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I8tonite: Bold Living in International Indianapolis, The Middle of Everything.
Indiana and South Korea’s Newest Relationship Grows Midwest Dining and Manfacturing.

South Korean and Indiana become an international force of dining and EV battery

Nick and I celebrated five years of living in Indianapolis. It was a big cross-country drive, but we were old hats at it, having relocated from West Hollywood to Phoenix, then Orange County and finally Palm Springs before motoring eastward. Each relocation was for Nick’s work. Since living here, we packed again from our first house in the historic Kennedy King neighborhood into our current “forever” home within walking distance of Broad Ripple if we had sidewalks to get there. (We have the same zip code.)

Initially, the city reminded me of my elementary and high school years in Baltimore. Charm City offers mature skyscraping trees and massive, historic turn-of-the-century homes built by transportation moguls. Both areas were hubs of the Second Industrialization Revolution due to the proximity of waterways and the burgeoning railroad system. And it was walkable. I ran away from home once in my stocking, hiking seven miles from Roland Park to Fells Point.

The difference between the two, today, is that Indianapolis is larger by more than 300,000. It’s the 16th largest city in the country, wedged between Charlotte (15th) and San Francisco (17th). It’s also the third largest in the region behind Chicago (‘natch) and Columbus, OH. Baltimore’s population ranks thirtieth, sandwiched by Memphis (29) and Milwaukee (31).

Like my former town of Los Angeles, cars assisted in building Indy. According to the Indiana’s Greenfield Daily Reporter, there were 172 manufacturers of cars or car parts in Indiana, including Stutz and Studebaker in the 1900s. Today, all of them are gone and the state is home to three Asian motor companies, including Honda, Toyota, Subaru and arguably, U.K.-based Rolls Royce, which works on U.S. defense-related production.

According to Autos Drive America, Asian automotive production has outproduced U.S. automakers, driving much of the Midwest economy. These manufacturers employ 17,544 Hoosiers, produce 75 percent of total U.S. auto production, and contribute $19 billion to the state’s GSP. Indeed, manufacturing dances away with the show. Kokomo, an hour north of Indy — think driving the 101 from Hollywood to the 210 and getting off in Pasadena without traffic (I know it would never happen, but it does here) — announced in September 2023 a joint venture between The Netherlands-based Stellantis and South Korean Samsung SDI will build a new EV battery plant, creating 1400 new jobs. The city’s population in 2022 was 59,604 and will continue to grow.

After that information was released, another announcement was that six Korean restaurants will open in the area. Sokuri, serving Japanese and Korean food, opened in January and Sute, a fine-dining Korean barbecue eatery, plans to open in the coming weeks. Indy has 13 Southeast Asian places serving everything from hot pots to Asian-Latin fusion tacos. With the number of South Korean nationalists moving to Kokomo, the companies felt it would be wise to create a welcoming international atmosphere.

This Asian wave brings to mind the Christian Burmese who fled Myanmar, relocating for religious persecution from the Buddhist junta. Many fled seeking religious asylum, found it in Indiana: Greenwood, a community south of Indy, and Fort Wayne, the state’s second-largest city. The Hoosier State could be called Little Burma because it has the largest population of Burmese in the United States. If you ever dined on lahpet thoke (green tea leaf salad), a textural, umami delight, you will wonder how you ever ate an iceberg wedge with bottled Russian dressing.

One can argue that America’s heartland belongs to other countries. I see that differently; I know fewer people fly over our amber waves of grain as we become more about growing an economy that allows everyone to live where they please. We aren’t relegated to one coast or bi-coastal anymore. That’s so 20th century. Now, we are, as the tourism bureau for Illinois says, “The middle of everything.”

What do I think about it? I always ask, will the traditional foods of the Amish, Dutch and Germans who populated the state be mingled with kimchee and bulgogi? Think of a deep-fried Korean pork tenderloin slathered in a sauce of gochujang, a fermented red chili paste and maple syrup, served on gyeran-ppang, a bread crossed with a pancake and dinner roll or using Indiana pork to make jeyuk bokkeum, pork marinated in gochujang, with Hoosier grown potatoes such as Purple Chiefs or Yukon Golds.

I’ve always wanted to live in this country where the comingling of cultures is celebrated and brought together for growth and opportunity. Half a decade later, I’m seeing it come to fruition.

Korean-Inspired BBQ Meatloaf

Ingredients:

For the Meatloaf:
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/2 lb ground pork
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup milk
- One egg, beaten
- Two cloves garlic, minced
- One tablespoon ginger, grated
- Two tablespoons gochujang (Korean red chili paste)
- Two tablespoons soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
- One tablespoon of sesame oil
- 1/4 cup green onions, chopped
- 1/4 cup carrot, finely grated
- 1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
- One teaspoon of sesame seeds
- One tablespoon gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes) – optional, for extra heat
For the Glaze:
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- Two tablespoons gochujang
- One tablespoon brown sugar
- One teaspoon rice vinegar
Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a loaf pan with butter of spay oil or line it with parchment paper. The latter assists in removing the loaf from the pan.

In a large bowl, mix the panko breadcrumbs and milk, allowing the breadcrumbs to absorb the milk. Add the ground beef, pork, egg, garlic, ginger, gochujang, soy sauce, sesame oil, green onions, grated carrot, chopped onion, sesame seeds, and gochugaru (if used). Mix until all ingredients are well integrated.

Transfer the mixture to loaf pan, pressing it down to form an even loaf. Or, do what I do, and fashion a free form loaf so much easier.

Mix the ketchup, gochujang, brown sugar, and rice vinegar in a small bowl. Spread half of the glaze over the meatloaf.

Bake the meatloaf in the oven for 45-50 minutes. Fifteen minutes before it’s done, remove the meatloaf and spread the remaining glaze on top. Return it to the oven to finish cooking.

When your remove the meatloaf from the oven, let it rest for about 10 minutes and then slice.. If you feel inspired by Korea, serve bap (rice) or the Pennsylvania Dutch, opt for buttered gluten-free egg noodles or mashed potatoes.

Go Eat.
September 6, 2024
Pot Roast & Kisses: Indiana’s Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band Sings the Blues about Love and Food
Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band from Brown County, Indiana, is a chart-topping three-piece American country blues group, having reached number one on iTunes and Billboard with their latest, “Dance Songs for Hard Times.” Guitarist and singer Reverend Peyton, along with his wife, the beguiling Breezy, a washboard-playing maestro, and drummer Max Senteney much of their music offers stories of romance, the difficulties of American life and, of course, food.

While playing nearly 250 dates a year, the hardworking trio crafts heartfelt tunes about heartbreak, and their love of Indiana and its food. Whether in full songs or a lyrical mention, Rev and the group warble about food. In “Pickin Pawpaws”, Peyton finds difficult in traveling all the time, finding peace in harvesting the native fruit of the Midwest, roaring “pickin paw paws with my maw maw/ come pick pawspaws with me now.” Pawpaws are a mango-banana-like fruit also called a Hoosier banana. In their rendition of the 1948 song Cornbread and Butterbeans, while playing in London, they change the lyrics to “goodbye and don’t you cry/ I’m going to Indiana/ buy a dog/ and a big fat hog” as an ode to their hometown state.

