Long-taboo crop may benefit body, mind and spirit—and Indiana agriculture
words: Nicole Rasul | photography: Candice Connor < The British Are Coming
HOOSIER THOUGHTS
Thrive is a word that you can use throughout many aspects of life. To us, it feels like the proper word to describe Indiana summers and this particular issue. To thrive is to grow or develop well, a phenomenon that comes through clearly in the words and photography of our contributors.
We all do it every summer. We cram every moment with outside activities, from growing a garden to grilling out with loved ones to taking a moment to reflect in the torrid sun and summery breeze with local food, drinks and live music at the Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center. (It will forever live as Deer Creek to us.) It’s the time to wander through farm markets throughout the region, to procure and relish the bounty of farms that share Edible Indy’s mission of supporting local food from the root up.
This issue allows us to venture outside of our comfort zone and bring a bit of the world to our readers, perhaps stretching traditional perceptions of farming and food in Indiana. We thrive as a community and we offer you the resources to grow, develop and explore our backyard and yours. Won’t you join us?
Hoosier Hugs,
Jennifer & Jeff Rubenstein
FROM THE EDITOR
Where food and family meet is where I want to be, as that old-fashioned thing called conversation flavors the air and laughter proves inevitable. So when Mahammad Abashaar of Al-Rayan in the International Marketplace shares that their restaurant is built around their tradition to “sit down to have a meal” out of a respect for the food and your family, I feel a kinship with their Yemeni traditions. The ritual of food and family is as old as time and crosses all borders. Mealtime is sustenance for the human heart.
The cooks, growers, farmers and restaurant owners featured in this issue all share this common bond of belief in the magic of mealtime. From the longest-standing steakhouse in Indianapolis, St. Elmo’s, and its unique partnership with Linz Heritage Angus (page 26), to Jason Michael Thomas’ flare for firepit cooking with local walleye (page 6), to bar chef and experience curator D.L. Sivley and his cocktail panache (page 32), each story reveals how local traditions and innovations are setting the stage for phenomenal summer flavors.
Yet for all the Indy-grown goodness in this issue we cannot ignore the fact that the world is becoming a global village. Our summer story about the ways people eat travels from Ethiopian injera to Chinese chopsticks (page 12) and our new contributor, Jennifer Reidy, shares her Syrian roots while going gluten-free in a delicious recipe for tomatillos (page 14).
As the late Anthony Bourdain once put it, “As you move through this life and this world you change things slightly, you leave marks behind, however small. And in return, life—and travel—leaves marks on you.” As we step into summer, nearly a year from when Bourdain left us, may our summer stories leave a mark on you in the most familial of ways. And as you travel throughout Indiana and into this global village, may the world welcome you to its table.
Eat Well, Love Well, Live Well,
edible INDY
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Jennifer L. Rubenstein
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Jeff Rubenstein
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Edible Indy is published quarterly (March, May, September and November). Distributed throughout Central Indiana and by subscription elsewhere. Subscriptions are $32 for one year and can be purchased online at EdibleIndy.com or by check to the address above.
Every effort is made to avoid errors, misspellings and omissions. If, however, an error comes to your attention, then you probably have not had enough wine with your healthy food. Please accept our sincere apologies and, if it’s important, please notify us! Thank you.
No part of this publication may be used without written permission from the publisher.
2019 all rights reserved.
Colleen
presents the
Tour
with Lauren McDuffie
Meet local Indianapolis cookbook author and photographer Lauren McDuffie
June 9 | 4–5:30pm Goods for Cooks, Bloomington
May 30 | 5–7pm Indy Reads in partnership with Indy Women in Food
Learn more at harvestandhoney.com
Event ticket includes moderated talk, noshes from the book, private shopping + a signed cookbook Get tickets on Eventbrite Capture. Create.
A Hands On Food, Farm and Photography Class at Traders Point Creamery!
Join Photographer and Cookbook Author, Lauren McDuffie, Roberts Camera & Edible Indy for 4 hours of photography shooting and editing techniques of food and farm
TUESDAY, JULY 23 RD 9am—1pm | $99 per person
Includes: hands on photography and editorial techniques, equipment demos, swag and a light lunch from Traders Point Creamery
Tix: FoodPhotographyClass.Eventbrite.com
FOODGRAM FEAST
#edibleindy
Celebrate edible goodness through the lens of our community by tagging us on all of your culinary journeys. You might find us reveling in your photos here or @edibleindy. Cheers to your next Foodgram adventure!
@homeispenrose
Indy’s one stop shop for local eats & fresh juices.
broad ripple • mass ave
brunch daily
dinner + cocktails
cold-pressed juices
cleanse packages catering private events
THE CALL OF THE COALS
Unplug, get outdoors and cook real food over real fire this summer
words: Jason Michael Thomas photography: Michael Schrader
Iwas first exposed to open-fire cooking at an early age. My father’s family were boat people who waterskied and fished a number of Ohio’s lakes. I remember catching sunfish and bluegill from the dock at Indian Lake when I was 4 or 5, and many fun-filled outings on Grandpa’s speedboat.
I’ll never forget one particular weekend of fishing and camping with my dad and older brother: hilarious memories of skunks sniffing our sneakers on the other side of the tent’s screen door, just inches away from our faces (my dad claiming the skunk had smelled my brother’s shoes and was looking for his family), and a spider making my dad scream as it scrambled across his bare back in the middle of the night. I also remember catching ridiculous amounts of fish on that trip. You couldn’t drop a hook in the water without catching something. We cleaned and cooked them on the campfire. I was no older than 8 at the time.
As a Cub Scout, Webelo and Boy Scout, I developed outdoor skills like open-fire cooking and foraging. They were among the many stepping stones on my journey to being an outdoorsman who feels a true spiritual connection with nature.
My indoor life is fed by my outdoor life. It’s as though my batteries are emptied by screens, computers and paperwork, but recharged by farming, foraging and cooking and eating natural, healthy foods. The best part is the feeling you get when doing these things with friends and loved ones.
What is it about outdoor and open-fire cooking that makes us feel like we are celebrating something? Is it because we get
the grill going on special occasions? Is it the cache of childhood memories from Fourth of July backyard barbecues and trips to the lake with campfires and picnic baskets?
Perhaps. I believe that this feeling resides in a deep and latent part of our DNA where we find visceral memories born from our ancestral experiences. These old traditions are carved into the essence of who we are and remind us of our history of feasting around a fire, cooking and sharing the bounty of what we hunted and gathered with our trusted friends and family.
In modern life these natural and primal
elements and our technological advancements collide. Some see these advancements as our evolutionary transformation on the way to singularity and assume our consciousness will soon be transferred to everlasting life in the cloud. Are we so far removed from this ancestral knowledge that we need people to tell us how to cook on an open fire?
The popularity of one famous chef, Francis Mallmann, proves that the answer to this question is emphatically “Yes.” His book Seven Fires: Grilling the Argentine Way feels like it’s trying to sell the idea that Mallmann’s food is unpretentious. Yet
Jason Michael Thomas.
anyone who has seen him on “Chef’s Table” or “Mind of a Chef” might feel otherwise. Can that level of fussy artistry be classified merely as his quirky panache?
With Mallmann, I can’t help but want to set the record straight, and something tells me his ego can handle it. I guess it could be my deep hatred of any soupçon of elitism. Is it his fun outfits, fully equipped with French berets and capes, that make him seem like an Argentine superhero? Or is it his unabashed ego that somehow flaunts a silver spoon, which is never becoming. I mean ponchos are still cool, and he’s not appropriating them. The beret? Maybe.
Fans or critics of the menus I design and execute are definitely aware that, although I sometimes enjoy complexity, my true nature leans toward the simple. When I cook for myself with no agenda and nothing to prove, it’s usually a simple protein with some veggies and aromatics, smoked low and slow, or cooked minimally on relatively high heat in butter or animal fat. Open-fire cooking for me is a special occasion.
In Seven Fires, Mallmann writes that he grew “tired of making fancy French food for wealthy customers in Buenos Aires” and decided to research and return to his fiery Argentinian roots. This led him to an even more exclusive way of life that allows him to charge exorbitant fees to fly around the world cooking for celebrities like Bono. For $44,000 you and three friends can get some open-fire cooking lessons from him in Patagonia.
It’s a reminder that in this day and age someone with a novel marketing campaign can sell an old idea. I liken it to the first person to market butter as gluten-free.
I don’t question that Mallmann’s food is delicious. He is classically trained and has worked with high-caliber chefs in France at Michelin-starred restaurants. I love so many things that he loves; I just don’t seem to like him very much.
Still, at the very least, I can thank Mallmann for reminding me to tell you how unfussy outdoor and open-fire cooking should be. Maybe he and I truly share these common threads from my childhood that inspired us to enjoy this style of cooking so intensely. Or perhaps we both find our ancestral roots inescapably imbedded in our psyches despite our very different upbringings.Maybe I could even be nice to him over a glass of wine, or three.
Just remember that you don’t need a beret or a cape or $44,000—no style of cooking is more simple or enjoyable. Make sure that you cook on an open fire at least once this summer. Go fishing. Go camping. Go foraging. Start a garden. Make a fire. Put a whole fish or a steak right on the searing-hot coals with your veggies. Yes, RIGHT ON THE COALS. Use a pan for finishing it off with some butter, herbs, onions and garlic. Do it with some friends and loved ones. You won’t regret it.
Jason Michael Thomas owns Urban Awareness Gardens in the heart of downtown Indianapolis, where he elegantly prepares 100% locally farmed and foraged dinners in a private setting. He uses his regular television appearances and social media influence to educate others about the crucial importance of the sustainable food movement, and promotes a healthy lifestyle by teaching others why they should seek out the most natural and delicious local foods. JasonMichaelThomas.com.
These old traditions are carved into the essence of who we are and remind us of our history of feasting around a fire, cooking and sharing the bounty of what we hunted and gathered with our trusted friends and family.
CRASH COURSE IN
OUTDOOR AND OPEN-FIRE COOKING
Use wood you know is safe. Avoid pine, fir, spruce or cedar as they can contain oils and toxins that are unpalatable and/or poisonous. Avoid wood with vines attached because it could be poison ivy.
