Edible Indy Winter 2018 by havenhome4

Celebrating Local Food Stories of Bloomington, Carmel, Columbus, Indianapolis & Beyond

Read.

“We

“MY

IS INDIANA...“

42 Zingerman’s Bakehouse A new cookbook brings baking Zingerman’s classic breads home and reflections on Ari Weinzweig’s books about leadership

By nature I am a nurturer. I love to create and nurture all kinds of things: paintings, gardens, photos and especially food. Year after year I have thrown myself naturally into conversations where I invite people to tell me a story about themselves, something meaningful, something to which they relate. Oftentimes with me it has something to do with food because I am known for Edible Indy I am also known, however, as a listener. Several of the stories in this issue were shared with me over a cup of tea, randomly sitting at a table, on a phone call, or even at the farmers market. These stories are real and resonated deeply with me, and I felt I had to find a way to bring them together to share them with you.

Thoughts edible INDY

Winter is a time for reflecting, a time to cherish those moments from one year going into the next, a time to focus on the now. Over the next few months you will see Edible Indy become more of a creator with some significant changes. In 2019, we want to dive deep into the stories of our community, addressing what the future of food looks like and how we can make an impact in our community. We ask you to continue your support of our storytelling and to continue to reach out to us with your stories as we are the ears of our community and you are the ones to whom we want to listen. Share your stories directly with me at jennifer@edibleindy.com. I am listening.

Hoosier Hugs,

Jennifer & Jeff Rubenstein

From the Editor

During the holidays my mom bakes her classic Christmas coffee cake, a hearty, round cake with marzipan and glaze that fills the house with the sweet aroma of dessert first thing in the morning. My parents were hippies and adopted the brown rice and tofu cuisine food writer Andrew Zimmerman chronicles in his book Hippie Food (page 9). Yet they never lost the food traditions from their heritage—French and Italian. I grew up on health food as a baby (along with Dr. Bronner’s soap and loofahs; see story on page 16) but my teens were filled with less-than-healthy dishes, like lasagna and, on special nights, coq au vin, a French classic of chicken baked in wine.

Our Winter issue travels these forgotten terrains of present to past with a look at staples for the winter kitchen—homemade breads, local cheese and wine—as well as the “hippie” food trend that was part-precursor to the bowl fad we now see everywhere (see our recommendations on page 6). How do these food movements stay and change? Who decides what gets put on the menu or in the recipe book? Our article about chefs’ journals explores the creative process of three local chefs as a look into these questions (page 26).

We’ve come far in 2018. Raise a glass and thank your food community and know in 2019 Edible Indy will be championing Indy’s best of the past and present and what Zingerman’s co-founder Ari Weinzweig writes in Zingerman’s Bakehouse (page 42): “The world can use some positive perspective, a sense of collaborative achievement, respect for diverse traditions, the drive to make a positive difference.” Three cheers to that, Ari.

Eat Well, Love Well, Live Well,

Colleen

PUBLISHER: Rubenstein Hills LLC

EDITOR IN CHIEF: Jennifer L. Rubenstein

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER: Jeff Rubenstein

MANAGING EDITOR: Colleen Leonardi

COPY EDITOR: Doug Adrianson

DESIGNER: Cheryl Angelina Koehler

STAFF

Caryn Scheving, Graphics Claire Trost, Regional Sales

ADVERTISING Claire Trost

ClaireEdibleMidwest@gmail.com 614.806.0056

Please call or email to inquire about becoming a member of our advertising partnership and show your support for the local food culture in Central Indiana.

EDIBLE INDY TEST KITCHEN SPONSOR Market District

info@edibleindy.com

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.

photography: © Rachel Joy Barehl

Perfect Food, Every Time™

This year, make a roast that deserves a toast. Joule Sous Vide is the hands-free cooking tool that makes any meal easy and delicious. And while Joule does the work, you get time back for yourself. Whether it’s a weeknight dinner or a holiday spectacular, you can make perfect food, every time with Joule. Get cooking at ChefSteps.com

Season and bag your food

Drop it in the water for a perfect cook

Crisp it up for a perfect finish

Celebrating Food #EDIBLEINDY

Edible Indy celebrates food and you. Food + Social Media = Our Foodie Party. These social media shoutouts toast the food we love, the food you share and the joy of experiencing something new. Tag #EDIBLEINDY and maybe your masterpiece will score a seat at our Celebrating Food table.

EATING CLEAN

Get inspired to construct simple, healthy bowls at home

words & photography: Jennifer L. Rubenstein

layout: Caryn Scheving

Bowls They are beautiful to design, easy to create, tasty to eat and they are a resourceful way to use a variety of ingredients you may have left over or stashed in your pantry, cupboards, fridge or freezer. Mix and match some of our favorite ingredients for a morning or evening meal. Be creative, be nourished and eat well.

Wake ME UP

BASE

Hibiscus Chai Pudding

Yogurt

Keﬁr

Steel-cut oatmeal

Red quinoa

CRUNCH

Coconut granola

Coconut ﬂakes

Oatmeal granola

SEEDS

Hemp

Flax

Pomegranate

FRUIT

Starfruit

Blood oranges

Raspberries

Blueberries

Blackberries

Grapefruit

PROTEIN

Pistachios

Other nuts

Almond butter

Peanut butter

Avocado

Fried egg

BASE

Black rice noodles

Bamboo rice

Jasmine rice

Red quinoa

Bulgur

Cauliﬂower risotto

Udon

Soba

Spice ME UP

VEGETABLES

Edamame

Pickled cucumbers

Carrots

Scallions

Radish

Thai chili peppers

Sweet potatoes

Butternut squash

Roasted Brussels sprouts

PROTEIN

Red chili honey shrimp

Yellowﬁn tuna with soy and sesame seeds

Sautéed chicken breast

Pulled pork

Ox tail

Tofu

Hard-boiled egg

GREENS

Cabbage

Cilantro

Microgreens

Seaweed

Kelp

Mint

Parsley

Chives

DRESSING

OR SAUCES

Spicy sriracha mayo

Miso

Ginger dressing

Lime-cilantro vinaigrette

Wasabi

Ingredients shown in each bowl are listed in color.

TASTE

OF THE PAST

Food writer Jonathan Kauffman on being a Hoosier, memories from a “brown-food” childhood and his new book

words: Colleen Leonardi & Jonathan Kauffman

Did you know there is such a thing as “hippie food? Well, Jonathan Kauffman has written a book about this now American tradition in cuisine, and it’s well worth the winter read. Kauffman is “a line cook turned journalist” who grew up in Northern Indiana in a Mennonite family and now lives in San Francisco. An accomplished food writer and devoted cook, he dedicated years of research to telling the story of how foods that are ubiquitous to our local food co-op used to be exotic items from other worlds brought to the U.S. by traveling youth like Alice Waters and Americans who were in search of healthier, simpler options for the dining room table. Tofu, brown rice, yogurt and whole-grain breads were all new, fresh foods during the 1960s and 1970s. Their introduction into the U.S. diet then, Kauffman details, is what has led to a lot of what defines our food culture now. We wanted to talk with this hippie-kid Hoosier who now calls the West Coast his home and to learn more about his book, baking bread with his mom and what hippie food could look like in the future.

Q: As a child of the ’70s, what did your childhood taste like and how did hippie food play a part?

A: When I think of the food I grew up with, the first word that comes to mind is “brown” and the second is “eclectic.” We ate a lot of lentils in the 1970s, and our church potlucks always had a Crock-Pot section for stews. Thanks to Doris Janzen Longacre’s 1976 More-With-Less Cookbook, which asked how Americans could eat more sustainably and found the answer in whole foods and recipes from Asia, Africa and Latin America, Mennonites of my parents’ generation made a greater effort to abandon grocery-store processed foods and expand their palates. Dinner at my house could be African groundnut stew one night, broccoli-and-tofu stir-fry the next. Now that I’m older I realize that my parents were as adventurous as they were earnest in their food choices.

Q: Growing up in Northern Indiana, where did your food come from? Did your parents grow their own food? And what natural food stores or co-ops, if any, were established back then?

