponsored by Starlight Distillery, a portion of sales is donated to the charity of chef & bartender’s choice. Other weekly events include Teacher Tuesdays, where teachers receive 20% off carry-out or dine-in food orders, and Whisky Wednesdays featuring a rotating $3, $5, and $10 pour from an expansive whisky collection.
Partnering with The LEE Initiative Restaurant Reboot program, owner Joe Phillips sources from local growers and artisans, strengthening the local economy and food supply chain while building a stronger community.
Stop by to celebrate the fall with Southern Indiana Burger Week: Burgers, Brews, & Boos and the Maker’s Mark cocktail competition October 12-18.
Pints & Union offers socially distanced dine-in and curbside carry out. Order online or call and pay over the phone. The most up-to-date information is available on Pints & Union Instagram and Facebook pages.
114 East Market
New Albany, IN 47150
812.913.4647
PintsAndUnion.com
Facebook & Instagram @pintsandunion
Hours: Monday-Saturday 4-11:30pm Kitchen closes at 10pm, last call: 11:30pm
Closed Sunday
Bourbon Cream
In 1800s Petersburg Kentucky, White Hall Tavern owner, Louis Loder created a local favorite by serving shots of local bourbon splashed over rich alabaster ice cream. Enjoy our Boone County Bourbon Cream and experience the soft sweet favors of history.
MadeByGhosts.com
Handcrafted Kentucky Cheese
Send handmade artisan cheese for the holidays! Choose from standard boxes or customize your gift box from a selection of 20+ American or European-style cheeses made right here on the farm in Barren County, Kentucky. Gift boxes from $30-$85, and shipping nationwide.
KennysCheese.com
Big Fish Farms Caviar
A natural pairing with your favorite small batch vodka or sparkling wine. Make it a meal to remember with our briny, artisanal caviar, sustainably ranched and handcrafted in the Midwest one fish at a time by ikrjanschitza Renee Koerner.
BigFishFarms.com
“ Fish to taste right must first swim three times — in water, in butter and in wine.”
—Polish Proverb
Balboa Rye
At New Riff Distilling, we make Kentucky Bourbon… but really, we have a love affair with Rye. We are a rye-centric distillery, from our high-rye Bourbon mashbill to our New Riff Rye Whiskey made with 100% rye. We even dig back to the field, supporting local agricultural traditions by producing our rare Balboa Heirloom Rye Whiskey. Made from rare 1930s-vintage grain and grown exclusively for New Riff by our local farmer, Balboa Rye captures the old-time whiskey flavor of the Ohio Valley. Find Balboa Rye this holiday season in a store near you or try a dram in our Aquifer Bar.
Rye’d or Die!
1.5 oz New Riff Rye
3/4 oz lemon juice
½ oz simple syrup infused with basil & mint
Soda, garnish with herbs
24 Distillery Way Newport, KY 41073
859.261.7433
NewRiffDistilling.com
1125 E. Brookside Ave., Suite D2 (Gate G10) Indianapolis, IN
SoChatti.com
The Darker Side of the Manhattan
Recipe by Ray Gradeless
1 ounce SoChatti chocolate
2 ounces bourbon or rye
3 dashes Angostura bitters
6 ounce sweet vermouth
3 drunken cherries, to garnish
< Stake the cherries onto a garnish spear. Drizzle half of the SoChatti over the cherries to coat them in a light layer and set aside. Combine the bourbon or rye, bitters and remaining half ounce SoChatti in a shaker tin and stir vigorously. Then fill with crushed ice and add vermouth. Stir again until chilled. Double strain into a rocks glass. Garnish with cherry spear.
< Tip: Hold cherry spear above chilled glass while coating them with the SoChatti. Allow the excess SoChatti to drip onto the sides of the glass. Then fill it with your cocktail.
Elevate Your Cocktails with SoChatti Chocolate
SoChatti an Indianapolis-based artisanal chocolate company has crafted a vegan, dairy free chocolate that will knock your socks off. SoChatti has proven to be one of the finest artisan chocolates to hit the market. The chocolate is shelf stable, melts in a beautiful countertop warmer and is ethically sourced proving SoChatti cares about the sustainability of the communities in which they source and serve.
The chocolate is perfect for making s’mores, melting over desserts, eating by the spoonful or elevating any beverage. Step up your hot-chocolate
game, drizzle it into your espresso, use it in a chocolate martini or boost your latte with spoon full of the chocolate and some orange zest … all taking your beverage to the next level.
SoChatti is excited to be opening a state-ofthe-art tasting room where tours, tastings, classes and a retail space will be featured. Look for the opening early November in the Circle City Industrial Complex near downtown Indianapolis. Visit SoChatti.com for more information, recipes and how to order your very own SoChatti warmer and chocolate.