Use gloves. I recommend a few kinds of gloves for this kind of outdoor cooking— you’ll have to experiment to see which ones work best for you. Thick leather gloves would be the safest, of course. They won’t catch fire, and will take a moment to heat up so you’ll have a bit of time to wield tongs and to move food and pans around. I personally prefer silicone-dipped gloves, with a 7mm nitrile glove on top since they are thin and allow more dexterous use of my hands. Don’t use anything that can melt to your skin, and make sure they are easy to remove in case they get too hot!
Build your fire in a beautiful and safe place. Make a fire ring. Position the fire near water or bring water to the location. Accidents can and do happen. And confirm if a permit is needed to build an outdoor fire.
Stir the coals and spread them out. The coals can be hotter than 700° so treat the food on the coals the same way you would treat them in a really hot pan and bring gloves and tongs. Check the meal frequently—you can always cook it more. Enjoy the process!
Stuff whole fish, proteins and hollow squash with onions, garlic, carrots, fennel and other aromatics. Peppers and tomatoes also add layers of flavor. The only rule is to use things you like. Throw all of these things AND summer squash, beets, potatoes, whole ears of corn with husks and more RIGHT IN THE HOT EMBERS!
Season liberally. Some of the spices and salt will fall off in the fire, but you can also add some at the end.
Enjoy this whole experience as a fun adventure you will never forget with friends and loved ones. If the food isn’t perfect the first time, try again!
Great Lakes walleye and whitefish
Euro USA
EuroUsa.com
Indiana-grown shrimp
RDM Aquaculture RdmShrimp.com
Beef, chicken and pork
Becker Farms BeckerFarmsIn.com
Turchetti’s Salumeria Turchettis.com
Duck
Gunthorp Farms GunthropFarms.com
Mushrooms
Shamrock Farms
FB @OrganicShamrock
Artisan Cheese
Risin’ Creek Creamery RisinCreek.com
Tulip Tree Creamery
TulipTreeCreamery.com
Produce
Urban Ag Indy
(Jason Michael Thomas’s farm)
Silverthorn Farm
Silverthorn-Farm.com
Full Hand Farm
FB @FullHandFarm
Farming Engineers
FarmingEngineers.com and many local farmers markets*
*See our Edible Indy Farm Market Guide in this issue.
When we think about global cuisines, we o en consider food in terms of di erence. And the means by which people deliver food to their mouths— whether by forks, spoons, chopsticks, atbreads or ngers—o en signals that di erence the most. Custom and culture can and do shape the variety of ways people eat.
Yet eating around the world isn’t always about what’s di erent—it’s also about what’s the same. Consider the words of Dr. Margaret Visser, cultural anthropologist and author of e Rituals of Dinner : “Food is never just something we eat . . . we use eating as a medium for social relationships: Satisfaction of the most individual of needs becomes a means of creating community.”
Here’s a closer look at some of the most common ways people around the world eat their food and create community.
FORKS, SPOONS & KNIVES
In ailand, most people eat with a spoon in the right hand and a fork in the le hand, using the fork to move food onto the spoon. Chopsticks tend to appear only alongside noodle dishes.
In the Philippines, forks and spoons function in a similar way. But at a traditional Kamayan feast, a Tagalog word that translates to “by hand,” a bounty of Filipino dishes sits atop banana leaves and everyone around the table gathers bites of food and rice with their hands.
Forks, knives and spoons may reign as the most common cutlery in the United States, but we still eat plenty of hand-held foods simply for the sake of convenience and speed. When we think about hamburgers, French fries and corn on the cob, eating with our hands doesn’t seem so di erent a er all.
Yemeni food includes hummus, tabbouleh, lamb shawarma, rice, naan bread
CHOPSTICKS
FINGERS & FLATBREADS
Although dining customs across India vary regionally, eating with the right hand is traditional and common. Roti and naan atbreads also hold bites of food scooped from communal pla ers.
Traditional Ethiopian cuisine is served with a large, slightly spongy atbread called Injera, made from the ancient grain te e thin injera tears easily to scoop up individual bites.
Yemeni cuisine favors two types of atbreads: malooga and lahoh Malooga o en pairs with savory dishes, like those that include beans or eggs, while the spongier sourdough lahoh complements soups and curries.
e word “chopsticks” appears to be an English-language version of the Chinese pidgin “chop chop,” meaning “quickly.” Invented in China, chopsticks are popular in countries across East Asia, such as Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia and Singapore.
Chopsticks are the most frequently used utensils in Japanese cuisine—just don’t stand the chopsticks up in a bowl of rice. What makes this move a social faux pas? In Japanese burial customs, the deceased’s rice bowl is placed next to the co n with a pair of chopsticks standing upright. So instead, place the chopsticks together parallel to the edge of the table when not in use, or use a chopstick rest.
Amuse bouche spoon by Gravesco Pottery
Ethiopian combination plate includes yebeg alecha, doro we , sega we , misir we , spinach, yellow beans, carrots and
EDIBLE CUTLERY
e disposal of single-use eating utensils contributes to the plastic waste crisis. To reduce the carbon footprint le by these wasteful utensils, companies around the world have started developing biodegradable and edible cutlery that can be eaten at the end of the meal.
India-based company Bakeys molds spoons and forks from a mixture of sorghum, rice and wheat ours. e spoons even come in three avors: savory, sweet and plain. U.S. company Bocado makes edible spoons targeted toward one-bite appetizers.
is a freelance writer and student based in Chicago. An Indianapolis native, she attends DePaul University as a graduate student in the Writing, Rhetoric and Discourse program.
MADELINE CROZIER
green beans eaten on injera bread
Banana leaf
Tofu vegetable pho with five-minute egg Edible spoons by Bocado BocadoProducts.com
FEEDING GLUTEN-FREE
A
photographer with a mission photography and recipe: Jennifer Reidy
Who is Jennifer Reidy? She’s got crazy fabulous hair, mad skills behind the lens and she developed a wonderful gluten-free blog after being diagnosed with celiac disease a few years ago. You can find her gluten-free recipes and photography at FeedingGlutenFree.com. And did we mention that she photographed our cover for this issue?
Tidbits About Jennifer
The ingredient she can’t live without is good California olive oil.
When she has a photo shoot at her home, she listens obsessively to One Republic songs.
One food she misses eating since her celiac disease diagnosis is King’s Hawaiian rolls over the holidays. (Right? They’re King’s Hawaiian rolls. Maybe she will eventually create a gluten-free Hawaiian roll, yes?)
The dish she savors in the summertime is her gluten-free pulled-pork recipe with homemade coleslaw. It’s the best.
2 tomatillos, husk removed, rinsed and sliced into 4–6 rounds
PESTO*
2 cups fresh basil leaves
3–4 garlic cloves
¾ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
3 tablespoons walnuts, chopped
¼–½ cup olive oil
Salt and pepper
Heat a skillet with enough olive oil to layer the bottom and fry tomatillo slices. Sprinkle a hefty pinch of salt and pepper into gluten-free flour and mix and place in bowl. In another bowl, whisk the egg. Dip tomatillo slices into egg mixture, then into gluten-free flour. Coat tomatillo slices on both sides. Shake off excess flour, then lay tomatillo slices in hot skillet to fry in batches. Fry on each side for about 2 minutes, or until crispy and golden brown. When finished, plate slices and let cool for 2–3 minutes. Drizzle pesto sauce all over and serve immediately.
*Pesto: Combine all pesto ingredients except olive oil in a mini food processor. Then slowly add the oil until mixed well. Process until a paste forms, adding more olive oil until it becomes thinner.
Tomatoes.
BENT ARROW ACRES
Join our Spring 2019 Chicken CSA and save big on pastured chicken and eggs this summer. Various share sizes available with monthly pickups in Howard and Hamilton counties.
BentArrowAcres.com
BROWNSBURG FARMERS MARKET
Presented by IU Health West Hospital. Features over 40 local vendors selling Indiana-grown and -produced products, music, food trucks and a kids club. WIC and SNAP accepted. Open Thursdays 4–7pm, June 6–Sept. 5 Brownsburg Town Hall Green 61 N. Green St., Brownsburg Brownsburg.org/FarmersMarket
HOOSIER HARVEST MARKET
This Indiana farmer–owned co-op offers a multi-farm CSA. Subscribe to support your local farms or buy weekly as needed. Order online for pickup Thursdays 4–7pm.
HoosierHarvestMarket.com
INDIANAPOLIS CITY MARKET
In its 21st season, boasting 60+ seasonal vendors of fresh eggs, meats, cheeses, produce, honey, syrups, vegetable starts, flowers, baked goods and more! Live entertainment. Open Wednesdays, May–October, 9:30am–1:30pm
222 E. Market St., Indianapolis IndyCM.com
MARKET WAGON
Local food delivered. Shop online for local food and buy direct from local farms and artisans. No subscription required and no minimum orders. Market Wagon delivers every Thursday. MarketWagon.com
TUTTLE ORCHARDS
Celebrating 90+ years of providing top-quality produce, plants and agricultural experiences to visitors. Visit our farm store year-round with 200+ local Indiana items. Our café is open year-round. We have tours, events, a greenhouse and CSA program.
5717 N. County Rd. 300 W., Greenfield TuttleOrchards.com
Local Farms & Farm Markets
KOKOMO DOWNTOWN FARMERS MARKET
Celebrating 16 seasons of the best in locally grown, handpicked, homemade, farm-fresh goodness. Live music and kids’ activities weekly! Accepts SNAP. Open Wednesdays, June 8–Sept. 21, 4–7pm; and Saturdays, May 7–Oct. 8, 9am–1pm.
Formerly known as the 38th and Meridian Farmers Market, helps increase access to fresh produce in the Mid-North neighborhood. Market season runs June–Sept. Open first, third and fifth Thursdays 4–6:30pm.
3808 N. Meridian St., Indianapolis NorthChurchFarmersMarket.com
TETER ORGANIC FARM
Raises sustainably grown, chemical-free vegetables and raw honey. Join our CSA program for an amazing selection of organic produce or find us at the Noblesville Farmers’ Market.