Belting out about food isn’t without precedent. According to CBC News food writer Andrew Copplino, the great master of the Delta-style blues Robert Johnson, found inspiration from tamales at a Mississippi restaurant called Abe’s BBQ, prompting him to pen a 1936 song called Hot Tamales, They’re Red Hot about a woman and steamed masa. Not only did the musical notes of an American institution start but also became synonymous with food. For the last century, blues and food evolved, becoming the best of friends, either as a euphemism for love or evangelizing great tastes, or both.

On one of Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band’s many hits, “Pot Roast and Kisses” , with more 2,000,000 streams, Peyton croons a husky hunger, “I got a Genie/ just granting wishes/ Like I won the lottery/by my misses / Pot roast and kisses/ So delicious/ I smell something sweet cookin up/ in the oven/ but there’s nothing like her lovin.” It’s one of the best of the American musical genre showcasing a heartland heart smoldering with gravy laden affection. If only we could see the mashed potatoes.

After reading the email interview with Breezy and Rev, it felt like participating in one of the great romances of the world such as Richard and Elizabeth, Johnny and June, Stephen and Ayesha…and ahem, eating.

THE INTERVIEW

What is your favorite food to cook when not touring?

Breezy: I do all the cooking, so when we get home from a tour, I am usually cooking for a ton of people. Our friends and family know I love to cook, so I’m always prepared to feed a crowd.

Rev’s favorite is salmon, so we usually have that when we get home.

REV: Breezy is a real cook, an absolute chef. She has a real passion and love for preparing food. All our friends and family look forward to her coming home, because she is always creating amazing spreads of food that she shares with so many people…. And luckily… me too!

What is your favorite food when touring?

B: We are fairly limited on the road, but I often make deviled eggs as a snack for the band and crew because we have the ingredients on our rider.

REV: Because of the nature of touring, we end up eating at restaurants a lot. After years of doing this though, we have so many favorite places all over the world. We avoid fast food at all costs.

What do you always have in your fridge at home?

B: Prairie Farms Cottage Cheese, small curd, full fat and cold brew. These are essential for Rev to live. He is obsessed with cottage cheese and that’s his favorite brand.

REV: I would eat the same three or four things over and over if it weren’t for Breezy, making sure that I don’t. Breezy always has interesting things in the fridge, because she is usually planning meals way ahead.

What marked characteristic do you love in a person with whom you are sharing a meal?

REV: you know I have very rarely actually shared a meal with someone, really got to know them, and not liked them.

Photo: Tyler Zoller

What marked characteristic do you find unappealing in a person with whom you are sharing a meal?

REV: I’d say terrible manners, rudeness, if at a restaurant- treating servers with disrespect.

What is your favorite thing to make for yourself and your family?

B: Maybe Paleo chili, or creamed spinach.

REV: Breezy’s creamed spinach might be mine too haha! It might be surprising, but so many people in my hillbilly family always ask her to make that dish. Her secret is Indian spices, and it is incredible.

Beer, wine, or cocktail?

B: For me bourbon, Rev doesn’t drink alcohol, but he does drink a lot of coffee.

REV: Coffee for sure!

Your favorite song about food?

REV: Oh man, that’s a tough one, and probably would change day to day, but today… it’s Poke Salad Annie by Tony Joe White.

Where do you get your inspiration when writing a song about food?

REV: I just write about whatever inspires me. Sometimes a melody will just speak to me in a certain way, and sometimes…. That’s food!

Your favorite kitchen or bar tool?

B: My Blackstone Grill.

Favorite types of cuisine do you like to cook?

B: I use a lot of Indian spices in my food but I cook all different cuisines.

Beef, chicken, pork, seafood or tofu?

B: Seafood, hands down. We both fish, so as fresh as we can get it.

Favorite vegetable?

B: Cabbage, it’s so versatile and can be eaten raw or cooked.

What chef or culinary person do you most admire?

B: That’s a hard one, because I am a cooking show fanatic, but Alex Guarnaschelli is my absolute favorite.

What food do you like the most?

B: I could eat a spicy tuna roll everyday for the rest of life and be happy.

What food do you dislike the most?

B: I love everything but for health reasons we don’t eat much fried food and heavy carb foods like potatoes.

What is your favorite non-food thing to do?

B: Cuddle up with our cat Chunkleberry Finn when we aren’t on tour.

Whom do you most admire in food?

B: The farmers. I have a small garden, but I’m pretty lousy at it.

Where is your favorite place to eat/drink in Indiana?

B: Our favorite restaurant is a place called Samira in Bloomington, Indiana. It’s Afghani good and it’s wonderful. I’ve been trying to duplicate one of their dishes for years and I’m getting close, but they are very secretive about the recipe and I think I’m missing one ingredient.

REV: We have eaten at amazing places all over the world as we travel around and play music, and Samira is our favorite!

Where is your favorite place to eat and drink outside the Midwest?

B: Any place that has good fresh seafood.

REV: Osteria Del Calderone, Parma, Italy

Who is/are the person/s with whom you would share your last meal?

B: When we are home we have dinner with our best friends/neighbors Michelle and Francie nearly every night. They own a wonderful store called The Wild Olive that sells olive oil, balsamic vinegars and other great food products. I use a lot of their products.

REV: Breezy.

What made you want to become a musician?

REV: it’s just been in my soul since I was born. As soon as I was handed a guitar, I haven’t put it down.

Tour Bus Deviled Eggs (Inspired by Breezy Peyton)

What You Will Need:
- Hard-boiled eggs (6 eggs make 12 deviled egg halves)
- Mayonnaise
- Mustard (yellow or Dijon)
- Salt and pepper
- Paprika (optional, for garnish)
- Optional: vinegar, ras al hanout, garam masala hot sauce, pickle relish, chopped herbs (such as parsley or chives) for extra flavor
Let’s Make This Puppy:

Hard-boil the eggs: Place the eggs in a pot and cover them with cold water. Bring the water to a rolling boil, then turn off the heat, cover the pot, and let the eggs sit in the hot water for about 10-12 minutes. Afterward, transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water to cool before peeling.

Once the eggs have cooled, carefully peel them and slice them in half lengthwise. Remove the yolks and place them in a separate bowl. Arrange the egg white halves on a serving plate.

Mash the egg yolks with a fork until they’re crumbly. Add the mayo and mustard to the mashed yolks. Start with about 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise and 1 tablespoon of mustard for 6 eggs, adjusting to your preferred taste and consistency. Mix well until you achieve a creamy texture. You can add a splash of vinegar, hot sauce, pickle relish or as an ode to Breezy, ras al hangout or garam masala. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
December 5, 2023
Goodie, Goodie, Gluten Free

Learning How to Make GF Sea Salt Pecan Bars with Indy’s GF Lady, Lydia Bootz Armstrong.

When we moved to Indianapolis from Southern California, we had already been on a gluten-free diet for several years. Before being diagnosed with celiac, doctors couldn’t understand my partner’s overwhelming gastrointestinal pain. The outcome was celiac, which now seems as common as a cold. But it’s actually not.

According to Beyond Celiac, a non-profit dedicated to eradicating the autoimmune disease, they estimate that one in 133 Americans has celiac. However, 83% of individuals with celiac may not even know they have it or are misdiagnosed with another ailment. Another six percent of the general population may have non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS), says the World Journal of Gastroenterology, with symptoms ranging from acute abdominal pain, bloating, constipation and diarrhea. Still, all of this can be managed, states the Celiac Disease Foundation, with a lifelong adherence to a strict gluten-free diet, avoiding anything that contains wheat, rye and barley. While the cause of celiac disease is unknown, it is a genetic issue, handed down along a family line.

