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Five Loaves Bakery in Francesville, Indiana: You Had Me at Homemade Chocolates

Jessica Nunemaker — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 13:30:49 +0000

Part of the reason I love exploring little Indiana is that you just never know what you are going to find! That’s definitely the case with friendly little Francisville, Indiana and the Five Loaves Bakery and Cafe.

I love, love, love the furniture! Instead of the same seating – Five Loaves Bakery and Cafe had a variety of tables in different types of wood in all different styles. It looked so cute and felt so inviting! We sat down for a bit at a gorgeous Walnut set to enjoy the homey and inviting atmosphere.

I ordered a Peach Banana Smoothie, that was really good and bananery (yup, I made that up) and hubs ordered a Strawberry Smoothie – the most popular flavor according to the owner of Five Loaves. The kid requested the large frosted flower sugar cookie and mowed down before we remembered I had to take a photo! Oops.

I am so very glad he offered me have a bite – that sugar cookie was melt-in-your-mouth amazing! I begged the kid for another — thank goodness he likes to share!

Anyway, they’ve also got an absolutely fabulous display case with beautiful wood molding and trim that once was one of many such cases in the Gutwein shop across the street. She luckily got to keep it when she got the building. Now, let me tell you about the beautiful things on the inside of this case– like muffins, frosted sugar cookies, and homemade chocolates!

This is the first bakery I have seen yet that boasts homemade chocolates so after our initial order – we each bought one for the road! Chocolate vanilla cream for me and a dark chocolate coconut one for hubs. And it was good. Well, mine was, anyway. Hubs ate his without giving me a taste! The nerve!

To see more photos from Five Loaves Bakery and Cafe in Francesville, Indiana, you can simply head on over to my Flickr page to see a little bit of the inside the bakery – instead of just the food.

Five Loaves Bakery and Cafe
106 S. Bill St.
Francesville, Indiana 47946
219.567.2600

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Guest Post: Baby Turnips with their Greens

Jessica Nunemaker — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 13:30:16 +0000

Hey there, little Indiana! Today is my *second* guest poster ever! Say “howdy” to Granola Mom Jodi McKenna and her super simple, healthy, and eye-appealing meals!

I must admit that I was taken off guard. I discovered that I actually liked turnips last week.

34 years have gone by and I have never ever tasted a turnip. It was and remains a white vegetable . . . and for some reason that just seemed wrong to me. I imagined that they would taste like dirt or worse . . . lima beans. I know – this is incredibly immature of me. But at least I am honest.

Our family is branching out, and certainly not a stranger to weird foods. Just when I thought there was little else for us to try! If you ever visit me for a cup of Chai, you’ll find yourself walking into a continual kitchen science experiment. There is no telling what kind of mold, yeast, or bacteria I am growing . . . all in the name of health.

I have Farm Fresh to blame for my most recent culinary endeavor in the Granola Mom kitchen. I was convicted to keep these odd white vegetables in my online shopping cart because they were grown LOCALLY. And I am all about that, especially after reading Barbara Kingsolver’s book—Animal, Vegetable, Miracle.

So go to the Farmer’s Market, gather your ingredients, and try this turnip dish out on your family. If you have kids, find some way for them to HELP you cook this side dish. When they have the opportunity to take part in their food preparation, it makes a big difference in what you can get them to eat!

(To prepare your turnip, wash the leaves and white bulbs. Trim off excess roots. Separate the leaves from the turnip.)

Ingredients

12 or more baby white turnips, scrubbed, greens trimmed and washed
salt and freshly milled pepper
2 to 4 tablespoons butter (Minerva Dairy is my favorite!)
Several thyme sprigs

Directions

1 . Bring 3 quarts water to a boil for the greens. Add 1 ½ teaspoons salt, the greens, and simmer until tender (about 8-10 minutes).

2. While this is occurring, set a steaming basket over salted water for the turnips. Steam the turnips until they are tender-firm (about 10-12 minutes).

3. Drain the greens, press out excess moisture with the back of a spoon, toss them with half the butter, and season with salt and pepper. Arrange them on a plate.

4. Toss the turnips with the remaining butter, a few pinches of salt, a grind of pepper, and the thyme.

5. Pile the turnips on the greens and serve them together. (Serves 4— however, I will admit that we had leftovers and we are a family of 5!).

