Edible Michiana

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Edible Michiana

We are a quarterly magazine that promotes the local food movement in Indiana & Michigan. Edible Michiana values local, seasonal foods and culinary traditions.

We celebrate the family farmers who work tirelessly to bring us the freshest local produce and dedicate themselves to healthier and more sustainable methods of working with animals and the land. We savor the creations of our local chefs, food artisans and home cooks—individuals who continually innovate to excite us with the unique flavors of this region. We share the stories and triumphs of these and other community leaders working to change the ways we eat in Michiana through their dedication to the highest quality, local seasonal foods. Through our printed publication, website, newsletter and events, we aim to connect consumers with these local growers, retailers, chefs, artisans and community leaders, enabling those relationships to grow and thrive in a mutually beneficial, healthful, and economically viable way. We are part of a growing national movement throughout this country encouraging people to eat more locally grown and locally produced foods. By eating locally, we help sustain the small family farms that grow these foods, we enjoy food that is fresher and healthier for us and we help reduce the cost to the environment of transporting foods over long distances.

10/08/2026

Flavorful and simple to prepare, cedar tea is packed with vitamin C for cold and flu season. The sacred cedar has traditionally been used for medicinal and ceremonial purposes by many Native communities. This specific recipe is from the cookbook: Eating with the Seasons, Anishinaabeg, Great Lakes Region - by Derek Nicholas.

The cookbook highlights the Anishinaabeg calendar, which is oriented to the moon, and food practices associated with a time of year. This recipe is featured for the month of October.

Cedar Tea:
1 handful fresh cedar leaves, about 1/3 cup
3 cups water
Maple syrup or honey, optional

Remove cedar leaves from the stems. Discard the stems and set the leaves aside.
Bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan and add cedar leaves. Gently boil for 8 to10 minutes. Remove pan from the heat and strain out the cedar leaves.
Sweeten each serving with maple syrup or honey to taste.

You can read more about how Derek connects with Native food and language by checking out the original article below. A link for the cookbook is available there as well.

https://ediblemichiana.ediblecommunities.com/food-thought/food-thought-indigenous-cookbook/

*Do some research before foraging to ensure you have the right leaves, either eastern red or northern white cedar. Cedar leaves contain thujone, which can be toxic in large amounts, so stick to about 1 cup per week. Children 5 years or older can drink a weak preparation of this tea.

Photography by: Ashley Swartzendruber

10/06/2026

The most well-known quick breads are sweetened with banana or moistened with zucchini. In France, quick breads are called “cakes” but are most often savory and served as an aperitif snack with w**e. This one is delicious on its own, or you can add a generous slather of your favorite fruit jam or a drizzle of honey for a sweet and savory treat. Serve this bread any time of day—w**e is optional!

Savory Black Walnut and Cheddar Quick Bread:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for coating the pan
2½ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons sugar
6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated
½ cup black walnuts, roughly chopped
2 large eggs, at room temperature
¾ cup buttermilk, at room temperature
Butter, jam or honey for serving

Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease a metal 9- by 5-inch loaf pan generously with butter and set aside. In a large bowl whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda and sugar together until no clumps remain. Add the grated cheese and walnuts and lightly toss until they are evenly coated. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter, eggs and buttermilk until smooth. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and fold together until just incorporated, being careful not to overmix. The batter will be thick. Scrape into the prepared pan, pushing batter out to every corner. Smooth out the top with a knife or rubber spatula until even. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes before running a knife around the edge and carefully inverting onto a cooling rack. Let cool 30 minutes longer before slicing and serving. This bread is best eaten the same day but will keep in a sealed container on the counter for 1 to 2 days.

Recipe and photos by: Ashley Swartzendruber

https://ediblemichiana.ediblecommunities.com/recipe/recipes-savory-black-walnut-and-cheddar-quick-bread/

10/01/2026

Welcome to October...the month of warm spices, orange squashes, and soup! This butternut squash soup is straight from the Edible Michiana recipe archives on our website (ten years ago, to be exact) and is the perfect way to start out this month. Find the full recipe below!

Butternut Squash Soup:
Serves 3-4

2 pounds butternut squash
2¼ cups water
½ cup chardonnay
2 sprigs fresh thyme (in sachet)
2 Fuji apples, peeled, cored, chopped
½ cup diced white onion
Salt and white pepper to taste
1 cup heavy cream
6–8 sage leaves, washed, dried and fried
Crispy bacon or pancetta, optional

Cut the squash in half lengthways. Seed and core, then roast skin side up in ½ inch of water at 500°, until soft. Add more water if needed. Remove squash from pan and press through a sieve or mesh rack and discard skin.

In a Dutch oven or heavy pot, add the water, w**e, thyme, apples, onion, salt, pepper and squash and simmer on medium-low until the apples are soft. Remove the mixture from the heat and discard the thyme sachet, and purée in a blender until perfectly smooth. Once blended, slowly add the cream until emulsified. Garnish each bowl with a few fried sage leaves and some crispy bacon or pancetta.