A: My parents both grew up in rural parts of the Midwest—Ohio and Northern Michigan—and so it seemed natural to them to return to canning and freezing massive quantities of applesauce, jam, fruit, green beans every summer, and buying beef by the quarter-animal from a local butcher. They gardened with other families in our congregation when I was very young, and maintained a backyard vegetable patch through my early teenage years.

Many of my shopping memories from the 1970s centered around the Elkhart Co-op, which my mother volunteered at. One of my personal goals while researching this book was to find out how Elkhart came to have a food co-op in the 1970s. It closed decades ago, though the nearby Goshen food co-op is still open. While I couldn’t locate any of the founders of the Elkhart store, I was fascinated to discover the Michigan Federation of Food Co-ops, based in Ann Arbor. The federation enabled hundreds of small buying clubs and co-ops around Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois to flourish, supplying stores like ours with bulk foods and natural foods products. It also linked up with other regional co-op hubs so that organic Michigan beans could be sold in Minnesota and Iowa. (The Midwest played a huge role, both intellectually and organizationally, in the 1970s natural foods movement.) Though the federation didn’t survive the great co-op die-off of the 1990s and the consolidation of the natural-foods industry, the scope of the organization, as well as its dedication to operating collectively, was inspiring.

Q: How has hippie food evolved from the ’70s to the 21st century, and what do you think it will look like in the future?

A: Certain aspects of the 1970s hippie food movement, such as grain bowls and sprouted legumes, have come back into fashion. At the same time, many fringe hippie foods from that time never disappeared. Instead, they went mainstream. People born in the 1980s and the 1990s have no idea that yogurt, granola, whole-wheat bread, organic vegetables and tofu were once strange, suspect substances, pooh-poohed by academic nutritionists as well as the mainstream media.

If we look at today’s health-oriented food, such as smoothies and quinoa, as modern hippie food, it’s more colorful, more flavorful and lighter than 1970s natural foods recipes. (Before the low-fat movement of the 1980s, vegetarian food drowned in cream and cheese.) Because grocery stores carry a much broader range of ingredients, current-day hippie food uses more varied ingredients and is even more internationally influenced than the 1970s. It’s the food I cook at home.

I do think that, because we’ve collectively realized their significance to our health, whole grains, dairy and meat substitutes and organic produce will play an even more central role in our diets. Whatever the hippie food of the future is, it will be incubated on the shelves of natural-foods stores, which are quick to pick up on every new diet. I think that the Paleo, keto and gluten-free diets will fade away—I’m talking about people who pick up those diets for lifestyle reasons, not health concerns—but many of the ingredients that they popularized will be in our pantries 30 years from now.

Q: Winter is the time to bake, and I understand your mom used to bake when you were growing up. What are some of the breads your mom used to make that are in your repertoire and why are they important to your home kitchen?

A: My parents, thank goodness, were never so hardcore about their diets that food was grim—I definitely know a few people my age who are still in recovery from their brown-food childhoods. Mennonites do love their desserts, and my mom was no exception, so I still grew up with pies and cinnamon rolls as well as homemade bread. All through my 30s I baked her oatmeal bread and a wheat-rye-corn bread from More-WithLess every week to toast for breakfast. Right now I start my days with protein smoothies, so I don’t bake as much as I used to, but my mom gave me a great gift in demystifying the act of making bread. Baking has always been a centering act for me rather than a forbidding, alchemical pursuit. There’s no smell more comforting than that of a loaf of bread in the oven.

Find Kauffman’s book Hippie Food: How Back-to-the-Landers, Longhairs, and Revolutionaries Changed the Way We Eat at a local independent bookstore near you.

Be Part of the

Next Culinary Destination

Boone County is home to Indiana’s fastest-growing community and one of the top places to live in the state. We are seeking local artisan food businesses to join our growing community and help us create a desirable culinary destination with bakeries, breweries, local eateries, artisan producers and other Indiana-grown entrepreneurs.

We’ll help you make the connections you need to bring your business to Boone County. To learn more, contact Molly at 317.719.5268 or visit BetterInBoone.org.

Colleen Leonardi is the managing editor of Edible Indy and editor in chief of Edible Columbus. Learn more at ColleenLeonardi.com.

All I Want for Christmas is the

Nov. 30–Dec. 23

It’s the return of a beloved Hoosier holiday tradition! The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and Jack Everly will be joined by two returning hosts for their 33rd IPL Yuletide Celebration. Indiana favorites Josh Kaufman and Angela Brown make their way back to the Hilbert Circle Theatre stage to delight audiences with sounds of the holiday season.

Broadway’s best singers and dancers will bring the Yuletide magic and music to life on the ISO’s historic stage. Enjoy the traditions of “’Twas the Night Before Christmas,” the famous tap-dancing Santas and “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” This year’s performance also features “Holly Jolly Dollies,” “Jingle Belles and Beaux” and Angela’s transcendent performance of “Mary Had a Baby.” And you won’t want to miss a brand new edition of the North Pole reality-TV singing competition, “Santa’s Choice!”

New this year: Expressenz!—Indy’s own dance group—takes the Yuletide stage. When Expressenz competed on “World of Dance,” judge Jennifer Lopez was blown away. She said, “It was so perfectly in sync with every emotion and moment that you tried to create. It really moved me. I had goosebumps from the beginning.”

For the ultimate Yuletide experience, upgrade to a VIP package. This opportunity only comes once during the monthlong run: Get your tickets now for the 8pm performance on Saturday, December 22. Adult and child VIP tickets are $350 each. Your unique experience includes:

• One Dress Circle seat

• Valet parking

• Pre-concert photo with Santa Tappers

• Pre-concert reception including complimentary hors d’oeuvres and drinks in the Wood Room

• Intermission reception including complimentary pastries and drinks in the Wood Room

• Post-concert photo on stage

Visit IndianapolisSymphony.org, call 317.639.4300 or stop by the box office on Monument Circle to purchase your tickets today.

FROM VINE TO BATH

How a farm in

Bloomington

harvests squash to create one-of-a-kind loofahs

words:

Leah R. Singer | photography: Erik Coser

Did you know a loofah is actually a vegetable? Although perhaps best known as a spongey scrubber used in the shower, in fact it’s an all-natural substance made from a squash. Yes, you can scrub with it—but you could also eat it.

Even more interesting, hundreds of loofahs are being grown and sold at market in Central Indiana.

David and Cheryl Lehman, owners of Earth Drops Natural Handcrafted Handmade Soap Company in Bloomington, were not looking to go into the business of producing loofah bath sponges. But the scrubbers have become a staple they now sell with their signature handmade soaps.

“Most people don’t believe the loofah is actually a squash,” says David. “When people see us selling them, they are always skeptical because they’ve never seen anything like it. Especially because they’re not a typical Indiana crop.”

The squash plant looks like a zucchini and grows on a trellis. They grow in abundance in warmer climates close to the equator—Brazil, Asia and Africa— where they are grown and harvested as a food crop. Loofahs are similar to zucchini in texture, but they taste more like an eggplant or mushroom.

In Indiana, loofah growth slows down in mid to late September when the evening temperatures drop below 45°. At that point, the squash is no longer viable for eating and it starts to look and feel better suited for scrubbing.

Growing Loofah

The Lehmans started growing loofahs about 20 years ago when a friend (and member of a local gourd society) gave them loofah seeds and suggested they sell the plant-turned-sponge with their handmade soaps.

The growing process begins around March 1. David buffs the hard seeds with a metal file or sandpaper to soften them so they will open and germinate. He then plants them in individual peat pots and starts the growth indoors.

Once the evening temperatures warm above 45° typically mid-May the vines are about two feet long and they’re ready to be planted outside. Loofahs grow best on a fence or trellis they can climb. They then produce a flower blossom and grow into long, zucchini-looking squash, at which point they’re edible (only for about three to four weeks).