A special thanks goes to Farm Fresh for graciously allowing me to share their recipe with you. And if you would like to try some unusual food in your kitchen, head on over to Granola Mom 4 God!

little Indiana again. Just had to say that while I haven’t “officially” tried a turnip yet…there is one in the fridge (that I bought from my favorite vendor at my local farmer’s market) that is just begging to be turned into this easy peasy salad!

The Sandwich Shop — Sandwich Heaven in Delphi, Indiana

Jessica Nunemaker — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 13:30:23 +0000

We had already been to the Delphi, Indiana Stone House Restaurant and Bakery and we needed advice. We asked Jean, the friendly owner of Noble Bikes (right by the canal and, yes, I still need to write about her shop!) what other restaurant she recommends. Her answer? She said to try The Sandwich Shop because it has the best French fries in town — and an unusual layout.

Now, I admit, I have a thing for sandwiches. Some people could eat cereal 24/7 but me – I like bread, butter, and all the stuff that goes between.

Anyway, sandwich lover or not, The Sandwich Shop in Delphi proved to be just as unique as Jean mentioned! I am pretty sure I have never seen a setup quite like this!

You walk in and BAM! there’s the U-shaped counter four steps in front of you flanked by barstools. Three other tables dot the othertgrtgf corners but everything is no more than fifteen or so steps from the door. The person in the middle runs the show – taking orders, handling the register, serving food, and cooking it! Yes, this place is small! We were instantly intrigued.

So, we sit down. We were a little confused as to how to order – the setup is just that unusual, but, just so you know, you order right from your seat!

The cook/waiter/cashier mans the counter from the middle, taking your order right there! I ordered a Reuben Sandwich and potato salad (already forgetting about the fries advice!) and hubs got a burger and fries.

It was quite a wait but that’s what happens when everything is made fresh. When an order is up, the cook/waitress pops it on the counter close to you so you can grab it. Neat, huh?

Looking at hubs plate I was jealous – how did I forget to order fries? Good thing I make him share. But, I will say that the Reuben Sandwich at The Sandwich Shop in Delphi, Indiana is hands-down the best Reuben I have ever had – and you know how I like Reubens! I’m glad the food was great because the atmosphere was too!

First of all, the place was full of locals, and I mean FULL – there was never an empty seat for long, but what made this place a great gathering spot was the banter between the cook/waitress and all the regular customers.

Hubs leaned over at one point and said, “Roseanne!” Yes, the cook/waitress was sassy and fun and fast with the witty comebacks. You can imagine how surprised we were when we heard one of the regulars call her Rosie! What a coincidence!

The Sandwich Shop of Delphi, Indiana has atmosphere, good food, and plenty of sass to keep you entertained – like a slightly sarcastic (but definitely still family friendly) Mayberry. The only drawback (which probably won’t affect many of you) – we didn’t see a highchair so we were stuck holding the baby but, even so, we’d definitely go back!

Want more? Check out my Flickr Photostream!

The Sandwich Shop
112 E Main St
Delphi IN 46923
765.564.6252

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Rensselaer, Indiana: Willow Switch – Good to the Last Drop

Jessica Nunemaker — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 13:30:08 +0000

Rensselaer, Indiana residents are so lucky – they’ve got Willow Switch, a fantastic downtown coffee and gift shop! But, coffee fiend or not, there’s still plenty to love!

First: the coffee! Well, Willow Switch has plenty of coffee varieties all bagged up and ready to go, just in case a single cup isn’t enough. I admit that I’ve only recently discovered a love for coffee — not even a year ago kind of recent. Not until after baby #2 was born did I decide to try it again – and actually liked it (black).

Every time I happen by, I tend to go for some variety of Chai Tea (hot or ice, spiced or vanilla) or a Strawberry and Banana Smoothie. Yum! I’ve heard the Mixed Berry Smoothie is awesome but some habits are hard to break.

Hubs always orders some variation of coffee so between the two of us, I’ve probably tried almost everything. Yes: it’s all good – even with the pound and a half of sugar and creamer hubs dumps into his.

Anyway, this isn’t just a coffee shop – it’s also a well-stocked and very well-kept gift shop! There’s really neat furniture of all kinds, both antiques and reproductions, picture frames – some with gorgeous local photography (by Ardent Papers Photography), quilts, tablecloths, and other linens, light fixtures, and even more! I think it’s the perfect mix of old and new. Something always catches my eye!

