Country Mouse City Mouse Pairs Family Recipes with Local Ingredients

When I visit farmers markets, I always enjoy seeing the friendly and familiar faces of the folks I've come to know but it's also fun to meet newcomers to the local food scene. So, this past Friday when I saw the Country Mouse City Mouse display at the Traders Point Farmers' Market , I wandered over to see what was new.

For the first few minutes I barely spoke to the charming and friendly woman working the booth--not because I had nothing to say but because I was stuffing my mouth with samples of her fabulous dips, sauces, salsas, spreads, and chutneys.

After I swallowed the last bite (I would have eaten more, but a curious crowd was forming behind me and I thought I should step aside to allow them to try this luscious line-up of goodies.), I spontaneously exclaimed, "You are a goddess."  I meant every word. The products were fresh, flavorful, and chock full of local ingredients. One bite made me want another one...and another...and another... I couldn't pick a favorite. I loved them all. Words like sensational or incredible can't begin to describe how great they tasted.

What a find! The Wild Mushroom Pate and Trilby cheese spread will transform a crudite, cracker, miniature phyllo cup, or baguette slice into a thing of beauty, the chow chows will turn up the flavor volume on sandwiches, scrambled eggs, cream cheese, or frankly anything else you can think of, the Jezebel and Rhubarb Ginger Chutney are recommended for ham, grilled chicken, and pork (although I think the rhubarb sauce has potential as an ice cream topping for those of us who like a little fire and ice) and the Romesco sauce is just perfect for dunking pita, bagel, or tortilla chips, poured over a sliced pork tenderloin, or as a dipping sauce for grilled shrimp. The culinary possibilities are endless. Once you taste them, your imagination runs wild! 

Although they often talked about starting a specialty food business, Erin Jones-Edds and her sister Katy Jones decided that this year the "timing was right" to turn their culinary creations, which always won high praise from friends and family members, into a commercial venture. The turning point was when Erin lost her full-time job. She recently told me, "I was always working so hard for someone else. When I lost my job, I knew that now was the time to see if Katy and I could make this work."

With their treasured family recipes and many years of food industry experience between them, the women sought out local Indiana food producers for the finest ingredients, found a commercial kitchen, and took the plunge. If that isn't enough to keep them busy, Erin is also doing some "carry out" party catering while Katy also works for Farm Fresh Delivery.

Right now their products are sold at the Traders Point Farmers Market, the Broad Ripple Farmers Market and the Indianapolis City Market. Check their site often because the products will change to reflect what's fresh, local, and in-season. Now, that's GOING LOCAL!


Photo: Trilby Cheese Spread: So good you won't want to share it with anyone!  

Comments

[Claire]

I was just googling around for some farmer's market related things in Bloomington, where I recently moved, and happened upon your site. The dips and such from that Country Mouse place sound delicious!! I'm going to check out the web site, and see what the nearest place is to Bloomington where I might try them. Thanks!