Edible Indy Fall 2023 | No. 49

edible INDY

Let’s Go Crazy

DEPARTMENTS

RECIPES

C e l e brating10 y ears

photography:JenniferL

Rubenstein

“Dearly beloved, we have gathered here today

To get through this thing called life

Electric word life, it means forever and that’s a mighty long time But I’m here to tell you, there’s something else

The afterworld, a world of never-ending happiness

You can always see the sun, day or night”

REFLECTIONS

—Prince, “Purple Rain”

This issue celebrates the spicy love of life, a life that is crazy, that goes too fast sometimes and that truly is precious. This September 3 we celebrated our 10-year anniversary of being storytellers of the soul of Indiana food, soapbox preachers to advocate for positive change, for inclusion, for those without strong voices and for those who just want company in sharing in the greater good.

This issue was first called “Golden Years”—after a favorite song of mine by David Bowie—but as we got into putting the issue together we realized the crazy goodness of each story and the reflection our youth, the creativity we breathe, the peace we seek and the magic that surrounds us—all symbols of the color purple. And who better represents purple than Prince himself?

This issue’s cover is part of our ongoing series of inspirations combining mono colors, a song and our beloved Elizabeth Hannah, who has created many of our covers including every issue this year. This one includes purple onions and turnips grown by our friend Jason Michael Thomas (who is a crazy badass) and an elephant hibiscus from my own garden, planted when my youngest daughter, Mara, was born. All are important ingredients in this issue and in my life.

We have enjoyed every single word we have printed in our 38 issues thus far—more than 400,000 copies distributed, 21 million pages printed with more than 7.2 billion words scribbled across the pages. So, let’s go crazy celebrating and savoring the amazing work all our contributors, artists and features have put towards this stellar issue.

With gratitude and hope,

edible INDY

PUBLISHER

Rubenstein Hills LLC

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Jennifer L. Rubenstein

jennifer@edibleindy.com

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Jeff Rubenstein

MANAGING EDITOR

Francine Spiering

COPY EDITOR

Doug Adrianson

DESIGN

Cheryl Koehler

SALES

jennifer@edibleindy.com

CONTACT US

Have a story you’d like to see featured? Send us your ideas.

editor@edibleindy.com

Jennifer Rubenstein 2023 Indiana Grown Commission Board Member

The fun part of a song-themed issue is the memories it brings back. Let’s Go Crazy comes with a flashback to the late ’80s when a young me first saw his Royal Purple Badness in concert. Purple suddenly became my favorite color after seeing Prince in action—and it still is a color that I associate with special. That includes the purples in foods such as dark opal basil, shiny perfect eggplants, forbidden rice and purple pole beans (although I feel a little deflated when the beautiful purple turns green when you cook the beans). Purple in nature is most outstanding. I think specifically of the vague purple that appears when Northern Lights dance across the night sky. Or, more down to earth, the beautiful purples shading autumn leaves.

Purple, to Prince, was also an apocalyptic color. In Let’s Go Crazy he warns that “if the elevator tries to bring you down, go crazy, punch a higher floor.” Interpret it as an encouragement to take charge, to determine the direction you are going and to imagine beyond what’s in front of our eyes. After (another) summer of record-breaking extreme weather and wildfires, we need to punch for a higher floor, or else that elevator will take us down.

With pleasure,

Francine Spiering

Want to advertise with us? Reach out to me personally at jennifer@edibleindy.com. Scan

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GOODS FOR COOKS IS GOLDEN

Bloomington’s staple kitchenware store celebrates 50 years

words: Kristian DePue | photography: Jennifer L. Rubenstein

An hour southwest of Indianapolis, the university town of Bloomington is famous for basketball, bicycling, Bedford Limestone and being the “Gateway to Scenic Southern Indiana,” where the Hoosier landscape changes from flatlands and farmed fields to robust rolling hills.

Less well known, Bloomington is a culinary melting pot of good taste in the Midwest—from Tibetan dishes to Turkish to Thai—and in the epicenter is a cooking supply store: Goods for Cooks.

Located in a historic building on the downtown courthouse square, Goods for Cooks is an independent, locally owned retailer featuring quality kitchen equipment and specialties. Founded in 1973 by Charlotte Zeitlow and Marilyn Schultz, this mom-and-pop shop has been run by various owners with the baton being passed from the founders to Bob Swanson to Beth Hollingsworth to Andrew and Charlotte Appel.

Currently, Goods for Cooks is operated by a brother-and-sister duo, George Huntington and Samantha “Sam” Eibling, along with Sam’ s husband, Doug. Born and raised in Bloomington, Sam and George purchased Goods for Cooks in 2017, bringing relevant experience to enhance the long-standing staple. Surviving the 2020 pandemic brought a clear awareness of the love Bloomington locals have for the kitchenware store, cementing Goods for Cooks as a cultural fixture in the community.

“We have an international population and a well-educated public,” says Sam. “It’s a university town, so we have customers knowing what they want—but sometimes, surprised when they find more.”

Before Goods for Cooks, George worked for years running the local Blooming Foods Co-op Market and operating an organic farm: “I felt retirement encroaching but saw that the venerable Goods for Cooks was looking to pass the torch.”

“Our stewardship was serendipitous,” continues George. “I considered who would make a good partner, and my sweet sister popped up. Over beers, the decision was made overnight and the rest is history.”

The holiday season is a persistently busy time of year for Sam, George and the store.

“

Roughly 50% of our annual sales occurs in the fourth quarter,” says George. “We’re a shop where a lot of people come to buy a gift for the holidays. We get very busy—all hands on deck.”

“That’s a slow time for Doug, my husband [who works at Indiana University],” Sam adds. “The holidays are when Doug puts on his ‘Goods for Cooks hat’ and helps here at the shop.”

Goods for Cooks offers gift wrapping and a gift basket service, which is highly requested from late fall through the new year. The shop offers other

Opposite from left: Owners George Huntington, Samantha Eibling, Doug Eibling

Community is kept and cherished by generosity, and Goods for Cooks is a prime example. Cheers to 50 years!

services, including knife sharpening. Often, they can sharpen your knives while you wait—many on the Goods for Cooks team are trained.

“Goods for Cooks is a gem in Bloomington,” says local patron Pamela Roberts. “They have a great selection of gourmet foods, cookware, knives, dishes, appliances and more. My husband Ken and I are particularly fond of their Shun knives, gourmet jams and baking goods.”

She adds, “The staff is incredibly warm, offering help with so many items—from dishes you want to prepare to tips on knives and bakeware.”

Alex Wingate, a PhD student at Indiana University, describes Goods for Cooks as her “happy place in Bloomington.”

“If I’m not at home, class or the library, it’s not a bad bet I’m on my way to Goods for Cooks, at Goods for Cooks, or coming home from Goods for Cooks,” says Wingate. “Everyone there is so lovely and helpful … with delicious food, cookbooks and any kitchen item you’d ever want.”

Sam and George not only operate their business but are involved in the Bloomington community,

supporting a diversity of difference makers.

“Sam and I are on the same page that it’ s incumbent on business owners to give back to the community,” says George. “We support arts organizations here, and we’ve sponsored concert series.”

“We give monetarily, but one of the best ways to ensure positive organizations prosper is to give time—to volunteer,” George emphasizes. Perhaps that’s the note to leave this on: Community is kept and cherished by generosity, and Goods for Cooks is a prime example. Cheers to 50 years! n

Goods for Cooks | 115 N. College Ave., Bloomington | Instagram and Facebook

@GoodsForCooks | GoodsForCooks.com

812.339.2200

Born and raised in rural Indiana, Kristian DePue has worked as a contributing writer for several years. After residing in colorful Colorado for a few years, he’s happy to be a Hoosier again.