After that short timeframe, the loofah starts showing ribs on the outside skin, which is the indicator they are becoming a fibrous sponge. Typically by

Cheryl and David Lehman, owners of Earthdrops Natural Handcrafted Homemade Soap Company in Bloomington, produce loofah sponges as part of their product line. They also create pet-friendly soap for their Great Dane, Storm, pictured above.

late September, the squashes begin drying out and turning brown. They remain on the vines until the Lehmans harvest them in late December and early January. Cheryl then begins the process of cleaning the squash: She cuts off the stems and removes the seeds, then soaks the plant in warm water to loosen the skin. The skin is then removed, leaving the fibrous loofah that can be used as a sponge.

Earth Drops typically grows 200 to 300 loofahs in one season. They sell them for as much as $10 each. As far as they know, Earth Drops is the only loofah grower in Indiana.

Earth Drops also sells 25 varieties of soap. Each is 100% vegetable food grade using saponified oils of olive, coconut, rice bran and soybean along with other natural ingredients that include avocado, grapeseed, castor oils, pure essential oils, nuts, herbs, pure natural honey and milk

Earth Drops also offers all-natural handmade soap for dogs. Cheryl created a pet-friendly recipe when their Great Dane, Storm, was suffering from skin issues. They say they spent thousands of dollars on allergy shots, steroids and shampoo, none of which helped Storm. Her hand-crafted Petables soaps and shampoos were the only thing that brought Storm relief.

While the Lehmans are now approaching their retirement years, they have no plans to slow down with Earth Drops and growing loofahs. Interacting with people and sharing their homegrown Indiana products with the country keeps them motivated.

“We enjoy it and love getting out and meeting people,” says David. “And it’s always neat to see people’s reaction when they learn the loofah is actually a squash.”

The MerriamWebster Dictionary defines “loofah” as “any of a genus (Luffa) of Old World tropical plants of the gourd family with white to yellow flowers and large usually elongate fruits that are sometimes eaten as vegetables when immature” or “a sponge consisting of the fibrous interior of the mature dried fruit of a loofah (especially Luffa aegyptiaca synonym L. cylindrica)— called also vegetable sponge.”

The Lehmans sell their loofahs and soaps at nearly 30 storefront locations across Indiana, as well as festivals in Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky. In the summer they travel to Colorado, where they sell at festivals in Woodland Park, Ridgeway and Gunnison. Soap is also available for purchase online. Each four-ounce bar sells for $3.74.

Earth Drops Natural Handcrafted Handmade Soap Company | 812.336.2491 | EarthDrops.com

Visit the Indiana Gourd Society for more information at IndianaGourdSociety.org

Go to EdibleIndy.com to watch our Edible Indy Minute video about the loofah process created by Erik Cosar.

Leah R. Singer is a freelance writer in Terre Haute. A Midwest transplant from Southern California, she writes stories about life in Indiana to help people understand individuals living in Middle America and outside the coastal bubble. Her work has appeared in USA Today Indianapolis Star Terre Haute Living Huffington Post Red Tricycle and many other publications. You can follow Leah online at LeahRSinger.com, Twitter (@leahs_thoughts) and Instagram (@leahsthoughts).

The drying process begins when the loofah squash is still on the vine. After harvest, Cheryl cuts off the top of the squash and shakes out the seeds. Then she soaks the loofah, removes its skin and hangs it to dry until it’s ready to be used as a sponge.

A FUTURE BUILT ON Cheese

Connersville family takes legacy farm in sustainable new direction

words: Julie K. Yates | photography: Erik Cosar

Sitting close to the road about three miles south of Connersville is an unassuming barn-like yet modern structure where a delicious transformation happens. Here, a many-step process turns raw homestead milk into artisanal cheese, and multi-generational stewardship of a family farm continues.

Jacobs and Brichford Farmstead Cheese sits on the site of Matthew Brichford’s great-grandparents’ former farm. Another set of greatgrandparents resided nearby on land owned by the family since 1819. Brichford acquired the property connecting the two tracts and since the early 1980s—along with his wife, Leslie Jacobs, and daughters Miah, Maize and Eliza—has sustained the tradition of making a living from the land.

Implementing an Idea

The evolution into making small-batch, high-quality cheese was a natural extension of the family’s business and something they considered for several years. To prepare, they took classes, visited farmstead operations in France, researched breeds and spent hours consulting with experts before making the switch from being solely a livestock and dairy operation into creating French- and Italian-style cheeses.

Brichford has always been a trailblazer; the farm had the first New Zealand–style milking parlor in the state, and its livestock herds have used a rotational grazing system since the late 1980s and gone completely grain-free since the late 1990s. With Jacobs and Brichford cheeses, he

says, eaters get the health benefits of the antioxidants the grass-fed animal has ingested. Rotational grazing offers a superior end product.

“In my opinion there is nothing better,” he says, whether it’s meat, milk or cheese. “You can definitely taste the difference,” he says

Producing cheese is a labor-intensive endeavor. After the cheesemaking process is completed, the work is far from over. Depending on the variety, thousands of wheels must be turned over, or rinds washed at carefully documented intervals. Each cheese is assigned a number, data is diligently collected and tests are performed to ensure that there are no untoward pathogens present such as E. coli, staph, salmonella or listeria. The Brichfords took up the challenge without regrets.

Award-Winning Results

In 2012 they launched three cheeses: semi-soft earthy Ameribella, a Good Food Awards Winner in 2015; aged fontina-like Brianna; and creamy savory-sweet Everton, which won second in its class at the 2017 United States Cheese Championships.

Today their repertoire has expanded to include six additional varieties. Some are riffs on an original such as the sumptuous Brianna with Truffles and the aged Everton Premium Reserve. Others—such as Phetamias, a cow-milk feta that took 11th place in its class at the 2018 World Championship Cheese Contest in Wisconsin—have a distinct identity all their own. Rounding out the field is mild and smooth Adair, grassy and complex Tomme de Fayette and soft-ripened JQ.

The cheese makes its way to restaurants, grocery stores and specialty markets via distributors. It can be found far away at the Cowgirl Creamery counter in San Francisco’s Ferry Terminal Market and close to home as the savory finish to one of Kimbal Musk’s Hedge Row American Bistro small-plate offerings in Indianapolis.

Brad Gates, head chef of Hedge Row, explains how the cheese earned a place on their menu. “I discovered Jacobs and Brichford Farmstead Cheeses a few years back and used their Ameribella at my catering company. Before we opened Hedge Row, I worked with our sourcing director to find as many local purveyors as we could. I thought of Jacobs and Brichford and discovered their Phetamias cheese. I knew it would be a perfect complement to our Wood Roasted Viking Lamb Meatballs.”

It Takes A Village

After years of working physically demanding days, Brichford found himself facing a health crisis in late December 2016. He had severe bout

with vascular disease that didn’t just slow him down but, he says, “completely flattened me.”

“Being a dairy farmer, I’m used to getting kicked in the teeth, but by the cows,” he says with a laugh.

Turning serious, he adds, “I’m an incredibly fortunate person and a very lucky guy. It was touch-and-go for a while, but I have a great doctor.”

While Brichford spent three weeks in intensive care plus the next few months having surgeries and finding the right treatment path, his staff and family rallied to ensure the livestock farm and creamery continued to function. The farm crew oversaw the livestock herds and his daughter, Maize, continued in her role of courting distributors and conducting demonstrations at food shows.

“I was scheduled to make cheese the morning after I was hospitalized,” marvels Brichford. “The cheese crew stepped up and even though I wasn’t there they kept the plant running smoothly. I always had an appreciation for my life on the farm and for what I’m doing, but now I realize the importance of teaching others and giving them more responsibility. I still work long days but I recognize the need to transition some of the day-to-day responsibilities of this business.”

A Sustainable Future

For Brichford, cheesemaking is a value-added business that will allow the family farm to continue into the future. It enables best practices such as feeding discarded whey to his hogs, following the seasonal rhythms of calving and using milk produced when vegetation is at its peak.

Brichford has no plans to retire; he is always experimenting and tweaking to improve the cheeses. He wishes that, “although what we produce is different than what most people grew up on, I hope they will branch out and try our cheeses.”