I can manage diet adjustments. Besides, a cake is a cake regardless of the flour used; it’s only a different ingredient. There might be some stretch or elasticity missing from the dough. If you toss in chocolate chips, some walnuts and buttercream, it can be as tasty as wheat-based – almond flour, anyone?- and sometimes even better. Pizza crusts made from rice flour offer a lovely chew and crispness, holding toppings even better instead of flopping. Of course, French macaron and marzipan quell a sweet tooth and happen to be made from almond meal, making them gluten-free.

Lydia Bootz Armstrong, Indy’s GF Lady

I was prepared to bake most of our cookies, cakes and breads when we set up a heartland home. However, it turned out to be easier to find wheat-free bakers in the Midwest than on the coasts. While most sell goods at local farmers’ markets, many brick-and-mortars provide tasty alternatives using proprietary blends crafted with tapioca, potato and rice. Baking, indeed, is a science.

This is how I came across Gluten Free Creations and Lydia Bootz Armstrong, a wheat-alternative baker but still uses true-blue butter, sugar and all the other tasty goodies found in confectionaries. While healthy is a good thing, we still wanted the experience of granulated sugar, not substitute sweeteners, no matter how good they might be. I’ve eaten her goods for the better part of the four years we have lived in Indiana.

Why did you start making gluten-free baked desserts? I began when several of my Purdue University Extension colleagues I worked with were celiac or had gluten sensitivities. I enjoy baking, creating things so everyone can eat at special events. The caterers (at work) couldn’t figure out different flours or alternatives for gluten-free, so I started working on transforming recipes from regular wheat flour to gluten-free.

I realized I also needed to be gluten-free, which I discovered. It made it even more urgent for me to dig in and expand, making things gluten-free for me and my family.

When did you start baking? I’ve been cooking since I was young, a little kid. I always enjoyed doing that and making desserts for my family.

When did you start it as a business? I started Gluten-Free Creations nine years ago this past April. It grew out of my desire to have gluten-free baked goods for people who needed something gluten-free that tasted better than in the commercial grocery stores. There were only so many options for local bakeries.

Have you found that gluten-free baked goods have grown? There’s definitely been growth, but only some things have improved with time. There are still plenty of dried, baked goods out there.

What would you like me to ask that I still need to include in your gluten-free story? I’m not the only gluten-free baker in town. I have colleagues, whether they are brick and mortar or from their homes; we all work together. If one of us doesn’t make a particular product, we call upon each other and give the referral. We’re in this work and business together and want everybody to succeed. We try to remember our humble beginnings to serve people who desire something delicious that they can eat without getting sick. It’s great knowing we can support our customers by providing products they enjoy knowing.

I’m glad to be a part of these options available, so that people can have regular everyday lives and enjoy the things they love.

Follow her on Instagram and Facebook.

Gluten Free Sea Salt Pecan Bar

Lydia Armstrong, President and owner of Gluten Free Creations, Inc. Carmel, IN, Makes 8×8 pan. 9 Servings

Ingredients:

1 ⅛ c GF Flour Blend (I use our house blend.)

¾ t baking soda

½ t xanthan gum

½ c Unsalted butter, softened

½ c Brown sugar, firmly packed

¼ c Granulated sugar

1 Egg

¾ t Vanilla extract

1/3 c Sea Salt Caramel Morsels

1/3 c chopped pecans

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350ᵒ degrees. Line 8×8 pan completely with parchment paper and set aside. Whisk together GF Flour, baking soda and xanthan gum and set aside.

Combine unsalted butter and both sugars in a mixing bowl; beat on medium speed with mixer until light and fluffy. Add in egg and vanilla extract. Incorporate everything into the mixture. With mixer going, add in flour mix a little at a time until incorporated. Stir in morsels and pecans with spatula.

Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly with spatula. Place in preheated oven and bake for 25-30 min. Batter will rise during baking, but will “collapse” when finished. Remove pan from oven and place on cooling rack. Once cooled, remove bars by pulling them out by the parchment paper and place on counter/table to cut. Pull parchment away from the sides and cut into 3rds yielding 9 bars. Store in airtight container for up to a week.

October 19, 2023
I8tonite: Media Maven Jennifer Magley & Her Grandmother’s Delicious Rolls

When I first met Jennifer Magley at an event, she offered huge smiles, genuine warmth, displayed a brilliant fashion sense all while listening to an old fart (me) prattle on about nonsense. That very morning, her company downsized leaving her without work. To her credit, she showed grit and resilience by coming out to make new acquaintances instead of staying cooped up, feeling sorry for herself, which is what I would have done.

Born in Kansas, Magley attended the University of Florida and was a scholarship athlete at IMG Academy under the direct tutelage of renowned tennis coach Nick Bollettieri. While in college, Magley became the number one ranked NCAA Division, Singles player in the country, a four-time All-American, and the Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar recipient. As a member of TEAM USA, Magley represented the United States in over 14 countries. After graduation, she competed professionally on the WTA Tour before being named Associate Head Coach at Wichita State University. With many accolades and recognition, she became the nation’s youngest NCAA Division head coach at Florida Gulf Coast University.

She has written two books, with her debut novel Division I, released in 2014, spotlighting issues that affect female collegiate athletes and, in 2021, How to Be Queen-A Leadership Fable, about the power of imperfect leadership.

Today, with national media coverage, from USA Today, CNN, ESPN, Foundr Magazine, and US News & World Report, she is a successful Keynote Speaker and High-Performance Coach, having spent over a decade as a recruiter and helping successful people become their best. Additionally, she started Magley Mass Media, where she promotes women, including her mother, Evelyn Magley, the first Black woman to head a men’s professional basketball league. Her father, a former pro player with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Dave Magley, was the former commissioner of the National Basketball League of Canada and now is the president and chief operating officer for the North American Basketball League.

Between her sold-out luncheons, writing, speaking, and being just a media superstar, Magley graced us with answers to i8tonite questions and a time-honored yeast rolls recipe.

Why did you start Magley Mass Media?

In March, my full-time role as a technical recruiter laid me off and launched Magley Mass Media. I just looked at my phone and it says I started doing my thing on April 18th full time.

What gives you the greatest joy in working in this space?

For most people, the reality is that no one knows your name; I help change that through 90-day Media Mastermind Groups. My greatest joy is seeing the folks I partner with land more media, connections, and onstage opportunities. People need to know you exist and that you have expertise.

What is your favorite thing to do around your company?

Finding new ways to surprise and promote the people I work with. I deeply believe that over-performing is such a gift. It’s a joy to be able to see my clients light up.

Could you tell us about your favorite inspirations?

There have been a lot of people who have sacrificed in my bloodline for me to be where I am today. I have descended from slaves and slave owners, immigrants, and orphans. That’s positive motivation. On the flip side, there are a handful of men that have taunted me with their money and arrogance. Hard to say which inspires me more.

What are your favorite things about the Midwest?

The people. Indiana has been rated by the IEDC as one of the best places in the country to begin a business. That proves to be true. I was born in Kansas, so that’s why I probably say the people. Secondly, cost of living.

What is your favorite regional city and why?