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WONDERLAB MARKS A QUARTER CENTURY

The award-winning WonderLab Museum of Science, Health & Technology is in the heart of Bloomington. WonderLab was incorporated in 1995 as a private nonprofit organization with volunteers offering handson science outreach services. In 1998, it opened its first brick-and-mortar location. The current facility opened 20 years ago, in March 2003. More than one million visitors have experienced the wonder and excitement of its exhibits.

WonderLab | 308 W. 4th St., Bloomington Instagram and Facebook @WonderLabMuseum WonderLabMuseum.org

GEORGETOWN MARKET HITS 50

Indy’s Georgetown Natural Foods Market is a health foods and natural supplements store that has helped Circle City make good choices since 1973. The market is located midway between Eagle Creek Park and downtown and has been family-owned and -operated since opening.

Georgetown Natural Foods Market

4375 Georgetown Rd., Indianapolis Facebook and Instagram @georgetownmarket GeorgetownMarket.com

THE VOGUE IN INDY IS 85

Located in the Broad Ripple neighborhood of Circle City, The Vogue is one of the most popular and storied venues in the Midwest. The Vogue originally opened as a movie theater in June 1938, and remained a premier Midwest motion picture house for decades. In 1977, it was reimagined as a nightclub. Today, it’s considered a top destination for live music in Indianapolis, winning awards and earning the accolades of musicians, industry-leading DJs and nationally touring artists. The Vogue | 6259 N. College Ave., Indianapolis Facebook @TheVogue | Instagram @thevogueindy TheVogue.com

BUSKIRK-CHUMLEY THEATER IS OVER A HUNDO

Formerly the Indiana Theater and built in 1922 for vaudeville, the Buskirk-Chumley Theater became a venue for showing silent films. It remained a movie theater until ’95, when it was donated to the Bloomington community and renovated into a performing arts space, rental venue and arts incubator.

Buskirk Chumley Theater

114 E. Kirkwood Ave., Bloomington Instagram and Facebook @buskirkchumley BuskirkChumley.org

photography: Doug Fellegy

Pantry Travels

Collect a treasure chest of flavorful souvenirs from around the world

words: Francine Spiering

With bustling alleys and friendly merchants advertising neatly piled aromatic wares, a Middle Eastern spice market is a vivid experience for all the senses. Eyes feast on a vibrance of reds, yellows, greens. Ears listen in on foreign tongues. Nostrils absorb the intoxicating aromas of the craziest abundance of spices, both whole and ground. Spicy particles tickle the throat. And hands, when given that opportunity, explore the touch of unfamiliar ingredients such as rock-hard dried lemons or weirdly thready whole mace.

Variety is the proverbial spice of life. And with a varied pantry you can plot an itinerary to a different country every day. It becomes a treasure chest filled with flavorful souvenirs from world travels—even if you only trekked to the shelves of your local grocery, spice or kitchenware store.

Maybe in that pantry hides a masala dabba, an Indian spice box. It’s like a jewelry box for cooks, containing several small cups brimming with the cook’s favorite spices, each one toasted, ground and ready. In India, a beautiful masala dabba would be an heirloom passed from generation to generation.

Bottled hot sauces in various degrees of heat, color and provenance roost on a shelf. Do you conjure the smell of fermented peppers in the air over Avery Island in Louisiana every time you open a bottle of Tabasco? Or do you share our craving for Lao Gan Mas crispy chili oil spooned on everything, even peanut butter?

Perhaps in the pantry’s darkest corner squats a Korean earthenware jar, bubbling inside with kimchi in the making.

And there’d be jars with pickles, created from recipes you discovered (mind) traveling to far-flung lands. Unlock a jar of Swedish smörgåsgurka (pickled cucumbers) or Indonesian achar campur (vegetables pickled with turmeric, ginger and chili), and it’s like you’re back in another place—even if you never been there.

Here are some treasures to uncover on pantry travels.

YOUR OWN SPICE ROUTE

Five-spice was born some 3,000 years ago in China, apparently as a wonder powder that blended the five tastes in Chinese cuisine: bitter, salty, sour, spicy, sweet. Combining (alphabetically) cinnamon, cloves, fennel seeds, Sichuan peppercorns and star anise, five-spice rubs very well with meats and vegetables galore.

Ras el hanout is an enigmatic spice mix said to originate in Morocco but favored throughout the Maghreb. At the base is cardamom, chili, cinnamon, cumin, ginger, nutmeg, paprika and turmeric , but many other (and less familiar) spices are often added. A complex ras al hanout can combine dozens of spices. The name (meaning “top of the shop” in Arabic) refers to the best spices chosen to unite— and apparently every home cook and chef guards their own “top of the shop” concoction as a secret.

Ethiopian berbere rounds up a fiery bunch of ground dried chilies joined by spices like cardamom, fenugreek, paprika and more. It’s what gives that beautiful doro wat (chicken stew) its pungent kick. In the same way, berbere stirred into your own stew will give it an exciting dimension.

Koekkruiden (Dutch for cookie spices) is a sweet and warm blend similar to pumpkin spice but with a few additional spices such as anise seeds and white pepper. It is used in the Netherlands to make a traditional cookie called speculaas and also peperkoek (a Dutch honey cake).

YOUR ADOBO, MY ADOBO

Adobo in Mexico is different from what you’d find in a Filipino kitchen. Both are worth bringing into your own kitchen, for different cooking adventures. Mexican adobo is essentially a ground chili paste made with dried chilies like ancho and guajillo and used as a seasoning for soups, moles and stews; Filipino adobo is the name of a sweet and tangy dish, often chicken, at the base of which is a marinade (adobar is Spanish for “marinate”) with vinegar and soy sauce, among other ingredients.

SOMETHING FISHY

Fish hung to dry in the wind on an Icelandic coastal cliff are a smelly affair, but it yields a delicacy wanted the world over. Salt fish is a key ingredient in recipes ranging from Jamaican accras (fritters) all the way to Portuguese baked bacalhau.

Katsuobushi (dashi) are ultrathin dried bonito flakes. They are quite intense and a little goes a long way to flavor your dish.

Ikan bilis (dried anchovies loved in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore) make a terrific appetizer when soaked, patted dry, quickly fried with sliced shallots and chili pepper and finished with freshly squeezed lime juice.

Dried shrimp are a perfect item to stash, both whole (whirl them into a citrus salad with fresh mint and perhaps a spoonful crispy shallots) and as paste. Open the windows when you are frying up shrimp paste: The smell can bring tears to your eyes.

HOT WORLD

Sambal oelek is an Indonesian chili paste of purely ground chilies. Scores of other kinds of sambal exist, some dark with sweet soy sauce (sambal manis), others pungent with petai beans (sambal peteh) or tangy with tamarind (sambal assem). One of our favorites is sambal badjak, a fried paste that is rich with shrimp paste, onions and garlic.

Shito sauce is a Ghanaian dark brown chili sauce boosted with fish paste, garlic, onions and spices. Its heat ranges from mild to burning, depending on which chiles are chosen. With its outspoken umami quality, dark color and aromatic heat, shito sauce is a hot one to seek.

Salsa macha is a hot sauce from Veracruz made with dried peppers like ancho, arbol and guajillo along with vinegar, oil, garlic and peanuts. Salsa macha is pounded, leaving the final result with crispy bits that make it overall somewhere between a chili oil and paste. If you like Chinese crispy chili oil, you will love salsa macha.

SOMETHING GREEN

So many shades of green when it comes to salsa verde. There is Italian salsa verde (herbs and garlic fused with anchovies and capers), Mexican salsa verde (bursting with fresh green chiles, tomatillo and cilantro), French sauce verte (using herbs like chervil, chives and tarragon) and German Grüne Soße (sour cream combined with herbs like borage, chives, cress, parsley and sorrel).

Chermoula is a green sauce from the Maghreb bright with herbs like cilantro, garlic, mint or parsley, lemon juice (and sometimes also preserved lemon), spices and olive oil. Chermoula is used as both marinade and sauce, typically for fish and seafood. But don’t stop there. Chermoula is perfect with any vegetable, from celeriac to zucchini.

