Bru Baker's Top 5 Foods From Indiana

Thursday June 21, 2018

 

Southern Indiana might seem like a strange place to set a werewolf camp, but with the dense forests and the sparsely populated little towns, it’s actually a great place to hide. We also have some great culinary traditions here in Indiana (including dipping pretty much everything in ranch).

 

1. Sweet Pickles

In the Midwest, we’ll pickle anything. I admit I’m a sucker for anything pickled, from regular old cucumbers to kimchi, but if you want to know what my childhood tasted like, bite into a sweet gherkin. 

 

2. Pork Tenderloin

If you’ve never seen one in person you can’t truly appreciate the splendor that is an Indiana pork tenderloin. We pound them flat, bread them, and fry them. The pork should be about three or four times the size of the bun. I like mine with mustard and mayo mixed together, some red onion, and pickles.

 

3. Fresh Corn

Most of what you see driving down Indiana’s interstates is actually feed corn, which is grown for animals, not people. But in July and August grocery stores and farmers markets start selling local sweet corn. If you get it fresh enough and in-season it’s sweet enough to eat raw, but I prefer grilling mine and slathering it with butter.

 

4. Sugar Cream Pie

This pie is really more of a custard, and it’s super rich, so it’s a good fix for someone with a sweet tooth. My grandfather used to request two pies every time I came to visit--a super tart rhubarb and a sugar cream pie. Separate they’re pretty good. Eaten together, they’re amazing. 

 

5. The State Fair

Technically this is an event and not a food, but it really deserves its own mention. There’s a new official fried food every year (Oreos, cheesecake--one year it was butter!). If it’s bad for you, you’ll find it battered and fried so it’s even worse and served up on a stick at the Indiana State Fair.