This is unexpected but Cincinnati, that counts right? They have done so much to develop their downtown, especially Over the Rhine, with restaurants and shops. They have a bit more elevation than Indianapolis and it really is such a lovely place, and the food is fantastic.

Where is your favorite place to eat and why?

VIDA. (It’s a) Cunningham property, however it is a chef’s restaurant, so it is not a chain. This is where we go for special occasions because of their four-course dinner. Chef’s kiss. I’ve had literally everything on the menu and their consistency is unmatched for fine dining in Indy.

What do you have in the fridge currently?

Oatmilk. Organic Eggs. Champagne. Organic Greens. I want to be bourgeois.

Jennifer Magley’s Grandma’s Yeast Rolls

Ingredients

4 – 5 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups hot water

⅔ cup sugar

½ cup of liquid Crisco or any liquid cooking oil

3 eggs

2 packages yeast, Rapid rise or day (3 if you are in a hurry)

Cupcake pans, greased and floured

To Make:

Pre-heat oven to 375° to 400°depending upon oven. Mix hot water, oil, sugar and eggs. Stir until sugar is dissolved. If you use rapid rise yeast, sprinkle in liquid, then let it dissolve waiting a few minutes. Stir. Add about two cups of flour and stir adding more flour on the right consistency for kneading. You may put a kneading board on the counter-top.

Knead very little, just enough to roll out and cut. If you don’t have a biscuit cutter, use a cup to cut out two circles and a half. Fold the circles in half and add the half-circle into the greased and floured cupcake pans. Pinch the edges together. Brush with melted butter and let rise until they look right for baking. (Forty-five minutes to an hour).

“This makes for the rolls to be very lovely in shape and fashioned to pull apart.”.
Jennifer Magley

Bake for 10 minutes or until brown, brush with butter again when removed from oven.

Cinnamon Rolls: Simply roll out as you do for rolls. Brush with butter.

Mix brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon, raisins and nuts. Roll up the dough into a log. Let rise.

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August 23, 2023
I8tonite Learns from IG Entrepreneur Abby Breece

Thrifting, Parenthood and the Joys of Living in Indy; Plus, a Spicy & Sweet Hand Tart Recipe

I first met Abby Breece, 36, and her husband, Eric, as neighbors when Nick and I moved to Indianapolis. The mid-thirties duo allowed us to glom onto them since this was my first time living anywhere in the Midwest, and they knew a Midwestern newbie when they saw one. Together, we wandered around Massachusetts Avenue in Indy, bar-hopping before their baby was born. They met our respective families, we met theirs, and we joined their “Covid-19 circle” during the early days of the pandemic. We even went to Chicago together, eating in some stellar places while touring the city.

A native Hoosier, Abby, maintains a thriving practice as a licensed marriage and family therapist. On the side, she created an online vintage Instagram shop called Beulah, named after one of Eric neighbor’s growing up in Traverse City. As she says on her Instagram store, “(Eric) remembers Beulah’s home filled with rattan, wicker and other furniture from the sixties and seventies. After we got married nine years ago, he saw me follow suit, bringing home thrifted furniture from the same era and affectionately (or not, I’m not really sure referring to (my purchases) as “more Beulah.”

An empathic healer during the day, and in her free time, using Beulah Vintage as a creative outlet. Her company of four years sells on a single social platform, and the business thrives. Active 2: She sourced and curated items for her store over the past year, opened a small kiosk in the Lux & Ivy Shop located in the hipster area of Broad Ripple, appeared on a TV segment in the area, and occasionally sells in local outdoor markets.

Somewhere through all of this, she gives back to the community by volunteering for the Friends of Martin Luther King Jr. Park, a neighborhood volunteer initiative that helps to beautify the city’s neglected memorial green space.

And then she bakes. Delicious cookies. Holiday pavlova. Banana bread.

We inserted ourselves into Abby’s busy life to learn more about this new mom, her life and where she finds inspiration with i8tonight Questions.

I8tonite: Tell us about yourself. Where were you born, and what does a typical day look like? I was born in Indianapolis. My mom was an elementary education teacher, and my dad was in shipping logistics.

A typical day includes recent motherhood stuff. That means a lot of feedings every few hours and dog walking. Still, when I’m not doing that, I’m sourcing online or in person for stuff for Beulah or doing inventory.

I’m also a licensed marriage and family therapist in private practice. And I’ve done that since officially 2016.

Why did you start Beulah?

I didn’t start it intentionally, but it came out of the joy of liking to source and thrift vintage and, honestly, inexpensive items while I was in college and as I grew into my career. And so that became a hobby for me, and I wanted to share it with others.

Instagram was a big platform that I could use. I started doing it on there, and it’s taken a lot of different shapes, sizes and evolutions over the years, but that’s where it began. I’ve wanted to keep it unencumbered without a third party. That’s been how I’ve done it, but I don’t say we’ll always be like that. It’s just like that right now.

What gives you the greatest joy with Beulah?

It is the sourcing. Going out and thrifting without an agenda, especially when traveling. Not looking for something specific, but finding that one-of-a-kind thing. It feels freeing.

What is your favorite period in interior design?

Eighties post-modern. I really like things like Formica or lacquered finishes when used tastefully. Things like faux marble, for instance. I have a console table right now that’s faux marble. It’s Formica, but there’s something about it – that I don’t know – I like the texture. Sometimes the versatility that certain textures are easier to care for, clean and maintain than marble. Sometimes I like the utilitarian surfaces of 80s post-modernism. They’re easier to keep clean, even fake brass. If not done right, they can look really gaudy, but I think tastefully done, it can be like a chef’s kiss.

Tell us about your favorite inspirations and who inspires you.

When I talked about different textures, it’s a bit of following the muse and not trying to be too specific. I try to be very open-minded to find my inspiration. I won’t find something if I’m looking too hard for something. I could miss out on something else that could give me inspiration. It is about timing and not having the blinders on too much. So usually, that takes the form of different textures that I like.

I’m really into tessellated stone, suede, or leather, which could be a specific color I’m feeling right now. I honor that, follow those whims, and trust that people will follow.

For people who inspire me, my friend Gretchen with Mama Ochre. Her compass is very much like her heart. She trusts her own taste and style and, always shows up for her work and won’t do it if it’s not genuine or authentic to her. And so I’ve always really liked that about her and her business; it doesn’t feel fabricated or fast fashion. It’s sincere and vulnerable. You can always see her when you see her work, so I’ve wanted to emulate something similar with Beulah and myself.

What are your favorite things about living In Indy?

I was thinking about this yesterday. I love the urban culture in Indy. It’s very walkable and still a small town, meaning you can access most things without having to be on a waitlist for months for new restaurants or stuff like that. Many people are really approachable and friendly and want to be engaged. It’s that Midwest nice. And for me, there’s definitely a familiarity since this has been the one place I have lived and done life, so there’s a comfort here.

What is your favorite city and why?

I really like Golden, Colorado. The backdrop is beautiful with mountains. It’s a quaint small town with delicious restaurants and bars but lovely scenery with rivers. It’s outside Denver, so it’s less noisy but still within the metropolis. Some good food and shops.

You and your husband are new parents. What is your favorite place to walk or stroll in Indiana with the baby?