Mint sauce is a British original, made with fresh spearmint, sugar and vinegar smoothened into a dark green sauce that is perfect with cooked lamb. It’s also a great condiment to liven up, say, pea soup or a chicken casserole.

Chimichurri, both green and red, is a staple condiment in Argentina and Uruguay to go with grilled meats. Using fresh herbs like parsley, the sauce typically is tangy with vinegar and has a heat from red pepper flakes. The red variety is spicier, using more red peppers. n

Francine Spiering is a food writer, editor and recipe developer with a passion for travel and a kitchen diploma from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. Instagram @lifeinthefoodlane

RESOURCES

Here are a few local spots to find spices from around the world:

Goods for Cooks

115 N. College Ave.

Bloomington

Georges International Market

2021 Broadway

Fort Wayne

Apricot Sun

ApricotSunFoodBar.com

Artisanos Oils & Spices

1250 E. 86th St., Ste. 200

Indianapolis

Halal Supermarket

4863 W. 38th St.

Indianapolis

Saraga International Grocery

3605 Commercial Dr.

Indianapolis or 8449 Center Run Dr.

Indianapolis

Indian & International Grocery

1070 Sagamore Pkwy W. West Lafayette

CELERIAC ON A PANTRY ADVENTURE

recipe & photography: Francine Spiering

Celeriac (aka celery root) is such a beautiful vegetable to cook with. Raw or roasted, mashed or shaved, celeriac loves an adventure, and we are giving it one. Vary to your heart’s content with a different spice mix and green (or hot) sauce.

1 cup skyr (or Greek yogurt)

1 cup soft goat cheese (room temperature)

1 garlic clove, minced

Salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

1 large celery root

1 tablespoon berbere (store-bought)

1 tablespoon olive oil

Chermoula (recipe below), as needed

Crispy chili oil to taste

Combine skyr and goat cheese in a bowl until smooth. Add in minced garlic. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and chill until needed (can be done ahead up to 3 days. Store in an airtight container in the fridge).

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Peel celery root and cut into 1-inch dice. Toss in a bowl with berbere and olive oil. Spread on a baking sheet with Silpat or parchment paper. Roast in the oven until soft to the touch and nicely colored, about 10–15 minutes. Cool. (Celeriac can be roasted up to 3 days ahead. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.)

Spread the goat cheese mixture on a plate. Use the back of a spoon to create a large well in the center, heaping up the edges as you go. In the well, add the roasted celeriac. Divide teaspoon-size drops of chermoula to taste. Serve immediately.

CHERMOULA

Makes about 1 cup

1 cup roughly chopped cilantro

½ cup roughly chopped parsley

2–3 medium cloves of garlic, crushed

½ preserved lemon, chopped fine

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, or as needed

½ teaspoon chili flakes, or to taste

½ teaspoon sea salt, or to taste

¼ teaspoon ground paprika

¼ teaspoon ground cumin

Juice of 1 lemon, or as needed

Pound herbs, garlic and preserved lemon into a coarse paste using a mortar and pestle. Add olive oil as needed to emulsify. Add seasonings and lemon juice to taste. Keeps in an airtight container in the fridge up to 4 days.

STOKE UP YOUR HEALTH

Ancient fire cider remedy protects us in the colder months

words: Audrey Barron | photography: Elizabeth Hannah Studios

The wise person is a prepared person. We know that colder weather brings cold and flu into our door. As the seasons shift into the cooler months, our immune system must adjust and keep up with the fluctuation in temperature, humidity and overall climate. As temperatures drop we often move less and receive less vitamin D from the sun. And with fall holidays approaching, we might find ourselves consuming more heavy foods, sugar and alcohol. All of this can make us susceptible to getting that seasonal sickness.

This is where being prepared comes into play. Why live as though we will never get sick when we know the cold and flu season comes each year? Sickness affects everything: our productivity, social events and overall enjoyment of life. I prefer to strengthen my body so I’m ready.

One ancient remedy is fire cider. Humans from all over the world have used it to prevent and treat sickness, especially in the colder months. This remedy is also a smart way of preserving potent herbs for months ahead. Fire cider has many names, including master tonic, tonic cider, fire tonic and dragon cider. Chances are your (great) grandmother made or used a concoction like this to stop a cold or flu in its tracks or simply to keep the immune system strong and vital.

The heat generated by the spicy ingredients helps to heat up the digestive fires, helping you digest as well as helping your body move toxins through and out. Most notably, the ingredients in this remedy fight bacterial and viral infections and overall strengthen the body.

Fire cider is a hot remedy, so it’s more suitable to adults (unless you have uncommonly adventurous children). We begin taking fire cider when the cool fall temperatures begin to roll in and use it if we’ve been exposed to a virus or start to experience flu-like symptoms.

I like to start making this remedy in late summer or early fall so it’s ready by the time cold and flu season arrive. Often, I have some of last year’s batch on hand in case we need it before the new batch is ready.

Audrey Barron is an herbalist and grower of medicinal herbs, mushrooms and trees at her farm Wild Moon Acres in Indianapolis. She offers online and in-person programs and workshops to help humans connect to the earth and learn how to grow and use herbal medicines in daily life. You can find her and more about her program Medicine Woman at GaiaChef.com, @gaiachef, or visit WildMoonAcres.love, @wild.moon.acres

Do you have a desire to connect to your local community, to local food and plant medicine or have a desire to learn how to start an organic garden?

Wild Moon Acres is a small urban farm 15 minutes from downtown Indianapolis, started by chef and herbalist Audrey Barron and husband, Sam. Established in 2016 and using permaculture and regenerative growing practices to grow fruit trees, elderberry bushes, mushrooms and medicinal herbs.

Offering a variety of programs and workshops centered around herbalism, homesteading, permaculture and more with a mission to provide products and education that support customers in their quest to thrive and live their most vibrant lives.

Wild Moon Acres is open for school field trips and tours.

HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN FIRE CIDER

By Audrey Barron

Every batch of fire cider that I make is a little different because I use what is in season or in the garden at the time. No matter the variation, I am always using spicy potent ingredients and always apple cider vinegar.

Note: You can grow all the below ingredients in your own garden during the warmer months.

INGREDIENTS

Horseradish rootà supports respiratory tract and urinary tract, fights coughs and parasites, soothes achy joints, heats up digestive fire.

Onionà antioxidant rich, anti-bacterial, supports cardiovascular system.

Garlicà antibacterial, antiviral, supports the heart, improves immunity, strengthens the body.

Radishà high in antioxidants, calcium and iron; aids digestion, supports the heart, improves immunity.

Jalapeñoà high in vitamin C, has anti-cancer properties, pain reliever, protects the heart and stokes the digestive fire.

Gingerà major supporter of the circulatory system and digestive system and also helps the body fight viruses.

Turmericà anti-inflammatory, full of antioxidants, helps guard against cancer, supports brain health and in general helps to soothe inflammation from infection.

Fresh herbsà like oregano, rosemary, sage add flavor to your diet while they help ward off colds and flu.

INSTRUCTIONS

Use more or less equal parts of each ingredient (it doesn’t have to be exact). Dice each ingredient into small pieces and add to your clean glass jar. Make at least a quart at a time.

Once you added your chopped ingredients, add your fresh herbs.

Now fill your jar to the top with organic apple cider vinegar. The vinegar both preserves the ingredients and pulls the medicine into the liquid.

Label your jar with the date and the contents. TIP: Add a layer of parchment paper between the jar and the lid to counteract any rust that might happen from the metal touching the acidic vinegar.

Allow your fire cider to sit in a cool, dry location for 4–6 weeks. Take a sip and if it tastes spicy after this time, it is ready. Strain using a mesh bag or cheesecloth and add the liquid back into a clean jar. Label the jar with name, date and ingredients. You can also add a little honey at this point to sweeten your remedy a bit and add more antiviral medicine.