10980 E. 221st St., Noblesville TeterOrganicFarm.com
ZIONSVILLE FARMERS MARKET
Presented by IU Health North Hospital, this dog-friendly market features 40+ local vendors with artisan products, produce, baked goods, local flowers, cheeses and more. Weekly events. Open Saturdays, May 18–Sept 28, 8–11am.
At Main & Hawthorne, Zionsville ZionsvilleFarmersMarket.org
S tainability is always in season.
- FARMING ISN’T JUST A BUSINESS -
It's a way of life.
It’s a calling that holds an opportunity for people to change the culture of food and generate a more sustainable food system, one that goes beyond producing corn, soybeans, beef and pork. The future of food depends on our ability to address the concerns of food output while combining prudent technological advances with efforts to reduce and reverse the stress and harm done to the environment.
THANK YOU TO OUR 2019 PARTNERS FOR MAKING THIS GUIDE POSSIBLE:
Our mission is to be a voice and an advocate for the local food system, literally from the ground up. We celebrate and bring to you our sixth annual Central Indiana Farm Market Guide, which is a hands-on resource for those interested in supporting local farms and farm markets and exploring some specialty growers and producers as well as leaders in the agbioscience industry.
Agbioscience is the sector where food, agriculture, science and technology all converge
Beth Bechdol PRESIDENT AND CEO OF
AGRINOVUS
Our Commitment to Local Foods in Indiana
From our produce department to Table, our in-store restaurant, we recognize the value of local food. We are committed to providing our customers and diners with the opportunity to support Indiana Grown local farmers, producers, artisans and makers through the food you buy, make and savor.
We work hard every day to discover and procure products from companies and people who care and are concerned about how the product is raised or produced and the effects it has on our environment. We are honored to partner with more than 50 local vendors from Bettini Pasta to Smoking Goose, HoneyCreek Legacy meats to Peaper Brothers turnips, Hotel Tango Whiskey to Puerto Vallarta Mexican Ice Cream—all homegrown Indiana companies created within our community by people who care, like us, like you. Join us in our continued commitment to making a positive impact on your table and ours.
CARMEL
2019 FARM MARKET GUIDE
FARM MARKETS
BARTHOLOMEW COUNTY
Columbus Farmer’s Market
Brown St. between 5th St. & 8th St. Columbus ColumbusFarmersMarket.org
SA 9AM–12:30PM MAY–SEPT
BOONE COUNTY
Lebanon City Market
309 S. Lebanon St.
Lebanon F 4–8PM MAY 5–OCT 6
Zionsville Farmers’ Market
Corner of Main St. & Hawthorne Zionsville ZionsvilleFarmersMarket.org
SA 8–11AM MAY–SEPT
BROWN COUNTY
Nashville Indiana Farmer’s Market
51 SR 46, Brown County Inn Nashville NashvilleIndianaFarmersMarket.com
Fiedler Family Farms 14056 E. SR 66 Tell City FiedlerFamilyFarms.com
SHELBY COUNTY Viking Lamb LLC 1634 E. 1000 N. Morristown VikingLamb.com
WAYNE COUNTY
Bell’s Strawberry Farm 16447 State Rd. 38 Hagerstown EatMoreStrawberries.com
Golliher Farms 17474 W. Hunnicut Rd. Cambridge City GolliherFarms.com
WHITE COUNTY
Honeycreek Legacy / Bio Town Ag 402 W. 100 N. Reynolds HoneyCreekLegacy.com
Future of Farming
We’re highlighting four youthful groups forging a positive impact into today’s and tomorrow’s food culture. They are the now; they are the future. They are working to develop a more sustainable future.
Paramount Schools Farm | Artisan Cheese
Middle-school students at Paramount Schools of Excellence in Indianapolis are getting a unique, hands-on entrepreneurial opportunity. The mayor-sponsored charter school has turned an acre of its campus into a dairy farm. With the help of school staff, the students are running a licensed dairy operation and hub for artisan cheeses. The students make an aged goat cheese and ricotta, which is featured at various high-profile restaurants, markets and bistros throughout the state. To learn more about their annual TURN Festival (Transforming URban Neighborhoods), which aims to support urban sustainability, visit TurnFestival.com or attend the festival on September 28, 2019. ParamountIndy.org
Star Academy Fisheries | Urban Aquaculture
Star Academy offers a great hands-on learning opportunity for Arsenal Technical High School students. The fishery has been in full operation since last November. The shrimp thrive in two 500-gallon tanks. The water is filtered with a biofiltration system and relies solely on gravity to constantly circulate 1,000 gallons of water evenly. Students quickly realize the importance of biology, chemistry and water quality with this experience. Water-quality data is collected from the tanks by taking water samples. The temperatures and pH levels are analyzed daily and these readings are vital as they can change in a heartbeat. Just one inaccurate measurement could be enough to cause the loss of an entire crop of shrimp that the students worked so hard to raise. To learn more contact Sonya Lord-Chamberlain - lords@myips.org
The Bee Corp | Bees and Pollination
The Bee Corp’s product, Verifli applies data analytics to beehives to help growers ensure effective pollination through infrared inspection technology. The Bee Corp increases yield for farmers by monitoring the number, health and distribution of pollinating bees. This company is bringing technology to an industry untouched by technology advancement by replacing hive inspections that are currently performed by hand to estimate colony size and set pollination contract prices. Based in Bloomington, the Bee Corp continues to develop technology that creates opportunities to increase the bee population, pollination and making it easier for people to have more control over pollinating their crops. Currently they are working with California almond growers to increase their crop success. To learn more visit TheBeeCorp.com
NutraMaize | Agbioscience
Professor Torbert Rocheford of Purdue University developed his unique variety of more nutritious, better tasting, non-GMO orange corn as part of an effort to help alleviate malnutrition in Africa. By combining cutting edge technology and traditional natural selection methods, he was able to substantially increase the levels of carotenoids in his corn, the same kind of natural antioxidant pigments that give carrots their orange color and healthy reputation. Now, Professor Torbert has teamed up with his son to bring the benefits of orange corn to Americans, producing it right here in Indiana. To learn more and order Professor Torbert’s Orange Corn Grits visit ProfessorTorberts.com
RIVERS UNDER SIEGE
Efforts to clean up major water source are only the beginning
words: Shauna L. Nosler | graphics: Caryn Scheving
We take a lot of things for granted. From the air we breathe to the water we drink to the earth beneath our feet, most of us operate under the assumption that these life necessities will always be here, nearly free for use and always clean. Yet that simply isn’t the case—especially when it comes to our drinking water.
The majority of Central Indiana residents get their water from the White River. And though we’d like to think it’s pristine, in reality it’s not. It is, however, much cleaner now than it once was. In 2011, close to 80 percent of the Upper White River Watershed was tainted with E. coli (fecal contamination) and a 2012 analysis by Environment America—a nonprofit federation of state-based environmental advocacy organizations—found that Indiana dumped more pollutants into its waterways than any other state. Add to that nearly a century of industrial waste from oil refineries, canneries, meatpacking plants and other factories and it’s no wonder the river has a reputation for being dirty and unhealthy for human recreation. Thankfully, these harmful practices are no longer acceptable and Hoosiers have made great strides to clean up the river running through our backyards.
Yet there are still challenges. As the White River moves along, eventually dumping into the Wabash River, it carries with it some undesirable souvenirs. According to Mike Dunn, director of Indiana Freshwater Conservation Programs, the White River is the leading contributor of nitrogen to the Wabash within Indiana, which is the second highest contributor of nitrogen to the entire Mississippi Basin.
Where the Wabash Goes
At just over 500 miles long, the Wabash River is Indiana’s largest watershed and longest river with multiple tributaries including the White River, Tippecanoe River and others. Compared to the country’s two longest rivers—the 2,341-mile-long Missouri and the 2,320-mile-long Mississippi—the Wabash might not seem significant, but it provides drinking water to 72 percent of Indiana’s counties, making it a vital water source for the large majority of Hoosiers.
If you follow the Wabash from its source all the way to the ocean, you cover around 1,200 miles of waterway as it flows into the Ohio River, then the Mississippi, eventually dumping into the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way you encounter some of the same things that Paul Dresser wrote about in his 19th century hit song, “Along the Banks of
the Wabash, Far Away.” You see his “waves of cornfields” and “distant woodlands” and plenty of farmland too, but what you won’t see are the quantities of nutrients in the water— nutrients found in fertilizers spread on farmlands that rainfall eventually washes off, into the river.
The agriculture sector, including CAFOs, is the leading contributor of pollutants to lakes, rivers, and reservoirs. —The National Association of Local Boards of Health
While these nutrients—nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium among others—might be beneficial for some crops, they’re not good for water. In fact, they don’t provide any kind of nourishment to the plants and animals in or around a body of water. They do feed one of the world’s largest dead zones—an oxygen-free area the size of Connecticut. Located at the mouth of the Mississippi and the Gulf of Mexico, nothing can grow or live in the oxygen-deprived area, causing a nearly $1 billion economic disruption to the Gulf’s fishing industry, let alone the environmental impact. And the biggest contributor to the growth of the Gulf’s dead zone is toxins from agricultural runoff, of which 11 percent comes directly from the Wabash River.
Ecology & Economy
The Wabash river accounts for a mere 1 percent of the water flowing into the Mississippi River, but a 2014 study conducted by the University of Notre Dame found that 11 percent of the nutrients dumped into the Gulf come directly from the Wabash. The study, underwritten by The Nature Conservancy and funded by the Walton Family Foundation, is one of many ways the Conservancy is bringing awareness to the ongoing issue of agricultural runoff. The organization also works directly with landowners, agribusiness, policy makers and others to improve water quality along the Wabash River.
As defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, a Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) has more than 1,000 animal units (1,000 pounds live weight=one unit) and equates to 1,000 head of beef cattle, 700 dairy cows, 2,500 swine weighing more than 55 pounds, 125 thousand broiler chickens or 82 thousand laying hens or pullets, confined onsite for more than 45 days during the year. Additionally, any sized animal feeding operation that discharges manure or wastewater into a natural or man-made ditch, stream or other waterway is defined as a CAFO, regardless of size.
