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Episode 10: Persimmon Pudding

Feb 29th, 2012 by

Indiana has many signature sweets – sugar cream pie, apple butter, strawberry rhubarb pie, but there is maybe none more ubiquitous than persimmon pudding.

The persimmon tree fruits in the fall, making this creamy and comforting dessert a festive staple at Hoosier Thanksgiving dinners.

Recipes for persimmon pudding can be found in community and junior league cookbooks of the mid-1900s, but many recipes are instead passed down from generation to generation.

In this episode, Judy Shaw of Mitchell and Margaret McAnders of Martinsville share their thoughts about pudding contests, the politics of pulping, and the acquired taste of this unique fruit.

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Episode 9: Diners and Community Institutions

Feb 29th, 2012 by

On this episode of Second Servings, we take a step back from Indiana menu staples to explore the community aspects of food, by visiting three local dining institutions around the state.

Local restaurants serve a unique purpose in places like Newberry Indiana – population 193 – where the Newberry Café serves as a meeting place for those not only in the town but the surrounding area.

Chambers Smorgasbord in Spencer and Lisa’s Pie Shop in Atlanta also serve unique functions in their communities, from offering comforting and familiar “homecookery” dishes to training young women in entrepreneurship.

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Episode 8: Meat of the Matter

Jan 17th, 2012 by

Even if you’re meat averse, this episode offers an eye-opening look at the farm-to-table journey of Indiana goods and the farmers and grocers who are fighting to keep Hoosier cuisine locally raised.

Greg Marlett, owner and operator of Hardway Farms, gives us a tour of his backyard pig farm in Martinsville, Indiana, tells about the process of raising and selling local meat, and gives us his take on sustainable agriculture.

“This isn’t just a green quack or a tree-hugging bunny lover that’s up in arms about something. There are some serious issues with the way our food is being handled.”

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Episode 7: Food Trucks

Dec 13th, 2011 by

 

In this episode of Second Servings, we hightail it to Indianapolis to sample the movable feasts of the modern food truck industry. From Hoosier home-cooking, Southern BBQ, and Cajun cuisine to gourmet and international fare, we explore the many splendors of mobile food.

Here are some of the the vehicular vendors who share samples and stories of their roadside creations:

 

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Episode 6: Canned Heat

Dec 5th, 2011 by

This episode examines the development of home canning and how Indiana residents have utilized various aesthetic and technological methods both in the past and today. From the innovative “Pie In A Jar” technique to family recipes for sweet pickles, from the history of the Ball Jar in Indiana to drying beans, Hoosiers contribute to a rich landscape of food preservation.

For this episode we traveled to Muncie, home of the Ball Corporation Archives; to Sechler’s Pickles in St. Joe; Lisa’s Pie Shop in Atlanta; as well as visiting with Harold and Jo Ann Jackson in Salem, who preserve foods from their home.

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Episode 5: Familiar Foods in a Foreign Land

Dec 1st, 2011 by

Like pork tenderloins and turtle soup, which were popularized by German immigrants, many of Indiana’s food traditions have been transplanted here from other regions.

With an interest in the localization process of foods, we look at ethnic and regional foods popular in Indiana though not conventionally thought of as Hoosier cuisine.

We visit three food establishments curiously nestled in the Hoosier heartland—El Tacos Veloz in Indianapolis, Zydeco’s Cajun Restaurant in Mooresville, and House of India in Schererville—to find out what it takes to present and preserve these cuisines in a new locale.

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Zydeco’s Cajun Restaurant

 

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Episode 4: Morel Mushrooms

Oct 28th, 2011 by

The morel mushroom fruits in the spring, signaling a Hoosier tradition of hunting the wooded areas of the state for these elusive fungi.  Though serious morel hunters can be cagey to newcomers, the activity has inspired a lively folklore.

Morel lovers congregate for group hunts, festivals, clubs, and via online message boards and social media to trade outlandish hunting methods and rumored fertile hunt spots.

Lengthy foraging for this rare mushroom pays off, as it is a prized culinary treat – as good deep fried in a simple egg batter as it is sautéed with truffle oil on top a pasta dish.

Brown County State Park interpretive naturalist Jim Eagleman gives us some background on the park’s morel festival, Steve Russell of the Hoosier Mushroom Society shares his favorite cooking methods, and Ron Kerner of IndianaMushrooms.com is kind enough to give us some hunting tips.

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Episode 3: Hoosier Homebrew

Oct 6th, 2011 by

Homebrewed beer is one of the oldest cottage industries and has become a popular practice in Indiana with rise of homebrew social clubs. We talk to Hoosier homebrewers to hear their stories of malting mayhem, hoppy accidents, and brew-ins—the social gatherings where people brew and share their suds.

Veteran brewer Dibbs Harting tells about the history and culture of home-crafted beer, beer enthusiast Rick Stidham relates the appeal of making beer from scratch, and Chadd Powell, the president of the Bloomington Hop Jockeys, discusses the community surrounding homebrew hobbyists. We also head down to Floyd County to sample beers with the F.O.S.S.I.L.S. homebrew club and to talk to member Dennis Stockslager about the brewing process from barley to bottle.

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Episode 2: Turtle Soup

Sep 30th, 2011 by

A staple at church socials and fall festivals in DuBois County, turtle soup is typically made in large batches, reflecting the community aspect of the dish. Government regulations concerning the sale of wild game means that the recipe is often of the “mock turtle” variety, but its unmistakable taste luckily comes more from the pickling spices than the type of meat used. Turtle soup aficionados sometimes practice “turtle noodling,” catching turtles by hand in muskrat holes by water sources.

We visited folks at a number of restaurants and diners that serve variations on this regional dish, including Fleig’s Cafe, the Ferdy Flyer, and Heichelbech’s Restaurant & Bar, all located in Dubois County.

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Episode 1: Breaded Pork Tenderloin

Sep 1st, 2011 by

On this episode of Second Servings: the marvels of breaded meat.

Indiana’s pride is the breaded pork tenderloin sandwich. For a closer look at this Hoosier staple, we hauled in a few experts to share their thoughts.

First, we talked to Indianapolis food blogger Rick Garrett, a tenderloin connoisseur and critic who chronicles his adventures online.

Then, we had a chat with Don Storie, who owns Storie’s Restaurant, a Greensburg haunt that’s famous for its “BPTs”.

Finally, we hit the road for Brown County, where broasted-and-breaded pork tenderloin is always on the menu at the local Gnaw Mart. Although owner Roger Sharp remained tight-lipped about the specifics, he did share a few basic steps on the road to a tantalizing tenderloin.

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