Fire cider can last up to a year refrigerated.

HOW TO USE YOUR FIRE CIDER

The basic recommendation if you start to experience symptoms of sickness is 1–2 tablespoons of fire cider and repeat one or two more times each day.

For cold and flu prevention, I take 1–2 tablespoons per day. (You can dilute it with a bit of water to ease the heat on the throat).

Find out more at WildMoonAcres.love

Follow on Instagram

@wild.moon.acres

Add fire cider to soups or use to sauté veggies for added flavor and medicine infused right into your daily meals.

Falling in Love

WITH THE ART COAST OF MICHIGAN

Our favorite places in Saugatuck/Douglas to enjoy this fall words: Jennifer L. Rubenstein | photography: Saugatuck/Douglas Convention and Visitors Bureau

I have a long history with Michigan, one that stems back to my great-grandparents settling “up north” a term you only know if you know it. I spent many summers, falls and even winters in Northern Michigan and love the clean air, quiet roads, pine trees and slower pace of everyday life. It reminds me of Maine with its sand, water, organic nature and the relaxing feeling you get when you enter the area.

There are so many hidden gems across the state and into the Upper Peninsula. The Saugatuck/ Douglas region is one that will fill you to the brim with all it has to offer and surprise you along the way. It is nestled along the Kalamazoo River and Lake Michigan and overflows with apple orchards, wineries, boutiques, live music, art and stellar food.

It’s one of those places that is small yet abundant, quiet yet vibrant, and a place you might run into someone you know even from Indianapolis. In our short trip to the streets of Saugatuck and Douglas, my ride-along partner, Ellie, and I both randomly ran into friends from Zionsville and Indianapolis. One was on a family road trip; another was trailblazing with their dogs; and the last were cousins in town for a wedding, taking advantage of Harvest Hosts a membership program that allows travelers to overnight at unique locations around the country like our newfound friends at Modales, a vineyard and winery located in Fennville just outside of Douglas. All these encounters were by chance, with no warning. How lovely to know this must be the place to be.

What does the “Art Coast of Michigan” mean? Since the early 20th century Saugatuck and the village of Douglas have been home to many artists, painters and writers; even more visiting artists have fallen in love with the scenery and written, painted and even sculpted it. This region has been the home to Ox-Bow School of Art since 1910, affiliated with the Art Institute of Chicago. It offers year-round programming in an inspiring environment of people, resources and rich history all with the intent of lifting up artists of the present and future while honoring those from the past.

When you walk through the streets of Saugatuck and Douglas you will notice rainbow-colored crosswalks, rainbow flags and a plethora of other rainbow objects declaring its openness and inclusive of everyone. According to Orbitz in 2019, the area was highlighted as one of the top

Michigan is one of the most underrated states in terms of its beauty, culture, art and food.

gay destinations in the world. There are more than 140 LGBTQ+ owned and friendly businesses and lodgings including the famed Dunes Resort.

While summer is a shining season for lake goers, we are in love with the fall (and winter) of this region as well. The smell of warm apple cider donuts; the vivid maple, oak and aspen leaves; the cool breeze greeting you off the water and the sound of a crackling fire keeping you warm on a cool fall evening are only small parts of why this place is spectacular. Let us share with you the places we have fallen in love with, hoping to inspire you to grab your family, friends or sweethearts—or go it alone—and create a journey to remember.

Art

At any point in your meanders around Saugatuck, Douglas or Fennville you will come across art. Sidewalks painted, murals flowing on the sides of buildings, words on benches or sculptures in random places to admire. Gallery strolls, exhibitions, markets, artist studios, meet-and-greets and live performances are some of the immersive experiences to be had on the Art Coast. The global culture and talent is first class and is something people travel here to experience.

Douglas offers a tremendous amount of talent gracing the likes of J. Petter Wine Gallery, where you can sip a glass of wine while taking in the art. The Button Gallery, which moved from Chicago to Douglas in 1966, features a mix of art that evokes emotion, conversation and inclusion. Don’t pass Mr. Miller’s Art Emporium and Other Useful Things, not only because the name itself is worth the look but you can go from room to room and never see the same thing twice.

On October 14, Saugatuck/Douglas celebrates the 46th annual Fall Gallery Tour. With dozens of artist studios and galleries to visit, locals and tourists alike can experience a weekend of culture in the stunning setting of a Michigan fall. The studios and galleries extend their hours while live music and delicious noshes and sips are available to complement this phenomenal event.

Saugatuck is filled with galleries of handmade jewelry, paintings, collectables, stoneware, sculptures and more. Looking for something outside of a gallery? Experience the Saugatuck Center for Arts, which is full of unique exhibitions like the creative world of culinary explorations or live performances of music, dance, comedy, storytelling and other touring acts.

Beverages

Douglas Root Beer Barrel: Head to Oval Beach (one of the famous beaches of the region) and step back in time with a visit to the gigantic root beer barrel. This historic site has been around for more than 60 years and serves up the best hot dogs and root beer floats around. It’s cash-only. Bonus: Make sure to grab a mac ’n’ cheese dog.

In the mood for a good cup of coffee? Check out Uncommon Roasters or order yourself a honey lavender latte at the Outside Coffee Company and enjoy it in a hammock or at a swinging picnic table. At either spot you will find a stellar cup of joe.

Modales: This vineyard and winery is a stunning work of art from the 76-acre vineyard with its numerous grape varieties to the local artwork on the walls. The wine exceeded our expectations with something for everyone from a fruit-forward El Suelo (earth) red to a 2020 Cremant sparkling and a bright 2023 Sauvignon Blanc, which won Michigan Governor’s Cup. Their guided tastings offer knowledge and tastes topped with entertaining commentary from the guides. Bonus: Ask for Cat, her wit and charm paired with her many years of Sonoma wine knowledge will make your trip all the more special. (And check out her photography for sale… it is stunning).

It’s one of those places that is small yet abundant, quiet yet vibrant, and a place you might run into someone you know even from Indianapolis.

Crane’s Pie Pantry Restaurant & Winery: Fall, apples, cider, warm donuts, apple picking and pie. Crane’s is the place to be. Grab a basket and pick your own or spend time inside picking up any and everything apple related. The place is hopping with locals and tourists all enjoying lunch, donuts, live music and oftentimes a glass (or a bottle) of wine and a flight of pies. Yes, a flight of pies.

Want some local spirits, wines and brews? Guardian Brewing Company, a 100% LGBTQ+ and woman-owned brewery, offers some of Michigan’s finest craft brews in a historic community theater called the Red Barn. New Holland Spirits’ tasting room in downtown Saugatuck is a great spot to stop for a killer cocktail or nightcap or a bottle or six-pack to go. And for wine lovers, Fenn Valley Vineyards is a great place for winemaker’s dinners, swine roasts, live music and, of course, wine.

Food

Duck Alley: One of the newest culinary treats in Saugatuck. Opened by a chef from Chicago in the summer of 2023, this spot should not be overlooked. The unique flavors of Indian, Mediterranean and American fused together on this menu are nothing short of glorious. Pick the fried chicken naan served with a puréed giardiniera sauce or the gourmet burger that tastes like an elevated Big Mac and pair them with a bottle of Xisto Ilimitado Tinto from Portugal and you will be more than happy. Bonus: Ask for the puréed giardiniera as a dipping sauce for the fries and don’t skip the Halloumi in tomato sauce…

Phil’s Bar & Grille: A local favorite where everyone knows your name and where the menu pleases every palate. The musttries are the lobster cobb salad with balsamic vinaigrette and gorgonzola dressing and the portobello mushroom fries served with horseradish mustard. After 5pm things can get a little busy, but the wait is worth it!