Orchards, Farms & Markets
✷ Greystone Farm Lawrenceburg, Indiana
✷ Beiersdorfer Orchard Guilford, Indiana
✷ Phillips Berry Patch New Alsace, Indiana
✷ Salatin’s Orchard Moores Hill, Indiana
✷ Busse’s Farm Aurora, Indiana
✷ Lobenstein’s Farm St. Leon, Indiana
Specialty Spirits
✷ Great Crescent Brewery Aurora, Indiana
✷ At the Barn Winery Logan, Indiana
✷ Holtkamp Winery New Alsace, Indiana
One of the strategies now being implemented is the removal of marginal farmlands from production—those lying in floodplains—and restoring the land to natural habitats. And many farmers, says The Nature Conservancy’s Matt Smith, are on board because the government pays them to do so as part of its Wetland Reserve Enhancement Program. The program, funded by the Conservancy and the USDA, promotes the conversion of these farmlands back to wetlands, thus significantly reducing the amount of nutrients entering the river. Their goal: a 20 percent reduction of nutrients entering the Mississippi basin by 2025.
Agriculture on Trial
But there are other contributors to the pollution in our rivers. Nutrients are an issue, but so are the toxins created by massive quantities of decomposing animal manure found on large-scale farms.
“Animal manure contains parasites that are toxic to humans,” says Dr. Indra Frank, environmental health policy director for the Hoosier Environmental Council. And as large quantities of waste, like those found on concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), begin to decompose, they release air emissions, many of which are extremely dangerous to humans. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, states with high concentrations of CAFOs experience on average 20 to 30 serious water quality problems per year as a result of manure management problems (see sidebar).
Earlier this year, Frank testified before the Indiana General Assembly stating that CAFOs affect our overall health by spreading (through both air and water) disease-causing bacteria such as listeria, salmonella and E. coli, all found on many livestock farms. She was one of many who testified in support of Indiana House Bill 1328. The bipartisan bill, introduced by Representative Sue Errington (D-Muncie), and Representative Tom Saunders (R-Lewisville), calls for action to, among other things, “safeguard our lakes, rivers and streams by requiring CAFOs to adhere to waste management plans and by prohibiting new construction or expansion of CAFOs in floodplains, karst terrain, and other sensitive areas.” The bill failed, but Representative Errington says she hopes to reintroduce similar legislation next session.
Volunteer Conservation
In the meantime, the Indiana State Department of Agriculture is diligently working to promote voluntary conservation through various initiatives like Clean Water Indiana (CWI). Similar to the federal government’s Wetland Reserve Enhancement Program, the CWI provides financial assistance to landowners and conservation groups alike. Administered by the Division of Soil Conservation under the direction of the State Soil Conservation Board, the CWI awards grants for locally driven programs, both rural and urban, that focus on education, invasive species, livestock, row crops and urban or small-plot conservation. To date, 14 projects have been funded across 25 districts, totaling $896,945. Another group making waves nationally that started here in Indiana is Clear Choices Clean Water. The campaign is supported by sponsorships from a variety of individuals, businesses, government agencies and civic groups, all working together to educate individuals to make better choices when it comes to water use. Landscaping with native plants, using less fertilizer, managing yard and pet wastes, maintaining septic systems, fostering soil health and using less water all help to preserve and protect our water sources. Clear Choices Clean Water encourages people to take personal action to do the little things that combine to make a big difference in the health of our streams, lakes and rivers. Visit ClearChoicesCleanWater.org and take the pledge to start, or continue, good behaviors that make a difference for water quality and for water conservation.
Shauna L. Nosler is a contributing author to many publications including the Indianapolis Star, the national news organization U.S. News & World Report, MapQuest Travel, USATF and more. A pescatarian 99 percent of the time, she may, or may not, occasionally devour a medium-rare steak (but don’t tell her mermaid friends.) To read more of her writing, visit her blog, Seafood is the New Black.
Flourishing
Be a part of Whitestown and Zionsville’s food movement.
With all of the growth happening in Boone County, Whitestown and Zionsville are flourishing as one of the top spots to live in the state. To keep up with the growth of the community, Boone County wants to build partnerships with local artisan food businesses encouraging them to contribute and build upon a more desirable culinary destination.
Boone County is committed to developing the local economy with an engaging food scene. The community continues to invite and cultivate a robust foodie destination with bakeries, breweries, butcher shops, juice bars, local eateries, artisan producers and other Indiana-grown entrepreneurs.
The Boone County Economic Development Corporation offers a microloan program as a convenient funding option for small business owners and are committed to providing sustainable growth to partners wishing to locate to Boone County in the foreseeable future.
We’ll help you make the connections you need to bring your business to Boone County. To learn more, contact Amy at 317.995.0344 or visit BetterInBoone.org.
THINK GLOBALLY, EAT LOCALLY
The International Marketplace Coalition’s circle of impact
words: Leah R. Singer | photography: Erik Coser
Driving down the long stretch of 38th Street in the Lafayette Square area, you’ll notice sights that are quite different from other parts of Indianapolis. The street is bordered by strip malls with small storefronts featuring names like Ginza, Jiallo’s, La Guanaquita and Al-Rayan. As you near these restaurants, you are greeted by the smells of curry and spicy coriander from India Palace and hints of chilies and spices from the South American markets. This long thoroughfare and its surrounding streets look less like a Midwest city and more like a mini United Nations. And that’s exactly what the International Marketplace Coalition (IMC) set out to create.
The IMC was established in 2010 to turn Lafayette Square into a vibrant, diverse and international corridor, giving both locals and visitors the opportunity to experience and learn about other cultures. Through festivals and events, lunch tours, parades and more than 80 ethnic restaurants, over 40 international grocery stores and well over 800 ethnic businesses that belong to the international corridor, IMC has changed the culture of the Lafayette Square neighborhood. The businesses are benefiting from sales, which in turn, provides economic development to the area. And Mary Clark, executive director of the IMC, believes this is a direct result of all the diverse organizations working together to better their community.
“There’s a saying that goes, ‘Rising tides lift all boats,’” says Clark. “This organization is working to lift up everyone and they believe that. That’s why we all work together.
Nowhere else in the city are businesses getting as much national attention,” says Clark. “We have people coming here saying they saw us online and it landed them here in the International Marketplace area. I meet people from other states and cities every day.”
The Rise of One
If there’s one business that exemplifies the mutually beneficial relationship between IMC and the community, it’s Al-Rayan. Hints of garlic, allspice, pepper, coriander and cumin mix together to greet visitors when they walk into this Yemeni restaurant that specializes in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine.
Founded by Abdulwahab Abashaar, Al-Rayan is 100% halal, which means the food is prepared according to Muslim law. Photographs and artwork depicting the Middle East are hung throughout the restaurant, giving guests the feeling they’re far removed from Indianapolis. The maroon and brown hues invite guests to sit at one of the many available tables, or booth spaces that are cordoned off with curtains to give diners an intimate eating experience. The individual booths allow customers to sit on a rug on the floor to eat in the traditional Yemeni style of dining.
Coalition.
Opposite: Mary Clark, executive director of the International Marketplace
A Taste of the International Marketplace Coalition
The International Marketplace Coalition includes 80 ethnic restaurants and 40 international grocery stores. These six restaurants are pioneers in International Marketplace for their community involvement and for being long-standing businesses.
ABYSSINIA ETHIOPIAN RESTAURANT
Cuisine: Ethiopian 5352 W. 38th St.
317.299.0608
HAVANA CAFÉ
Cuisine: Cuban 3839 Moller Rd.
317.293.2822
GINZA JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE
Cuisine: Japanese 5380 W. 38th St.
317.298.3838
INDIA PALACE
Cuisine: Indian 4213 Lafayette Rd.
317.298.0773
MACHU PICCHU
Cuisine: Peruvian 5356 W. 38th St.
317.388.8696
PASTELERIA GRESIL BAKERY
Cuisine: Mexican
5348 W. 38th St.
317.299.8801
“Our tradition is, when you sit down to have a meal, you have respect for food and family; so you sit on the floor and gather and talk,” says Mahammad Abashaar, Abdulwahab’s son and chef and manager of Al-Rayan. Abashaar has seen many customers embrace the traditional Yemeni way of dining so fully that they never elect to sit at a table again.
Al-Rayan’s menu includes traditional Yemeni dishes and Middle Eastern favorites. Fresh hummus is made daily, and adorned with chopped parsley and olive oil is a favorite appetizer served along side a basket of warm naan bread. Lamb shawarma comes to the table sizzling from the grill and is plated with a mix of white jasmine and yellow spiced Yemeni rice, and fresh cut tomatoes. Spicy Lebanese-style Kofta kabobs are also a favorite among guests.
Mandi chicken and rice, Al-Rayan’s signature dish, is in a class by itself. Mandi is a dish originated from Hadhramaut, Yemen. The whole chicken is seasoned with baharat, a traditional Middle Eastern spice mix that often includes allspice, black pepper, cardamom, cloves, coriander, cumin, nutmeg, turmeric, saffron, ginger and paprika. The chicken is then suspended in the air and cooked by the steam and heat from a clay oven or brick “pit” underneath. The meat is roasted to a golden color and fork-tender consistency, and served steaming hot alongside Yemeni rice.
Abdulwahab Abashaar was eager to bring the tastes and traditions of Yemen to Indianapolis after falling in love with his adopted home country. He emigrated from Yemen to Michigan in 1998 and moved to Indianapolis in 2014. He initially came to the United States seeking medical treatments, but soon found himself so enamored with his new country that he never entertained the idea of returning home. According to Mahammad Abashaar, the International Marketplace community provided his father the opportunity to start his own business.
“My father wanted to open a traditional Yemeni restaurant, but he wanted it to be unique in the community,” says Mahammad Abashaar. “There is a large Yemeni community in Michigan so there would have been a lot of competition if he stayed
Housemade hummus; opposite page: naan bread, hummus and Mandi Chicken from Al-Rayan.
there. But here in Indiana, he is the only one in this area and the business has been successful because of that.”