“Our greatest joys are hearing about someone new enjoying our cheese,” adds Jacobs, “and then spreading the word about the health benefits of raw milk cheeses and the importance of sustaining the land.”

Jacobs and Brichford Farmstead Cheese | 2957 IN-1 | Connersville 765.692.0056 | JAndBCheese.com

Opening photograph: Matthew Brichford.

Julie K. Yates is a freelance writer and food blogger from Fishers. She enjoys sharing the stories of individuals who pursue culinary-related experiences. Visit her blogs at YatesYummies.com and OrangesAndAlmonds.com.

DAIRY Queens

Indiana women are blazing trails in the artisan cheese industry

words: Amy Lynch | photography: Heather Schrock

We’ve all been told that milk does a body good, but for hard-core dairy aficionados great cheese is really what makes life worth living. There’s a fine art to producing flavorful artisan products with nuance and skill, and learning the intricate process and all it entails can take years, much like training to become a sommelier.

Here in Indiana, women are taking on leadership roles to shape the future of the artisan cheese industry. Let’s get acquainted with several of the most influential.

Judy Schad

Cheesemaker, owner and founder, Capriole Farm CaprioleGoatcheese.com

A pioneer in the artisan cheese movement, Schad was a teacher and an editor before she took up farming on a Southern Indiana spread in 1977, later launching Capriole Goat Cheeses in 1988. Her career since has included speaking and judging engagements at international conferences, positions on the boards of the American Cheese Society and the American Dairy Goat Association and a number of industry honors and awards.

Q: What’s the first cheese that really made an impression on you?

A: It was a fresh goat cheese from Westfield Farm in Hubbardston, Mass. I went there in 1988 to observe small-production commercial cheesemaking.

Q: What originally inspired you to get into cheesemaking?

A: Great food has always been the catalyst for me—the perfect piecrust or the perfect biscuit. I had goats and I had too much milk so I figured, “Why not try cheesemaking in my kitchen?”

Q: How has Capriole evolved since it opened?

A: We sold our goats six years ago and now buy our milk back. For years, we were dependent on our own supply. Our cheeses are very specialized and fragile, so the small, specialty market is still a good fit for us.

Q: What are the proudest moments of your cheese career so far?

A: Seeing international interns who are now making cheeses in their home countries. An American Cheese Society Best-of-Show award for our Wabash Cannonball. The incredible friendships I’ve made. And most of all, to look back and know I was there in the beginning when artisan cheeses were just getting off the ground.

Laura Davenport

Co-owner, Tulip Tree Creamery TulipTreeCreamery.com

Davenport studied public health and biology at Ball State University, but after spending 10 years in the healthcare industry, she was ready for a new work environment more in line with her passions for sustainability and natural foods. After working with several organic dairy farms and creameries, she teamed up with cheesemaker Fons Smits to launch Tulip Tree in 2014.

Q: How has Tulip Tree grown since it started?

A: When we first opened, Fons was making the cheese; his wife, Eileen; my mom; and I were wrapping it. Our small team was participating in as many local farmers markets as we could and selling directly to a few local specialty shops like Goose the Market. We’ve since narrowed down to about four farmers markets a week, and we now work with nearly a dozen distributors who sell our products to specialty retailers locally and across the U.S.

Q: How would you characterize our local cheese community?

A: It’s growing and supportive. Not only have our sales at farmers markets increased over the past four years, other artisan creameries have popped up and are now operating in Indiana.

Q: What’s been your biggest cheese achievement so far?

A: Passing the Certified Cheese Professional Exam. I studied in 2016 for about six months and determined I wasn’t ready yet. I studied again in 2017 and passed on the first try. There are only five of us in Indiana who’ve earned the certificate.

Leslie Jacobs Co-owner, Jacobs & Brichford JandBCheese.com

A licensed clinical social worker by trade, Jacobs was a self-professed city girl before moving to her husband’s family farm when they got married in 1981. Never one to shy away from a challenge, she embraced her new country lifestyle, pitching in with the farm work and helping get the Jacobs & Brichford cheesemaking operation off the ground in 2012.

Q: What’s the first cheese you really remember tasting?

A: I discovered so many delicious cheeses during a farm tour in France, but the Beaufort and Pont L’Eveque blew me away.

Q: How has the farm grown since you moved there?

A: We were a grass-fed dairy for about 20 years, and I was active in the intensive grass management, helping with fencing, moving cows and milking. We began farming in 1981, dairying began in the ’90s and we started making cheese in 2012.

Q: What’s been the proudest moment of your cheese career so far?

A: We’ve won national and international awards; that recognition has been tremendous, and we were featured in the New York Times food section. Also, to be part of a family farm that’s been operating for close to 200 years is meaningful to me in terms of being able to provide a sustainable legacy that brings health and vigor to the land and animals. I take great pride in responsible stewardship. vigor

Amy Lynch is an Indianapolis-based food and travel writer.

Opposite, left to right: Lesile Jacobs of Jacobs & Brichford and Laura Davenport, co-owner of Tulip Tree Creamery. Not pictured: Judy Schad of Capriole Farm. Photo location: Traders Point Creamery

A CHEF’S JOURNAL

A glimpse inside local chefs’ creative process

words: Charity Singleton Craig | photography: Lauren McDuffie

Glancing through menu descriptions, admiring beautifully plated dishes or sipping cocktails with cleverly conceived names, it’s hard to imagine these culinary delights were once just a glimmer in the eyes of the chefs who created them.

So how do chefs dream up the magic they serve? What’s their inspiration? And how do they capture ideas once they have them?

Edible Indy sat down with three local chefs to ask about their journals, how they gather, brainstorm and store ideas. What we discovered is a creative process that looks different for different chefs, and can evolve over the course of a career.

following the muse

Chef’s journals start with gathering what inspires. While ideas can come from anywhere, for veteran Indianapolis chef Greg Hardesty they almost always end up on a sheet of loose-leaf paper scribbled down with a #3 Ticonderoga pencil.

These pages have served as an incubator for nearly all Hardesty’s work over the past 26 years. As an example, one page has the beginnings of a recipe for shrimp dumplings, a dish he later served at the August Chef’s Collective Dinner at Spoke & Steele, where Hardesty has served as creative culinary director since January 2018.

“It starts with a bunch of ideas, then it becomes a little more compact, then it becomes a menu, then it starts to become prep lists, to-do lists, ordering lists, recipes,” he explains.

Not everyone goes for loose-leaf sheets, though. Celebrated chef Jonathan Brooks, owner of Milktooth and co-owner of Beholder, uses bound journals to capture ideas for dishes, draw shapes for cutting vegetables or jot down ingredients he wants to combine.

The bound journals work for Brooks when he’s starting a new restaurant. After opening night, though, he sets them aside, and his creative process becomes more market-driven, based on what farmers are bringing him. At that stage, he “draws and experiments on the plate,” Brooks says.

He’s also an avid cookbook collector, and cookbooks serve as another kind of inspirational journal for his work. “I dog-ear the shit out of my cookbooks,” Brooks confesses. “I’m not protective of them. I’ll buy four or five cookbooks at a time and sit down when I have a free night, and just look through every single page.”

But Brooks’ inspiration doesn’t end there. He loves literature, both fiction and nonfiction, and he marks up the pages of novels or memoirs that might spark ideas for cocktail names or new dishes.

“I’m very inspired by literature and music,” Brooks says.

So is Tyler Herald, executive chef of Patachou Inc., who also keeps bound journals—though his are filled with hand-written song lyrics from concerts he attends. While these pages rarely lead to a specific dish or plating technique, they do help Herald stay creative in the kitchen.

Herald also uses his smartphone to snap photos or take notes of things that inspire him culinarily, resulting in a digital food journal he always has with him.

priming the pump

Besides capturing ideas as they come, these chefs also have specific processes for conjuring their own inspiration.

For Hardesty, brainstorming sessions are more formal than the loose-leaf sheets might suggest. “It’s definitely something I sit down to do. ‘I need to write menus,’ I’ll say to my wife. And I’ll go in a corner and spread out with a bunch of paper and just start going.”

