Peace on earth, good will toward all

From all of us at the Goose,

Happy Holidays

On tap at the North Pole

His eyes -- how they twinkled, his dimples how merry.
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry.
No milk and cookies could produce such good cheer.
I knew in an instant, St. Nick likes good beer!

Brewers offer their most interesting beers around the holidays, and the Goose has stocked only bottles on "the good list" in our cellar.

Affligem Noel from Belgium pours a nice copper brown and thick white head. With flavors of dried fruits, winter spices, pepper, and citrus, it's a perfect pint for holiday desserts and mild cheeses.

Bitter chocolate malt and dark roast coffee flavors are heavy in Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout, a balanced stout that's surprisingly smooth for a beer that boasts 10% alcohol by volume.

Check out the seasonal selection in the Goose's cellar for even more treats like...

Dark and rich
Boulder Obovoid Empirical Stout
Two Brothers Bonfire Dunkel Weiss
Two Brothers North Wind Imperial Stout
Mad River John Barleycorn Barleywine
Meantime Coffee Porter
Atwater Winter Bock
Three Floyds Alpha Klaus Porter

Spiced, Belgian, and Winter Warmers
Two Brothers Avalon
Brasserie Achoffe N'ice Chouffe
Corsendonk Christmas Ale
Brasserie DuPont Avec Les Bon Vouex
DeKoninck Winter
Rogue Santa's Reserve
Rogue Yellow Snow

Fondue? Fondue-n’t: Raclette now at the Goose

Put away those tiny forks with the long handles. Raclette has arrived at the Goose! This robust, smooth Swiss cheese is best warmed to a delicious ooze, but it’s a far distant cousin to that cheesy pot bubbling over the tea light.

As early as the 13th century, mountain herdsman in the French-speaking Valais area of Switzerland--think Matterhorn territory--have nestled slabs of golden Raclette near the hot coals of their evening fires. Scraping a hot, melted layer of this cow’s milk cheese onto crusty bread made for a hearty end to the day’s work.

Through the centuries, that humble hill-side dinner grew into a tradition. Boiled potatoes, tart pickles, and pearl onions joined the crusty bread under its blanket of silky, molten Raclette. A stiff white wine or a cup of hot tea sidled next to the plate, and a sprinkling of black pepper or paprika decorates the Raclette of modern-day herdsman.

Though we lack the elevation here in Matterhorn-less Indy, all the ingredients for a hot Raclette dinner are stocked at the Goose.

We’ll slice your chunk of Swiss Raclette to order while little fingerling potatoes, cornichon, fresh baguettes, and bourbon-smoked paprika and black pepper are yours for the taking. Warm your oven's broiler as soon as you get home and then give thick slices of Raclette a moment to sizzle. (For a Swiss trio, add slabs of Emmental and Gruyere from the Goose.) Use crusty bread to scoop up the silky, salty stuff or let the cheese live up to its French namesake and scrape—or racler—it onto a plateful of hot potatoes and crunchy cornichon.

Wash it all down with some tiny bubbles from the Goose's cellar. Gabe recommends the French Jean Louis Denois N/V Brut Blancs de Blancs (Languedoc) for its citrus and apricot on the nose and peachy, mineral palate. (Robert Parker Jr. gave this bottle 89 points...and a partridge in a pear tree.) Similar citrus aromas come with Brugge Brasserie's White Ale, a crisp and refreshing ale with just a touch of sourness that Gabe likes to cut the richness of the Raclette.

Looking for an easy and satisfying winter meal? Herd your family around the table with Raclette dinner from the Goose!

Peace on earth, good will (and gift baskets) to all

The spirit of giving is a noble sentiment during this holiday season. But time is always fleeting and the search for a truly appreciated gift can leave us feeling like one of those chestnuts roasting on the open fire. Luckily, there's a miracle on 25th Street. Let the Goose help you beat the reindeer games and settle in for a long winter's nap by wrapping up your holiday shopping with gift baskets and gift cards that everyone on your list (bad or good) will enjoy. Order your gift baskets and gift cards online and we'll have them wrapped and ready for pick up in the shop or we'll mail them for you, leaving you more time to rock around the Christmas tree or just rest, ye merry gentlemen.

