Home Grown Indiana

Home Grown Indiana in the Indiana University Press Catalogue

The new Indiana University Press Fall/Winter 2008 Calendar is now available (here). Home Grown Indiana can be found on page 23. The catalogue says that it will not be available until October 2008 but we're told it will be in the warehouse and ready to ship on July 7.

Cover Art

Here is the cover art for Home Grown Indiana. You can click on the image to enlarge it. Indiana University Press Graphics Dude Jamison Cockerham did a great job with this. Here's a little deconstruction of what you'll see here. The title "Home Grown Indiana" is really three different images. The word "Home" is from a cross stitch, "Grown" is from a rustic farm-stand sign, and "Indiana" is from the Interstate welcome sign seen as you enter the Hoosier state. Surrounding the title are some shots of the many delicious products you can find across our great state. The book will be available July 7th.

A "Home Grown Indiana" Dinner Party Menu

Last night I cooked dinner for six and used fresh, seasonal, local ingredients for as much of the food as possible. Having just finished Home Grown Indiana, I had an easy time sourcing all of my ingredients. This is one of the scenarios we had in mind for the HGI reader - those who enjoy finding the best ingredients as much as the enjoy cooking and eating with friends.

In early May, not much is "seasonal" but I managed to score some Indiana asparagus and, of course, meat and dairy is always in season. I also used locally-owned merchants for much of the stuff I could get just about anywhere. Here's the menu I put together.

• Appetizer - Crostini with Chevre, Caramelized Onions, and Mission Fig Marmalade
• First Course - Salad of Endive, Fennel, and Blood Oranges
• Second Course - Mini Shrimp Scampi Pizza
• Intermezzo - Limoncello Granita
• Third Course -Beef Tenderloin Marsala with Roasted Asparagus and a Gratin of Potatoes and Artisan Cheeses
• Dessert - Flourless Chocolate Torte with Mint-Infused Ganache

Ingredients for the evening’s dinner came from the following Indiana farmers, artisans, and shopkeepers:

Cheeses from Capriole Farm, Rockville and Traders Point Creamery, Zionsville
Asparagus from Melon Acres, Oaktown
Beef from Fischer Farms, Kenya
Herbs and Spices from Terra Spice Company, Walkerton
Eggs from Stout’s Melody Acres, Franklin
Chocolate from David Alan Chocolatier, Lebanon
Mint Oil from Wappel Farm, San Pierre
Wines from Grapevine Cottage, Zionsville
Coffee from Hubbard & Cravens, Indianapolis

As of July 7 (HGI publication date) a task like this will be much easier for those who have a copy, not just Christine and me! I hope you plan to buy one (or two, or three!).