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Charlie Kimball’s grandmother, Dorcas Thille, and father, Gordon Kimball, are prominent in the agriculture Community of Ventura County, California.

THE KIMBALL KITCHEN

An inside look at IndyCar driver Charlie Kimball’s love of food

words: Charity Singleton Craig | photography: Chris Bucher

Watching IndyCar driver Charlie Kimball carefully slice an avocado, it’s hard to imagine this is the same guy who’s built a career zipping around race tracks throughout the world at more than 200 miles per hour. Then again, there are a lot of things that might not be immediately apparent when you first meet the 33-year-old from Ventura County, California.

For instance, Kimball is about to be a dad for the first time. He and wife, Kathleen, are expecting a child in November. The “dad jokes,” which Kathleen teases him about, “will just be jokes” when the baby arrives, he says.

Kimball finished 18th in this year’s Indianapolis 500 as a member of the Carlin team. He is the first licensed IndyCar driver with Type 1 diabetes. Diagnosed in 2007, he returned to racing in 2008 and has been sponsored by Novo Nordisk, which produces his insulin, since 2009. Kimball’s 6-year-old black Lab, Lilah, has been trained as a service dog and helps Kimball manage his disease by identifying and alerting him to low blood sugar levels and by getting help when Kimball needs it. Lilah also does an impressive downward dog in response to Kimball’s command to “kiss the bricks.”

A Legacy of Avocados

Then there are the avocados, which Kimball sliced and mashed on the counter during our interview, while Kathleen whipped up a summer flatbread. Kimball’s adeptness with the fruit isn’t part of the recent craze for avocado toast and all things green and mushy, though. His family has farmed citrus and avocados for the past six generations, including his grandmother Dorcas Thille and his father, Gordon Kimball, who continue to own and operate avocado farms tucked between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara.

The family grows mostly Hass avocados, which Kimball says develop a bumpy exterior as the fruit ripens. In fact, bumpy might be the right word to describe the whole operation of growing avocados, which prefer rocky hillsides with well-drained soil, in places where the climate can grow hot and dry for long stretches at a time.

Unfortunately, ideal avocado-growing conditions are also ideal for the massive forest fires that perennially plague California. When the winds turned just right in December 2017, more than 60% of the Kimball avocado orchard, along with the house, barns and irrigation system for the remaining trees, was destroyed in a day by what was known as the Thomas Fire. But for Kimball, at least the worst was avoided.

“We were able to get everybody off the hill safely. People were all safe, the ranch hands who had been working for days to keep everything protected got all their cars and personal belongings out,” says Kimball, who, along with Kathleen, rushed to California from their Indianapolis home to help out during the fires and in the initial recovery period. IndyCar driver Charlie Kimball with his wife, Kathleen, in their home kitchen in Indianapolis

The US Forest Service estimated that nearly 282,000 acres were affected in the Thomas Fire overall, with 1,063 structures destroyed and 280 damaged. For the Kimballs, rebuilding will be slow. In fact, Kimball said his family doesn’t expect to be back to 100% production for about 10 years. Part of the reason is a shortage of tree stock in a high-demand avocado market. This year, they hope to purchase and plant 1,000 of the 12,000 trees they need. But the trees also take five to seven years to mature, and the growing season for an avocado is 18 months.

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“Even so, the outreach from the community has been amazing. Everyone, all the suppliers, have really come together,” Kimball says.

Californian Hoosiers

Just as Kimball sees no tension between the fast and slow interests of his professional life, he’s also comfortable being what he calls a “California Hoosier,” having moved with Kathleen to the Indianapolis area around 2011, the same year he became the first licensed driver with diabetes to qualify for and complete in the Indy 500.

“I feel like California is where we’re supposed to be from, but Indiana is where we’re supposed to be now,” says Kathleen, who supports Kimball’s racing career by traveling with him to races and helping him manage his diabetes through food and nutrition.

Having grown up in America’s largest agriculture-producing state, the Kimballs both love to cook, especially fresh and local foods. But living in the Midwest has given them an appreciation for a more seasonal approach to cooking and eating that changes with the weather. Kathleen describes the experience of eating a garden-fresh tomato after months without one, and when the weather turns cool Kimball says he craves stews and chili.