Brainstorming for Herald is even more formal than that. For Patachou’s two Public Greens locations, for instance, where the menu changes monthly, Herald uses a paper template that begins with the previous month’s menu and, after extensive brainstorming, results in a new menu.

“We’ll take this [handwritten version], which is for our reading, and turn it into a sheet which lists all the things we need, and then eventually that will become the final version of the menu, which is what the guests see,” Herald says.

The process is much different for Brooks, though his approach is just as intentional. For example, Brooks is developing menu items for Beholder based on food memories of employees. The bartenders, servers and other front-of-house staff each drew a number and, one by one, they’ll sit down with Brooks to tell him a favorite food memory.

“I’m going to try to get to the center of what made it special for them, then re-create that here so that they get the chance to talk about something they put on the menu,” Brooks says.

leaving a trace

While capturing and creating ideas gives life to what chef’s do, what about recording what works? Do chefs leave a trace?

When Hardesty was younger, he kept more of a traditional journal of tips, tricks and techniques, he says, “because things didn’t make sense”

Chef Jonathan Brooks, center.

back then. But as he made his way as a chef, “especially in Los Angeles, where I really started to hit my stride, things started to make sense. I can specifically remember the day something sort of clicked, and I got it,” he says.

That was when Hardesty’s journaling transitioned from a “how-to” manual, which he’d often refer to, into his current loose-leaf brainstorming process. Though he can accumulate hundreds of these sheets now, especially when he’s creating menus on a regular basis, he doesn’t keep them for long.

“A lot of it’s just purging onto a piece of paper,” Hardesty says. “Then at least you have it there. That’s when I’ll go back and start scratching things out and reworking them in my head.”

Brooks isn’t much of a recordkeeper, either. Beyond his restaurant-opening journals, which he still has and occasionally refers back to “if I’m stuck or if I’m not feeling inspired,” he didn’t even write down recipes until recently, when his staff encouraged him to do so.

For Herald, however, recordkeeping, and particularly his company’s restaurant-specific food “bibles,” have become critical for Patachou Inc.’s operation.

Each plastic-covered sheet in the three-ring food bibles has the name of a dish, along with a plating photo, description, ingredient list, allergens and serving instructions. These resource books not only guide kitchen staff on cooking techniques and plating; they also help front-of-house staff stay current with changing menus.

“The biggest use of this [food bible], the number one reason, is allergies,” Herald says. “Allergies are huge for our company. Every time someone orders something, the server asks at the end of the discussion, ‘Do you have any allergies that the kitchen needs to be made aware of?’”

Also, as Patachou Inc. has opened new restaurants and locations over the years, these food bibles have become important for maintaining consistency and brand integrity.

“Back when we had only one Napolese, it was just me and a sous chef, so there weren’t as many variables,” Herald said. “And it took me until we opened a second Napolese and a third Napolese to realize that everything has to be the same, has to be consistent. It makes all the difference in the world. It’s why this is really important.”

So whether they’re for gathering, brainstorming or storing ideas, chef’s journals don’t come one-size-fits-all. Rather, as Brooks observes, they’re part of “an open food conversation” that he and the others are always having.

“Maybe that’s more what my food journal is,” Brooks says. “It’s a living journal.”

Charity Singleton Craig is an author, journalist and essayist. She is the coauthor of On Being a Writer: 12 Simple Habits for a Writing Life That Lasts. She is regularly published in various publications, including In Touch Magazine. You can find her online at CharitySingletonCraig.com or at home in the kitchen.

Chef Tyler Herald.

Celebrate Paris with the Paris Festival

January 10–12, 18–19, 2019

Join the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra for a celebration of the City of Light! This two-week festival will celebrate the sounds of Paris and the composers who loved the city so dearly. The ISO is delighted to have Dance Kaleidoscope, Indiana’s longest-dancing professional contemporary dance company, share the stage during both weekends of the Paris Festival.

On January 10–12 Music Director Krzysztof Urbański takes the podium for an exhilarating Parisian evening at the Hilbert Circle Theatre. Musical highlights of this concert include Gershwin’s An American in Paris, Mozart’s Paris Symphony and Debussy’s Prelude à l’apres-midi d’un faune

Then on January 18 and 19, let the champagne flow! Principal Pops Conductor Jack Everly takes audiences on a whirlwind musical trip to Paris. The orchestra will be joined by original Mamma Mia! star and Tony Award–nominated actress Louise Pitre, performing the classic songs of Edith Piaf as well as other French popular songs.

Travel with the ISO to the Folies Bergère! Visit IndianapolisSymphony.org, call 317.639.4300 or stop by the box office on Monument Circle to purchase your tickets today.

Rooted in Love

Jonah Tabb and Teter Organic Farm’s commitment to feeding the mind, body and spirit

words: Julie K. Yates | photography: Lauren McDuffie

Tucked away in rural central Hamilton County and bordered by the White River, Teter Organic Farm is a small slice of agricultural heaven. As an outreach of the Noblesville First United Methodist Church, the farm strives to provide nourishment not only for the body but also the mind and spirit. Under the direction of farm manager Jonah Tabb, the land supports several multifaceted yet interconnected endeavors and remains grounded in its vision to serve the community.

Gift of Land

Although owned by the church since 1981, the land has only been growing vegetables for the past three years and just finished its first year as a certified organic farm in 2018. The property was acquired when a member of the congregation, Ruth Teter, bequeathed it to the church. For many years, rustically beautiful Teter Lodge and a four-unit cabin that sleeps 28 people were enjoyed by the membership.

“She never was married and didn’t have any children to leave it to,” explains Pastor Aaron Hobbs, director of farm operations. “She wanted the legacy of her family to be remembered by donating the land to the church for fellowship and retreats.”

In 2015, Hobbs had an experience that led to an inspiration. While participating in a leadership program, he had the opportunity to visit a church-owned organic farm in Vancouver, Canada.

“The farm we visited was remarkably similar to Teter and I saw possibilities for not only serving the community but also making it economically sound,” remembers Hobbs.

When Hobbs returned home, he consulted Indy Urban Acres, which in 2016 provided the first year’s seedling transplants. That year the farm was able to donate 10,000 pounds of produce to area food pantries. Hobbs knew, however, the church needed to hire a full-time farm manager—someone who not only had knowledge of best organic growing practices but also had the personal qualities that fit in with the mission of nurturing the soul as well as the body.

Leadership for the Farm

“We were lucky to find Jonah,” says Hobbs. “A church member had a relative who knew about his work as farm manager and horticulture career instructor at the Putnamville Correctional Facility near Green Castle, Indiana.”

“I was at Putnamville because of a desire to find something meaningful to do with my life that involved agriculture,” says Tabb, who at the time was not looking for another job. “They had an amazing greenhouse where inmates could spend time working besides taking classes. The horticultural work gave the men a peaceful setting to work out problems.”

Tabb’s career path up until that time had been twofold; it started out with desire to help those in need but along the way he developed a passion for organic farming. He began by working for a nonprofit organization that rehabbed houses in post-Katrina New Orleans. He was exposed to small farms in vacant lots in the Lower Ninth Ward. From there he began a series of jobs ranging from intern, to farm hand, to farm manager in Florida, Arkansas, Virginia and Illinois. While in Illinois he earned an associate’s degree in agriculture from College of Lake County, which enabled him to be selected for the job at Putnamville Correctional Facility. After learning about the position at Teter Organic Farm, he realized it was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up.

Expanding the Vision

Tabb began working as full-time farm manager in January 2017 and, under his guidance, programs have evolved that not only fight food insecurity in Hamilton County but also build a sense of community. The manpower that runs the farm comes from over 90 volunteers, many of which are nonmembers of the congregation. During Tabb’s first year these unpaid workers made it possible to supply 12,000 USDA servings of produce to food pantries and banks. And produce and eggs are donated to Dinner’s on Us, a weekly dinner for the disadvantaged in Noblesville.

In 2018, 52 families bought community-supported agriculture (CSA) harvest subscription shares. When they arrive at the farm to pick up their box of vegetables, they can walk on a trail to the White River, enjoy the children’s playground and also visit the pick-your-own herb garden and admire the butterflies in the Peace Garden.

