I found Joe’s Butcher Shop and Fish Market about a year and a half ago and my menus have never been the same. Indianapolis Monthly published an entire issue for food lovers (that’s me) on where to find all the good stuff Indianapolis has to offer – and there on page 63, was Joe’s; I was stunned to learn that there was a real, live butcher shop within 30 miles of me, so armed with my magazine and a GPS system, The Professor and I headed down the road. What we found was a resource for some of the best organic and sustainable meat and fish we’ve ever eaten, as well as someone who has a real passion for not only what he does, but how he feeds the rest of us.
Twitter is full of comments about life being crazy busy right now and I must confess, I find myself in the same boat. Where are the lazy days of summer that songwriters wax poetic about ‘cuz they sure ain’t hangin’ around here – we are running from one forest fire to the next! Who has time to make a proper breakfast?
I recently had the pleasure of sitting down for a chat with Dr. Dom Caristi, one of The Professor’s colleagues at Ball State University; Dom and his wife, Kim are also good friends of ours and they fed us a wonderful dinner that evening. I asked Dom to share his experiences about his Italian heritage and what he observed while teaching in Macerata (MAH-chuh-RAH-tuh), Italy in 2008. I do hope you’ll take the time to listen – Dom is both entertaining and knowledgeable about the food culture in Italy – he has some great stories to tell!
Musical pairing – If I Knew You Were Comin’ I’d Have Baked A Cake by Eileen Barton
This post is a labor of love, and by that I mean that I count myself very fortunate to have married into one of the best families ever – and that includes my cousins on the Green side: Liz, Brenda, David and Andrea. We don’t see each other very often even though we live relatively close, but Facebook has kept us connected – which is how I ended up with this recipe and the memories that come with it.
I’m having one of those ‘Rip Van Winkle’ moments because I just cannot fathom that I’m actually using the words, ‘mid-summer.’ Then I look at the calendar and remember that the temperatures have been above 90 for the past couple of weeks and our gardens do indeed, remind me that it really is mid-summer – there’s a bounty to be picked and enjoyed! We’ve put together a ‘mid-summer’ garden tour – so take a minute and walk with us – we’ll show you around!
Doughnuts w/Chocolate Brandy Sauce; Photo by The Professor
Musical pairing – You Sexy Thing by Hot Chocolate
A couple of weeks ago, I woke up feeling very much like I still wanted to be on vacation back in Santa Cruz; in fact, I was really wishing we had a Gayle’s Bakery so that I could peruse their gorgeous cases of pastry! But alas, I clicked my heels three times and I was definitely still in Kansas . . . well, Indiana, but close enough. Anyhoo . . . because I still wanted to be on vacation and was craving pastry, I decided to make doughnut holes – and not just any doughnut holes, but doughnut holes that were dipped in chocolate sauce – a fabulous Martha Stewart Chocolate Brandy Sauce!
Musical pairing – Just the Two of Us by Bill Withers
It was a perfect holiday weekend for The Professor and me; for several years, we’ve hosted a July 4th party at our home with 20+ invited guests. A whole lotta food and many hours later, we’re spent but very, very happy and content knowing we have such great family and friends. Last year’s July 4th, we were in Connecticut and didn’t have our party; this year we’ve traveled quite a bit and are now in the process of updating our dining room so we didn’t plan a party . . . not a big party anyway . . . but the perfect party for two which included these lovely Vietnamese Cupcakes.