When the Abashaar family first opened Al-Rayan, it was a small space that eventually had to expand to meet the needs of its growing customer base. The family soon expanded the restaurant to include a bakery and an event hall that hosts weddings and parties for up to 150 people.
“People love to have their events here because we do all the work,” says Abashaar. “We provide the space, food, drinks and decorations.” Mahammad Abashaar hosted his own engagement party at the Rayan banquet hall.
He is quick to point out that Rayan owes much of it success to its partnership with the IMC.
“Before IMC, people did not know who we are and what food we served,” he says. “Mary helps bring people to Al-Rayan so they learn about Middle Eastern cuisine and want to try it. And once they come and try it, they keep coming back because they love the food.” Abashaar loves living in Lafayette Square and sees how the community benefits from IMC’s involvement. Clark sees Al-Rayan’s collaboration with IMC as a success story.
“This area is what it is because of the people that call this neighborhood home,” says Clark. “At the end of the day, we are shrinking the globe and creating a village.” says
International Marketplace Coalition: IMCoalition.org
Al-Rayan Restaurant | 4873 W. 38th St. | Indianapolis, IN 46254 | 317.986.7554 | AlRayanRestaurant.com
Leah R. Singer is a freelance writer in Terre Haute. Her work has appeared in USA Today, the Indianapolis Star, Terre Haute Living, Terre Haute Tribune-Star, Huffington Post and other publications.
From Lafayette Square to the International Marketplace: The Revolution of a Community
The Lafayette Square area community on the northwest side of Indianapolis has not always had the best reputation. Inflated rumors of high crime rates, the abandonment of big box retail stores and the multiple closures within the Lafayette Square Mall plagued the urban neighborhood’s image. But that all changed when the International Marketplace Coalition (IMC) was formed and began working together with traditional and new ethnic businesses to transform the community. Those partnerships created a newly branded area for the city of Indianapolis now known for its international cuisine, culture and diverse community. At the time so many traditional businesses were leaving the area, Mary Clark, executive director of the IMC, began seeing several immigrant communities coming into the Lafayette Square area and establishing businesses. Clark cites ease of access and affordability as the main reasons for families and other immigrants to start businesses. Soon ethnic grocery stores began popping up, as well as a Latino furniture shop and a cobbler. It quickly became apparent that the neighborhood was becoming an international mecca with ethnic restaurants and markets opening.
The IMC hosts numerous events and festivals to bring awareness of its community of restaurants and stores. One of the largest is the Taste the Difference Festival in September, which features local restaurants sampling their cuisine to festival attendees. Now in its 13th year, this year’s festival will include 30 restaurants and expects to have around 2,000 guests. IMC also hosts monthly lunch tours in which nearly 40 attendees from all over the city are invited to experience and taste the new cuisines that are now part of Indianapolis and learn about the history and culture of the establishments. The IMC also hosts the “Dine in at the Global Village” series. A recent event in the series, “Love with the Ibero Americas,” featured more than 20 authentic Latin and Spanish dishes as well as traditional dance and singing from the Americas.
IT’S IN THE BEEF
Indiana-bred Black Angus is served at some of the country's best steakhouses
words:
Shauna L. Nosler | photography: Dave Pluimer
Raising what some consider the best beef in the world isn’t something that happens overnight. It’s a well-thought-out process that, like other great ventures, takes time, patience and dedication.
“It all starts from the beginning,” says Fred Linz, of Linz Heritage Angus, about raising superior beef. First, he says, you start with the best beef cattle in the world. Then you use genetics and proper breeding techniques to continually produce an exceptional product.
Family-owned and -operated since 1963, the Linz family has been farming Angus cattle for more than 55 years.
“We breed Black Angus cattle with the finest genetics in the world,” Linz says, adding that it’s their mission to continue doing so in a manner that produces some of the most consistently marbled Angus available. And it’s their dedication to superior quality that’s helped place their product in some of the nation’s top steakhouses.
“Black Angus is the premium breed for steakhouse-quality beef,” says Chris Clifford, vice president of business development and purchasing for Huse Culinary—the group that owns St. Elmo, Harry & Izzy’s, Burger Study and the soon-to-open HC Tavern and Kitchen.
“We were looking to partner with a meat supplier that could provide us with 100 percent genetically verified Black Angus,” says Clifford of the group’s decision to partner with Linz Heritage Angus. Additionally, the group wanted their beef sourced from one processing facility in the Midwest, and Linz met those needs. Originally operating out of Calumet City, Illinois, Linz still has a presence there but now also runs two Indiana cattle farms—in Crown Point and Cedar Lake.
“We look to source the best,” says Craig Huse, co-owner of Huse Culinary. “If the best or equivalent is local, then we establish that local relationship.”
Along with Linz, the group works with many locally based organizations including Viking Farms, Hubbard & Cravens, Smoking Goose, Caprini Farms and Fischer Farms. And it’s these relationships that help St. Elmo Steak House create the dishes that keep patrons coming back, year after year.
The Gold Standard
St. Elmo is the longest-standing steakhouse in Indianapolis, serving out of its original location since 1902. And though it’s known for serving a wicked-hot shrimp cocktail and unmatched, professional service, it’s the steak that locals and out-of-town guest rave about.
“We serve everything from a 60-day-dry-aged USDA prime tomahawk ribeye, to a 30-day-wet-aged USDA prime NY strip, to a properly trimmed, 30-day-aged center-cut USDA choice filet, to a grass-fed flat-iron steak,” says Huse of their menu selections, adding that ultimately it’s their guests’ preferences for flavor, tenderness, feed style and even price that drives their menus.
“It’s our responsibility,” says Huse, “to identify our patrons’ priorities then exceed their expectations.” And it’s this responsibility and commitment to serving excellent steak that Clifford says brought the Huse group to buy an Angus bull and work directly with Linz to develop a genetic program for raising cattle that provides an unprecedented quality of beef to their guests.
Opposite: Chris Clifford, vice president of business development of Huse Culinary.
Want to cook a dry-aged steak at home?
Here are five tips from Michael Christensen of Huse Culinary to help you:
• Cook dry-aged cuts to no more than medium-rare to keep them from becoming too dry.
• Don’t over-season as sodium pulls remaining moisture out.
• If you season, do so lightly and do it right before cooking.
• Let beef come to room temperature before cooking.
• Sear on a “rocket-hot” broiler to help seal in remaining moisture, then reduce heat to finish.
Grade, Age, Flavor
Angus is a particular breed of beef cattle, while prime, choice and select are the three most commonly seen of the USDA’s eight beef grades. Though there are other criteria, the main determinant for grading beef is the amount of marbling, prime having the highest levels. Only 2 percent of all beef in the U.S. is labeled prime, with around 45 percent graded choice and 21 percent, select. Typically, Angus has a higher concentration of intramuscular fat, making a USDA prime-grade Angus steak one of the most flavorful cuts of beef in the world—and when it’s dryaged, the flavor becomes even more intense.
Different than wet-aging, which means meat has been allowed to age inside a vacuum-sealed container, dry-aged beef is hung in a temperature-controlled room regulated for airflow and humidity levels. Wet-aging beef takes less time and costs the manufacturer less to produce, typically resulting in a lower market price than dry-aged beef. But the real difference is in the taste and texture, which many steak enthusiasts agree is tender, rich and buttery with a slight earthy flavor.
“Dry-aging beef removes a significant amount of moisture from it,” says Michael Christensen, Huse Culinary director of culinary. This “concentrates and enhances the flavors.”
The distinct flavor profile of a Linz Heritage Angus dry-aged steak has an almost woodsy aroma that reminds Linz of mushroom picking with his grandfather—and it’s this unique characteristic that’s earned it a place at the table in many high-end steakhouses in the U.S. including St. Elmo, the famed Manny’s Steakhouse in Minneapolis, Ditka’s and others.
As for the process of dry-aging beef, interestingly enough, one of Clifford’s favorite wines is made in a similar fashion.
“I have been a big fan of the Italian wine Amarone della Valpolicella for almost 30 years,” says Clifford of this rich, dry red—his all-time favorite wine to have with steak. Amarone is made from grapes partially dried in a controlled environment, similar to the way beef is dry-aged. Once harvested, the ripe grapes are placed on mats where they dry and shrivel for upwards of 120 days, which concentrates and intensifies flavor. There are, Clifford says, many parallels in the dry-ageing of grapes and beef. Everything from the growing and nurturing, to the varietal choice or breed choice … ultimately, all affecting the final product—be it a wine or a steak. Linz agrees.
“Grapes,” he says, “grown in different regions have different flavor profiles, and cattle is no different.”
Want to learn more about the process of raising Angus beef with the finest genetics in the world? Be sure to watch for our Fall issue, where we’ll dive deeper into the methods used to raise 100 percent black-hide Angus.
The Angus Difference
A lot of firsts happened in the 1870s. The decade opened with John D. Rockefeller founding one of the world’s first multinational companies, Standard Oil Company, and soon after, the state of Mississippi elected the first African American to congress. Two years later, President Ulysses S. Grant declared Yellowstone the first National Park, and by the end of 1875, the first zoo on American soil would open in Philadelphia. And during this time, in the small British settlement of Victoria, Kansas, Scottish-born George Grant was procuring greatness with the development of what many consider the best beef in the world—American-born and -bred Black Angus.
With a dream to build an English ranching colony, Grant had four Aberdeen Angus cattle imported from his homeland. Sadly, the settlement would be devastated by drought, prairie fires and grasshoppers and many settlers, unequipped for the harsh environment, perished. Impervious to what some saw as failure, Grant stayed on and with help from others who shared his dream eventually was able to breed the hardy, Scottish-born bulls with native longhorns—producing extraordinarily black, hornless calves. The crossbreed thrived and though initially thought of as freaks, because they had no horns, they proved better able to survive winters, on average weighing 150 pounds more come spring. Thus, the demand for this type of cattle grew and between 1878 and 1883, roughly 1,200 cattle were imported, most of them to the Midwest. Nowadays, there are registered Angus ranches in all 50 states, and right here in Indiana the Linz family is raising the purest Angus of them all—Angus that’s served in some of the country’s best steakhouses.