The holiday Goose Gift Basket includes:

• Vida Organica Sparkling Chardonnay: a balanced, bubbly Argentinian with apple and pineapple flavors.


• 1/4 pound artisan cheese: Local and imported, stinky and sweet, oozy and sharp -- the Goose has stacked some stellar cheeses this winter.


• Arnott's water crackers


• Bijoux Chocolat:* Hand-decorated by local chocolateir Todd Kennedy, these gems are as pretty as ornaments (but much tastier).
  
• DeCecco casareccia pasta:* Literally meaning "homemade," casareccia's twisted, hollow tubes began as a Sicilian tradition.


• Local Folks Heirloom Tomato Marinara:* Indiana-grown heirloom tomatoes and herbs cooked long and slow for this thick, savory sauce.


• Mild 2 Wild hot sauce:* Two Indianapolis firefighters teamed up to create Mild 2 Wild's Backdraft, a fiery--but still tasty--blend of habanero-whiskey mash and 20 herbs and spices.


• Hubbard and Cravens Coffee:* Locally-roasted, whole bean coffee we'll grind to order.

The Goose will load up a reusable, handled peck basket with all the ingredients above for $50 or you can choose a Gosling Basket filled with the asterisked* items for $30.

And to personalize a Goose Gift Basket for each person on your list, just imagine the possibilities...

• Wassail Song: Add a bottle or two of the seasonal craft beers for the beer-lover.
  
• I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing: Fresh fish arrives every Friday morning at the Goose--put in a special order for the sea-lubber.
  
• Feliz Navidad: Toss in a vac-packed single serving of Spain's jamon iberico de bellota, a three-year old ham from free-range Iberian pigs fed exclusively on wild acorns.

Don't let the rush of holiday shopping turn you into the ghost of Christmas present. Visit us in the shop or online and make these holidays a treat for you and your loved ones. It's a wonderful life!

Goose's Goose Glory

In the latest Best of Indy issue of Indianapolis Monthly, your own Goose the Market got the nod for the Goose sandwich. We're honored. We're humbled. We're hungry.

Bon Appetit rated Goose the Market’s Batali among the best sandwiches in America, though we prefer its Goose sandwich, served just warm enough to melt mozzarella over layers of paper-thin Prosciutto and peppery basil. Bon appetit, indeed. ~ Text and Photos from Indianapolis Monthly

The Goose on your Thanksgiving table

The basics are covered for your Thanksgiving feast. Turkey, check. Stuffing and potatoes, check. Cranberries, gravy, pie, check, check, check. But part of tradition that's grown up around the fourth Thursday of November has to do with the extras: extra seats for family and friends, extra time around the table, extra special care preparing the dishes, whether old standards or new takes.

The Goose is packed with all the essentials (organic mirepoix, local squash, house-made poultry stock and sausage, fresh rolls, and more), but the Goose is all about the extras, too. Space on the shelves in our fully-stocked cellar is devoted to a few new bottles sourced just in time to bring a little extra to your holiday feast.

At the Goose, we like to add a fourth word to Bourbon Barrel Foods' three word philosophy: slow, small, simple...delicious. The only small batch soy sauce brewed in the U.S. is aged in old bourbon barrels from Buffalo Trace for that little extra sweetness and light smokiness. Sprinkle their bourbon-smoked black pepper or bourbon-smoked paprika over Thanksgiving gravy or roasted sweet potatoes for another rich flavor. You might have to fight Granddad for the last biscuit when Bourbon Vanilla Sorghum is on the table.

And while you're in the Goose's cellar, don't forget to check out November's Wines of the Month that Gabe chose especially with your Thanksgiving feast in mind.