Farmhouse Deli: Pre-order housemade sandwiches piled high with fresh ingredients on freshly baked bread and the gourmet salads for your picnic adventure. Build a meat and cheese board from the locally sourced cheeses, like the Fennville favorite Evergreen Lane Creamery Chèvre. Bonus: Get there early and they might still have vases of fresh-picked wildflowers to make your basket even more romantic and special.

The Southerner: Fried chicken heaven. This little yellow building cozied up on the river is highly recommended. The vibe is cozy yet fun with gingham tablecloths, a tiny bar, patio and indoor seating and the smell of Southern fried chicken. Nana’s Fried Chicken Dinner is served up with homemade biscuits and two sides and you can order it up for the table family style. Need something a little smaller? The chicken biscuit is the way to go. Like it hot? Make it habanero hot and prepare to lick your fingers clean! Bonus: Don’t skip the libations; the Porch Elders will quench your thirst. (Thanks to Cindy Hawkins of Circle City Sweets for the recommendation.)

On the water in Saugatuck and Douglas, The Butler, Red Dock and the Old Boat House provide gorgeous and tranquil views of the river and fun people-watching—oftentimes with live music. Grab a spot outside, order up pizza, hot dogs, beer or Bloody Mary and remember, it’s 5 o’clock somewhere. This is a fabulous spot to watch the sunset.

Other not-to-miss spots to enjoy some grub: Since 1971 Marro’s Italian Restaurant with its neon sign hits all the Italian dishes out of the park from April thru September. Grow Café + Bistro caters to vegan and gluten-free diets and promotes their gratuity-

free menus. Pennyroyal Café & Provisions serves up terrific locally sourced and prepared Midwestern food with a twist with pre-order pastries to enjoy with your morning coffee and is one of our cousin Edible Michiana’s favorite spots to visit.

Lakeshore Convenience & Pizza: Yes, a convenience store! Order a large pepperoni pizza and the world’s best cheesy cheese bread and head to Oval Beach to watch the sunset. You will not regret a moment of this, Ryan Martin of Indianapolis promises!

Ice Cream

Dairy Dayz Ice Cream: Love a good dairy hut? Dairy Dayz is it! Serving up everything from Chicago dogs to nachos, frozen bananas to malts, soft serve and hard ice cream—you will be hard pressed to find ice cream better than at Dairy Dayz. Bonus: Serving sizes are a mile high; the kids “itty bitty” size may be the way to go unless you want the challenge of finishing it all!

Charlie’s ’Round the Corner: Ice cream, loads of it. There is almost always a line, but it is worth the wait to share in one of Michigan’s staples: Sherman Ice Cream. Bonus: Watch the fresh waffle cones being made in the front window!

Places to Stay

There is an abundance of places to stay around the area. Cabins, houseboats, Harvest Hosts, resorts and bed and breakfasts give every budget an option of staying in the area comfortably.

Rosemont Inn Resort: Across from Lake Michigan, this quiet and quaint bed and breakfast is reminiscent of a something you might come across in New England with a long porch featuring rocking chairs and love seats, a quaint garden with a koi pond, a small heated pool, hot tub and sauna with the bonus of Dave and Fuzzy, the Rosemont Inn cats. Kerry and Tammy Cunnion stumbled across the 120-year-old inn during Covid shutdowns and decided they wanted a change of pace from Chicago. A darling couple with great taste in comfortable mattresses, sheets and pillows plus the ability to cook a gourmet breakfast each morning is a winning combination. Bonus: Grab a bike for free to use during your stay and wake up early to walk down to the beach and enjoy the quietness.

Hotel Saugatuck: A luxurious hotel with hundreds of five-star reviews. It is located in the historical district and overlooks the Kalamazoo River. Rain showers, luxury bedding and towels, and breakfast delivered

to your room each morning all within walking distance to downtown Saugatuck. And from what we hear, the warm cookies in the evening are a piece of heaven.

Wickwood Inn: Farm-fresh breakfasts, luscious gardens, afternoon wine and cheese, all in the charm of this historic home with all the fine touches of elegance. Centrally located in town, the rooms include fluffy robes, slippers and towels and all of the hospitality you would expect from an inn like this.

Shop

Coastal Society: Brunch, bubbles and shopping. A corner boutique that smells of the ocean, is bright and has bubbles to enjoy all while shopping unique clothing, books, housewares and more. Bonus: Grab a table for brunch and bubbles and then shop!

Endora Bohemian: Walk into this boutique and get all of the feels of Paris and Marrakech. The owner spends her winters traveling the world and bringing her favorite global gifts back for everyone to admire and love. From ornate jewelry to perfume oils from France, unique art from Morocco to the fan-favorite candle that the owner says sells so well it pays for her to travel and find new goodies to fill her store year after year.

The Book Nook: If you love books, wander through the Book Nook. We scored a copy of the Herb Almanac along with a new dad joke book.

American Spoon: What started as a morel mushroom expedition turned into a love of making the freshest and finest preserves from Michigan fruit. The American Spoon features their famous preserves, along with jams, syrups, butters, granola and more. “Give jam. Spread joy” is their motto and we recommend going home with a big jar of something.

Fun

Retro Boat Rentals: Bundle up and get out on the river to experience Saugatuck a different way. Donut, Duffy and pontoon boats are perfect for a party, but we recommend you rent one of the classics like the 1958 Glass Magic, Laverne, the pink beauty to take for an hour or two! See the shoreline, stunning houses and nature while floating in style. Bonus: The boats are dog friendly!

Star of Saugatuck: Cruise on the Kalamazoo River or Lake Michigan on an old-fashioned paddlewheel boat perfect for daytime or sunsets and people of all ages.

Saugatuck Dune Rides: See the beach in a different way. It’s like the most fun roller coaster you’ve ever ridden except it’s not a roller coaster. You’ll ride in retrofitted Ford trucks flying up and down the sand dunes and over the top of Singapore, a ghost town that was lost to nature due to over-logging in the area when Chicago was being rebuilt after the great fire.

Summerhouse Lavender Farm: Relax on the farm where the aroma of over 1,000 plants will provide a peaceful place of enjoyment. The farm has an aromatherapy store, an event venue and a modernday vacation rental called the Lavender House. Bonus: Check out their events to see when they offer yoga on the farm.

Coral Gables: This historic place was known as the Leiendecker Inn when it opened back in 1906. The panoramic views of the Kalamazoo River along with the two-tiered deck and cold drinks make it a great place to entertain a crowd. From comedy shows to the piano bar and other live music, this place knows how to party. And every once in a while, a surprise guest might pop up and sing a tune or two.

And last but not least… water, hiking and nature. Mount Baldhead is the perfect place to hike to the top and view both the Kalamazoo River and Lake Michigan. There are 303 wooden steps (be prepared) that take you to the top of this dune, where you then can take the trail and hike to Oval Beach, one of the most beautiful beaches along Lake Michigan. Condé Nast even named it one of the top 25 beaches in the world.

There are endless opportunities to be entertained, to relax, to be one with nature or to just find yourself connecting with someone or something in this magical place. Take a day trip, a weekender or become a local for 10 days and immerse yourself into the thousands of things to do in the Saugatuck/Douglas area. The history itself is deserving of everyone’s attention, not to mention the culture and traditions of this region. The Michigan outdoors provides all seasons of play from swimming to hiking and snowmobiling to skiing, and will give you memories of a lifetime.

Want to learn more about what Saugatuck/ Douglas has to offer? Scan the QR code or visit saugatuck.com for an even more in-depth guide of the region.

Some of Our Favorite Spots

Art

Button Gallery

33 Center St.

Douglas

J. Petter Galleries

161 N. Blue Star Hwy.

Douglas

Mr. Miller’s Art Emporium and Other Useful Things

48 W. Center St.

Douglas Beverage

Crane’s Pie Pantry, Restaurant, Winery

6054 124th Ave.

Fennville

Fenn Valley Vineyards

6130 122nd Ave.