“We like to be local about food, food prep. We like to support local restaurants and suppliers,” Kimball says, pointing out that the knife he used to slice the avocado is by local knife maker Ash Blaed, which he purchased for Kathleen as a gift.

“We build our meals around what’s available,” Kathleen adds, though admittedly it took her a while to get used to not having her own lemon tree in the backyard, a California staple.

Welcome and Nourished

They’ve also built a life the same way, gathering friends and neighbors together for holidays and vacations, since, until recently when Kathleen’s mom and brother moved into the area, they were far away from family.

“Because we travel so much, when we’re home we like to ‘be home.’ So our house tends to be the one that people gather at,” Kathleen says. “Our friends tend to come over here a lot, and that’s what we want our home to be. Somewhere where people come over and feel welcome and leave nourished.”

Often Charlie grills or smokes something on his Big Green Egg in the couple’s three-season outdoor kitchen. His favorite is ribs, made with Chef JJ’s rib rub recipe. Inside, Kathleen tries out new recipes on the black granite countertop, or whips up one of her “famous” well-requested desserts, like pumpkin cheesecake.

In the future, when the Kimballs retire from the speed of racing, the California Hoosiers will return to the slower pace of their family’s avocado ranch. Charlie plans to join his sister to help carry on the farming tradition.

But even when the Kimballs leave the Midwest, I suspect the Midwest will never really leave them. Instead, they’ll take the “Hoosier” in them back to California, importing vine-ripe Hoosier tomatoes and Indiana-raised baby back ribs to go with the avocados and lemons they once again pluck from their own backyard.

Follow Charlie Kimball on social media @CharlieKimball or find at CharlieKimball.com.

Market District Pasta sauce

The Best Got Even Better!

11505 N. Illinois St., Carmel, IN 46032 | 317.569.0171

Our Chefs don’t take our name lightly, so when they are tasked with creating a recipe that will wear the Market District brand, they won’t settle for anything short of outstanding. No matter how long it takes, how intense the process, they keep their knives sharp and the fire hot.

And, that’s pretty much what it took when it came to upping the ante on our pasta sauces — formulating, testing and finely honing recipes to meet our ridiculously higher expectations: • 100% fresh Italian plum tomatoes — not tomato concentrate or paste, or other fillers to stretch • Fresh garlic and real cream • Imported olive oil • No preservatives or artificial sweeteners • Freshly chopped herbs and vegetables — never dried • Cooked in small batch sauté pans to distribute heat accurately

Our new and improved pasta sauce varieties include:

• Marinara — An exquisite everyday sauce, this traditional Marinara is made with a soffritto of garlic, onion and olive oil, and 100% imported

Italian plum tomatoes, slowly simmered to create the delicate texture of a high-quality homemade sauce. Finished with fresh, chopped basil and thyme, it is stupendously flavorful and versatile. • Alfredo — Expertly crafted from buttery cream, Romano and

Parmigiano Reggiano® cheeses with a touch of garlic and black pepper, this rich, cheesy, yet delicately flavored sauce brings pasta to its heavenly heights. Mix with chicken, mushrooms and snap peas for a full meal in one!

• Tomato Basil — Made with fresh, chopped basil, fine imported olive oil and 100% Italian-grown plum tomatoes, our basil sauce is delicately prepared to offer the light texture, balanced taste and unmatched quality of authentic southern Italian sauces. • Tomato Vodka — Begun as a soffritto of fresh, chopped garlic, carrots, celery and onions, this sauce is transformed with 100% imported Italian plum tomatoes, the finest Romano and Parmesan cheeses and real cream and vodka for an exceptionally flavorful, rich and indulgent sauce. • Arrabbiata — A classic Roman sauce made with 100% Italian plum tomatoes and imported olive oil, with fresh, chopped basil, garlic, onions and crushed red pepper to add a flavorful kick. • Bolognese — In rich, Italian style, this sauce is a hearty, yet finely flavored blend of Italian tomatoes and savory beef and pork cooked with red wine, garlic and other delicate spices. A blessing in every bite.

Just open, heat and pour over our Market District 100% semolina pastas. Dinner’s done!

Tailgating & oktoberfest

Get Your Game On!

In our minds, Oktoberfest and tailgating are on the same menu. Each requires substantially flavorful and filling foods that fill the desire to celebrate both teams and traditions!