The farm also sustains itself through diverse income streams. A plant sale opens the season, produce is sold at the Noblesville Farmers Market and hayrides as well as farm tours are offered. Events spaces for family reunions and weddings are booked. Another fundraiser is the Farm to Table dinner where guests enjoy a gourmet meal.

Opposite, left to right: Pastor and Director of Farm Operations Aaron Hobbs, and Farm Manager Jonah Tabb.

One of the most important facets of the farm is educational opportunities like Scout troops, school groups and garden clubs where students can visit and learn about topics such as the watershed, composting and honey bees. Plans are in the works to offer a camp on the farm grounds in the summer of 2019.

“I have seen some of the unruliest students get off the bus, but become attentive and absorbed once they are out in nature,” marvels Tabb.

Building Community

For Hobbs the vision of Noblesville First United Methodist Church, “Rooted in Love, Connecting People, Planting Seeds of Hope,” has certainly come to fruition at the farm.

“I often have better conversations with people when we are working side-by-side outside than I do in my church office,” he says.

Tabb agrees. “People have different gifts to give and there are many ways to volunteer besides only working in the greenhouse or gardens. When they get off their cell phones and away from technology, a sense of community is built.”

Teter Organic Farm | 10980 E. 221st St. | Noblesville 317.318.3169 | TeterOrganicFarm.com

A Hug ON THE INSIDE

Making biscuits six ways with Chef Nick Simpson

words: Charity Singleton Craig | photography: Heather Schrock

The first thing you’ll notice about Nick Simpson’s buttermilk biscuits is how tall they are. The warm, golden biscuits stood at least three inches off the serving plate when we ordered them from the Spoke & Steele starter menu, where Simpson serves as sous chef.

What’s the secret to these tall, light biscuits, referred to as “Nickscuits” by those who know Simpson? For starters, he leaves his dough at least an inch or an inch and a half thick when he rolls it out. Most recipes I’ve used suggest rolling or “patting” the dough down to half an inch thick. But that’s not the only trick up the sleeve of Simpson’s chef coat, and when we met to talk all things biscuits, he generously shared a few more.

Light and Fluffy

His first tip is to sift all the dry ingredients.

“You don’t want things to get dense, you don’t want things to fall. You want them to stay light and fluffy and airy,” Simpson says.

Not only does sifting make the flour light and airy, it also helps distribute the baking powder, salt and baking soda so it’s not just sitting on top.

“You want it all incorporated so every biscuit, or at least three-quarters of your tray of biscuits, will rise the same and look pretty even,” Simpson explains.

All About the Butter

Next, Simpson keeps everything cold: the ingredients, the tools, even his workspace.

“The secret for me is to keep everything cold, super cold,” Simpson says. “I like to keep the space cold, even.” The reason for all this chilling? The butter—and it’s almost always butter for Simpson, not lard, unless he’s using bacon fat for a savory biscuit.

See, Simpson doesn’t use just cold butter; he uses frozen butter, and then grates it with a cheese grater.

“I’m getting these little flakes of butter in there but nothing too heavy to reverse what I’ve done with my sifting,” Simpson explains. That means so long pastry cutter. “Nobody’s got time for that, and nobody wants arthritis from that. I set the cheese grater on the large setting and grate it in there.”

Then, he throws the whole bowl back in the freezer until his oven has preheated because once he completes the final steps, it’s a race against the clock to get them into the oven as fast as possible.

“You don’t want that butter to warm up,” Simpson says, “You want everything to stay cold so that it’s as cold as possible going into a really hot oven so the heat and the cold ‘shock’ to create a little bit of steam, and the butter starts to melt, and activate with your baking powder and baking soda and they literally … well, we skipped a step. Because you gotta add in your buttermilk.”

After he takes the dry ingredients plus butter coming out of the

Opposite: Chef Nick Simpson.

freezer, Simpson adds just enough cold buttermilk until the mixture holds together.

“I mean, it’s not going to be doughy like if you’re making piecrust or opening up a can of grocery-story biscuits. That’s too much liquid for this recipe,” Simpson says, of his signature buttermilk biscuits. “You want it to just barely be holding together and all of your ingredients have come off the wall of the bowl and you may see a little residue down in the bottom of your dry mixture. That’s perfect. Just until it holds together.”

Flour Everything

At this point, Simpson suggests flouring everything—your workspace, your hands and your rolling pin—and working with a “feather touch,” gently patting the dough then rolling it, using only the weight of the rolling pin and gravity to apply pressure. The biscuit cutter also should be well-floured, dipping it over and over into flour with each cut and pushing down and straight back up, never turning it.

“You’ve seen biscuits that rise tall and even, kind of like a cake, but then you’ve seen some that kind of fold over. It’s been pinched,” Simpson says. “And usually it gets pinched because your cutter is sticking to the dough when you try to cut through it, and when it pinches the dough, that one side doesn’t rise as well as the rest of it does. That’s why I keep it dry and dusted.”

Gorgeous and Golden

Finally, Simpson bakes his buttermilk biscuits on a parchment-covered baking sheet in a very hot oven—450° in his professional convection oven—for four to five minutes, creating that instant shock of cold to hot that forces the biscuits to almost double in size. Then he turns the oven down to 350 and bakes them six to seven more minutes to finish the process.

“Then you’ll have this gorgeous, golden, maybe even sunburst orange color where the butter has really worked its way through the whole thing,” Simpson says. “I don’t brush it, I don’t put any buttermilk on top, I don’t put any butter on top. I don’t put anything on it. All those ingredients and that process is all it is. There’s enough butter in there that it seeps through the biscuit and it gives it its own coating. You don’t have to use any other coating.”

Simpson makes 50–70 biscuits a day in his current job, more on the weekends for brunch. It takes him a little less than an hour to make biscuits for a day’s dinner service, breaking them down into two batches so he doesn’t overwork or overheat the dough and so he can more evenly distribute the chemicals in the flour.

“With a batch that big, you’re going to have pockets of baking powder and baking soda in places where you want it mixed together,” Simpson says. “There’s too many opportunities to mess it up when you work with batches that big.”

“A good biscuit and a good recipe doesn’t need all that other stuff that people do or tell you that you have to do for it to turn out right,” says sous chef Nick Simpson. “There’s beauty in simplicity, it doesn’t need all that.”

Simple Is Best

The popularity of Simpson’s buttermilk biscuits came as a bit of surprise to the chef, mostly because he grew up eating them for breakfast and helping his mom make them for his family’s Sunday dinners. He doesn’t remember the first time he made a batch on his own, but he does remember helping with the sifting or watching his mom cut biscuits with the top of a glass when he was very young.

The buttermilk biscuit recipe he uses today is based on the simple process his mom used to make biscuits, just six ingredients.

“A good biscuit and a good recipe doesn’t need all that other stuff that people do or tell you that you have to do for it to turn out right,” Simpson says. “There’s beauty in simplicity, it doesn’t need all that.”

Just How You Do Things

In fact, Simpson says learning to make biscuits from his mom in her Alabama kitchen was just part of the broader culinary education he received during his childhood, skills that weren’t thought of as “techniques” back then; it was “just how you do things.”

“In the South, they don’t know ‘you need this amount of baking powder with a little bit of baking soda,’ and ‘don’t forget your salt to

make your baking work out right,’” Simpson says. “They just [relied on] trial and error and knew they needed a little bit of this and little bit of that, not knowing they’ve already learned the science behind cooking.”

In fact, Simpson didn’t go to culinary school to get to where he is today. He studied music in college. But when he got “tired of chasing money” in his music career, he found himself working in a kitchen with all the skills he needed because he’d grown up cooking with his mom.

A Hug on the Inside

“When I started baking and cooking professionally, it was just, like, ‘I know how to do this,’” Simpson says. “I do a lot of comfort food, not necessarily because it’s comfort food but because I grew up in the South. Growing up in the South, it’s all comfort food. You spend a lot of time in the kitchen, whether it’s doing homework, whether it’s helping Mom with dinner, getting disciplined in the kitchen, fellowshipping, learning life lessons and getting those lectures, a lot of that happened in the kitchen. So for me, I like my food to give you a hug on the inside and tell you a story because usually that’s what happens in the kitchen.”