Fennville

Guardian Brewing Co.

3657 63rd St.

Saugatuck

Modales Vineyard

2128 62nd St.

Fennville

New Holland Spirits

201 Culver St.

Saugatuck

Outside Coffee Co.

450 Center St.

Douglas

Root Beer Barrel

501 W. Center St.

Douglas

Uncommon Coffee Roasters

127 Hoffman St.

Saugatuck

Food

Charlie’s ’Round the Corner Ice Cream

132 Mason St.

Saugatuck

Dairy Dayz Ice Cream

6471 Blue Star Hwy.

Saugatuck

Duck Alley

220 Culver St.

Saugatuck

Farmhouse Deli

100 Blue Star Hwy.

Douglas

GROW Café + Bistro

302 Culver St.

Saugatuck

Lakeshore Convenience & Pizza

147 Water St.

Saugatuck

Marro’s Italian Restaurant

147 Water St.

Saugatuck

Pennyroyal Café & Provisions

3319 Blue Star Hwy.

Saugatuck

Phil’s Bar & Grille

215 Butler St.

Saugatuck

Red Dock

219 N. Union St.

Douglas

The Butler

40 Butler St.

Saugatuck

The Old Boat House

730 Water St.

Saugatuck

The Southerner

880 Holland St.

Saugatuck

Stay

Hotel Saugatuck

900 Lake St.

Saugatuck

Rosemont Inn Resort

83 Lakeshore Dr.

Douglas

Wickwood Inn

510 Butler St.

Saugatuck Shop

American Spoon

308 Butler St.

Saugatuck

Coastal Society

35 Center St.

Douglas

Endora Bohemian

36 W. Center St.

Douglas

The Book Nook

242 Butler St.

Saugatuck

Fun

Coral Gables

220 Water St.

Saugatuck

Mount Baldhead

769 Park St.

Saugatuck

Oval Beach

690 Perryman St.

Douglas

Retro Boat Rentals

730 Water St.

Saugatuck

Saugatuck Dune Rides

6495 Blue Star Hwy.

Saugatuck

Star of Saugatuck

716 Water St.

Saugatuck

Summerhouse

Lavender Farm

2975 65th St.

Fennville

IN CIDER INFORMATION

Some favorite spots to have an apple and pumpkin adventure

Fall is more than pumpkin spice lattes. It’s apples, cider donuts, pumpkin picking, corn mazes and family adventures. Take advantage of the beautiful Indiana fall with the colorful leaves, rolling hills and local businesses to support and enjoy!

TUTTLE ORCHARDS

Central Indiana’s favorite farm destination. We are a fourthgeneration, family-owned and -operated apple orchard, greenhouse, farm-to-table café and vegetable farm.

5717 N. 300 W., Greenfield | IndianapolisOrchard.com

MCCLURE’S

Our family-owned apple orchard is a great getaway for the entire family: petting zoo, gift shopping, trolley rides, U-pick apples and pumpkins, wine and hard cider tastings and apple dumplings.

5054 N. U.S. Hwy. 31, Peru | McCluresOrchard.com | FB: mcclures.orchard | IG: @mccluresorchard | Open Labor Day–Halloween: Apple Barn M–Sa 9am–5pm, Su 11am–6pm, Café M–F 8am–5pm, Sa 9am–5pm, Su 11am–5pm

FAIR OAKS FARMS

The orchard at Fair Oaks Farms offers peaceful escapes, scenic views, and apples of wide variety! Escape to the country and visit the U-pick sunflower fields, apple orchard or pumpkin patch.

856 N. 600 E., Fair Oaks | FOFarms.com | FB: FOFarms IG: @fairoaksfarm | Adventures: M–Sa 9am–5pm, Su 10am–5pm Dining at The Farmhouse: F–Sa 10:30am–9pm, Su–Th 10:30am–8pm

BEIERSDORFER ORCHARD

You will find rows and rows of fruit trees, a farm market and tours at this southeastern Indiana orchard. The farm has homegrown apples, peaches and plums plus cider, apple butter and so much more.

21874 Kuebel Rd., Guilford | BeiersdorferOrchard.com Open M–Sa 9am–6pm, Su 1–6pm

Other Places to Visit:

BEASLEY’S ORCHARD

2304 E. Main St. Danville

WATERMAN’S FAMILY FARM

7010 E. Raymond St. Indianapolis

SMITH FAMILY FARMS PUMPKIN PATCH

7055 W. 675 S. Pendleton

DULL’S TREE FARM AND PUMPKIN HARVEST

1765 W. Blubaugh Ave. Thorntown

STUCK FARM ORCHARDS & CIDER MILL

19975 Hamilton Boone Rd. Sheridan

THE APPLE WORKS

8157 S. 250 W. Trafalgar

Scan the

code for our Vegan Cast-Iron Skillet Apple Crisp recipe.

CITRUS FOR ALL S E A S O N S

Growing outside your Hardiness Zone

words: Lynsey Johnston | illustration: Niina Cochran

My passion for teaching people how to grow food ignited with the realization I could grow a lime tree in the middle of Indiana. It taught me we are not tied to our USDA Hardiness Zone, but to our own imagination. The zone suggests limits on what we can grow in traditional ways, but does not account for creativity, ingenuity, perseverance and microclimates.

History tells us humans started experimenting with expanding their zone almost 2,000 years ago. The first climate-controlled structure was created in Rome in the year 30 CE to grow cucumbers year-round for the emperor, Tiberius. It utilized stone walls and a translucent ceiling.

During the 17th century in Europe, a glass-walled structure called an orangery became popular with the wealthy. Orangeries were first constructed to grow plants native to warmer growing zones. Today, orangeries are used less for growing and more for bridging the space between home and garden.

Don’t have an orangery? Not to worry. Here is a simple guide to growing your favorite citrus in any space.

THINK OUTSIDE THE ZONE

The USDA Hardiness Zone is a standard farmers and gardeners can use to determine which plants are most likely to thrive planted outdoors in a specific area. Indiana has four growing zones: 5b, 6a, 6b and 7a.

A growing zone is just a guideline and can be broken with a little creativity and planning. Citrus can grow outside of subtropical and tropical regions

MATERIALS LIST

Citrus soil blend

Perlite

Organic citrus fertilizer

Small paintbrush

Container with drainage

Grow lights: T5 fluorescent bulbs in the 6500k color temperature

POTTING CITRUS

Choose a container with multiple drainage holes. Containers should be 10–14 inches for young trees. Any larger will make it difficult to control moisture levels.

Add perlite to the bottom of the container and mix with the citrus soil blend. Unwind any roots, place in the container and add the soil blend no higher than the current soil level of the plant you received.

(USDA Zones 10 and 11) under the right conditions. Although you can grow most inside year-round, I recommend moving them outside as soon as possible: My citrus trees experience the most growth when they are exposed to the outdoor summer conditions of wind, rain and natural sunlight.

When the temperature is below 50, citrus should be brought indoors and placed near a south-facing window that receives 8–12 hours of direct sunlight and is free of drafts. If you do not have a window with good southern exposure, you can substitute with a full-spectrum grow light for 12–16 hours per day. In the warmer months, when the temperature is consistently above 50 during both day and night, it can be placed outside in a space with full to partial sun exposure.

The citrus that has been productive for me year over year is the Bearss lime (Citrus x latifolia). It is a semi-dwarf Persian lime that produces fruit year-round, which makes it a great choice for growing inside your home, on a balcony or lining your favorite path in your landscape—during the warmer months, of course!

Other citrus trees that make great potted additions to your home are calamondin (Citrus x mitis) and Meyer lemon (Citrus x meyeri). Calamondins are a cross between a kumquat and a tangerine. They resemble small tangerines and will typically have four or five fruiting periods

PEST MANAGEMENT

Observation is key for pest management. Reduce the risk of losing your citrus to pests by taking time to give it a good once-over every week. Look for pests on the stems, trunk, branch, tops and bottoms of leaves.