Recipe by: Caleb France
Photography by: D. Lucas Landis

https://ediblemichiana.ediblecommunities.com/recipe/recipes-butternut-squash-soup-1/

09/28/2026

As we bridge the gap between summer and fall produce, these warming muffins are a great way to do just that. You can use leftover roasted sweet potatoes from last night’s dinner. The sweet potatoes keep the muffins moist and they are just sweet enough to pair perfectly with your morning coffee or to be a yummy mid-afternoon snack. Find our recipe below:

Sweet Potato Muffins
Makes 12

TOPPING:
¼ cup butter, chilled
½ cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
¼ cup chopped raw walnuts

MUFFINS:
1 egg, room temperature
½ cup whole milk, room temperature
2 tablespoons butter, melted
½ cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup sweet potato puree
½ teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 400°. Prepare a muffin pan with muffin wrappers or grease with butter. Prepare the muffin topping by combining the butter, flour, brown sugar and walnuts in a small bowl. Use a fork or your fingers to combine until the mixture is small crumbles (just smaller than pea size). Set aside. In a medium-size bowl, whisk the egg, milk and butter together. Add brown sugar, sweet potato and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes until blended into a uniform consistency. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, stir together the baking powder, flour, salt, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Add this to the wet ingredients and carefully fold in until just combined. Be careful not to overmix. Fill each muffin tin about full and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of topping. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until a toothpick comes out just clean. Remove the muffins from the pan and allow to cool on a rack.

Recipe by Tara Swartzendruber-Landis
Photography by Grant Beachy

https://ediblemichiana.ediblecommunities.com/recipe/recipes-sweet-potato-muffins/

09/23/2026

“Lunch is ready!” calls Justin Gordon from the commons at River Montessori High School in South Bend, Indiana. It was one of the last days of school, and students were eager to grab their meals and eat outside in the sunshine.

Justin is the school’s facilities manager and leads the art program, physical education, health and wellness, archery club, aikido club and the Food Doofs program, thus named because students are meant to learn food forward and backward (“doof” is “food” backward). Any student can participate in the program that launched just two years after the school was founded in 2020.

“At the beginning of the year, kids are invited to see what it’s like,” says Justin. “Those who have been here before train the new ones. Next year my plan is to shift it even further and make it like a real job, with an application process and commitment to certain shifts.”

The Doofs learn how to select vegetables, prep food, plate food, share a work space, etc. They serve only vegetarian fare and focus on locally grown, in-season veggies.

- Katie Jamieson

Read more about how River Montessori High School students know food forward and backward in the latest issue of Edible Michiana!

https://ediblemichiana.ediblecommunities.com/beginnings/riverside-montessori-cooking-program/

Photos by Kayla Scarberry

09/21/2026

This no-bake icebox cake comes together in minutes thanks to ice cream sandwiches, which create soft, cake-like layers without ever turning on the oven. A fluffy marshmallow filling adds a light, nougat-like layer inspired by classic candy bars. Pair the ice cream sandwich and candy bar flavors of your choice with the wide selection of Mojo THC Chocolate Bites available at Green Stem —including Nuggy Caramel Peanut Bites, Cookie Bites, Caramel Filled Milk Chocolate, Cookies & Cream and more—to create a frozen dessert that's uniquely your own.

Green Stem Candy Bar Ice Box Cake
Serves 10–12

8 ounces whipped topping (or whipped cream)
1 cup marshmallow creme
½ cup mini marshmallows
About 20–24 ice cream sandwiches, any flavor
¼ cup hot fudge
¼ cup caramel sauce
¾ cup crushed candy bars, any flavor
Mojo THC Chocolate Bites, any flavor

Combine the whipped topping, marshmallow creme and mini marshmallows in a medium bowl and set aside. In a large round springform pan or 9- by 13-inch pan, begin layering the cake, filling the bottom of the pan with ice cream sandwiches. Depending on the shape of your pan and sandwiches, you may need to cut some sandwiches to fill in gaps. Spread half of the whipped topping/marshmallow mixture over the sandwich layer. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of hot fudge and 2 tablespoons caramel sauce over the cream layer. Lastly, sprinkle half of the crushed candy bars. Repeat these layers. Place the cake in the freezer for at least 4 hours.

Garnish each slice of cake with Mojo THC Chocolate Bites in the serving size of your choice. Consume with caution.

09/18/2026

“We know each other!”

This is the first thing Molly Muchow, the ebullient general manager of Verdant Hollow Farms, says as I arrive to learn about the creamery. She recognizes me from a farm visit in summer 2020, but things have changed since then.

No stranger to small-scale production, Verdant Hollow made its way through the pandemic by homing in on new ways to deliver products like meat, eggs and herbal salves to customers. And now the farm is offering an array of goat cheeses, thanks to the addition of a small 800-square-foot creamery.

This summer marks their third season as a fully licensed farmstead goat creamery, meaning they hold two licenses: a producer’s license for the dairy and a processor’s license for the creamery.

- Chloe Misner

Read more about how this local creamery optimizes the art of cheesemaking through animal welfare practices in the newest issue of Edible Michiana, on stands now!