Small Batch Rye
Boone County Distilling Company— Born in 1833 * Reborn in 2015—makes authentic rye whiskey in Boone County Kentucky. Each bottle of our Small Batch Rye whiskey is aged a minimum of 5 years resulting in a long, smooth finish of sweet cinnamon and toasted rye bread. MadeByGhosts.com
Rooted Juicery
Grounded in good health, boosted with plant energy. Fall coffee, adaptogen lattes, matcha, and remedies are now available at Rooted Downtown and coming soon to the new Rooted Oakley coffee bar. Made with house-pressed nut milks, small-batch blends and flavors, and ethically sourced ingredients. RootedJuicery.com
Prakun Pottery
Art can be functional, it can be spirit and it can be calming. Local potter Becca Ito, founder of Prakun Pottery, digs deep into the meaning of every piece created by her hands. A perfect inspiration to drink from. Learn more about her work at PrakunPottery.com
“ I cook with wine, sometimes I even add it to the food.”
—W.C. Fields
“ Age appears best in four things: old wood to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust and old authors to read.”
—Francis Bacon
The Fabarita Serving Size: 4
1 cup Tequila
1 cup Fab Ferments Lime Lover Kombucha
½ cup Cointreau or Triple Sec
2 tablespoons Lime Juice
4 cups Fab Kombucha ice cubes
T Pour ingredients into blender or vitamix and blend until slushy constancy. Serve in your glass of choice (salted rim optional).
T For a non-alcoholic version, skip the tequila & replace with 1 cup sparkling mineral water. Substitute Cointreau or triple sec with ½ cup of Fab Ferments Pineapple Cilantro Jalapeño Kombucha for extra zing !
T This recipe works best if liquor is frozen or chilled the night before. This will hold its icy consistency longer. Make in advance & store in an air-tight, freezer-proof pitcher.
611 Shepherd Drive, Unit 16 Lockland, OH 45215
513.562.7531 | FabFerments.com
The Wine & Whiskey Trail Cocktail
Combine the savory flavors of our Bullitt County Wine & Whiskey Trail with this uniquely spirited cocktail. | Recipe by Troy Beam
4 ounces Cabernet wine from one of Bullitt County, Kentucky’s four award-winning wineries
2 ounces Jim Beam Black Extra-Aged Bourbon
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon simple syrup
T Combine all ingredients, except wine, in shaker. Add ice. Shake for several seconds and strain into martini glass.
T Add wine. Stir. Enjoy.
Shepherdsville/Bullitt County Tourism
2040 Clermont Road, Clermont, KY 40110
502.543.8656 | TravelBullitt.org
“High quality small batch vinegar” built from high quality small batch beverages
Go back in time 150 years ago and you would find small batch vinegar production happening in every small town. Vinegar was local and the flavors were as varied and specific to the place in which they were created as we expect wine to be. But mass production ended all of that.
Today those varietal vinegars are rare — lost in a sea of large-scale homogeneous vinegars made mostly from corn and wood pulp and flavored after fermentation to taste like red wine or white wine or apple cider. Here at MhV, we’re returning to the old ways, while replacing an important component that’s been missing in the Ohio River Valley culinary ecosystem.
Available at Madison’s (Findlay Market), Avril Bleh and Sons, Butler’s Pantry, Dean’s Mediterranean Foods, Whole Foods Market, and now at most regional Krogers.
Retail Shop: 2872 Lawrenceburg Rd. North Bend, Ohio 45052
859.380.7470 GoodVinegar.com
The Third Place
There is something magical about coffee that connects us all. From knowing producers all over the world to sharing a cup with a friend, coffee brings us together! At La Terza, we view coffee shops as sacred spaces where people can be in community with one another. These spaces can be called “Third Places” because they’re not your home or your work, but a “third place.”
This is actually the heart behind our name! “La Terza” is Italian for “The Third.”The Third Place can also be that messy, middle grey space that brings all our perspectives and experiences to the table to find lasting solutions. We are thrilled to announce the launch of our podcast, The Third Place. Our hope is to use this podcast to take deep dives into the “messy middle” and apply the principles we learn together to our relationships and to our own interpersonal growth.
Join the Conversation at ThirdPlacePodcast.com | LaTerzaCoffee.com
Photo and drink
Shepherdsville Bullitt County Tourism
Photo: LaTerza Coffee
Photo:
EAT DRINK CATER CARRYOUT
GREATER CINCINNATI
20 Brix
101 Main St., Milford 20Brix.com
BrewRiver
Creole Kitchen: 4632 Eastern Ave., East End @ Sonder Brewing: 8584 Duke Blvd., Mason BrewRiverGastropub.com
Casa Figueroa
6112 Montgomery Rd. Pleasant Ridge CasaFig.com
Fireside Pizza
773 E. McMillan St. Walnut Hills FireSidePizzaWalnutHills.com
Fond: Lunch & Deli 10764 Montgomery Rd. Montgomery FondCincinnati.com
Fork and Pie Bakery 6836 Main St., Newtown BakeryCincinnati.com
Goose + Elder
1800 Race St. Findlay Market District GooseAndElder.com
