Time Flies When You're Busy Doing Everything But Blogging...

I cannot believe it has been over a year since I last posted to this blog.

Wow.

So... let's start fresh, shall we? No promises of daily updates or anything. That would be like making a New Year's resolution. Sounds great on New Year's Day. Still determined to stick with it on New Year's Day. Forgotten by Fruitcake Toss Day (January 3).

Brain Food and Other Thoughts on Hoosier Haute Cuisine

In a recent episode of Food Network's Feasting on Asphalt, host Alton Brown stopped at an Evansville pub to dine on a breaded, deep-fried brain sandwich. To hear him talk, one would think brains is a much-beloved, popular Hoosier delicacy.

Perhaps it's the generation gap, but I personally do not know anybody my age who regularly eats brains - fried or otherwise. This isn't to say I don't know anybody who has ever eaten brains. My uncle, as a child, has told me he used to eat scrambled eggs and brains for breakfast. And, when I was in high school, the local supermarket I worked at sold beef brains in deli containers.

I can still that shaking gelatinous lump jiggling around on the checkout belt. (And I'm referring to the tub of brains, not the overalls-clad old farmer buying them.)

Ick. (Again, ick aimed at the brains, not the consumer thereof.)

So... let me toss this question out: what defines Hoosier haute cuisine? (Hoosier haute cuisine is not to be confused with Terre Haute cuisine, which simply requires a drive-up window and the ability to super-size one's meal). Personally, I do not believe brain sandwiches are the Indiana munchable of choice. (I say this despite the Great Beef vs. Pork Brains debate, which continues to rage to this day).

To my mind, Indiana cooking is defined by one key element: gravy. Everything has gravy in Indiana.

Everything.

Some Hoosiers take the drippings-starch-and-milk business farther than others. I had a great-uncle who used to eat milk gravy on apple pie.

I don't know if he ate brain sandwiches.

But my grandmother used to cook beef tongue. And - all due respect to my grandma, who was by far the greatest cook I've ever known - eating tongue is just wrong. I believe you never eat anything with the potential to taste you back.

So, let me pose the question to all of you again: what defines Hoosier cuisine for you? Is it Breaded Tenderloins? Biscuits and sausage gravy? Slabs of pie as big as your head?

Drop me a comment and share with all of us your ideal Hoosier edible. And - if brains and tongue are your thing, let us know.

CITY AND TOWN LINKS COMPLETE!

I think we now have links to just about every Indiana community with a website. If we missed one, let us know!

Enjoy!

Mellencamp and the NFL

For the vast Hoosier diaspora, spread far and wide across the USA, John Mellencamp is a musical link to home. Much of what he sings reflects a definite Hoosier attitude toward life, politics, etc...

And I see John has just released his new CD, Freedom's Road. With the exception of the song on the Chevy commercials, I haven't heard this new album yet. Lots of places will have it on sale this week, so now is the time.

One place you will no doubt hear Mellencamp's flag-wavin' Chevy truck song is this weekend's Super Bowl. And as I was perusing the online edition of the Indianapolis Star at lunch today, I came across an article entitled "Churches React to NFL's Super Bowl Warning." Read it and let me know what you think. I'm still shaking my head at it.

WELCOME, HOOSIERS (AND THOSE WHO LOVE THEM!)

Welcome to the Expatriate Hoosiers Blogsite - a little piece of Indiana in cyberspace.

As you can see, the pickin's are a bit sparse right now. We're in the process of building the site, and will be adding blog entries and links and photos and stories and whatnot daily.

Please take a minute to leave us a comment letting us know where in Indiana you hale from!

Thanks!!