So, next time you meander around little Indiana and wander through Rensselaer make sure to grab a drink and a cookie or a muffin for the ride home at the Willow Switch (and maybe a little present for yourself, too!). Seriously, you aren’t still settling for Big Box Burger, are you?

As always, check out my Flickr photostream for a few more images of The Willow Switch.

Willow Switch
215 W Washington St
Rensselaer IN 47978
219.866.7106
willowswitch at centurylink dot net

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Rossville, Indiana Flour Mill Bakery: Bakery, Bulk Foods, and Cheese

Jessica Nunemaker — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 13:30:32 +0000

On our way to Cutler, Indiana, the Nunemaker Family Circus flew by a small sign that said “Bakery” with an arrow pointing down a random road to nowhere. Hubs mentioned it and jokingly said, “Should I turn around?” Who does he think he’s talking to? We’ve been married how long? Um, yes! What if they close early?

We turned around, went down “Bob’s Road” (to steal a line from Twister), made a turn or two, and there it was — in the middle of a bunch of farmland and a scattering of homes. I opened the door to a magical place: racks of plain packaged stuff (awesome), fresh bakery items, and women looking very Amish-like – until one lady answered a cell phone. Huh?

Hubs talked to the lady after I asked for permission to take a few pics of and found out it is run by German Baptists and the lady had a maiden name of Nunemaker! Small world, eh?

Anyway, they had everything. Spices, seasoning, flours, baking things, sprinkles, CHEESE!!! – and it was cheap. Very, very cheap. This was the start of our little Indiana adventure so we only left with a loaf of honey wheat bread, a container of sprinkles, a package of lemon cookies, and a sprinkled donut for the kid. If we had known we would have brought a cooler and taken home a hunk of Provolone but anyway…

We broke into the cookies in the car even though I don’t think it was even 9 AM our time! It was so worth it! You know by now that I love soft cookies and lemon (remember my yummy lemon-ginger cookies?) and these were full of lemony goodness with just a blip of lemony icing on the top.

Hubs would never call himself a lemon fan – and he couldn’t stay out of them! Wonderfully balanced and, well, writing this right now makes me really want one!

I don’t even know why I keep thumbing through the bakery’s brochure – but I do. The bread and cookies were so very good I just want to try more! They’ve got a bunch of pies (and you know how I feel about pie) like Black Raspberry, Butterscotch Meringue, Gooseberry, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Caramel Apple, and something called Sugar Cream.

Apparently Sugar Cream Pie is the State Pie of Indiana – how did I not know that and, most importantly, why have I never had it before? Seems like little Indiana has a new mission – seek out the elusive Sugar Cream State Pie and find the best!

They also sell cream horns (which I absolutely, positively LOVE and didn’t think to grab a package. Blargh), bumblebees (no idea), rolls, coffeecakes, homemade noodles, cookies, cakes, donuts…yes, they sell a LOT of things! Middle of nowhere or not, in the word’s of Ah-nold, I will be back! As always, check out my Flickr photostream for a few more.

Flour Mill Bakery, Bulk Foods, and Cheese
6580 W Co Rd 800 N
Rossville IN 46065
765-379-9995
Sunday and Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 8 AM – 3 PM
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: 7 AM – 4 PM
Saturday: 7 AM – 3 PM

– always verify shop hours in advance whenever possible.

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Klein Brot Haus/Klein Brothers Bakery in Brookston, Indiana: Es ist Gut!

Jessica Nunemaker — Thu, 13 May 2010 13:30:54 +0000

Have you yet realized my undying devotion to the small town bakery and homemade goods in general? No? Just ask my local small town bakery (they know my face)! Seriously though – they rock.

It’s time for a little background about me! I do not like boxes of store-bought donuts or those pies from a freezer or crinkly packages of cookies that have sat on a shelf for six months. There are no pancake type mixes in my home of any kind, um, ever!

I make my pies from scratch (even if my pie crusts never look as perfect as Martha’s). I cook my own pancakes and (especially) yeasted waffles which, even as I write this, are sitting patiently, slowly rising in a big red bowl on my kitchen counter, ready to surprise the kid in the morning.

Anyway: I like fresh – and I most definitely enjoyed the Klein Brot Haus Bakery in little Brookston, Indiana.