And that’s just what Simpson’s biscuits do, especially served warm with a little butter and honey. In fact, they might just make you want to hug Simpson back.

Nickscuits Six Ways

Chef Simpson says it might take 20–30 minutes to make a small batch of buttermilk biscuits in a home kitchen using his recipes below.

Basic Buttermilk Biscuits

Yields 12–15 biscuits

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup buttermilk + 2 teaspoon

6 teaspoons unsalted butter, frozen and grated

Preheat oven to 450°F.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk together lightly. Grate frozen butter into the flour mixture. Toss lightly with hands to incorporate.

Add 1 cup of buttermilk. Roll everything around with hand. Once dough ball starts to form, add 2 teaspoons of buttermilk to help finish forming dough and get all the bits out of the bowl.

Dust table or counter with flour. Dust rolling pin with flour. Dust cutter with flour. Prepare sheet tray with parchment paper. Once dough is formed, place on dusted counter. Sprinkle a little flour on top just so your hands do not stick to dough. Pat down just a little and then use dusted rolling pin to lightly roll out your dough to about 1–1½ inches tall.

Then cut out biscuits and place evenly on sheet tray. Bake at 450° for 4½–5 minutes, just until biscuits pop up and get just a little bit of color. Then, drop oven to 350°s for about 6 minutes, until biscuits are cooked through. Serve and enjoy!

Caraway and Peppercorn Biscuits

Basic Buttermilk Biscuits recipe (see left)

¼ cup caraway seeds

1½ teaspoons pink peppercorns

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Toast caraway seeds and peppercorns in a small dry skillet over medium heat for 1–2 minutes. Then crush peppercorns and mix both together.

Prepare the Basic Buttermilk Biscuits recipe as instructed, adding the caraway seeds and peppercorn mix to the flour mixture prior to adding the buttermilk.

Then cut out biscuits and place evenly on sheet tray. Bake at 450° for 4–5 minutes, just until biscuits pop up and get just a little bit of color. Then, drop oven to 350° for about 6 minutes, until biscuits are cooked through.

Roasted Corn and Bacon Biscuits

Basic Buttermilk Biscuits recipe (see page 39)

2–3 ears of corn or 1½ cups corn kernels

½ pound bacon

Bacon fat

Lime zest

Salt Pepper

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Shuck the corn and rub olive oil, salt and pepper on each ear. Place on sheet tray and roast in oven at 350° for 10–12 minutes. Cool and remove kernels from the cob.

Place bacon in a single layer on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper and cook in oven for 12–15 minutes at 350°. Once bacon is cooked, allow to cool, remove from tray and chop; save the bacon fat for use later in the recipe.

Turn oven up to 450°.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk together lightly. Grate frozen butter into the flour mixture. Add corn and bacon bits. Toss lightly with hands to incorporate. Add 1 cup of buttermilk and bacon fat. Roll everything around with hand. Once dough ball starts to form, add 2 tablespoons of buttermilk to help finish forming dough and get all the bits out of the bowl. If dough gets too “doughy,” then dust with a little flour until you’ve got the right consistency.

Maple Syrup and Pear Biscuits

FOR THE PEARS:

4 pears, peeled and sliced

2 teaspoons packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon kosher salt

⅛ teaspoon of nutmeg

⅛ teaspoon of cinnamon

Basic Buttermilk Biscuits recipe (see page 39)

¼ cup + 2 tablespoons maple syrup

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Peel pears and slice thin, making sure to remove the core. Cook over medium heat in a sauté pan with butter. Once pears are starting to soften, add cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar and salt. Stir often, then turn off the heat once sugar has dissolved.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt. Whisk together lightly. Grate frozen butter into the flour mixture. Toss lightly with hands to incorporate.

Combine maple syrup and buttermilk and add to flour mixture. Roll everything around with hand. Once dough ball starts to form, add 2 tablespoon of buttermilk to help finish forming dough and get all the bits out of the bowl.

Gluten-Free Buckwheat Biscuits

These will be the fluffiest gluten-free biscuits you will ever make. Real buckwheat flour is naturally gluten-free but any gluten-free biscuit will need more fat than normal. Be careful and read your labels. Not all buckwheat is pure. Most you buy in the store can be a blend, so make sure it’s all buckwheat flour.

3 cups buckwheat flour

1 cup almond flour

2½ tablespoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 tablespoon sugar

2 cups + 2 tablespoons buttermilk n

1 cup unsalted butter, frozen and grated

In a large bowl, sift together buckwheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt. Whisk together lightly. Grate frozen butter into the flour mixture. Toss lightly with hands to incorporate.

Add buttermilk. Roll everything around with hand. Once dough ball starts to form, add 2 tablespoons of buttermilk to help finish forming dough and get all the bits out of the bowl.

photography: Benjamin Weatherston

ZINGERMAN’S BAKEHOUSE

A new cookbook brings baking Zingerman’s classic breads home and reflections on Ari Weinzweig’s books about leadership

words:

Colleen Leonardi

When I first saw Ari Weinzweig I didn’t know he was Ari Weinzweig, author, entrepreneur and co-founder of the artisanal bakery Zingerman’s in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He struck me as a cool dude who I wanted to sit next to at lunch at our annual publishers’ conference and talk about food and tell stories. Dressed in a colorful jean jacket, a beautifully embroidered hat with his curly salt-and-pepper locks escaping from underneath, I recognized his spirit as kin. An artist, perhaps? Writer? Chef?

And while Weinzweig is all of these things, reading his series of books on leadership, food, development and entrepreneurship this year has made me feel that he is that cool dude, and when you read his words you do get to sit down with him and have lunch. I feel the same way about the new cookbook, Zingerman’s Bakehouse by Amy Emberling and Frank Carollo, the Zingerman’s master bakers. Yet what makes this book so special is you get to bake the breads that make Zingerman’s a 25+ year success.

Walking into Zingerman’s in Ann Arbor is a one-of-a-kind experience, as is reading their books. Having grown up in a family of French and Italian cooks, the aroma of European influence in my parents’ cooking imbued my cells with a longing for the old ways of the old country. Immigrants to this country, my Irish family explored the French way of cuisine and my Sicilian family, who arrived on Ellis Island like so many others and made a life in Brooklyn, kept to their roots of Mediterranean cooking: Fish. Fresh vegetables. A little grain. Lots of herbs. And the best olive oil, always. Coq au vin Ratatouille. Shepherd’s pie. Grilled octopus. Burrata. These are the meals that made me strong and made me a woman.

Zingerman’s Bakery evokes this nod to the old ways with its giant Parmesan wheels that greet you as you wander in, freshly baked breads stacked high and so much more. Food co-mingling with words, Zingerman’s from the front to the back of the house offers a sense of homecoming to those of us looking for our ancestors in what we eat and how we converse at the table. Zingerman’s Bakehouse is the first cookbook to share their triedand-true recipes for the home cook (see sidebar) and it’s as fun and beautiful as it is at the bakery itself.

And reading Weinzweig’s books this year a series of four hefty volumes on being a better leader and developing a small business from the ground up—has gifted me with a similar richness in thought handed down from someone akin to a grandfather. I’ve been with the Edible Communities family now for over a decade,

Ari Weinzweig, co-founder of Zingerman’s Bakehouse.

and each year I reflect on what that means and where we’re headed. Weinzweig’s philosophy and language around food, people, business and mindfulness is magnetic and transformative. Rising up from the depths of a wellspring of knowledge and a life lived exploring history, literature and anarchism, Weinzweig practices what he preaches: “If we want to run a great business, then the place to start is inside ourselves.” In his books, he hands what he knows about himself down to you, and it is invaluable.

I started not with Weinzweig’s first book in the four-part series, but with the third, A Lapsed Anarchist’s Approach to Managing Ourselves A wheel of wisdom and humor, the book folds together Weinzweig’s perspective on what it takes to be a leader of an organization and lead from the heart. And what it takes, from what I’ve gathered, is learning to first understand our own mind and heart before we can even propose to lead others towards understanding theirs and, therefore, putting both to work with the hands of a true human.