To be classified as Angus, by law the beef must come from cattle that has Angus influence and is at least 51 percent black— Linz Heritage Angus, served at St. Elmo and a few other upscale steakhouses, is 100 percent blackhide, Angus beef.
photograph courtesy:
Linz Heritage Angus
“WORLD’S BEST RYE FOR THE WORLD’S BEST COCKTAILS”
at the #1 Knob Creek Rye establishment in the country
POPS’ OLD FASHIONED
St. Elmo Steak House Manager Candace Anastasio is the creator of the #1 cocktail served at the restaurant. Knob Creek Rye is at the core of this drink, combined with Jerry Thomas’ bitters to give this cocktail a taste of dried fruit with a finish of orange peel and a light hint of angostura bark.
She created this cocktail four years ago in collaboration with Bar Manager Kerry Wafford (Kerry is the longest-tenured team member at St. Elmo and has worked there since 1985). With the renewed popularity of classic cocktails they became the first to make their own signature Old Fashioned. They tasted the cocktail with multiple whiskeys and landed on Knob Creek because the rye with its higher proof countered the sweetness of an Old Fashioned, making it more balanced. Around the time they were perfecting the drink, Kerry’s father—an avid whiskey drinker nicknamed “Pops”—passed away. In honor of him the cocktail was named “Pops’ Old Fashioned.”
1 orange slice
2 oz Knob Creek Rye
½ oz simple syrup
2 dashes Bitter Truth Jerry Thomas’ Own Decanted Bitters
1 Luxardo cherry
In a glass, muddle the orange slice, add the other ingredients and stir briskly. Strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube; garnish with an orange peel and 1 Luxardo cherry.
photography: Dave Pluimer
THROUGH THE ( COCKTAIL) GLASS
D.L. Sivley shakes up drinks to shake up the world
Someone who considers himself a bar chef, experience curator and enthusiast apothecary might seem like a jackof-all-trades. But D.L. Sivley, bartender at Field Brewing in Westfield, knows exactly who he is—and it only takes a few sips of his cocktails to find out.
DEALING IN MOMENTS
As a bartender trained in international cuisine, Sivley does more than make drinks with clever names. He curates cocktails rooted in global history and personal memory, making sure every drink tells a story.
“If you can connect to what you have in front of you, then you can appreciate it more and it makes for a better experience,” he says.
There’s plenty of wit in Sivley’s work, too. When he opened a bar for a Thai restaurant, he created a Genghis Khallins Punch, a riff on a Tom Collins and Tom Kha soup bursting with lemongrass, basil, lime and chili oil. The flavors also nod to the origins of punch, when British sailors would drink their rations of rum with lime to prevent scurvy and then add sugar or molasses to sweeten it.
The Genghis Khallins Punch also demonstrates Sivley’s fat-washing technique. Fat-washing involves mixing a liquid fat—think coconut oil or butter—with a room-temperature spirit and then freezing it. After skimming off the fat layer, the spirit retains a savory flavor.
“Fat-washing allows you to perceive flavor notes in the spirit that you couldn’t before. It brings out flavors and gives a rounder body on the tongue, which gives a better mouthfeel,” Sivley says.
The fat-washed coconut rum in his Genghis Khallins Punch does just that. The punch combines a classic cocktail with a nod to the past and international ingredients, representing Sivley’s perspective in one frosty punch bowl.
“My drinks are a little bit more than just what’s in the glass,” he says, humble for one of the United States Bartenders’ Guild’s Top 100 World-Class Bartenders in the U.S. “I deal in moments through the medium of drinks and food.”
THE PATH LESS TRAVELED
Sivley came to Indianapolis three years ago on an invitation to become the sous chef of a new restaurant. But after working seven days a week totaling up to 114 hours a week, he quickly found himself unhappy in his work—and his life.
He decided to take his love for food in a different direction, so he stopped cooking and started bartending. Sivley still uses his culinary skills when he prepares small bites that take bar snacks to a whole other level.
“I deal in moments through the medium of drinks and food.”
—D.L. Sivley
Opposite page: D.L. Sively; above: D.L. Sively serving the Genghis Khallins Punch with the Matcha Candied Key Limes.
“Any time you go to a Korean restaurant, you can get fixings served in little garnish bowls. I incorporate my love for food and Asian culture into a culinary aspect for my drinks,” he says.
His latest creations are his candied key limes, made by dipping dehydrated key lime wheels into white chocolate flavored with matcha green tea and Asian candies. The tart and bitter key limes balance with the herbal matcha and sugary white chocolate for one fruity bite.
Sivley came up with his candied key limes while browsing fresh ingredients at his favorite international market.
For global inspiration, he visits Saraga International Grocery near Speedway northwest of downtown Indianapolis, where the smells of Asian noodles, chilled seafood and ripening mangos are enough to bask any foodie with culinary aromatherapy.
“I’ve been all over the country and Saraga rivals many other markets,” Sivley says. “You can spend a whole afternoon there. I have before, many times.”
ELEVATE THE SPIRIT
With his global perspective, attention to detail and sentimental approach, Sivley might shift his guests’ perceptions of what cocktails and bartenders can be. But not everyone sees it that way.
“A fellow bartender once gave me a hard time about how you’re not going to change the world with drinks. And I may be a romantic or maybe just a little deluded, but I don’t think that’s the case. I think that you can change the world through drink,” he says.
He does have a mission of his own: to change the perception that people have to over-imbibe to have a good time. Sivley wants to encourage people to drink lower proofs, or lower alcohol by volume (ABV), in order to enjoy cocktails more.
His approach to cocktailing is to elevate spirits, not cover them up. What’s more, he elevates his guests’ spirits, too.
“My approach to life is deliberate. I don’t really want to be doing anything just to be doing it. That’s a waste of motion,” Sivley says. “So anytime I make a drink, I prefer to think about what I want to say.”
And people are listening.
MATCHA CANDIED KEY LIMES
5 key limes, each cut into 3 thin wheels
½ cup sugar
½ cup water
2 cups white chocolate chips
¼ cup instant matcha powder
Combine key limes, sugar and water in saucepan for 3 minutes. Remove key limes and dehydrate. If you do not have a dehydrator, spread wheels in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes at 175°F.
Temper the white chocolate and matcha until melted. Dip limes, place in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate until solid.
Visit EdibleIndy.com for Sively’s recipe for a Genghis Khallins Punch Bowl. Featured in photograph on page 33.
THE BRITISH ARE COMING
Take tea time to a new level with this unique cocktail, but you’ll need to plan ahead: There are several components, and some of them need to steep as long as overnight.
1 ounce Rosemary-Smoked Gin (see recipe below)
1 ounce Pimm’s No. 1 gin-based liqueur
Earl Grey Orange Oleo Saccharum Soda (see recipe below)
Apple wedge
Lemon wheel
Orange wheel
First, make the components:
COLD-STEEPED EARL GREY TEA
Place 2 tablespoons loose-leaf Earl Grey tea leaves in a pitcher and pour in 2 cups of cold water. Let steep in the refrigerator for 8 to 12 hours or overnight. Strain before using to make the Earl Grey Orange Oleo Saccharum Soda.
ROSEMARY-SMOKED GIN
In a large hermetic jar, add 12 ounces of gin. Mince a teaspoon of fresh rosemary. Put rosemary in a hand smoker, fill hermetic jar with smoke and seal. Give jar 2 good shakes and count to 5. Open jar to release smoke and your gin is now smoked.
EARL GREY ORANGE OLEO SACCHARUM SODA
5 oranges
½ cup white ultrafine sugar
½ cup hot Earl Grey tea
Soda water
To make the Earl Grey Orange Oleo Saccharum, place the rinds from the 5 oranges in a zip-top bag. Pour ½ cup white ultrafine sugar over the rinds and seal the bag. Heat the bag in water at 100°F for 90 minutes (or use a sous vide cooker). At the end of the 90 minutes, brew ½ cup Earl Grey tea and pour it over the sugar. Shake for 1 minute. Strain liquid and chill.
When ready to serve, complete the soda: Take 1 part Earl Grey Orange Oleo Saccharum, 1 part soda water and 1 part Cold-Steeped Earl Grey Tea and mix together gently.
Then, make the drink:
Fill a highball or Collins glass with ice and let glass chill. Add the Rosemary-Smoked Gin and Pimm’s into a shaker tin and lightly shake. Drain water from chilling glass, fill with fresh ice and strain shaker contents into glass. Add bar spoon to glass and pour in soda slowly as you give bar spoon 2 full spins. Garnish with apple wedge, lemon and orange wheels.
Certified Angus Beef ®
Needless to say, your Market District Butchers won’t settle for anything less than the Certified Angus Beef brand, especially with Memorial Day just around the corner. Superior in all ways, only 3 in 10 Angus cattle meet the brand’s high standards that guarantee remarkable juiciness, tenderness and flavor, thanks to stupendous marbling. And talk about stupendous, this unique burger recipe is about as Gouda as it gets!
THIS UNIQUE BURGER RECIPE IS ABOUT AS GOUDA AS IT GETS!
Smoked Gouda Burger with Spicy Pickles and Special Sauce ®
• ground beef
• 2 Tbsp. barbecue sauce
• 2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
• 1 Tbsp. dill relish
• 1½ tsp. kosher salt
• 1 tsp. cracked black pepper
• 6 oz. smoked Gouda cheese, sliced
• 16-20 spicy pickle chips
• 4 burger buns
1. Form ground beef into four equal patties (6-ounces each); refrigerate.
2. In a small bowl, combine barbecue sauce, mayonnaise and relish; set aside.
3. Preheat grill to medium-high. Season burgers with salt and pepper,
Cover and cook another 3-4 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 160°F.
4. Spread sauce on the bottom of four buns, top with 4-5 pickles, burger and top bun.
Illustration by Nick Murphy
Break Out of Your Barbecue Shell with Chargrilled Oysters!
Once you’ve got the grill on, why not bring a little southern charm to the grates! According to Drago’s Seafood Restaurant in New Orleans, home of the first chargrilled oysters, it all started in 1993, when Tommy Cvitanovich, a second-generation restaurant manager, experimented with a sauce of garlic, butter and herbs.