From our gaggle to yours...Happy Thanksgiving!

Gobble Gobble Goose

It's T minus 20 till T-day! Do you know where your turkey is?



If you order your bird from Goose the Market, your plump, juicy turkey is currently leading a happy, all-natural life at Gunthorp Farms in LaGrange, Indiana. Raised especially for the Goose, Greg Gunthorp is rearing these fowl with open pasture and without antibiotics or artificial hormones. As they say, the birds will have only one bad day. Once Greg and his team process the turkeys, they'll be delivered fresh (and never frozen) to the Goose the very next day. There are more drumsticks on these local birds than there are stops between the farm and your holiday table.

Get your order in now to make sure your Thanksgiving menu is complete. And for a little inspiration, check out the first episode of Goose TV when Chef Chris Eley talks us through brining and roasting the bird before making a simple pan sauce for serving. Print the recipes, get a ready-made shopping list, and even enter to win a free turkey, all thanks to the Pilgrims and Indians at TrendyMinds.

Terra Madre: The Mother Land of Meat

The sign read "Via dei Salumi". Which translates loosely to "Cured Meat Lane". If you ever find yourself somewhere they have dedicated an entire lane to cured meats, then you may want to walk away from the light. It is the closest thing to a real life miracle as you will ever see. The term "lane" here was used very loosely. It would best be described as a cured meat interstate. This was the scene at Salone del Gusto the food show that runs concurrently with Terra Madre.

Although Salone packed the quantity, the quality was definitely found in the Slow Food Presidia. Here one could find unique food products that included cheese, cured meats, grains, chocolate, mead, wine, fruits, vegetables and honey just to name a few items. All of which have been designated as a protected food item by Slow Food. It is kind of like being on the endangered species list. Here you have the opportunity to taste, smell, feel and even buy things that at one point almost cease to exist.

Terra Madre was attended by over 8,000 delegates from all over the world. There was as much cultural diversity as there was food diversity. I have never found myself in a room with so many different languages and lifestyles, yet all bound by a common interest in farming and food.

The event is so overwhelming that you leave feeling drained and recharged all at the same time. The delegates from Indianapolis would probably agree that our food culture future is bright in the Midwest. Everyone has fresh ideas, willing to protect our food culture and are ready to put new ideas into action. Thanks again for all of your support through farm dinners, volunteering and Slow Food events. The Goose is recharged and ready to return the favor.

Obama: not the only Hawaiian in Indy this week

Just in time for the weekend, the Goose has Hawaiian Monchong, Kajiki, and sushi grade Tuna. Don't let the funny names fool you. Monchong is a delicate fish that's perfect for pan-frying. Kajiki is a sturdier filet that stands up to grilling but sizzles nicely in the pan, too. Fat, ruby, sushi grade tuna...aloha, what more can we say?

Chris is swooning over these fins. "This looks so good, I just want to eat it for dinner myself," he said as he sliced up the first orders. Need a little inspiration? Just ask Chef Chris how he'll prepare dinner tonight!

Quick, pull up your grass skirt and run over to the Goose for these fish just hours from the ocean water.

There's more than corn in Indiana: Home Grown Indiana book signing

Finally, a book you can judge by its cover.

Home Grown Indiana by Christine Barbour and Scott Hutcheson is a county by county guide to local food in Indiana. From winemakers and farmers to chefs and food festivals, there's a hearty slice of Indiana's food culture between the covers.

Stop by the Goose this Saturday, Oct. 4, from 10am -- 2pm to meet authors Christine and Scott. They'll be signing copies of the book (also available at the Goose!) and chatting about the adventures of chronicling our Hoosier home grown treats.

Let the Goose give you the bird

The Goose is ready to take your orders for that center-plate of the Thanksgiving table.

Greg from Gunthrop Farms in LaGrange, Indiana, has been tending a flock of all-natural, free-range, melt-in-your-mouth turkeys, and Chris has dedicated the inaugural episode of Cooking with the Goose to make sure your bird is brined to perfection. Check out the episode, print a ready-made ingredient list for easy shopping, and get Chris's recipe...all brought to you by the hungry folks at TrendyMinds.

