Current Publishing Consume Food and Drinks Guide – Winter 2022

January 2022

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FOOD & DRINKS GUIDE

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January 2022

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January 2022

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Matteo’s to visit Italy

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Great Dine Out returns

By Anna Skinner anna@youarecurrent.com

By Anna Skinner anna@youarecurrent.com

After a two-year hiatus because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Matteo’s Ristorante Italiano will again organize trips to Italy.

A group of 40 guests will visit Sicily, Amalfi Coast, Pompeii, Matera and Rome during a 12-day trip beginning Oct. 12. Out of the 40 open spots for the trip, 36 people have already signed up. Participants must pay their own trip fare. The trip is open to the public.

Matteo’s Ristorante Italiano co-owner Adson Franco said the Italy trips began in 2018 and were so popular the restaurant considered expanding them to other destinations, like Greece and South America.

Three trips were scheduled in 2020 but were canceled because of the pandemic.

No trips were scheduled in 2021.

“The primary goal with these trips is to take our guests so they can have the local experience,” Franco said. “We do some sightseeing during the trips, but the main thing is, we go to a lot of small businesses — farmers who grow their own grapes and make their own wines. We go to limoncello

January is often a slow time for restaurants. Coupled with the COVID-19 pandemic, restaurant owners expressed heightened concern about business in the 2021 winter season. That’s when Hamilton County Tourism launched the Great Dine Out. The Great Dine Out celebrates its second year and runs through Jan. 31. More than 40 participating restaurants will offer deals and discounts for dine-in and carryout meals. After eight check-ins using an online passport, participants are eligible to receive a $25 gift card to a local restaurant while supplies last. Each check-in will be entered for an overall grand prize for a Hamilton County prize pack, including a hotel stay, attraction passes and gift cards.

“It was wildly successful last year,” said Ashley Ledford, Hamilton County Tourism’s director of marketing and promotions.

“Restaurants are such a vital part of the tourism economy, and we thought we would bring it back for a second year to show our support to those important partners.”

A map depicting the travel plans for Matteo’s Ristorante Italiano’s trip to Italy. (Map courtesy of Adson Franco)

factories. We go to places that make bread, pastries. We keep them really engaged in the Italian culture through food and wine.”

Franco said if there’s a favorite dish the travelers try while they’re abroad, he’ll offer it as a specialty on the restaurant menu.

Franco and his business partner, restaurant co-owner Joelcir Antunes, alternate taking the trips with the guests.

Franco said about 80 percent of the people who sign up for the trips have taken other trips with the restaurant.

For more, contact the restaurant’s travel agent Kristin Knott at kknott@aaahoosier. com.

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Schoolhouse 7 Café in Fishers is participating in the Great Dine Out. (Photos courtesy of Hamilton County Tourism)

After the first week of the Great Dine Out, more than 1,500 people had accessed the online passport.

“It’s a great way for us to promote local restaurants and get people out dining when it’s traditionally a slower season for them,” Ledford said.

After a diner signs up for the passport, they should either bookmark the link or save it to their phone home screen. Then, when the diner visits a participating restaurant, they check in with the passport. All participating restaurants will offer a deal or discount.

For more, visit dineouthamiltoncounty.com.

YOUR PURCHASE

One offer per visit. Cannot combine with any other offers. One offer per table. Not valid for tax and gratuity. Dine in only. Valid only during dinner hours. Offer expires 3/31/2022

40 N 9th Street Noblesville, IN 46060

317-774-9771 www.matteosindy.com LUNCH: Mon-Fri 11:00 am – 2:00 pm, DINNER: Mon-Thur 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm Fri 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm, Sat 3:00 pm – 10:00 pm Sun 3:00 pm – 9:00 pm

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January 2022

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Needler’s Fresh Market settles in Carmel

By Anna Skinner anna@youarecurrent.com Since opening in Carmel in August 2021, Needler’s Fresh Market has made itself at home at 4755 E. 126th St. “We were called upon by some of the government officials that were saying, ‘Boy, they really, really needed a retailer to go in that location,’” Needler’s co-owner and Vice President of Marketing Julie Needler Anderson said. “The fact that it was in a former

Marsh kind of led them to us because we have, of course, purchased some of the former Marsh stores.”