The Monon Trail has always been my favorite. There are many restaurants and shops accessible from it, and you feel unencumbered by traffic. That’s the main reason I like it because you don’t have to stop at every street for a traffic light; there might be a crosswalk or two. And it’s surrounded by nature and a lot of trees. It feels like you’re in your own little world. When Eric goes to the office, I take Huck and Rooney in the stroller for a walk. I stop at Breadworks or someplace place afterward for iced tea. Or a coffee shop I last visited a while ago and get something on the way home. It makes me happy and gets me out of the house. A new and little tradition.

What do you have in the fridge currently?

I have a giant pitcher of iced coffee. A lot of things to make meal prep easier. Our grab-and-go stash of hard-boiled eggs and pickled bologna. (I want to be clear. That is not for me because it’s disgusting. My mid-northern Michigan husband loves the stuff.) And cookie dough. Always cookie dough.

Adapted by Abby Breece

Spicy Apricot Pop Tarts.

How to Make this Puppy!

1 stick butter, softened

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup almond paste

2 large eggs

1 tsp lemon juice

1/4 tsp almond extract

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cups flour

1 lb. pre-made pie dough

1/4 cup apricot jam

1 1/2 cup powdered sugar

TOPPING

A dash of red pepper flakes

About 2 tbsps. milk

Sprinkles

Preheat oven to 400, then line a baking sheet with parchment. Put it to the side until ready to use.

In a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, to make part of the filling, beat together the butter, sugar, and almond paste. add 1 egg (reserving the other for an egg wash), followed by the lemon juice and extracts. Once that has been mixed, add to it the salt, flour, and red pepper flakes until just combined. Place to the side.

Roll out your dough to a pie crust thickness. Using a sharp paring knife and ruler, cut out eight 2-inch by 3-inch squares of pie dough. Place onto the baking sheet about an inch and a half apart. In the center, dollop a teaspoon of apricot jam and spread. Do the same with the almond batter.

Roll up the remaining pie dough, and cut out eight more rectangles that are a 1/4-inch longer on all sides, so that they fit over the filling. Place that layer of pie dough over the filling and crimp the edges with a fork to seal the edges. If not done, well filling will bubble out. With the remaining egg and a thimble of water to brush the edges of the tarts. This will provide a nice golden crust. Gently poke the tops with a fork twice and bake for 10-15 minutes until ever so browned. While it cools, in another bowl, stir together the powdered sugar and milk to create the glaze. If it is too thick, add more milk. Two thin? Add sugar, to achieve your desired consistency. Spread over the top and add a sprinkling of sprinkles!

I8tonite.

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August 9, 2023
i8tonite with Keto Author Lindsay Boyers & Recipe for Chicken Cordon Bleu
With nine books and thousands of articles published across the internet, Lindsay Boyers, CHNC, is a seasoned author. Lindsay’s latest publication, The Everything Keto Diet Meal Prep Cookbook, is a new foray, as she breeches the world of published recipes. The cookbook highlights Lindsay’s stance on health and nutrition, positing a low-carb, ketogenic lifestyle needn’t be complicated, intimidating, or expensive. Indeed, Lindsay’s cookbook demonstrates a ketogenic way of life can be enjoyable and satisfying. Further, readers can make many of these dishes with standard pantry items.

The Everything Keto Meal Prep Cookbook starts out introducing ketogenic basics and food prep, before moving onto recipes. The recipes are detailed, easy to follow, and, true to Lindsay’s promise, uncomplicated! From comforting classics (hello, Chicken Cordon Bleu!), to summer favorites (Key Lime Bars), and delicious twists (Thai Peanut Mason Jar Salad), Lindsay has all cravings covered. All food lovers will enjoy these cleverly crafted, easy, and delightful recipes regardless of carb orientation.

Lindsay Boyers, CHNC is a nutrition consultant with extensive experience in a wide range of dietary therapies including the ketogenic diet. She also specializes in elimination diets, gut health, and identifying food sensitivities in her clients. Lindsay’s articles on nutrition and health have been published on various health and wellness sites, including Healthline.com, Livestrong.com, and JillianMichaels.com. She lives in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts.

Food People Questionnaire (with a nod to Proust):

What is your favorite food to cook at home?
Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers! It’s always a hit and I love using my pressure cooker whenever I get the chance.

What do you always have in your fridge at home?
Tessemae’s Habanero Ranch Dressing!

What marked characteristic do you love in a person with whom you are sharing a meal?
Open-mindedness! I love when someone is willing to try something new.

Greek Buddha Bowl

What marked characteristic do you find unappealing in a person with whom you are sharing a meal?
Close-mindedness! It doesn’t bother me if someone doesn’t like something, but it does bother me when someone says they don’t like something before even trying it!

Beer, wine, or cocktail?
Beer in the summer, wine in the winter.

Your favorite cookbook author?
Danielle Walker of Against All Grain.

Your favorite kitchen tool?
It’s a tie between my Instant Pot and my French press.

Gouda and Bacon Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

Favorite types of cuisine to cook?
Italian and Mexican (even though I’m Portuguese).

Beef, chicken, pork, or tofu?
Beef if it’s ground, chicken if it’s not.

Favorite vegetable?
Broccoli.

Chef you most admire?
I’m a big fan of Alton Brown.

Food you like the most to eat?
Avocados with Everything Bagel Seasoning sprinkled on top!

Food you dislike the most?
Cottage cheese, for sure.

What is your favorite non-food thing to do?
Does reading count? I’ve always been in introvert, and my favorite thing in the world is reading in a hammock with a blanket.

Zucchini Pizza Bites

Who do you most admire in food?
There are a lot of people, but I’d probably have to choose Dr. Mark Hyman.

Where is your favorite place to eat?
My house! I much prefer cooking to going out to eat. That way I can control the ingredients and make it exactly to my liking.

What is your favorite restaurant?
There’s a sushi restaurant that’s local to me called Yama Zakura, and it is OUT OF THIS WORLD.

Do you have any tattoos? And if so, how many are of food?
I do! I have two. None of them are of food. I was 18 and 19 when I got them, so they’re not the best looking things.

Recipe: Chicken Cordon Bleu with Creamy Lemon Butter Sauce

If you want a richer flavor, you can use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts. This will also double the fat content of each serving, as chicken thighs are much higher in fat.

Note: Save Money with Thighs! Chicken thighs don’t get as much love as chicken breasts, but they’re an excellent source of both protein and fat. When cooked, the fat renders from the chicken thigh into the sauce in which it’s being cooked and gives it a richer flavor than chicken breasts. Plus, chicken thighs tend to be cheaper and go on sale more often, especially the bone-in, skin-on varieties. You can use chicken thighs in any recipes that call for chicken breasts. If the recipe calls for skinless, you can save money by buying it with the skin on and then removing before cooking.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 6
6 (4-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
6 slices Swiss cheese
6 slices no-sugar-added deli ham
3 tablespoons Paleo flour
1 teaspoon paprika
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons grass-fed butter, divided
1⁄2 cup keto-friendly white wine
2 shallots, minced
1⁄2 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1. Pound chicken with a meat mallet to 1⁄2″ thickness. Place one slice of cheese and ham on each breast and fold chicken over, securing with a toothpick.
2. Combine Paleo flour with paprika in a medium bowl. Dip each chicken breast in flour mixture and set aside.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken breasts and cook 5 minutes on each side or until chicken is cooked through.
4. While chicken is cooking, combine wine and shallots in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce until 2 tablespoons of liquid remain.
5. Reduce heat to low and whisk in remaining butter, stirring constantly until butter is incorporated. Remove from heat and whisk in cream and lemon juice.
6. Pour sauce over chicken and cook 1 more minute. Remove from heat.
7. Transfer one chicken breast and equal amounts of sauce to each of six separate airtight containers. Store in the refrigerator until ready to eat, up to one week.
PER SERVING Calories: 686 | Fat: 55 g | Protein: 39 g | Sodium: 441 mg | Fiber: 2.5 g | Carbohydrates: 6.5 g | Sugar: 1.5 g | Net
Carbohydrates: 4 g

Excerpted from The Keto Diet Meal Prep Cookbook by Lindsay Boyers, CHNC. Copyright © 2019 by Simon & Schuster, Inc. Used with permission of the publisher, Adams Media, a division of Simon & Schuster. All rights reserved.