Remember, these splendid birds are available through on-line orders only. Just a few clicks, a couple key-strokes, and the Goose will give you the bird on Saturday, November 22, at the Binford Farmers Market (10:00 am to 2:30 pm) or at the Goose (3:30 pm to 6:00 pm).

Lamb stuffed lamb at the Apple Family Farm to Table Dinner

Chris joined four other local chefs for a (hmm, how to put this) breezy Farm to Table dinner last weekend at the Apple Family Farm. Together they put on a local feast for nearly 100 guests in support of the central Indiana delegates headed to Torino for Terra Madre.

Despite hurricane force winds, driving rain, and a century-old barn that swayed with the breeze, Chris made it look easy to present dishes that featured the best of the Hoosier harvest:

• Sweet potato, chestnut honey, and preserved lemon
• Beluga lentils, Swiss chard, country ham, and Indiana ricotta cheese
• Celeriac, gala apples, sweet onion, and smoked almonds

But the star of the plate was his roasted lamb stuffed lamb. That's right, lamb stuffed with lamb. After butterflying a whole, head-on lamb from the Apple Family Farm, Chris stuffed it with the most tender cuts of another deboned lamb and rich, house-made lamb sausage. Stuffed and secured, the little beast was roasted in a box--slow and steady--for about four hours. Served up with pan juices, blackberry-persimmon gastrique, and fennel pesto, the dishes came back clean.

Lots of familiar faces from the Goose pulled up a bench inside that old, candlelit barn to share a meal of local, all-natural treats while Ike stormed away outside.

We thank you!

To check out (and add!) pictures of the event, check out the Goose the Market flickr group and Slow Food Indy's flickr group.

Squirrelling at the Goose

While the harvest is fresh we're putting summer in a jar here at the Goose.

Green beans pickled with carrot, daikon, dried chilies, and cider vinegar are tasty in a bowl but even better in a glass (of Bloody Marys). Preserved eggplant caponata is rich with tomatoes, capers, fresh herbs, and extra virgin olive oil to tie all this summer splendor together. Grab a jar and one of our baguettes from Scholars Inn for bruschetta Hoosier-style or toss this chunky mix with hot pasta.

Truth be told, we started these preserved lemons last December. Lots of quality time with coriander, cloves, cinnamon, star anise, and black pepper means just a sliver or two of this potent citrus rind will bring
sunshine to salad dressings, marinades, and sauces.

With the long, cold winter ahead, we're stocking more than just the cupboard. The Goose has a brand new freezer! Don't let your home appliances get jealous. Treat them and yourselves to frozen bison burgers, lamb shanks, wild shrimp, house-made stocks and demi-glace, veal and chicken bones, and Izzy and Grey's organic baby food for the little hungry ones.

Other Fish to Fry

The current issue of Indianapolis Dine features some juicy pics as Chef Chris Eley's fish fry side dishes take center stage.








Even Louis would clean his plate piled with helpings of Sweet Pepper and Jicama Slaw with Ginger, Pickled Watermelon, and Blue Hominy Succotash.

And Chris wouldn't forget dessert. Sweet Cream Bourbon Pie, anyone?

Check out the recipes and run to the Goose for a copy of the magazine and some essential ingredients before your next Saturday night fish fry.

Photos courtesy of DINE magazine.

New to the Flock

The Goose has gathered a few more Hoosier food fans into the flock. Introducing (clockwise from top left) Kimberly, Chris B., Rosemary, and Ashley!


Kimberly joined the Goose thanks to a little free time now that Leo, the youngest of her three goslings, has left the nest to start kindergarten. Chris B. graduated from Purdue with a degree in film and splits his time behind the counter at the Goose and behind the drums in his band The Mans. Ashley is a native Hoosier with wanderlust who says she "left her heart in Big Sur," though we're doing our best to take care of her stomach back home again in Indiana. Rosemary's first request from a Goose customer was rosemary. Did you guys plan that or what?