Common pests are mealybugs, scale and sooty mold.

Ants are an indicator species. If you see ants on your tree, most likely you have one of the above pests.

When you need help with managing pests, Arbico Organics is a great resource. They will recommend the best products for the situation.

(Arbico-Organics.com)

during each year. Meyer lemons are a sweeter and juicier lemon hybrid and are a cross between a lemon tree and a mandarin tree.

Regardless of which citrus you choose to grow, you will be entranced by the fragrant flowers and delicious flavors of homegrown citrus. You will never look at store-bought citrus the same way again. n

LOCAL RESOURCES

CARE TIPS

Water thoroughly only when the top inch of the soil is dry.

Let dry out in between waterings.

Humidity is important. Place a tray filled with pebbles and water near the tree or mist the foliage when indoors during the winter months.

Fertilize weekly spring through fall. Gently wipe off leaves when dust accumulates during the indoor growing season.

Hand pollination is necessary during the indoor growing season. Using a small paintbrush to move pollen from one flower to another is an easy way to pollinate.

Habig Garden Shop | Westfield & Indianapolis | HabigGardenShop.weebly.com

Allisonville Home and Garden by Sullivan | AllisonvilleGarden.com

Sullivan Hardware and Garden | SullivanHardware.com

If you can’t find citrus trees at your local garden store, my favorite online source is Four Winds Growers: FourWindsGrowers.com

Peaceful & Practical Edible Gardens was born from the combined love of gardening, food and design.

Founded by Lynsey Johnston, P&P reimagines how we source our food, while maintaining beautiful and bountiful landscapes. Lynsey is fascinated by the possibility that food can grow anywhere, that a few seeds can provide enough food for multiple families and that a deeper understanding of plants and nature has the power to change our lives.

Lynsey Johnston is the owner of Peaceful & Practical Edible Gardens, a permaculturist and a Hamilton County Master Gardener. Lynsey resides in the northeast suburbs of Indianapolis with her family but travels to clients’ homes in Central and Northeast Indiana. Follow her on Instagram at @peacefulpracticalediblegardens or Facebook @pandpediblegardens; website PeacefulAndPracticalEdibleGardens.com

P&P is active in the community, teaching folks how to responsibly create and care for their gardens, build spaces and grow healthy food. They have a keen focus on caring for the earth, centering ethical principles of permaculture and educating the community. P&P works with home gardeners and community gardens in the Indianapolis area, and serves clients on a national scale through virtual support. Their services include edible garden design, installation and maintenance, and workshops and coaching. Do you want to reconnect with nature and redesign your space, while growing your own healthy food?

Learn more at PeacefulAndPracticalEdibleGardens.com

Follow on Instagram @peacefulpracticalediblegardens

And in case you are wondering: Yes, lime trees can grow in Central Indiana.

SWEET LEMON AND SAFFRON POACHED PEARS

recipe adaptation: Christine Burns Rudalevige | photography: Derek Bissonnette

This recipe, shared with us by Edible Maine, is loosely adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi’s and Sami Tamimi’s cookbook Jerusalem. We increase the number of pears and double the poaching liquid so there is plenty left over for pear-and-blue-cheese salads and lemony mocktails.

6 medium Bosc pears

15 cardamom pods

1 bottle white wine

1¼ cups sugar

2 large pinches saffron

The zest of 2 lemons removed in thin strips

Peel the pears, leaving the stalks intact. Cut off the very bottom of the pears so that they can stand up straight on a flat surface. Use a melon baller to remove the core from the bottom of the pears. Crush the cardamom pods.

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan with 3 cups of warm water, bring to a simmer, and gently poach the pears for about 2 hours or until tender. Remove from heat, allow to cool, then refrigerate overnight to steep.

Before serving, transfer 4 pears to wide soup bowls and set aside to bring to room temperature.

Boil the saffron syrup until reduced by half, 12–15 minutes. Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of syrup over each pear, then serve with a little heavy cream poured over the top of the pear. Store the leftover poached pears in the remaining syrup for up to a week.

BEYOND SOUL FOOD

Garden plays key role in Conner Prairie’s new exhibit on African experience

words: Amrutha Pulikottil | photography: Conner Prairie

As I toil in the kitchen making chicken biryani, I recognize that one of the things people yearn for when they are displaced from home, whether by choice or by force, is food that is familiar. Enslavement is a difficult topic to learn about, but in the same way food can provide comfort it can also help to explain history.

The immersive multimedia experience Promised Land as Proven Ground (PLPG) is scheduled to open in spring 2024 at Conner Prairie, the outdoor museum of science, history, art and nature northeast of Indianapolis. In 2019, after joining the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience, Conner Prairie committed to doing a better job of telling the story of African American people. PLPG is one way.

Sites of Conscience is a global network connecting past struggles to today’s movements for human rights through historic sites, museums and memory initiatives. PLPG will be a permanent exhibit showcasing the Black experience from pre-colonial Africa through the present day. The exhibit starts with the Origins Cabin and ends with a modern home where Conner Prairie’s first artist in residence, Israel Solomon, will have a studio.

One of the successes of the exhibit is its storytelling from past to present, which doesn’t just reflect on slavery but also highlights food, fellowship and diversity within a group as well. The exhibit was designed by Dr. Charlene Fletcher and Jesse Kramer through collaborations with several groups: Asante Art Institute of Indianapolis, Anthony “Baby Tony” Artist, Center for Africana Studies & Culture at IUPUI, Living Word Baptist Church, Green Thumb Garden Patrol, Indianapolis Garden Club, Purdue Extension Master Gardeners, Spirit and Place, and Witherspoon Presbyterian Church.

The exhibit is composed of multiple pieces designed to help visitors to understand Black American transplantation, not just from Africa to the slave-holding South but onward to Indiana. As early as 1817, Black Americans began to move to Indiana to explore a different life. Even though slavery was illegal here, they still experienced racism and discrimination. Black Americans faced obstacles their white counterparts did not have to worry about, like proving their financial stability and moral character to acquire assets. While Black Americans were allowed to move, the path was not easy. There were several measures in place to keep people out. What developed was resilience, to not only survive but to thrive despite the challenges in race and class after moving to Indiana.

Fletcher emphasized how the exhibit starts with a global story of enslaved Africans being moved across the Middle Passage, eventually making Indiana home after moving from the South. The story continues into the present, where African Americans in Indiana have a global impact now through their food, professions, art, culture and fellowship. In Fletcher’s words, the exhibit shows how African Americans are “living, loving and thriving even in spaces where we are not desired or expected to be.”

Green Thumb Garden Patrol

A highlight of the exhibit is a garden run by Mama Camille, founder of the Green Thumb Garden Patrol in 2019, where she teaches children aged 5–18 how to grow food sustainably. When Africans were enslaved and brought to the New World, they carried with them seeds that were transplanted in their new lands. The garden managed by the Green Thumb Garden Patrol boasts luscious greens like turnip and collard greens. The garden also includes other plants that educate visitors about the foods Black Americans grow and use in their cuisine such as okra, hot peppers, sweet potatoes, black-eyed peas, watermelon, lavender, rosemary and thyme.

The Green Thumb Garden Patrol checks on the garden regularly. The group learns basic gardening concepts like removing weeds, using natural fertilizers to promote plant growth and transplanting crops. Outside of the garden at the exhibit, the Green Thumb Garden Patrol grows enough food to feed the families of participants through community gardens in different parts of Indianapolis. They share the surplus at farmers markets with their own stand and donate to food pantries. Mama Camille lovingly teaches youth where food comes from and how to tend to plants that provide nourishment to the soul as well.

Opposite: Mama Camille (with backpack) and Dr. Charlene Fletcher (in the blue dress) tend greens in the Promised Land as Proven Ground exhibit at Conner Prairie.