Yes, this place was awesome. Not only was the town really cute – the bakery was in a fantastic old building with really great woodwork (you know how much I love that)! Klein Brothers Bakery had such an awesome selection. Don’t think I use the word “awesome” lightly – I’m talking pies, breads, croissants, cookies, bars, a breakfast and lunch menu and a salad bar!

They even had a selection of local goods – and an Indiana shaped cutting board! I’m thinking that I have to go back and pick it up – it might be a good giveaway item one of these days. What do you think?

Klein Brot Haus had chalkboards hung up above the many, many shelves of STUFF – which was not only a nice touch but helpful (does anyone know what Dang Good Pie is? It was listed and had me curious).

As always, little Indiana had to do a taste test – you know, in the interest of research! I tried a gigantic iced cinnamon roll, hubs had a big chocolate croissant, and the kid picked out a ginormous iced sour cream sugar cookie. I tried all of theirs, too. I also (very grudgingly) shared my cinnamon roll. You know how I hate to share!

Yes, we were all very happy (though, I will admit that it was almost too much frosting on the cinnamon roll but, okay, it didn’t even remotely keep me from eating it)! I have no idea why but – somehow we didn’t buy anything extra! No loaves of freshly baked bread, no chocolate chunk cookies for the road, and no fruit pie for later. *insert sad face here*

Whatever were we thinking? Sigh. They had really fun varieties of bread (if you can call that fun, which I DO). We have GOT to make a return visit and soon –oh, and you do, too! This little place definitely deserves the attention!

Klein Brot Haus Bakery (Klein Brothers Bakery)
106 East 3rd Street
Brookston IN 47923
(765) 563-3788

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Once again — a special thank you to Rensselaer Adventures for the personal note recommending this place!

The Stone House: Delphi, Indiana Restaurant and Bakery of Pure Deliciousness

Jessica Nunemaker — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 13:30:35 +0000

Delphi, Indiana – and everyone is hungry, but the kid is the loudest about it, as usual. The kid spent the last 15 minutes of the Opera House tour (I know, I know you are dying to read about it, it’s in the works) complaining about food, or, rather, the lack thereof. SO – we took the advice of, um, every single person that we talked to that morning – and walked down the block to The Stone House.

This is an awesome building. I wish I had a better shot of the doors – they were seriously super tall and rather unusual. Once upon a time, the building was even home to a brothel! I find past histories of places so interesting. I wish I had more information than that – but, unfortunately, I do not. Do you?

Anyway, back to The Stone House of the present! It has a really neat, long wood bar and a mirror that takes up a large chunk of the wall behind it. The Stone House is a really neat building.

As you can see from the photos – hubs had a burger and onion rings and I had the Buffalo Chicken sandwich and chips (I wanted a burger but I hate ordering the same thing as the hubs so I compromised…this time). Yum! We were both happy with ours – the kid enjoyed himself, too.

But we were even more happy with the goodies we bought for the road. The kid got a sugar cookie and even let me try a bite – it was excellent! Hubs had a chocolate chip cookie which was okay and I got a Rocky Road Brownie: nuts and marshmallow over a layer of thick yummy brownie. Yeah, it was good – hubs and the kid both wanted to share. As if! The server said to eat it with a glass of milk nearby – she wasn’t kidding! It was fantastic and I am anxious to recreate that one at home!

Bottomline: Go there! Great food, great atmosphere, and even better baked goods in super friendly Delphi, Indiana make this a must-go!

The Stone House Restaurant
124 East Main Street
Delphi, IN 46923-1543
765.564.4663

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Buzz on in to Busy Bee!

Jessica Nunemaker — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 13:30:04 +0000

My superhero weakness? Ice cream. Summer or winter – I like it, I love it, I want some more of it! Based on my frequent ramblings about food, you would be surprised to know that, no, it does not take five grown men to lift this Hoosier out of bed (yet)! I stay semi-active, mainly so I can take advantage of foodtabulous treasures as they happen – enter: Busy Bee in Rensselaer, Indiana!

Busy Bee has a great location – it’s just off The Square in Rensselaer – and kind of near Iroquois Park! Super convenient. I could seriously visit this place once a week – they have changing weekly special flavors! Now that’s just FUN!