What they all have in common is a passion for good food. You might say they share "a common ground, a universal experience." So while you're stocking up on good eats for this Labor Day weekend, stop by the Goose and greet the newest members of the flock!

Of Mice and Goose: Producer Days begin

Producer Days at the Goose mean a chance to get personal with phenomenal food and the people who passionately produce it. Stop by for free samples, serving suggestions, and first-hand stories about what it takes to harvest, raise, chop, mix, cook, package, deliver, and love the hearty Hoosier foodstuffs at the Goose.

Erin Edds from Country Mouse City Mouse stopped by the Goose last Saturday with a spread of spreads. Just to name a few...spicy and sweet Mama J's Romesco on Capriole Farms goat cheese, the horseradish-spiked pineapple of Nyona Lake Jezebel on cream cheese, and Beckley's Backyard Blackberry Vinaigrette, like summertime in a squeeze bottle.

This Thursday, stop by the Goose from 4-7pm to meet up with momma's boy Mark Miles from Momma’s Old-Fashioned Applesauce. Like Mark says, "It's fresh from the tree." But stop by to learn about all the steps that come between the tree and the jar, and to sample some spoonfuls with recipes and serving ideas.

Inside the Goose Business

Video killed the radio star, but never fear. Chris is ready for his close up.

Tune in to Inside Indiana Business this weekend when their Business Spotlight shines on your very own Goose the Market!

Host Gerry Dick interviews Chris between some glamour shots of the shop. Why did Chris & Mollie choose the Fall Creek Place neighborhood for their business and personal home? Has the plug from Bon Appetit affected business? How does supporting local producers make a difference in the food you put in your shopping bag and in your mouth? What does Chris look like without the apron? If you miss the television broadcast, look for the answers to all these burning questions when the clip appears soon on the Inside Indiana Business video playlist.

GOING LOCAL Week: a sweet stay-cation for your appetite

The Goose loves a party, and there's no sweeter celebration than the one in your own backyard. So we're proud to spread the word about a celebration of local bounty ripe from Hoosier soil and Hoosier hands.



From Aug. 31 to Sept. 6, GOING LOCAL Week is a one week challenge to eat at least one locally grown or produced food at each meal during the seven day event.


The objectives of GOING LOCAL Week are to:

• Create an appreciation for the abundance and diversity of the Indiana food shed.
• Make Indiana citizens more aware of the availability of local foods in their own communities.
• Provide support and recognition for Indiana local food producers.
• Increase Indiana residents’ consumption of locally grown/produced foods in a long term effort to encourage them to regularly purchase more locally produced items for their weekly meals so that the eating of Indiana locally grown and produced foods will become the norm--not a novelty--at Hoosier dinner tables across the state.

Eating local makes for a healthier environment, economy, and citizens. Oh, and it tastes good, too. For a little meal-time inspiration, get recipes from Chris and check out some juicy pictures of what fellow Goose customers put on the table with local ingredients from the Goose.

Farm to Table Dinner in Review

This sun was shining, the fields were green, and the lamb was in the box.

The Goose shared a delicious meal of local ingredients at Good Life Farms on Sunday. Many thanks are due to all the folks who helped fill (and empty) the plates:

Luscious Indiana products and hard work supplied by:
Good Life Farms
Stouts Melody Acres
Homestead Growers
New Day Meadery
Brugge Brewery
Viking Lamb
Gunthorp Farms
Swiss Connection

Darin, Deb, and their family who generously hosted the event and led a tour of their farm.

All of you who pulled up a seat at the table in support of central Indiana producers, educators, and chefs headed to Torino, Italy, this fall for Terra Madre.

Check out the Goose the Market flickr group often as folks who attended the event are welcome to post pictures!