Find Lindsay online:
Website: https://www.lindsaybnutrition.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lindsaythenutritionist
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindsaythenutritionist/

Keto Kalamazoo has a wanderlust for travel and culinary adventures. In 2017, she ate her way across 29 countries and is itching to set off again! To date, her favorite destination is Budapest, Hungary, where she ate enough sour cherry soup to fill the Danube. A former secret diner, KK tries to stay active by promoting food and culture within her local community. She’s also a professor–but that’s not as fun and exotic as food adventures.
June 6, 2019
Top 5 So Cal Coffee Shops: A Coffee Klatching, Caffeinated Road Trip

Southern California’s love affair with coffee goes way back to earlier land settlers and cattle-drivers. The pioneers would awake to the rising sun while a blazing campfire is percolating that first pot of mud juice. According to True West Magazine (October 2001), “Cowboys were undoubtedly the most devoted group of coffee drinkers in the West. As a rule, they liked it strong, scalding hot, and barefooted (black).”

Almost two centuries later, coffee houses are a fixture on every well-driven, So Cal street – although mostly emblazoned with a green mermaid logo. True to the western American ingenuity way, the Golden State still has some independent shops crafting luscious java jolts in small batches. Coffee connoisseurs in So Cal have a myriad of baristas fashioning joe in unique ways. Here are some of our favorites, from Palm Springs to Orange County and into Los Angeles. With a full tank of gas and a thermos of rocket juice as fuel, high-octane lovers can make a road trip visiting them in a single day. Go get your jitter on!

Portola Coffee Lab (Costa Mesa, Orange County)

Found in an Orange County hipster strip mall called OC Mix in Costa Mesa (in the same place as famed Taco Maria), Portola rose to prominence when the coffee industry’s major publication, Roaster Magazine, honored the caffeine maker with its 2015 “Roaster of the Year.” While already beloved by locals, the award catapulted the four-year-old shop into a nationally known bean-lover mecca. Noted for their lack of syrups and additives while using only mocha and milk for additional flavors, the single store has branched to six locations, all within Orange County. Furthermore, they use three distinct brewing methods to get to the only-in-OC taste: a manual pour-over, a siphon, and the trifecta (a combination of the siphon, pour-over, and French press). For an espresso made from a single origin bean, it’s a one-shot deal with a one-of-a-kind machine. Be prepared to stand in line for your cuppa, but It’s good to the last drop.

LAMill Coffee (Silver Lake, Los Angeles County)

When LA Mill first opened a decade ago, there was nothing quite like the coffee roaster and maker. For one, it cemented Silver Lake as a destination for good eats. Menu was crafted by Chef Michael Cimarusti of Providence fame, in conjunction with the LA Mill owner Craig Min. The interiors designed were commissioned by their next-door neighbor by Silverlake decorator, Rubbish Interiors. It personified early hipster-hood. And there still is nothing quite like it, as far as coffee shops go. Coffee may be the thing to try, but you’re spending your time here because, well, the grub isn’t just an afterthought. It’s a reason to eat. Coffee is made four different ways, and then there is the $11,000-dollar espresso machine. That’s almost as much as your electric Smart Car.

Koffi (Palm Springs, Riverside County)

For those who have traveled to the Palm Springs area for two decades, Koffi is as much a destination for coffee as is tramway travel to the top of the San Jacinto mountains. The flagship spot located as drivers enter the resort town is a welcome relief. Although the line winds around the counter, it moves quickly, giving the legs movement after an hour and half driving from LA or San Francisco – which can clock in at five to seven hours depending on traffic. What started off with only one roastery has clovered into three locations, with the original, a Rancho Mirage location, and another mid-century outpost on the edge of Cathedral City. Stopping at Koffi and partaking of their java is as important as a warm desert pool on a chilly night or a hike into Joshua Tree.

Alfred (West Hollywood, Los Angeles County)

Most coffee lovers would bypass Alfred, as they serve the yummy but ubiquitous Stumptown beans. Alfred, though, with its two chic shops – located just two blocks from each other – is unique without the coffee roastery…and is why it’s on this list. Made in West Hollywood, the liquid energy is chock-full of L.A.’s pretty people, tourists checking out the nearby luxury shopping, and a mélange of neighborhood folks. Matter of fact, if you felt the subway rumble or heard car horns slamming, one might feel they were in New York or Paris. Yes, it’s that cosmopolitan. Yes, it’s that fashionable. And yes, it’s as much a part of the sartorial coffee scene as City of Light’s Les Deux Magot or Manhattan’s Balthazar. If you happen to be in Japan, Alfred lovers can find two Tokyo outposts – making it even more tres, tres chic. Plus, Stumptown, a Portland roastery, is nothing to sniff at – no matter where you are.

Aroma Caffe (Studio City, Los Angeles County)

Another mainstay of the entertainment set is Aroma Café on Studio City’s treelined Tujunga. Aroma, which started as a small house and grew into a house with a garden, patio, backyard, and sidewalk café, has served up frothy cappuccinos, bracing espressos, and sipping lattes for 20 years. That’s a long time for a television series (only The Simpsons can beat that) and a restaurant. While delicious java juices and herbal teas can be imbibed on site, the coffee house is a hybrid of a one-time java house which morphed into a full-blown restaurant. Mud-drinkers can fulfill their need for high-octane lattes while filling up on fortifying salads, crusty paninis, and savory egg dishes throughout the day. If in the Los Feliz area, the independent coffee and eatery has another tree-lined outpost on Hillhurst, serving up a twinned menu for the artistic side of the hill.

– The End. Go Drink. –

February 4, 2018
i8tonite with LA Cheese Tea Entrepreneur Jenny Zheng & Recipe for Cheese Tea

Get ready, readers! Cheese Tea is a new and interesting drink…boba with a twist! Have you tried it yet? What do you think?

Jenny Zheng, 25, is the Founder of Little Fluffy Head Cafe, one of the first cheese tea boba shops in Los Angeles of its kind. She graduated from the University of California Los Angeles with a Master’s degree in Bioengineering in 2016. While on a trip to Asia before graduation, she stumbled upon the latest millennials craze: cheese tea. Being a big fan of cheese, she obsessed on bringing the concept to the U.S.. So upon graduation, instead of going a traditional route with her degree, Zheng decided to spend the time to develop her own version of creamy cheese tea and opened her very first cafe in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles in the summer of 2017. Right now, she is fully dedicated to running the cafe to provide her customers the highest-quality and authentic cheese tea.

