David Hoppe

What better way to learn about more local food sources than through a book that was completed only after spending nearly two years talking to people in Indiana about food? Honestly, this book far exceeded my expectations. It is an absolutely fantastic portrait of food in Indiana mainly because it isn't really even about the food. This book is about the people of Indiana and their passion for food.

When you think of food in Indiana, what comes to mind? Corn. That is probably what most people think of. Did you know that Indiana hosts the National Maple Syrup Festival? Neither did I but now I want to go there! I also learned how much duck is produced in Indiana, about Indiana pickles, family run farms, and family run restaurants. I learned that Clabber Girl and Red Gold Tomatoes both call Indiana home and that if I get Tyson brand pork at the grocery store it might have come from an Indiana pig.

I think the thing that makes this book really special though is the variety of stories it contains. There are stories from people who have been farming the same land for generations, people just starting out, restaurant owners, people running breweries and distilleries, big agricultural businesses, and everything in between. The stories are told in their own words so there is a richness to the book that would have been lost if it had been written in another format. The photographs capture these faces and you get that sense of sitting down with people and chatting about food, farming, family, and feeding people.

I am so glad that I have gotten to experience this book! It is probably the most interesting non-fiction book that I have read this year.… (més)