The location was previously a Joe O’Malia’s Food Markets store, which was purchased by Marsh but retained the O’Malia name until it closed in 2017. Anderson said area residents were hoping for another independent retailer.

“We try to understand what they’re looking for before we open,” Anderson said. “We don’t have a one-size-fits-all. We really try

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to evaluate the needs of the community. In this particular case, we thought there might be a need for a high-quality meat offering.

“In addition, we have created an exciting offering for seafood.”

Besides selling meat and seafood, such as mahi mahi and red snapper, the Carmel store offers other specialties, such as Roundabout Donuts, a nod to Carmel’s dozens of roundabouts.

Needler’s features products of local farmers and retailers, including Oberweis Dairy,

Tulip Tree Creamery, Rosie’s Baked Goods, Amelia’s Bread, Hubbard & Cravens coffee, Tinker Coffee, Indie Coffee Roasters, Broad Ripple Chips, Sushi Boss sushi, Smoking Goose Meatery, Miller’s Amish Poultry, Indiana Kitchen Pork, Fischer Farms meats, Uplift Salads, Circle City Kombucha, Sun King Brewery and Oliver Winery.

Julie Needler Anderson owns the grocery with her brother, Michael Needler Jr., the company’s CEO. For more, visit needlersfreshmarket.com.

Building a Culinary Community Haute cuisine by high schoolers? Yes really!

Cheftacular 2022, brought to you by The Olive Mill and Carmel Culinary Boosters, Carmel High School students will be serving up a mouth-watering array of delicious dinners and eye-opening desserts, all under the mentorship of the best culinary artists in Hamilton County. In the spirit of friendly competition and passing on knowledge, chefs partner with students to give them handson experience in the restaurant industry.

Cheftacular is about education, artistry and most importantly, giving back to our community.

“While developing their cooking skills, the students learn that food can be a powerful tool to help others.” says Nick Carter, culinary instructor at Carmel High School. Cheftacular 2022 will be on May 2nd, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm at Carter Green, and will benefit the culinary arts program at Carmel High School and the Hamilton County Harvest Food Bank. Chefs! Want to pass on your

skills to the next generation of culinary artists?

We’re looking for chefs from local restaurants in the Hamilton County area to mentor high school students and compete for the title of Cheftacular winner! We’re also accepting local business sponsorships and food vendors to add interesting new ingredients to our menu. You too could be part of this annual appetizing affair!

Follow CHS Culinary and Cheftacular @carmelculinaryboosters

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Cheftacular 2022

25+ Tastings • May 2, 2022 - 6:30-8:30PM Carmel, Indiana • Carter Green

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10 S. Rangeline Road

In the Arts & Design District of Carmel, IN

Open Sun: 12-5, Mon-Sat: 10-6

January 2022

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Recipe: Tidy Joseph’s

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BEHIND BARS: USING LIMONCELLO IN COCKTAILS

Commentary by Torrie Hudson

Commentary by Anna Skinner

Turning simple foods into something fancy can be challenging and is also one of my favorite things to do. The sloppy Joe sandwich doesn’t always have to be “sloppy,” so let me introduce you to the Tidy Joseph’s!

They’re great for parties, gatherings or for the kids.

Ingredients: 1 pound Joe’s Premium Grind from Joe’s Butcher Shop in Carmel (or turkey), 1 shallot, 4 cloves of garlic, salt and pepper to taste, 1 6 oz. can of tomato paste, 1 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce, 1/4 cup water, slider buns, 2 teaspoons butter, 1/2 cup gouda cheese, shredded, 1/4 cup pickled onions, diced Directions: In a skillet, on medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add in chopped shallots. Next, add your chopped garlic (sprinkle with salt and pepper). When it becomes fragrant, add your ground meat.

