Grilled Cheese and the Indiana State Fair....

Originally Published in the Greenwood Daily Journal Saturday August 4, 2012

Growing up I simply hated going to the fair, county or otherwise.  It was always hot, crowded and dusty. I mean, how many free yardsticks did one family need? I always longed to ride one of the carnival rides or partake in the tradition many have of sampling the extraordinary food fare that was offered.  Cotton candy, elephant ears and funnel cakes, oh my!

But like many families did then and still do, mine packed a lunch and drinks to have in breaks throughout the day.  Paying the admission for 2 adults and 3 kids plus the drive up there made for an expensive day for my family.

Fast forward to today and I have grown to love this time of year. As I got older I saw the necessity of gatherings like the fair.  Not from just a commercial standpoint, but as a source of pride for each county.  Having a child in 4-H that has his first ever state fair entry in the Geology division, this year is particularly special.

But I also see the Indiana State Fair as a celebration of the Hoosier growers, farmers and producers.  They have their 16 days to show off a seasons worth of hard work and backbreaking dedication.  After the year we have had I think we should be doubly grateful that they are sticking around and deciding to make a go of it next growing season. I don't have to tell you what you may already know, Johnson County farmers have been hit and hit hard.

Sam Aulick of 240Sweet Artisan Marshmallows

The lineup this year at the fair is a big one.  From live food demonstrations to over the top fried creations there is a little bit for everyone.  I am particularly excited about the new food pavilion, which should come as no surprise. 

Everyone loves food. Hoosiers, in particular, love growing it, cooking it and learning about it.  That’s why the fair created the new DuPont Food Pavilion located on Main Street near the iconic Midway Arch. The pavilion teaches fairgoers about the state’s “farm to fork” link while featuring more than 30 Indiana-made specialty food items.

The 16,000 square foot exhibit is dedicated solely to food, the number one reason many folks attend the State Fair.  Visitors can peruse the pavilion’s Hoosier Market where locally-produced items such as Hoosier Mama Bloody Mary Mix, 240Sweet Artisan Marshmallows, Best Boy and Company Gourmet Sauces and Burton’s Maplewood Farms maple syrup are for sale. 

While bringing local favorites home for dinner is great, sampling food is even better. Volunteers at the retail store, sponsored by Indiana Artisan and Indiana Grown, will distribute complimentary samples of local cuisine every day.

  

Dozens of local chefs will present interactive cooking demonstration at the pavilion’s Red Gold Culinary Corner. Featured chefs from Food for Thought: An Indiana Harvest will also present daily food shows in the state-of-the-art exhibition kitchen.  The Red Gold Lady herself, Linda Wallace of Elwood, Indiana will give several live cooking demonstrations and share how you can incorporate their tomato products in your favorite healthy summer salads. One of her featured recipes is a zesty strawberry salsa which I am including today along with my take on my favorite grilled cheese sandwich.

Other exhibits at the pavilion spotlight the issues connected to food, including nutrition and hunger. The Indiana Family of Farmers, Indiana Soybean Alliance and Indiana Dairy will sponsor an interactive recipe trail that gives visitors a chance to learn more about Indiana's growers and producers.

Indiana State Fair attendees who follow the Indiana’s Family of Farmers Recipe Trail at the fairgrounds will help feed the hungry and win a prize.

For each person who finishes the trail, IFOF is partnering with Feeding Indiana’s Hungry to donate one pound of food to food banks across Indiana. A total of 2,000 pounds of food was donated last year. This year’s goal is 3,000 pounds! So that means 3,000 people are needed to go through the recipe trail to attain the goal.  
Participants just need to collect recipe cards from 8 locations around the Fairgrounds and bring them to the Family of Farmers Booth at the DuPont Food Pavilion where they will collect their 9th card. There, they will win a special prize for completing the trail and have a chance to register for the daily dairy giveaway and the grand prize of a Frigidaire chest freezer.

After all of this is said and done, and I have enjoyed everything the new food pavilion has to offer I will head over to the Dairy Bar and have what is now a yearly tradition with my own family: A grilled cheese sandwich and a chocolate shake. This is the only splurge I allow myself at the fair. 
You can keep your funnel cake.

Make this no more than 2 hours before serving so the strawberries remain fresh looking. 

Strawberry Salsa
1 pt fresh strawberries, diced
1 14.5 oz can of Red Gold Petite Diced Tomatoes, well drained
1 small red onion, diced
2 medium sized jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced
2 TB lime juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 TB vegetable oil
In a large bowl combine all of the ingredients and toss.  Refrigerate for up to 2 hours and serve.  Great with tortilla chips as well.

Grown Up Grilled Cheese

Makes 1

2 slices of farm bread or what I used: Jalapeno Corn Cheddar Bread

1 slice each of sharp cheddar, Provolone and Pepper Jack

Thinly sliced red onion and tomato

Spinach or arugula

unsalted butter

Butter one side of one slice of bread and place in a skillet that has been heated to a medium-high heat.  Layer the ingredients ending with the last slice of bread that has the side facing up buttered as well.

Toast on one side then carefully flip to the other side. Remove and slice in half to enjoy.

If you are making more than one simply double the ingredients.