Still hungry? Miss the farm? Make your reservation for the September 14 Farm to Table Dinner at the Apple Family Farm in McCordsville, Indiana. Local chefs like Regina Mehallick, Greg Hardesty, Aaron Butts, Thom England, and the Goose's Chris Eley will each prepare one course

Bon Appetit Batali: Goose featured in the glossy magazine!

What's the best thing since sliced bread? The sandwich.

And where are the best sandwiches in the country? The Goose!

In the August issue of Bon Appetit, your very own Goose the Market tops the list of the country's hottest sandwich spots.



The spotlight here is on the Batali (photo by Andrew McGaha), a satisfying mouthful of Italian salumi, marinated red onion, giardinara, and tomato preserves. But there's always something tempting, seasonal, and local on the Goose's sandwich board. A rotating selection of sandwiches always accompanies crowd favorites like the Batali and the Goose. Check out the menu in the column to the left or take Bon Appetit's advice and stop by the Goose with your buon appetito.

August 3rd: The Goose brings the farm to the table (and the table to the farm)

The Goose is all about bringing the good eats of Indiana to the corner of 25th & Delaware. But for one special evening this summer, you're invited to follow the Goose to the source of the goods.

On Sunday, August 3rd, Chef Chris Eley and the Goose will present a Farm to Table Dinner on site at Good Life Farms.

Served on the farm in Eminence, Indiana (just 30 miles west of Indy), the $65/person menu features a tasting of cured hams, the bounty of Hoosier summer produce, "Viking lamb in a box," dessert, and beer, wine, and cocktail pairings. Check it out below or avoid drooling on your computer screen with this printable menu.

Seating is limited and reservations are required; please call us at 317.924.4944 to save your spot at the table on the farm.

Farm to Table Dinner at Good Life Farms
Prepared by Goose the Market
Proceeds will be donated toward the travel expenses

of Slow Food Indy's delegates to Terra Madre.

First
La Quercia Rossa Culatello 1 year *& Honeydew fizz
Col. Bill Newsom 2 Year Cantaloupe roll up
Benton’s Country Ham 14 month Plum preserves
Country Lomo 60 days Tomato confit

Second
Roasted eggplant, squash blossoms, garlic, lemon, white anchovies
Smoked pork tongue, peaches, spiced pecans, white balsamic, field greens
Rabbit terrine, pickled watermelon rind, blackberry mostarda

Third
Viking Lamb in a Box
Duck, apple and acorn squash sausage
Salsa verde
Mint-melon relish

Crispy new potato, Calabrian chile, herb fine
Polenta, Pazia, oyster mushrooms
Cauliflower, cuitlacoche, leeks
Roasted carrots and celeriac
Sweet corn panna cotta

Fourth
Sweet cream bourbon pie, pecan crust, macerated stone fruit

Luscious Indiana produce, goods, animals, and hard work supplied by:
Good Life Farms - Stouts Melody Acres

Homestead Growers - New Day Meadery - Brugge Brewery

Viking Lamb - Gunthorp Farms - Swiss Connection

Disclaimer - Given Indiana’s unpredictable weather, product availability is subject to change. Consequently, this menu may be altered without notice. Don’t worry…it will only get better.

A-tisket, a-tasket, a re-usable rattan basket: new Goose Picnic Baskets!

Just in time for your Fourth of July festivities, the Goose is happy to introduce its own signature Picnic Basket.

A re-usable rattan basket is yours to keep, but its contents are the real treat. For just $35, inside you'll find...

* 1 bottle Crios Rose of Malbec
* 1/4 pound cured meat of your choice from the charcuterie case
* 1/4 pound cheese of your choice
* olives
* marcona almonds
* a fresh baguette from Scholar's Inn Bakehouse
* 2 "billion dollar brownies"

Gabe gives the verdict on this rosé wine from Argentina: loads of red berry aromas, plenty of acidity and spicy notes from the old-vine Malbec grapes, and a great glass for the summer. Marcona almonds from Spain are cured in olive oil and then salted for that satisfying salty-sweet flavor combination. The "billion dollar brownie". . . need we say more?