You can also find the full article below:
https://ediblemichiana.ediblecommunities.com/drink/verdant-hollow-creamery-michigan/

Photos by Shayna Breslin

09/16/2026

Sweet blackberries and tangy balsamic vinegar come together in a simple blender dressing that doubles as a marinade and the finishing vinaigrette for this fresh summer salad. This glaze caramelizes lightly on the grill, complementing tender Miller Poultry chicken breasts, peppery arugula, fragrant basil, crisp cucumber and crunchy pepitas. Light, vibrant and easy to prepare, it's the kind of salad that's equally at home on a weeknight table or at a late-summer potluck. Find the recipe below!

Miller Poultry Grilled Blackberry Balsamic Chicken Salad:

Blackberry Balsamic Vinaigrette:
6 ounces (1 cup) blackberries:
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Salad:
1.5 pounds (about 2 large) Miller Poultry boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 cups arugula or salad mix
1 cup basil, torn
1 large cucumber, sliced
¼ cup salted pepitas
6 ounces (1 cup) blackberries
Half of a medium red onion, thinly sliced

Place all of the vinaigrette ingredients into a high-speed blender and blend until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer to remove any blackberry seeds, pressing the mixture with a spoon to release as much of the liquid as possible. Place the chicken breasts in a sealable container and pour about ⅓ of the vinaigrette over the chicken, tossing to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight. Cover and refrigerate the remaining vinaigrette in a separate container until time to serve.

Preheat the grill to medium heat. Place the marinated chicken on the hot grill and cook until the internal temperature registers 165° on an instant-read thermometer, 20 to 25 minutes total. Flip the chicken breasts every 5 minutes during the cook time. Once finished, remove the chicken from the grill and cover with foil while you prepare the salad. Add the remaining salad ingredients to a large serving bowl or divide evenly among individual bowls. Slice the chicken breasts and place on top of the salad. Drizzle with the reserved vinaigrette and serve.

09/14/2026

"When Ida Yoder started baking bread for Amish church gatherings, she didn’t realize it would become a business.

Back in the 1980s, there weren’t many Amish bakeries in Northern Indiana. If you wanted to buy a loaf of soft yeast bread, it would be at the Michiana Mennonite Relief Sale every September, at a bake sale raising money for someone in need, or at a roadside stand.

When dozens of Amish families gather at a home for church on a Sunday, they eat lunch together after the service. As many as 40 years ago, Ida started helping provide enough bread for a large crowd to nearby church districts. Then she started making bread, pies and cookies to take to a bake sale stand at a cousin’s house along U.S. 20 near S.R. 13 in Middlebury.

After Howard Yoder, Ida’s husband, had to stop farming due to polymyositis (a rare immune disease that attacks and weakens muscles), they opened Country Lane Bakery at 59162 C.R. 43, next to their home. This was in 1996; Das Dutchman Essenhaus’s bakery was open, but Rise’n Roll Bakery and Blue Gate Restaurant & Bakery, both of which have become large operations, came later.

Howard and Ida, now in their 70s, still help in the bakery, but in 2015 their son, Vernon, and his wife, JoAnn, took over. I sat and chatted with them in early July about decades of baking across two generations."

- By Marshall V. King
Photography by: Trevor Daugherty

Read more about how Amish tradition and fresh yeast bread are at the heart of Country Lane Bakery’s rise in the latest issue of Edible Michiana. You can also find the full article below.

https://ediblemichiana.ediblecommunities.com/food-thought/country-lane-bakery-indiana/

09/11/2026

"Her degree was in business and she worked in finance, but Tara Newman, owner of The Culinary Cottage in downtown St. Joseph, Michigan, loved cooking so much that at one point she was driving weekly to Chesterfield, Ohio, to take classes from Loretta Paganini, the ultimate Italian nonna. Newman always stopped on the way home at Gust Gallucci’s, a venerable Italian food store in Cleveland that opened in 1912 and where the native language of half the staff is Italian. The drive to Paganini’s took about five hours one way, depending upon traffic, but that didn’t deter Newman, a high-energy woman who met her husband at a 5K race and whose idea of a relaxing vacation is a white-water rafting trip combined with rappelling in the mountains of West Virginia.

“I read an article about Paganini and just had to meet her and take classes,” says Newman. “I would always learn when traveling, earning different certifications.”

While maintaining a career in finance, Newman built an impressive culinary résumé. Besides traveling to culinary schools, she started a personal chef business. Eventually she would leave her finance job and spend 17 years running her own catering business. Along the way, she taught cooking classes throughout the region and subcontracted with Whirlpool to develop recipes and provide culinary training for staff, among other things.

Sounds hectic, doesn’t it? Eventually Newman thought so as well. But she didn’t really slow down, she just redirected her focus, creating The Culinary Cottage cooking school. She recently expanded the business by moving to a larger building, remodeling and adding a children’s kitchen and a storefront where independent cottage bakers can display and sell their wares."

- By Jane Simon Ammeson

Read the entire feature article titled "Sweet & Savory Subjects" in the newest issue of Edible Michiana or find it below.

https://ediblemichiana.ediblecommunities.com/things-do/sweet-and-savory-subjects/

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