Did someone say Blue Moon? Yes, that mystical, magical flavor of pure awesomeness makes an appearance here each year. So, too does Blue Raspberry, White Cake Batter, German Chocolate, Strawberry, and a whole bunch more – a whole summer full in fact!

Another random fact about me? It is nearly impossible for me to eat an ice cream cone without spilling all over myself – but I do it anyway. Add a chocolate dipped ice cream cone and it’s just disaster. But guess what? It’s so good I just don’t care!

At Busy Bee, who so far has the best ever chocolate dip cone I’ve ever had – I decided that I had to try the “crunch” cone. The kid had a sprinkle cone (kids can also ask for a cone with a face – cute!), and hubs had a peanut butter shake. Everyone was happy!

Now, they do have something called a Tornado which is similar to a DQ Blizzard or McDonald’s McFlurry (but of course way better), as well as slushies, banana splits, shakes, FlavorBurst, ice cream with a swirl of flavoring, and then some, so I don’t know how you couldn’t find something!

Busy Bee Freeze is only open Spring to Fall – so don’t take too long getting out to cute little Rensselaer, Indiana! Add Busy Bee to your must visit list of small town places this summer – you’ll thank me later!

Busy Bee Freeze
331 W. Washington St.
Rensselaer IN 47978
219-866-3140

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Spring into Spring with Soft Lemon Ginger Cookies

Jessica Nunemaker — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 13:30:55 +0000

Spring is in the air – and what says “Spring” better than lemon ginger cookies! These are so easy to throw together and really, really soft. This is from an old hand-written index card that I bought from a (now closed) antique shop in Rensselaer, Indiana once upon a time – as well as a few variations of my own.

These are so fast to whip up even if you get the idea to try them out at 9:00 at night you would still get to enjoy them by 9:30 — while the kids are in bed asleep, of course!

Lemon-Ginger Cookies
makes 3 dozen

1/2 cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg
2 teaspoons lemon extract
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
granulated sugar

1. Preheat 350* oven.
2. Cream shortening and brown sugar until fluffy.
3. Add egg, lemon extract, and lemon juice.
4. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients.
5. Mix together just until combined.
6. I use a 2 teaspoon cookie dough scoop, plop ‘em in the bowl with granulated sugar, and roll ‘em around.
7. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet (I always use parchment paper) 2” apart.
8. Bake at 350* for 12 to 15 minutes until cookies are golden.
9. Remove from sheet after a few minutes to cool.
10. Enjoy!

A Slice of Pie Pizza: Garlicky Goodness

Jessica Nunemaker — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 13:30:53 +0000

I asked the owner of A Slice of Pie Pizza in Rensselaer, Indiana, “What’s good?” (there’s no playing around when it comes to food) His response? “Everything – or it wouldn’t be on the menu…but the garlic rolls are popular.” Garlic rolls? SOLD!

Let me just tell you now – these are addicting! Terribly, terribly addicting! Warm, buttery, melt in your mouth – and garlic, yummy, yummy garlic! Lucky for us, the kid couldn’t get through half of his (did I mention they are really big?) so hubs and I split it. Have I mentioned how I hate sharing food?

We had a half pepperoni (yay!) and a half mushroom and sausage pizza (boo!). Since it was around lunch time (I can’t believe we made it in somewhere at a normal time!) they had pizza by the slice – and some looked really good! We were so full from those garlic rolls, though, we hardly made a dent in our pizza! I had to grab a box to bring the rest home! Woot – cold pizza!

A Slice of Pie Pizza has a really nice menu – side items, salads, and pasta. The inside is so brightly decorated you wouldn’t believe what an improvement it is from what it used to be – an old and decrepit building! Bonus: inside is the cleanest and most spacious bathroom in town. Hey, that’s good to know if you have kids (and we do!).

Did I mention that they are across the street from a fun little park – and located right next to Ayda’s Authentic Mexican Restaurant? I am pretty sure I will grab a garlic roll from A Slice of Pie Pizza and a steak burrito from Ayda’s Authentic Mexican Restaurant and call it dinner. Does it get any better?

I will admit that I am on a mission to recreate these awesome garlic rolls at home. When I reach success – you’ll be the first to know! Until then…I will be forced to do lots and LOTS of research! And, no – I won’t be sharing.

A Slice of Pie Pizza
305B N. College Ave.
Rensselaer, IN, 47978
Tel: 219-866-8682

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