I’ve read books galore on mindfulness, leadership, philosophy, art, yet rarely had I stepped into the territory of business and entrepreneurship until finding Weinzweig’s books, and they seem the perfect place for me. For any business owner or enterprising soul who wants to feel their own strength in their life’s work and know it comes from an endless wellspring of integrity and passion, I recommend Weinzweig’s books. And only because if you have had the pleasure of seeing and meeting him, as I did, you would most likely want to sit down with him, too. And so you can this winter. And then bake the very bread that has made him and his whole team so renowned.

Our capitalist culture reveres leaders who use money to make themselves look big. Weinzweig, his partners and team make money, enough for the Zingerman’s empire to be big, but he does it from the grace of his big heart. His books bear this touch of tremendous love for people and the world, and the food he and his team produces at Zingerman’s does, too. When I visited to get a sandwich in the deli a line wrapped around to the cheese counter; kids wandered through their parents’ legs, playing; lovers locked arms; and the aroma of good food filled the air. I felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be in that moment.

And I stood in line a second time to have Weinzweig sign my copies of his books on leadership. The signature reads: “Colleen: Here’s to owning our lives!”

Three cheers to that, Ari. And thank you.

photography: Antonis Achilleos

WALNUT AND CURRANT RUGELACH

From Zingerman’s Bakehouse by Amy Emberling and Frank Carollo Rugelach are the most popular and well-known Jewish cookies in the United States and are definitely the most popular Jewish cookies we make at the bakery. This version is a mix between a cookie and a pastry, with a delicate and flaky dough (two-thirds of the dough is fat—butter and cream cheese) encasing special fillings, sprinkled with sugar, and baked until golden brown.

Rugelach evolved from the Eastern European Jewish cookie called kipfel. In the early 1950s, the name “rugelach” appeared, and now it has taken over. The word seems to come from rug (Slavic for “horn”) and lakh (a diminutive plural), thus “little horns.”

The original cookie was made with a yeasted dough. The now very common unleavened form was first introduced in the United States in the 20th century because it was easier to make and stayed fresh longer than the yeasted version. The use of cream cheese in the dough started in the early 1950s.

The popularity of rugelach is surprising to us because they’re plain looking, without a lot of eye appeal. People who have never tried them are shocked at how good they are. Rugelach can be made in many different flavors—apricot, raspberry, and chocolate, to name a few. This is our most popular flavor—walnuts and currants.

MAKES 16 RUGELACH

DOUGH

Unsalted butter, room temperature ¾ cup 170 g

Philadelphia cream cheese, room temperature ¾ cup 170 g

Sea salt ½ tsp

Pastry flour 1 cup plus 3 Tbsp 170 g

FILLING

Walnuts ½ cup 55 g

Currants ⅓ cup plus 1 Tbsp 55 g

Granulated sugar ⅓ cup 65 g

Ground cinnamon 1 tsp

ASSEMBLY

Unsalted butter, melted ¼ cup 55 g

Ground cinnamon 1 Tbsp

Granulated sugar ½ cup plus 2 Tbsp 140 g

MAKE THE DOUGH

Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, cream cheese, and salt. Mix until well combined but not airy. Add the flour and mix until fully incorporated. Remove the dough from the mixing bowl and flatten out into an even disk about 8 in [20 cm] in diameter. Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. The dough needs to chill completely before it is rolled out.

MAKE THE FILLING

Toast the walnuts on a sheet tray in a 325°F [165°C] oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until they’re a deep golden brown. Let cool, then chop them in a food processor or with a knife until they are the same size as the currants.

In a medium bowl, mix the walnuts, currants, sugar, and cinnamon together. Set aside.

ASSEMBLE AND BAKE THE RUGELACH

Preheat the oven to 350°F [180°C].

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and unwrap it. Lightly flour a work surface and place the disk of dough on it. Lightly flour the top of the dough and roll the dough into a 14-in [35-cm] circle about ⅛ in [4 mm] thick. Keep moving the dough as you’re rolling it to make sure it doesn’t stick.

Brush the surface of the dough with melted butter and spread the filling mixture on it evenly. With a pastry wheel cutter, cut the dough circle into 16 even, triangular wedges. Starting at the outer edge, roll each piece to the center. The resulting cookie will look like a crescent or a little horn.

Mix the cinnamon and sugar. Place the rolled rugelach on a parchment-lined baking sheet, brush the tops with melted butter, and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake for 28 to 30 minutes. The rugelach should be golden brown and flaky.

*This is a paid advertisement.

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

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

EAT, DRINK & SHOP LOCAL GUIDE

Getting Hoosier-grown goodness on your plate doesn’t have to involve hours in the kitchen. These fine establishments proudly serve up the freshest locally sourced cuisine.

The farm-to-table movement begins with Central Indiana farms and dedicated producers who care about bringing only the best to market, which is a very good thing for locally owned restaurants that search out the best dairy, meat, produce and beverages for their patrons.

Farm-to-table is gaining momentum not only with born-and-bred Hoosiers, but the many visitors to Central Indiana. Edible Indy connects growers, producers and food artisans with their community.

Here is a select list of some of those chefs and owners who take great pride in celebrating Hoosier-grown goodness.

BURGER STUDY

A premium, full-service burger restaurant and bar dedicated to expanding one’s perception of what a burger can be. We are locally owned and pride ourselves on serving premium burgers crafted from the best-quality Midwest Prime beef and other locally sourced ingredients. We feature craft cocktails, beer and wine.

28 W. Georgia St. | Indianapolis BurgerStudy.com

JOE’S NEXT DOOR

The best of Joe’s Butcher Shop prepared for you. Our team of chefs will build the freshest, most unique and mouthwatering sandwiches at our walk-up counter, cater your special events and you can even grab our daily made dishes to go.

111 W. Main St., Ste. 110 | Carmel JoesButcherShop.com

DEBRAND

Indianapolis location now open at Keystone at the Crossing. Stop in to indulge in our chocolate truffles, classic chocolates or one of the dozens of other tasty treats. And don’t miss our dessert bar including our delicious ice cream sundaes. Fine chocolates at their best.

8685 River Crossing Blvd. Indianapolis DeBrand.com

NOOK

Located in the heart of downtown Indianapolis, Nook fuses a variety of culinary cuisines while incorporating Paleo principles including simple, fresh, whole foods. We believe in flavorful foods that fuel a healthier you.

15 E. Maryland St. | Indianapolis NookPaleo.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

THE ROOST

Formerly Finch’s Brasserie, The Roost caters to a beautiful new atmosphere and menu. Featuring seasonal dishes integrated with international flavors, Chef Seth Elgar delights with every dish. They provide a friendly and lively atmosphere with a top-notch cocktail and wine program featuring some of the finest drinks in Central Indiana.

514 E. Kirkwood | Bloomington FinchsBrasserie.com

Find out how your business could benefit from a partnership with Edible Indy.

FARM-BLOOMINGTON

A Bloomington award-winning original creating gastronomical dishes for brunch, lunch and dinner based on the seasonality of the 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

ROOSTER’S KITCHEN

Celebrating a year on Mass Ave. 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

THE GARDEN TABLE

A local eatery and fresh juicery in the heart of the Broad Ripple Village and on Mass Ave. in downtown Indianapolis 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.

908 E. Westfield Blvd. | Indianapolis 342 Massachusetts Ave., #100 Indianapolis TheGardenTable.com

SPOKE & STEELE

Your local downtown neighborhood restaurant featuring a newly inspired menu by Chef Greg Hardesty. Food with a purpose produced with local artisans and created to pair perfect with our topnotch bourbon program.

123 S. Illinois St. | Indianapolis SpokeAndSteele.com

GOODS FOR COOKS

Offering kitchenware, gifts and fine foods, this Bloomington staple will empower you in the kitchen. Celebrating 45 years of connecting people to their food.

115 N. College Ave. | Bloomington GoodsForCooks.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

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

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