Think. Read. Talk. Local Food.

Looking for a good local food book for your book club? Through the Indiana Humanities Council’s Food for Thought program--which is designed to encourage Hoosiers to think, read and talk about food--Novel Conversations has acquired several books that focus predominantly on food including Animal, Vegetable, Mineral and Feeding our Families: Memories of Hoosier Homemakers.

Multiple copies of these books, as well as more than 300 other titles (both food and non-food related), are available for loan to book clubs, reading and discussion groups at libraries, senior centers, and other organizations.

All books must be reserved in advance; free statewide delivery is available through the Indiana State Library’s INfo Express system. For details, contact Nancy Conner (nconner@indianahumanities.org) or call her at 800.675.8897 Ext.128.

 

Go Local with your Valentine's Day Gifts

Valentine's Day is one week from today. Still looking for a gift for your special someone? Go local. Our Indiana artisans and food producers have a beautiful selection of jewelery, art, wines, and sweets. Click here for some great gift ideas.

We Dat Wings: A Very Indiana Super Bowl Snack

 

Just in time for Super Bowl 2010 and named in response to the New Orleans chant "Who dat? Who dat? Who dat say dey gonna beat dem Saints? Who dat? Who dat?"--these chicken wings tossed liberally with homemade hot pepper jelly, butter and
just a dash or two of Indiana hot sauce will have even the most die hard Saints fans saying "GO COLTS!"

Get the winning recipe here.

Wild Game Feast: Indiana Venison and Beef Shepherd's Pie

 Each year about ten couples from our neighborhood get together for a Wild Game Feast where the rule is "cook it if you caught it". We had our 2010 event this past Sunday and the buffet table was loaded with five star entrees made with local venison, game birds, and fish. We feasted on such delights as Blackened Venison with Red Wine Sauce, Mushrooms Stuffed with Fish Pate and Pesto Cream, Local Fish Chowder, and desserts featuring fruits from backyard orchards.  Each dish was incredible. It did not go unnoticed that I hit the dessert table 3 times. I could not resist the juicy peach cobbler or the triple berry and apple crumble. Of course there was homemade ice cream and my friend Jane's lighter than air homemade dinner rolls which are so good that they technically qualify as a dessert in my book!

For our contribution to the meal, Robert and I made Venison and Beef Shepherd's Pie and a side dish of Winter Sweet Corn. While you may not be able to host a game feast in your neighborhood, the easy to make Shepherd's Pie would be a hit on a cold night and a great menu item for a Super Bowl Party since it could easily be scooped into mugs and eaten during the game. You can use all beef in the recipe if you're fresh out of venison and the filling (without the mashed potatoes) is perfect spooned over some brown rice or a bowl of your favorite grain--Get the recipe here. 

Wild Rice with Roasted Butternut Squash and Shallots

 
Faced with the need for a creative side dish to go with a roasted chicken one evening last week, I decided to be inspired by what was in the fridge and on the kitchen counter. Some leftover wild rice, a small butternut squash, and a handful of shallots provided all the ingredients I needed for a tasty and simple accompaniment to the bird. Find the easy recipe here.

Photo: Butternut squash cubes and shallots, liberally sprinkled with salt and pepper, ready for the oven.