Find her online at https://www.instagram.com/littlefluffyhead/

Food People Questionnaire (with a nod to Proust):

What is your favorite food to cook at home?
My mom used to make me a tomato noodle soup every morning when I was younger, utimately it has become my favorite Asian comfort food I like to cook at home. It reminds me of my family.

What do you always have in your fridge at home?
Different kinds of cheese to pair with wine

What marked characteristic do you love in a person with whom you are sharing a meal?
One characteristic I look for in a person is the ability to criticize or the ability to question. Especially if I am going to eat with this person, I want the dinner table conversation to be as meaningful as possible, talking about things that we could be better at.

What marked characteristic do you find unappealing in a person with whom you are sharing a meal?
Unreliable

Beer, wine, or cocktail?
Definitely wine!

Your favorite cookbook author?
I don’t have one yet. At this moment, I spend most of my foodie time searching for great restaurants to eat at, rather than a good cookbook to teach myself how to cook.

Your favorite kitchen tool?
Hand mixer

Favorite types of cuisine to cook?
East Asian cuisine

Beef, chicken, pork, or tofu?
Chicken

Favorite vegetable or fruit?
Tomato

Chef you most admire?
A sushi chef by the name of Kazunori Nozawa

Food you like the most to eat?
Squid ink pasta with lobster sauce. So yummy!

Food you dislike the most?
Anything with mushroom. My mom made me eat a lot of mushrooms when I was little, and I am mentally afraid of mushrooms now.

What is your favorite non-food thing to do?
Reading

Who do you most admire in food?
My mom. She could make you a platter of seafood like the ones you see at high end restaurants.

Where is your favorite place to eat? What is your favorite restaurant?
Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar inside the Grove in Los Angeles. Great atmosphere and fresh sushi.

Do you have any tattoos? And if so, how many are of food?
I have two tattoos. I got them before I turned into a foodie, so sadly none of them were related to food.

Recipe: Jenny’s version of cheese tea

1. Prepare:
9 teaspoon of whipping cream
3 teaspoon of milk
0.5 oz of cream cheese
a pinch of salt and sugar

2. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and whip together using a hand mixer until the texture is thick.

3. Brew a cup of tea

4. Sugar to taste

5. Add ice to cool down the tea

6. Layer the cream on top of the tea

– The End. Go Eat. –

December 20, 2017
i8tonite: One New York Woman’s Food Allergies Became an Award-Winning Bakery

Gluten-Free to Industry: Allie Luckman Overcame Food Allergies for Her Family and Found a Calling

“Do you mind if we chat while I’m driving?” starts CEO and owner of Allie’s GF Goodies, Allison Luckman. “I couldn’t find allergen-free gumdrops, so I’m on my way to the store to buy the ingredients to make them.” With that as an intriguing conversation starter, how could one not want to talk to her via Bluetooth? The Long Island, New York-based Luckman, like many of today’s mothers, found that she had genetically passed her many food allergies onto her kids. Therefore, she started baking for them to make sure her kids could eat baked treats just like their friends – without feeling left out of any celebration.

Starting with a hobby crafting cakes and muffins for tiny tots birthdays and celebrations in 2012, Luckman found the flowering enterprise grew into a bakery. The certified gluten-free and qualified kosher shop concentrates on baked goods free of potential allergens such as dairy, egg, soy, gluten, coconut, peanuts, tree nuts, or sesame. Hence, most of the products are also suitable for vegans. As her business grew, Luckman developed a following among those in the entertainment business. Her clients have included rapper Snoop Dog and hip-hop impresario Steve Lobel, as well as having been featured on A & E’s Married at First Sight and on an episode of Millionaire Matchmaker.

Almost two years ago, Luckman found a growing need to serve the gentile and Jewish communities by turning her baking business into a complete kosher pareve (dairy-free) enterprise. “I was getting more calls to omit eggs and milk products, so we decided to make a go. Our business gets supported by the many rabbis recommending our goods,” Luckman comments.

When asked what she finds the hardest to do, she doesn’t pause. “Finding good bakers. If they have been working for as a baker for a while, they don’t understand how to work with my recipes that I have personally developed, sometimes working on them for weeks, if not months. When someone fresh comes in, I can train them to work with the types of flours we use. It’s a specific process particular to our products.”

Luckily, those with allergies can now have some of the best in award-winning baked goods (TasteTV’s “Healthy Gourmet Snacks of the Year Awards” and ““People’s Choice Award for Most Innovative New Product” at the International Food Service & Restaurant Show) in the world including bagels, black and white cookies, and challah. Seriously, what child or adult could go through life without devouring a bagel and a smear? They won’t have to go without, due to Allie Luckman and her GF Goodies. #nochildleftout.

Allie GF Goodies are available online and can be shipped throughout the U.S. Follow on Facebook, website: www.alliegfg.com, or by calling (516) 216 – 1719.

Food People Questionnaire (with a nod to Proust):

What is your favorite food to cook at home?
I love to make either a full roasted turkey or chicken. My family loves it, giving them the feeling of comfort. Along the same lines I love to make them traditional chicken soup, and they have always loved mine the best.

What do you always have in your fridge at home?
In my fridge at home, we have freshly sliced turkey breast, a variety of cheeses, and kosher pickles, both half sour and garlic dill.

What marked characteristic do you love in a person with whom you are sharing a meal?
I enjoy eating with people who enjoy and appreciate good food.

What marked characteristic do you find unappealing in a person with whom you are sharing a meal?
I hate eating with people with bad table manners.

Beer, wine, or cocktail?
I am definitely a wine person.

Your favorite cookbook author?
My favorite cookbook author has always been Mark Bittman.

Your favorite kitchen or bar tool?
I have three favorites in the kitchen. Every baker/ chef needs a whisk, a KitchenAid stand mixer, and a food processor.

Favorite types of cuisine to cook?
I like to cook all types of cuisine as long as there is flavor, room for personal flair, and not too spicy (although my husband will eat as spicy as I give him)!

Beef, chicken, pork, seafood, or tofu?
I’m either a chicken or beef person. Never tofu.

Favorite vegetable?
I love asparagus and broccoli, although I’m not personally allowed many vegetables.

Chef or culinary person you most admire?
I admire Florian Bellinger, the pastry chef.

Food you dislike the most?
I truly dislike mushrooms. I loathe the texture. However, I don’t mind the flavor in a sauce or soup.

What is your favorite non-food thing to do?
My favorite nonfood thing to do, aside from catching up on sleep, is spending time with my husband and grown children, either watching television or traveling.

Whom do you most admire in food?
I admire Ron Ben Israel for his cake business that he’s created.

Where is your favorite place to eat/ drink?
I live on Long Island. My local faves are 388 Restaurant, where they make excellent family style Italian food. They carry and use my products, and are hyper vigilant about my celiac disease so that I can eat safely. I have always been a Peter Luger’s fan—like every New Yorker. And my go-to in Manhattan these days is Felidia, where they take celiac disease very seriously.

Do you have any tattoos? And if so, how many are of food?
I do not have a tattoo, nor will I ever. I’ve had so many surgeries that I’m marked up enough.