While walking through the gardens, Mama Camille explained how deer and other animals often pick at the leaves of some of the greens. “The more you pick, the more they grow,” she said, as she tended to them. It’s the perfect way to describe the resilience of a community that has grown through several challenges in this state, some that still exist today.

Conner Prairie’s exhibits allow visitors to see, touch and smell history. The Promised Land Proven Ground exhibit enables visitors to see themselves as a part of the story too. The exhibit and the garden have limited power unless visitors continue the story outside of Conner Prairie’s grounds. To that note, we are all a part of the story including institutions like Conner Prairie, who will have a continued responsibility to have reciprocal and genuine relationships with the African American community after the exhibit is open to the public. It’s a beautiful first step to represent Indiana better. n

Conner Prairie: 13400 Allisonville Rd., Fishers | ConnerPrairie.org

Amrutha Pulikottil grew up in England and India before moving to Indiana in 2008 where she attended Anderson University and Ball State University. She calls herself an #IndianinIndianapolis, and has worked in the city since 2014, most recently as a healthcare data scientist.

Helpings of Hope

Kathryn “Kitty” Beckman is executive director and founder of Helpings of Hope, a nonprofit that aspires to improve food security in Indiana. Their programs include agriculture, nutrition education and a goal to eventually establish a restaurant like JBJ Soul Kitchen in New Jersey, owned by musician Jon Bon Jovi and his wife. JBJ Soul Kitchen is a community restaurant where farm-to-table meals are served with no prices on the menu. Instead, guests make a suggested donation. If unable to donate, they are still welcome to enjoy a meal and volunteer in the kitchen. Volunteering in the kitchen provides skills training in the hospitality industry, allowing everyone access to healthy food without being limited by cost.

One of the ways Helpings of Hope has an impact is through community gardens. They operate a donation garden that supplies fresh produce to food pantries on the Northside including Second Presbyterian church on Meridian Street in Indianapolis, providing 52 individual plots where families can grow their food. Beckman believes “everybody has the right to access healthy and nutritious food.” Food pantries often receive canned goods as donations, but the community gardens distribute fresh produce to food pantries in Indianapolis, providing healthy options to people who may face food insecurity.

Combined with the community program and nutrition education program, Helpings of Hope helps Hoosiers understand how to grow and eat nutritious food that fuels the body. With over 17 years as a registered dietician, Beckman is passionate about improving food security and reducing food waste. She understands that resettled communities are highly vulnerable to poor food access. Familiar ingredients can be hard to find or too expensive in general grocery stores. As a result, resettled communities lose access to their cultural foods.

There are over 100 languages spoken in the Nora area of Indianapolis, where there is a large refugee population including significant numbers of Burmese, Congolose and Hispanic origin. Helpings of Hope partnered with three growers to form Helpings of Hope Farms, with support from a USDA-LFPA grant and the City of Indianapolis. The three growers—Michael Mugoovi, Wildja Ebambe and Omba Muhamba—are from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in Africa. This is their first season farming on one acre provided by the First Baptist Church on College, the first immigrant-run urban farm in Indianapolis. In addition to collard greens, cherry and roma tomatoes, the Congolese growers planted four African crops: lenga-lenga, nyanya (African eggplant), majanya (pumpkin leaves) and maboga uchungu These plants give resettled communities agency and access to their cultural foods, help them feel more at home in Indiana and teach Indiana about nutritious food in other parts of the world.

To learn more, visit HelpingsOfHopeIndy.org.

CRAZY GOOD AFRICAN GREENS

Recipes courtesy of Michael Mugoovi

Michael Mugoovi, from Sud-Kivu province in the Congo, is one of the farmers at Helpings of Hope. He shows us two different ways to use popular African vegetables they are growing. He also shares that writtenout recipes are not common in African households, and certainly not with the precision of measurements he sees in America. You cook with what you have, judging what to add as you go. We encourage you to try the same with these delicious greens, both of which are grown at Helpings of Hope Farms. Connect with the organization at HelpingsOfHope.org.

MABOGA UCHUNGU

Much like sorrel, maboga uchungu is a sourleaf vegetable. It is a perfect leaf to eat both raw and cooked, adding a natural tang to the dish.

RAW

Wash, pat dry and chop (big or small, as you need). Use as salad leaves and dress with your favorite dressing. Or use the leaves raw to add to a burger instead of lettuce.

COOKED

Wash the leaves. Add whole to a pot of boiling water and boil for 5–7 minutes. Drain and season to taste. Eat as a side with meat and foufou*, rice or bread, for instance.

LENGA-LENGA VEGETABLE STEW

Lenga-lenga is in the Amaranthus genus. Amaranth greens are a commonly eaten vegetable in many African countries and can be used in various ways.

Lenga-lenga

Chopped fresh tomatoes

Garlic

Onion

Geen pepper

Chili or hot pepper sauce

Wash lenga-lenga before using. Chop into small or big pieces (to taste).

Heat a pot over high heat and add the lengalenga (as is, without water). Let cook for 2–3 minutes and toss with a wooden spoon. It will wilt and release liquid. Now add tomatoes, garlic, onion and green pepper; mix. Add ½ cup of water and season to taste with salt. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. Add chili or hot pepper sauce to taste. Serve in a separate bowl along with bread, foufou*, boiled potatoes, rice.

Note: Lenga-lenga is also used to make a stew with meat, potatoes, beans and plantains.

*Foufou (fufu) is a starchy dough-like porridge made out of root vegetables such as cassava, yams or plantains.

Blooming Tea

Hibiscus flowers bringing beauty, joy and gentleness to your day

words & photography: Jennifer

L. Rubenstein

Hibiscus flowers, leaves and seeds have been used for centuries as herbal remedies promoting good health. The showy flowers have always been popular in the West Indies, Africa, the Americas and the Caribbean and are even the state flower of Hawaii. Known by different names, such as flor de Jamaica (in Latin America) and roselle (in Africa), hibiscus flowers have a taste similar to cranberries or currants with floral notes.

Hibiscus is high in antioxidants, vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium and iron and is reputed to aid digestion, boost liver function and lower inflammation and cholesterol.

Not all hibiscus flowers are edible. Some of the more commonly used are the sabdariffa, Mahoe, Rose of Sharon and Cranberry hibiscus. We recommend researching the variety before attempting to eat them.

Harvest, dry and drink!

Making fresh hibiscus tea from your own flowers takes just a few simple steps:

• Harvest the flowers by snipping at the base of each bloom.

• Remove any green stem.

• Remove the stamens—the yellow pointed parts in the center of the flowers that carry the pollen.

• Rinse the flowers to eliminate dust.

• Dry the petals.

Make custom blends

If you are feeling adventurous, create your own tea flavors by sprinkling flowers with citrus zest and adding in fresh rose petals, mint or lavender. Then, dry it all together. You will know when drying is complete when your flowers are dry and crumbly. Once the flowers are dried, store in an airtight container. Keeps for up to two years.

3 easy drying methods

Sun dry: Spread flowers in a single layer on a tray and place in a dry and sunny area. Time: 3–5 days

Dehydrator: Spread flowers in a single layer on drying racks and place on lowest setting. Time: 6–10 hours

Oven: Place flowers in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and dry at 200°. Time: 1–2 hours

Brew up your tea

You will need to use a tea infuser or tea bag to steep the tea. The scarlet / red / fuchsia-colored flowers will give you the most brilliantly colored tea.

Let’s go crazy!

To make your hibiscus teas even more fun, try any of these flavor twists:

• Add fresh ginger, ginger beer or ginger ale.

• Squeeze in a little lime or lemon juice.

• Make it sweet with honey, maple syrup or sugar.

• Add a mint sprig.

• Steep with a cinnamon stick.

• Make it an adult beverage: Add prosecco, rum or even bourbon.

Scan to revisit our Karkadé recipe from our Summer 2021 issue.