New Orleans Chargrilled Oysters
Compliments of Chef Janice Kirich
• 16 French Kiss or WiAnno oysters, cleaned and shucked**
• 2 sticks of butter, unsalted, divided (1 melted and 1 softened)
• 6 cloves of garlic, made into paste
He brushed it on a fresh batch of oysters, then sprinkled them with a blend of Parmesan and Romano cheese and grilled them in their shell. The results were legendary! Try Chef Janice’s take on this New Orleans specialty!
1. Preheat grill to 500ºF.
• 1 tsp. hot sauce
• ¼ tsp. smoked paprika
• ¼ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• ¼ cup parsley, chopped
• ½ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. pepper
• 1½ cups unseasoned bread crumbs
• ½ cup seasoned bread crumbs
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
**Shuck off flat side of oyster, but do not remove oyster from remaining cup side.
2. In bowl, combine the melted stick of butter with garlic, hot sauce, paprika and Worcestershire sauce. Let sit for one minute and whisk in remaining stick of softened butter and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
3. In another bowl, combine bread crumbs.
4. Place 1 tablespoon of butter mixture on each oyster, place on grill.
5. After 2 minutes, sprinkle 2 tablespoons of bread crumb mixture on each oyster, then top with 1 tablespoon of cheese.
6. Continue to grill 2-3 more minutes, or until internal temperature of oysters reaches a minimum of 145ºF. For safety, use tongs to remove oysters from grill. Oyster juices should be gone and crumbs should be brown around edges.
7. Serve immediately and enjoy!
to suppliers, regional and seasonal differences, or rounding.
Wild Alaska Copper River Salmon
Fresh from the world famous Copper River Wild Salmon Run, and available for a limited time only, Copper River salmon are exceptionally strong with a reserve of natural oils and body fat needed to make the run up this cold, rushing 300-mile river. These reserves make it one of the richest, most flavorful fish in the world, loaded with essential Omega-3 oils — and, essential flavor!
Illustration by Michael Rath
NEW Gluten-Free Goodies!
New gluten-free treats, graduation celebrations, Mother’s Day and more, make May a month of sweet surprises — all found in our Bakery!
are good for you, gluten free, all natural and most importantly, delicious! And, they’re all crafted in a dedicated gluten-, nut- and dairy-free facility! Available in Wild Blueberry, Carrot Raisin, Chunky Chocolate Chip & Apple Cinnamon, individual or 4-pks.
• Ethel’s Baking Company — Founded in 2011 to provide superior, old-fashioned, gluten-free with all natural, premium ingredients (local whenever possible), a patient, slow-bake process and absolutely no preservatives, their Dandies are dandy, indeed. And, try their Brownies, too!
• The Original Cakerie — Nobody would ever think these elegant treats are gluten free. We tried them again and again just to make sure! Imagine Dreamin’ of Strawberries white chocolate shortcake, Dreamin’ of Chocolate dark and white chocolate layer cake, all totally celebration worthy on any given day!
Talk to our Bakery experts to order from our collection of deliciously moist cakes frosted with real buttercream in school colors, if you choose,
• Fabulous Cookie Platters — Something yummy to please every guest!
• Gobs and Gobs and Gobs of Gobs — Special order in school colors!
• Fresh-baked Epic Brownies & Cupcakes choose your favorite!
• Housemade Honey Butter Buns — For remarkable sandwiches or burgers.
Banana Nut
A traditional favorite loaded with real bananas and crunchy walnuts — better than your grandmother’s recipe. Go ahead, ask her!
Artisan Bread — Sourdough
Specialty Bread — Breakfast Bread
Products & prices for “Flavors of the Month”
valid May 2, 2019 – May 29, 2019.
Sweets Shop Popcorn of the Month
Barbecue
Pittsburgh, PA
Pittsburgh Pickle Company
Ohio
Randy’s Pickles
Will and John Patterson and Joe Robl call their pickles a been passed down, but created by focusing on what they liked and didn’t like about pickles while pining over the perfect combination of spice mix and brine ratios. Available in Original, Dill-Mill, Fire & Smoke and Better Bread & Butter.
Randy’s Pickles is hand-packed in small batches using fresh Rainey! Available in Deli Style Dill, Bread ‘N Butter, Black Pepper Chips, Spicy Dill, Grandma Knows Best Peppers, Mustache on Fire & Sideburns Grilled (actually grilled pickles)!
Indianapolis, IN
Sechler’s Pickles
Faster is not better. These are the words Sechler’s lives by and you can taste their patience in their pickles! For all the technical
FREE PICKUP
The Many Faces of Hemp
Long-taboo crop may benefit body, mind and spirit—and Indiana
agriculture
words: Nicole Rasul | photography: Candice Connor
One of the first domesticated crops, hemp is a powerhouse plant prized for its nutritious seed, its strong fiber and its extracted cannabidiol (CBD) oil, which is purported to have many health-supporting effects. In recent history, hemp has struggled under a case of mistaken identity due to common confusion with its botanical cousin, marijuana (see Edible Indy’s Spring 2019 issue). Yet with the federal legalization of hemp under the 2018 Farm Bill, or the U.S. Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018, Americans are busy rediscovering this plant and its impressive myriad uses.
A Vegan Superfood
“Hemp seed is arguably a superfood,” says Erica McBride Stark, executive director of the National Hemp Association. The Pennsylvania farmer and American hemp industry advocate refers to hemp seed, the fruit or nut of the plant, as “the most nutritious seed on earth.”
The seed is generally hulled into what the industry calls “hemp hearts.” The seed’s hard exterior shell is removed, leaving a chewy, edible interior that features a mild, nutty flavor and has the appearance of a processed nut. A favorite for sprinkling on salads, yogurt or adding to smoothies, hemp hearts can also be used as a base for granola, energy bars, crackers and bread, amongst a range of other culinary options. The seed can be further milled into a powder.
Nearly 100% digestible, the vegetable protein is high in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, as well as amino acids, fiber and many vitamins and minerals like calcium, magnesium and iron.
According to the National Restaurant Association’s 2019 “What’s Hot Culinary Forecast,” 77% of the 650 professional chefs surveyed this year said that “cannabis/CBDinfused drinks” will be the top culinary trend of the year. In addition, 76% of respondents anticipate that “cannabis/CBD-infused food” will be the second-most-popular industry trend of 2019.
“For people looking for clean sources of protein—not animals—hemp is a powerhouse of vitamins, minerals and nutrients,” says Matt Alvord, says vice president of Foods Alive, a family-owned company based in Angola, Indiana, that sells gourmet, organic, whole-food products to grocers across the country.
“We’ve seen the sales of our hemp products increase every year,” Alvord says. “We are seeing demand for hemp-based products from not only natural food stores but also from mainstream grocers.”
Opposite: Asian Ginger Superfood Dressing with Hemp Oil
Rosemary Hemp Flaxseed Crackers FoodsAlive.com
The company imports most of the hemp components it uses in its product line from Canada, where hemp cultivation has been legal since 1998. Foods Alive has recently also purchased from suppliers in North Dakota. The company would prefer to buy entirely from organic American sources, Alvord says. As a member of the Indiana Hemp Industries Association, a nonprofit trade group devoted to the development of an Indiana hemp industry, Foods Alive hopes to one day purchase from organic hemp growers and processors in Indiana, according to Alvord.
Hemp oil, which is extracted from the seed through a cold press, is a nutritious option, too. You can use it as a finishing oil on salads or drizzled in soup, pasta or rice. Stored in the grocer’s cold case, the green-hued oil has a mild nut-like taste with slight hints of earthiness. Due it its low smoke point, the oil is not suitable for cooking or frying and shouldn’t be heated over 300°F.
Hemp milk, an alternative to animal, soy and nut milks, can also be made from the plant’s hulled seed. Blended with water and then filtered, the milk has a slightly creamy consistency and is a great alternative for consumers facing food allergies.
The Calm in CBD
CBD is one of more than 100 cannabinoids, or chemical compounds, that can be extracted from the cannabis plant. From infused beer and soda to caramels, cookies and ice cream, CBD is popping up on menus and in store aisles across the country. Proponents claim that the compound can provide a range of calming effects without the psychoactive impact caused by tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the ingredient that gives marijuana its kick but is barely present in hemp.
According to the National Restaurant Association’s 2019 “What’s Hot Culinary Forecast,” 77% of the 650 professional chefs surveyed this year said that “cannabis/CBD-infused drinks” will be the top culinary trend of the year. In addition, 76% of respondents anticipate that “cannabis/CBD-infused food” will be the second-most-popular industry trend of 2019.
CBD-infused products have also found a home in the wellness and beauty industries. Though research on the compound is still in its infancy, initial findings have shown that the supplement may help to treat anxiety, chronic pain and inflammation.
At CBD American Shaman Indy, opened in September 2018 in Indianapolis’s Broad Ripple Village, a variety of oils, lotions, bath bombs and candies containing CBD are sold. The shop’s most popular product, CBD oil, is packaged in several formats: as a tincture for use under the tongue, as a water-soluble oil, in a capsule, as an edible or as a liquid to be vaped.
Most customers prefer the watersoluble product, says Kerry Hinkle, the store’s manager, as the product contains an emulsifier that enables the molecules in the oil to bond with water thus allowing better absorption by the body.
“It’s an all-natural way to just feel a little bit better,” Hinkle says. “It’s not an ‘end all, cure all’ but it’s another tool in the tool kit to help you manage your everyday stress and struggles.”
With little regulation in the American CBD market currently, it’s important to research and understand the CBD product one is purchasing to ensure it’s of high quality, Hinkle says. He recommends only purchasing oils labeled “full spectrum,” which denotes that all the plant’s cannabinoids have been extracted
Tempt Brand Hemp Milk Goose the Market
and included in the final product.
“In Indiana there must be a QR code on the label of any CBD product,” says Jared Huston, who co-manages The Mill CBD in Carmel, Indiana. “You scan that code and see the lab results of the product. I think that’s great. We were one of the first states to require that code.”
