by Jolene Ketzenberger | Jan 11, 2024 | Updates
Yes, the holidays are over and spring is still months away, but here in Indiana at the culinary crossroads of America, there’s just too much great dining out there to stay home. And since January can be a bit slow for our local restaurants, wineries and breweries, now is a great time to support local.
In fact, upcoming restaurant week promotions provide the perfect opportunity to check out a new eatery or revisit an old favorite.
In Indianapolis and surrounding counties, more than 100 restaurants will be participating in the upcoming Devour Winterfest. It runs from Jan. 22 through Feb. 4, and restaurants will be offering special prices on three-course meals or two-for-one deals, with enough variety to entice anyone to bundle up and head out for dinner.
South Bend’s Winter Restaurant Weeks also run from Jan. 22 through Feb. 4 with special dining deals. Savor Fort Wayne kicks off Jan. 17 and continues through Jan. 28. And in southern Indiana, Evansville Pizza Week starts Jan. 14 and runs through Jan. 20.
You’ll find special restaurant week promotions coming up over the next couple of months all around Indiana too. The Greater Lafayette Restaurant Week kicks off on Valentine’s Day, running from Feb. 14 through March 1. And in northwest Indiana, Savor the South Shore takes place Feb. 26 through March 10. Keep an eye on your local restaurants’ social media posts for info.
by Jolene Ketzenberger | Dec 28, 2023 | Updates
It’s almost 2024! All of us here at Culinary Crossroads hope you’ve had a great year and a wonderful holiday season. And, of course, the season isn’t over quite yet. We’re sending wishes for a Happy New Year as well!
But before we launch into January, we thought we’d look back a bit at 2023. We’ve included a couple of our favorite newsletter items from the past year: the charming destination of Story, Ind., and a fun interview with the tenderloin guy himself, Rick Garrett, who for the past decade has been sampling breaded pork tenderloin sandwiches all around Indiana. We hope you enjoy the read and maybe find yourself inspired to pay a visit to Story or to try one of the tenderloins Rick recommends.
As for us, well, we’ve had a very busy 2023, starting with the launch of this newsletter a year ago, which was followed quickly by an On the Road collaborative chef dinner in Fort Wayne in February. We hosted our third annual Spring Dinner Series in Indianapolis in April as well as a reception for Indiana high school students in the SkillsUSA culinary competition at Ivy Tech Community College. We coordinated another On the Road dinner in Southern Indiana at Huber Winery in May and were happy to attend the monthly Paramount Schools of Excellence Sunday Supper Club dinners throughout much of the year, which helped raise funds for our Chef Greg Hardesty Culinary Scholarship at Ivy Tech. We awarded our first scholarships to two students for the 2023-24 school year, and we also launched our new CulinaryCrossroad.org website.
In October, we headed to Terre Haute for another On the Road collaborative chef dinner, and then in November we were off to Dallas for the World Food Championships to support Team Indiana chefs competing there. The competition included a new junior division with students from the Junior Chefs Academy at Paramount Schools of Excellence in Indianapolis. And one of the young Indy chefs won! Fourteen-year-old Tony Fernandez, aided by classmate and sous chef Tiffany Smith, took top honors in the inaugural WFC junior competition.
Earlier this month, we enjoyed a winter wine dinner at Ivy Tech’s fabulous Courses penthouse restaurant, with all dishes prepared and served by the school’s culinary students. What a lovely and delicious way to wrap up the year!
But there’s more to come. Stay tuned for news about upcoming On the Road dinners and more Culinary Crossroads initiatives in 2024!
by Jolene Ketzenberger | Nov 29, 2023 | Updates
The Christmas shopping season is upon us, and as you’re making your list and checking it twice, all of us here at Culinary Crossroads hope you’ll consider supporting local for some of those holiday presents.
A made-in-Indiana gift does more than make the recipient happy. It also helps support the talented artisans who create all sorts of products right here at home. Head to your local winter farmers’ markets and you’ll find an array of giftable items, from sweets and seasonings to jams and jellies to sauces and rubs, perfect for the aspiring chefs or backyard barbecuers on your list.
You can find wines for every palate at your local winery – Indiana has more than 130 wineries and plenty of distilleries as well. You can find that perfect bottle of bourbon or cabernet, and you’re likely to discover some award-winners too.
For a bottle of a different sort, consider Indiana maple syrup and make someone’s holiday a little sweeter. Or spice things up with a local hot sauce. Those little bottles make perfect stocking stuffers.
Of course, we’re all about tasty treats, and consumable presents are always a hit. But head to Indiana Gifts, a charming store on Main Street in Lebanon, Ind., and you’ll find all that and more: T-shirts and jewelry, caps and coasters, candles and lotions and even gifts for the fur babies on your list.
As Indiana Gifts owner Mel McMahon notes on the store’s website, “we believe who we buy from matters. The brands found on Indiana Gifts create exceptional products that make fabulous gifts and turn into lasting local impact.”
You can shop local online at shopindianagifts.com and find more local businesses to support at indianaowned.com.