Recipe: Allie’s Banana Bread

Ingredients:
2 c Allie’s flour
3/4 c sugar
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 t salt
1/2 c unsalted butter or Earth Balance, softened
1 t baking soda
1 t vanilla
1/2 t cinnamon
2 eggs
1/3 T lowfat or hemp milk
1/4 c chocolate chips or blueberries (optional)

Directions:
• Preheat oven to 350.
• In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar
• Beat eggs in separate bowl and add butter/sugar to the mixture. Then add bananas, milk, and vanilla until well blended.
• In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda, and salt. Then add to the banana mixture until fully blended.
• Add chocolate chips or blueberries, if desired.
• Pour into greased pan and bake 50-60 minutes for loaf.

– The End. Go Eat. –

December 5, 2017
i8tonite with Pantry and Palate Author Simon Thibault & Molasses Cake Recipe

Simon Thibault is a Halifax-based journalist and radio producer whose work focuses on food. His written work has been featured in The Globe and Mail and East Coast Living. He has contributed to CBC Radio, and The Southern Foodways Alliance’s Gravy podcast. He was also a judge for the 2015 James Beard Foundation’s Cookbook Awards.

Thibault’s new book, Pantry and Palate: Remembering and Rediscovering Acadian Food, is a fantastic read – and resource. This expertly written and beautifully produced new title is part cookbook and part history guide exploring the culinary legacy of Canada’s Acadian Diaspora located within the eastern Maritime region. We don’t know enough about Acadian history and food – and I am glad to have the opportunity to learn more, in this book.

Acadian food is humble, homey, and comforting, which is what inspired Thibault to highlight the cuisine. It is made with love and devotion from a larder that is small but mighty, and holds history within itself. Each recipe is adapted from Thibault’s own family collection or from various women’s auxiliaries within the region – the result is a cookbook of extraordinary value and uniqueness.

I LOVE IT.

Tip: Make the apple pie (it was the first thing I made from the book!). It’s incredible.

Food People Questionnaire (with a nod to Proust):

What is your favorite food to cook at home?
I think readers of cookbooks falsely imagine that the authors cook nothing but the food they extoll in their books. I did do so when I was recipe testing. I think I ate more lard and molasses than one perhaps should on a regular basis while living a semi-sedentary lifestyle. But I tend to cook, for lack of a better term, Pan-Asian food at home. I’m lucky that I know farmers here in Nova Scotia who grow a lot of northern Chinese/Korean/Japanese vegetables. So I often will cook extra rice in a rice cooker while I am doing other things, and then will cook the vegetables à la minute. I usually top things off with an egg or two.

What do you always have in your fridge at home?
Eggs. Always. At least a carton and a half. That way the older eggs can be used for boiling, the fresh ones for poaching and frying. Salted onions, which is a condiment from my book. It lends a nice salty/umami kick to soups.

What marked characteristic do you love in a person with whom you are sharing a meal?
For them to chide me when I say, “I screwed this up, this could be better,” when realistically, they are right. it’s usually quite good. I just always have this platonic ideal of a dish in my head, and it doesn’t always happen. But the other person is happy that someone has cooked for them. And cooking for another is something I love to do.

What marked characteristic do you find unappealing in a person with whom you are sharing a meal?
If I am in a restaurant, if they are dismissive of staff. As someone who has worked the front of house in various places and times in my life, I find that to be especially heinous.

Beer, wine, or cocktail?
If I am at home, amaro. I am learning to embrace the bitter. And all I need is an ice cube. If I am in a bar where I can see what’s behind the bar in terms of booze, I tend to go for a cocktail.

Your favorite cookbook author?
I have to say Naomi Duguid. She wrote the foreword to my book, Pantry and Palate: Remembering and Rediscovering Acadian Food, but the books that she wrote with her former partner, Jefferey Alford, taught me how to cook. I am still very grateful that I have gotten to know her. I even cooked an apple cake from her book, Home Baking, today.

Your favorite kitchen tool?
A food mill. Apple sauce is magical, and the best whipped/mashed potatoes you’ve ever eaten. And they’re very inexpensive.

Favorite types of cuisine to cook?
Chinese. Grace Young’s “The Breath Of A Wok” was the beginning of my understanding of how chinese food works from the act of cooking.

Beef, chicken, pork, or tofu?
Grass-fed beef, that has been well-reared. Preferably something like a flank, or a hanger steak.

Favorite vegetable?
Chinese long beans. The season is short, and you can cook them in a minute or two, or make a variation on the Vietnamese Som Tam, or green papaya salad. Just substitute the long beans cut into pieces and flattened with the side of a knife.

Chef you most admire?
The people who work at America’s Test Kitchen, behind the scenes. They teach so many people to feel comfortable in kitchens, and answer all the questions you may have when creating a recipe. I admire any chef who thinks it’s important to give people agency in a kitchen.

Food you like the most to eat?
Anything made with flour. I live for carbohydrates, whether sweet or savoury.

Food you dislike the most?
Although I love Japanese food in so many forms, and I like fermented foods, I can’t wrap my brain around natto. It’s fermented soybeans that have long white mucilaginous tendrils when you pull it apart. I can’t.

What is your favorite non-food thing to do?
I can’t stop reading about food. I have a (bad? good?) cookbook habit. I went to Kitchen Arts and Letters in New York City, and walked out $700 poorer. And I practiced restraint in doing so.

Who do you most admire in food?
Women.

Where is your favorite place to eat?
An apple, in my parent’s orchard.

What is your favorite restaurant?
In Halifax, Nova Scotia, where I live, there is a wonderful spot called The Highwayman. Small plates, Basque-inspired cuisine. In New York, I have a love for Gabrielle Hamilton’s Prune. Every. Little. Thing. Is. Thought. Out. From the amount of servers on staff, to the wine list, to the price point, to the friendliness of staff. I went there with my friend Sofia, who is a native New Yorker, and she and I ate like kings and queens.

Do you have any tattoos? And if so, how many are of food?
I don’t actually, though I can see why people would assume. If I did, it would probably be of fruit that grows in my parent’s orchard. Peaches for my sister, who passed away and loved them. Apples for my parents, who taught me the value of work. Blueberries for my nieces, who love picking them. And I would be a quince.

Molasses Cake Recipe

Excerpted from Pantry and Palate by Simon Thibault © 2017, Text by Simon Thibault. ©2017, Photographs by Noah Fecks. All rights reserved. Published by Nimbus Publishing

Ingredients
2 cups molasses
1 cup lard or shortening
4 cups flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon all spice
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon fresh ginger (optional)

Directions
• Preheat your oven to 375˚F.
• Grease a 10×10-inch cake pan, and then dust generously with flour. Alternatively, add greased and floured parchment paper and place into cake pan.
• Using the paddle attachment on your mixer, fold the flour and lard
together on low speed until completely combined, about 4–5 minutes.
• Add the molasses, cinnamon, fresh ginger (if using), and allspice, and mix on low. Make sure to occasionally stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure all the molasses, lard, and seasonings are blended.
• Add the baking soda and salt, then the milk to the batter, and stir until well incorporated.
• Pour the batter into the pan, and place into the oven.
• Bake for 50 minutes, or until the cake has receded from the edges of the pan and a toothpick placed in the centre comes out clean. Depending on the size of your pan, it may take a bit more or less time. Just keep checking until it comes out nice and clean.
• Leave cake in pan for about 20 minutes, and then invert onto a rack.

Serve on its own, or as a dessert with Maple Whipped Cream (page
176), Easy Caramel Sauce (page 177), or Brown Sugar Sauce (page 202).

– The End. Go Eat. –

November 7, 2017