Huston says that The Mill CBD, opened in early 2019, has been warmly welcomed and has already exceeded projected revenue. “Market demand has been amazing,” he says. “We are at a level that we didn’t project for three to six months.”
In the beauty aisle, products made with hemp seed oil are increasingly recognized for their hydrating properties that are complementary to a variety of skin types. Perhaps the most famous of these is Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps, a California company founded in the 1940s. The all-natural, organic line contains hemp seed oil and can be used to wash skin and hair or brush teeth, as well as for a host of household cleaning tasks. A bar of the yellow-hued lavender-infused soap smells floral and earthy and leaves the skin feeling clean, invigorated and refreshed.
Visit EdibleIndy.com for our story about FlexForm Technologies in Elkhart, Indiana, and how they have used natural fibers, including hemp, to build composite materials for the automotive, aircraft and office industries.
Nicole Rasul writes about food and agriculture. Follow her on Twitter @rasulwrites or view her writing online at NicoleRasul.com.
EAT, DRINK & SHOP LOCAL GUIDE
Local food builds communities. It builds bridges, forges relationships and nourishes our understanding of its importance. Our Indiana food scene is created by those who are passionate and dedicated to supporting and increasing the supply of local sustainable goods, products and services.
Edible Indy believes in this way of life. We believe in partnering with growers, producers and artisans to celebrate the bounty of all things local. Our readers and followers care deeply about understanding where the products they purchase come from and how their support of local food makes a difference one dollar at a time.
We have partnered with these local businesses in an effort to share their dedication to local with those who want to join us in this way of life.
78% of our readers use this guide as a resource for eating local.
Find out how your business could benefit from a partnership with Edible Indy. Contact sales@edibleindy.com
AUBERGE
Located at The Brick Street Inn, right on the bricks of Main Street in Zionsville. A relaxed, elegant setting for modern French cuisine.
Seasonal local ingredients, extensive French wine list, local craft beers, seasonal cocktail menu. Lunch, dinner and weekend brunch. Enjoy family nights or date nights on the sought-after terrace or in the cozy dining room.
175 S. Main St. | Zionsville Auberge-Restaurant.com
GOODS FOR COOKS
Offering kitchenware, gifts and fine foods, this Bloomington staple will empower you in the kitchen. Celebrating 46 years of connecting people to their food.
115 N. College Ave., Bloomington GoodsForCooks.com
REDUX
A casual contemporary restaurant and wine bar with a convenient location on the Northeast side of Carmel. Our farm-to-table menu features “New American Cuisine” dishes presented with a flare and local seasonal ingredients. Choose from 40+ wines from around the world or one of our many craft brews.
14560 River Rd. | Carmel reduxrestaurant.com
BRIDGES WINE BAR
Handcrafted Neapolitan-style pizzas, scratch-made pasta and bread, farm-to-table specialties and a spectacular selection of craft cocktails and international wines. A destination worth the drive.
19 N. Indiana | Greencastle BridgesWineBar.com
HARRY & IZZY’S
We’re proud to keep it local! Three restaurants sourcing locally from 10 regional farms, four breweries and seven locally owned purveyors or producers leads to one great meal.
Downtown Indianapolis 153 S. Illinois St. Northside Indianapolis 4050 E. 82nd St. Indianapolis Airport 7800 Col. Weir Cook Memorial Dr. HarryAndIzzys.com
ROOSTER’S KITCHEN
Our kitchen menu changes seasonally with the local producers while keeping the staples. Mama’s brisket, mac-n-cheese and fresh crisp pork rinds hit the spot.
888 Massachusetts Ave. Indianapolis RoostersIndy.com
*This is a paid advertisement.
BURGER STUDY
Expand your perception of what a burger can be at this premium, fullservice burger restaurant and bar. We are locally owned and pride ourselves on serving premium burgers crafted from the bestquality Midwest prime beef and other locally sourced ingredients. We feature craft cocktails, beer and wine.
28 W. Georgia St. | Indianapolis BurgerStudy.com
THE LOFT
Dine at a true farmstead restaurant, located inside a beautiful historic barn on an organic dairy farm. Food grown and raised on-site takes center place on organic menus shaped by seasonal rhythms. Open for lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch.
9101 Moore Rd. | Zionsville TradersPointCreamery.com
SALTY COWBOY
A Tex-Mex inspired taco and tequila bar focusing on daily made fresh ingredients complimenting smoked BBQ meat. Best known for tableside guacamole, streetstyled tacos and our giant nachos. Featuring 50+ tequilas and freshly squeezed margaritas.
55 E Oak St. | Zionsville SaltyCowboyTequileria.com
FOLIE
French-inspired New American fine-dining restaurant located in downtown Lafayette. Offering inventive cocktails, well-curated wine list and exquisite cuisine for a beautiful dining experience.
526 Main St. | Lafayette FolieRestaurant.com
MERCANTILE 37
Featuring a mix of local and vintage home décor from a collective of 50+ local makers. Shop lighting, tables, furniture, vintage accents, local home décor, apothecary and jewelry. Wheelers Café and Market at Mercantile 37 is open for breakfast and lunch offering a simple, rotating menu of locally sourced coffee, pastries, sandwiches and more. We also offer a local farm produce and dry goods market.
25625 St. Rd. 37 N. | Noblesville Mercantile37.com
ST. ELMO STEAK HOUSE
A big thank you to our local partners! As a locally owned business for over 110 years we take great pride in our local business relationships. Cheers to independent businesses!
127 S. Illinois St. | Indianapolis StElmos.com
FARM-BLOOMINGTON
This award-winning original creates gastronomical dishes for brunch, lunch and dinner based on the seasonality of Southern Indiana ingredients. The restaurant includes FARMbar, the Root Cellar Lounge and they promote sustainability and being green.
108 E. Kirkwood Ave. Bloomington Farm-Bloomington.com
THE GARDEN TABLE
A local Indianapolis eatery and fresh juicery serving seasonally influenced and locally sourced food and cold-pressed juice. We believe in simple dishes made from natural ingredients, grown and harvested by local farmers.
342 Massachusetts Ave., #100 Indianapolis
908 E. Westfield Blvd. Indianapolis
TheGardenTable.com
grill house & oyster bar
NOAH GRANT’S
A grillhouse and oyster bar located on the bricks of Main St. in Zionsville. The kitchen and bar open at 4pm Tuesday–Sunday. The restaurant specializes in fresh seafood, certified angus beef and fresh oysters from the East and West coasts. Reservations recommended.
91 S. Main St. | Zionsville NoahGrants.com
TABLE
From a store full of fresh, seasonal foods and a team of chefs and culinary experts comes a celebration of food called Table by Market District a restaurant that brings passion for food right to your plate. Open daily for lunch & dinner, as well as brunch every Sunday.
11505 N. Illinois St. | Carmel MarketDistrict.com/Table
OLD GOLD BARBECUE
Old Gold Barbecue makes its debut in Indiana at Metazoa Brewing Co. Slow-smoked prime meats and Texas-styled sides served ‘til sold out. Come get a brew with your cue! Follow us on instagram @ogbbq for the latest details. Located inside Metazoa Brewing Co. 140 S. College Ave. | Indianapolis OldGoldBarbecue.com
TAPHOUSE BURGERS
Bringing you locally sourced burgers, old-fashioned milk shakes and craft beer and cocktails in a convenient downtown Greencastle location. This chef-driven restaurant is owned and operated by the Bridges Group and supports local producers, farmers and beverage makers.
24 S. Indiana St. | Greencastle TapHouseBurgers.com
Tomatillo
Husk Tomatoes
Native to Central America and Mexico
Plant after frost
Harvest in 75–100 days after planting
A staple in Mexican cuisines
The tomatillo (toema-TEE-yo) dates back more than 50 million years
Popular dishes:
Salsa verde, fried green tomatillos
Bring a world of flavors to your backyard
Fava Bean
Broad Bean
Cool-weather crop, plant in early fall
nspired by the cuisines of far-off lands, we Indiana garden, big or small. Send your taste buds on vacation without leaving home.
Indian Brinjal
Found in eastern Mediterranean around 6000 B.C., one of the most ancient plants cultivated
Harvest in 80–100 days
Notably used in Mediterranean diets
Often used as a cover crop
Popular dishes: Doubanjiang (chili bean paste), shiro wot (Ethiopian dish)
Eggplant
Native to India
Plant after frost
Harvest in 60–80 days
Traditional Indian ingredient
India is the second-largest producer of eggplant, next to China
Popular dishes: Bhurtha and Baingan Ka Bharta
words: Jennifer L. Rubenstein | illustration: Caryn Scheving
Thai Chili
Bird's Eye Chili
Native to Central America, Mexico and South America, brought to Southeast Asia in the 16th or 17th century
Plant early
Harvest in 115–130 days
Perfect indoor or patio plant
Often used in Vietnamese or Thai cuisines
There are more than 79 varieties from three species of Thai chilies
Popular dishes: Tom Yum Goong, Panang curry
Watermelon
Radish
Red Meat Radish
An heirloom Daikon radish originating in China
Cool-weather crop, plant early spring or early fall
Harvest in 65 days
Often used in salads or pickled
The Chinese name Shinrimei translates to “in one’s heart beautiful”
Popular dishes: Bahn Mi sandwich, watermelon radish tacos
Taste of the Season:
APPLE BBQ BACON SKEWERS
Ingredients
1 lb. Indiana Kitchen bacon
1 cup your favorite BBQ Sauce
3 tbs. apple jelly
1 tsp. cinnamon
Directions
Preheat grill to 400 ° F.
Mix BBQ sauce, apply jelly & cinnamon.
Thread bacon slices onto skewers.
Coat with BBQ mixture.
Lay bacon skewers on grill.
Close the grill and cook for 7-10 minutes.
Open grill, use tongs to flip bacon skewers for 3 to 5 minutes more, or until bacon is golden and crispy.
Enjoy this awesome recipe and taste why Indiana Kitchen was the most-used brand by chefs competing in the Bacon Category at the 2018 World Food Championships in Orange Beach, Alabama. Their most common refrain? “We love how meaty Indiana Kitchen bacon remains, unlike other brands that shrivel down to nothin’ when you cook ‘em.”