To start with, we have Chef Ben D’Amico’s amazing recipe for Beer Cheese Dip, which crosses the field. Drizzle it on tailgating sliders and Johnsonville Brats (available in everything from Original and Cheddar to hot Firecracker and Queso Jack) and you can’t help but score with friends and families! If you’re making our Certified Angus Beef® Slides, drizzle it on for a topping that’s a touchdown for culinary cache every time!

Beer Cheese Dip

Compliments of Chef Ben D’Amico

• 8 oz. BL™ extra-sharp cheese spread (in Dairy Aisle)* • 8 oz. Nature’s Basket cream cheese • 1 Tbsp. Market District cayenne hot sauce • 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

Serves 10

Prep Time 10 min.

• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg • 1/2 tsp. kosher salt • 1/2 tsp. fresh-ground black pepper • 4 fl. oz. beer (your favorite)

1. Allow the cheese spread and cream cheese to soften before starting. 2. Combine all ingredients (except beer) in a mixing bowl. 3. Blend the ingredients together until smooth. 4. Slowly add in half of the beer, mix until smooth, then add the rest of the beer. 5. Dip should be smooth and creamy. For a thinner dip, add additional beer until desired consistency is reached. 6. Serve cold or warm up in microwave.

*8 oz. of Market District Vermont White Cheddar cheese can be used in place of cheese spread. Cut it into small pieces and then process until it is finely grated into a paste.

Nutritional Information (Per serving): Calories 160, Fat 13g, Sat. Fat 7g, Trans Fat 0g, Cholesterol 35mg, Sodium 380mg, Total Carbohydrate 5g, Fiber 0g, Sugars 3g, Protein 7g

Nutritional values are based on data from the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference. Actual nutritional values may vary due to preparation techniques, variations related to suppliers, regional and seasonal differences, or rounding.

Illustration by Matt Walker

• 2 slices Market District smokehouse bacon • 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped • 1 garlic clove, minced • 1-1/2 lbs. Certified Angus Beef® ground beef • 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1. In a skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Remove and drain on paper towels. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of bacon fat. Cook onion in bacon fat until translucent, about 3 minutes, then add garlic and cook 30 seconds longer. Remove mixture from pan and let cool. Crumble bacon when cool enough to handle. 2. In a large bowl, combine beef, bacon, onion mixture, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper, and mix well. Form into 12 small patties and chill for 30 minutes. 3. Preheat grill to medium. Cook burgers for about 7 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160°F, turning once halfway through. Drizzle burgers with equal amounts of Beer Cheese Dip and serve on Market District slider rolls. • 1/4 tsp. salt • 1/4 tsp. pepper • 1/2 cup Beer Cheese Dip • 12 Market District slider rolls

Nutritional Information (Per Slider): Calories 270, Fat 16g, Sat. Fat 8g, Trans Fat 0g, Cholesterol 100mg, Sodium 370mg, Total Carbohydrate 16g, Fiber 1g, Sugars 4g, Protein 16g

Nutritional values are based on data from the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference. Actual nutritional values may vary due to preparation techniques, variations related to suppliers, regional and seasonal differences, or rounding.

Illustration by Matt Walker

Tailgating? Call Our Catering Champs!

Our Catering Team are MVPs when it comes to tasteful tailgating. Strategy number one: send in our Famous Fried Chicken! We recommend two pieces per person, but you can be sure if you buy a little bit more, it won’t last long.

For a cold option, try our Petite Sandwiches Trays, averaging two sandwiches per person. They have great variety — something for everyone — and are easy to eat while watching the game.

Our Veggie Platters or Crudité Trays are also a big hit. They add a little color and a healthier option for fans, and serve up to 40! Our Sushi Platters just keep getting more popular — finger foods in tons of different choices. They feed up to 20 as a snack/ appetizer and add a little class to your party.

For sides, we love our Pasta Supreme or

Mediterranean Orzo — both unique and flavorful. Or, try our Cobb Salad. It serves up to 40 and has fresh greens, chicken and avocado. And, of course you need sweets! We can do gobs and cupcakes in team colors and our cookie trays are fabulous. Please order two days in advance to help us make your game day deliciously easy!

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11505 N. Illinois St. Carmel Carmel, IN 46032 317.569.0171