It's Always Better When We're Together



Nieces Loreli and Piper hunting Morel Mushrooms


If you are a fan of Jack Johnson’s music (or of Reese’s peanut butter cups), this assertion makes perfect sense! Some things in life truly are better together, and we were reminded of that when we hosted a dinner party Saturday evening. Sharing food with friends enhances the flavor by connecting it with a meaningful experience. The flavor of food is also enhanced when it’s correctly paired with wine or spirits. Here’s the menu from our first Spring dinner party, aptly titled “Rustles of Spring.” Hopefully this inspires you to invite your friends and neighbors to your house for your own spring dinner!



“Walking Gumbo” (Sunny Slopes Farms Johnny Cake, House Made Chorizo, Pickled Blooming Gardens Okra, Wild Caught Gulf Shrimp) paired with an Indiana Sazerac cocktail

Savory Spring Break Pudding (Blooming Gardens Asparagus, Locally Foraged Morel Mushrooms, Scholars Inn Bakehouse Bread, Gruyere Cheese) paired with 2004 Blanc de Blanc, LeReve, Domaine Carneros, Napa, California

Indiana Corn Chowder (Fire Roasted Blooming Gardens Corn, Home Grown Potatoes, Homestead Growers Dairy) with 2008 Sauvignon Blanc, Drystone Berridge Vineyard Estates, Marlborough, New Zealand

Hoosier Mama’s Bloody Mary mix with Indiana Vodka

Brick Oven Limousin Beef (Carrico Farms New York Strip roasted in the brick oven, Home Grown Spaghetti Squash with homemade/home canned marinara sauce, Blooming Gardens Broccoli) with 2003 Rocche, Barolo DOCG, Aurelio Settimo, LaMorra, Italy

Whimsical Peanut Butter & Jelly (Endangered Species Chocolate Mousse Tartlet, Easley Vineyard Concord Grape Juice & Peanut Butter Cream Sauce), 2000 Late Bottled Vintage Port, Dow’s, Oporto, Portugal

BJava Brazil Serra Negra Pressed Pot Coffee