Brown until cooked thoroughly. Add the can of tomato paste and continue to stir until mixed in. Add the water and simmer for 3 minutes. Next add the BBQ Sauce. Turn down the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Preheat

Matteo’s Ristorante Italiano, 40 N. Ninth St., Noblesville, is famous for its house-made limoncello, and many diners order it straight for a delightful after-dinner drink. However, Matteo’s also uses the lemon elixir in several of its cocktails, including the recipes below. The drinks look similar but have very different flavor profiles.

Torrie Hudson’s Tidy Joseph’s recipe takes a traditional sloppy Joe and makes it tidy. (Photo courtesy of Torrie Hudson)

your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Melt butter in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Brush the inside of the buns with the melted butter and place them on a baking sheet. Heat them in the oven for about 5 minutes or until they are golden brown.

Scoop the meat onto the bun. Top off with shredded gouda and diced pickled onions.

Try adding your favorite hot sauce!

Torrie Hudson is a photographer, artist, entrepreneur and Indiana native who also loves to cook. Hudson lives in Noblesville. To contact him, visit his Instagram page @torriehudson or email torrie@ torrieH.com.

MATTEO’S SORRENTINI Ingredients: • 3 oz. limoncello • 1 oz. citron vodka • 1 oz. pink lemonade • Lemon slice Directions: Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a martini glass garnished with a sugar rim and lemon slice.

ITALIAN LEMON DROP Ingredients: • 2 oz. limoncello • 1 oz. amaretto • 1 oz. fresh lemon juice • Lemon slice Directions: Shake ingredients with ice and strain into martini glass garnished with a sugar rim and lemon slice.

Italian Lemon Drop. (Photo by Anna Skinner)

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us on social media @bierbrewerynorth 20% Follow off Your next Food purchase Family Friendly

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To Make a reservation, Visit us on Open Tables or Call (317)564-4126 To Order Online or View our Menu Visit Savorcarmel.com 211 W. Main Street 46032, Carmel, IN

January 2022

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On the dry side of wine

By Anna Skinner anna@youarecurrent.com Sugar Creek Winery owner David Phillips is doing his part to provide an interesting wine destination for local residents. The winery, 1111 W. Main St., Suite 165, Carmel, is decorated with a cabin and lake house theme, and all the wines are named after rivers, creeks, streams and rapids.

Phillips planted the vineyard in Montgomery County in 2012. Sugar Creek Winery opened in September 2018.

Although Phillips grows his own grapes, he must import some for the wines at Sugar Creek Winery because those grapes are not suitable for Indiana winters. He grows two white varieties and two red varieties in his 2 1/2-acre vineyard in Montgomery County.

Sugar Creek Winery lends itself to palates that prefer drier wines.

“Most Indiana growers and winemakers tend to be on the sweeter side,” said Phillips, a Carmel resident. “I think that’s somewhat of a Midwestern wine taste. That’s not true here, and I think it’s probably the Carmel demographic.”

Phillips said dry wines are 75 percent of

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Artisan your Valentine

David Phillips pours a glass of wine at Sugar Creek Winery in Carmel. (Photo by Anna Skinner)

his sales. There are 22 wines on the list, 14 of which are on the drier side.

Besides selling wine, Phillips wants to help nonprofits in the area. He allows nonprofits to freely access the winery’s back room, which seats between 14 and 25 people.

Creek Winery offers guided wine tastings, live music and events such as wine pairings with Girl Scout cookies. It is pet and child friendly.

For more, visit sugarcreekwinery.com.

Handmade • Small Batch Indiana Artisan Stop in or text for gift ideas

Indiana Artisan Gifts & Gallery

22 N. Rangeline Rd, Carmel 317.964.9455 IndianaArtisan.org

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June 8, 2021

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