Stop by the Goose and we'll have your picnic basket ready in 15 minutes or call ahead to pick it up on your way to the park.

We'd like to thank the Academy...

Your very own Goose the Market has been nominated for "Best Gourmet Grocery" on TheIndyChannel.com's A-List.

Help us show that good eats and local, all-natural products are on your A-List and cast your vote for the Goose!

We love Indy in the springtime

So summer is just around the corner, but those drenching rains have kept spring's harvest in the fields a few extra weeks. Now more than ever, we're hungry for the greens (and yellows, purples, reds, and whites) that good ol' Indiana soil produces, all thanks to the farmers who've labored through this ravaging rainy season.

For a rainbow of all-natural, Hoosier-grown veg, stop by the Goose's produce stand for local beets, tomatoes (salmonella-free, thank you very much), leeks, turnips, summer squash in two colors, sugar snap peas, strawberries, currants, field greens, and more.

Like Lori said, "It's almost enough to make you want to be a vegetarian."

Well, almost... didn't we mention our foie gras-stuffed pig's ear?

How do you say "sexy, salted pig parts" in Italian?

Every two years, Slow Food hosts Terra Madre, a meeting of farmers, chefs, and educators from around the world to share their experiences in producing good, clean, and fair food. Held in Torino, Italy, this October, Terra Madre offers attendees the opportunity to share and learn so that, ultimately, they can help us all eat better.

After submitting applications and a massive review by Slow Food USA, Chris & Mollie have been selected as Hoosier delegates to Terra Madre!

They're in good company, too. For a complete list of Terra Madre delegates from Indiana, check out the Slow Food Indy blog.

While Chris & Mollie are packing their bags and learning some vital Italian ("Vorrei un cono di gelato per favore."), stay tuned for more info on special events and dinners open to the public to help the Hoosier Terra Madre delegates have a buon viaggio.

Lights, camera, mis en place!

Last Monday, Chris & Mollie were up with the chickens (er, geese?) and ready for their close-up. Fox59 anchor Jenna Maloney arrived to film live from the Goose!
During the morning show, Chris demonstrated how he turns pork belly from Gunthorp Farms into the Goose's famous applewood-smoked bacon and mixed up a spring salad with local greens, berries, and cheese. Juicy close-ups of the Tour--a selection of cheeses and cured meats with all the fixins--might have made you want to eat your television.
Look for a special segment on grilling duck breasts to air on Fox59 later this month, but in the meantime, appease your hunger pangs with new recipes featured during the show including Shiraz vinaigrette, shaved fennel slaw, and smoked poblano & Mayberry Cheddar corn bread.

And...cut! That's a wrap.

Centerfold: A Pig in the Picture

The "sexy, salted pig parts" that the Goose is famous for start out as sexy hogs. And this month--along with the Hoosier farmer who raises them--they're the voluptuous feature of Chicago Magazine. Check out the article and juicy pics to learn more about Greg Gunthorp and the pigs he raises in Lagrange, Indiana, the same way that his great-grandfather did: without antibiotics, growth hormones, or fences.

Three new Goose treats will start your engines this holiday weekend

Indy won the Super Bowl bid.
The forecast is brilliant for the holiday weekend.
Bamba and Coombah are on their way.
What a wonderful Hoosier world, eh?

Celebrate 2012, the long weekend, marsupials, or any bright spot with three new treats fresh from the Goose!

Chris cured a lean, pure-bred Berkshire pork loin with sea salt, garlic, and smoked paprika to make Spanish lomo. Raised naturally and humanely in Indiana by Mark Flora, this Hoosier lomo is perfect among Memorial Day tapas with thin slices of Castellano cheese and Ybarra extra virgin olive oil. The creamy yet firm raw ewe's milk cheese balances the leanness of the lomo, and the spunky Spanish olive oil brings everything together with a kick. For your glass, try the 2006 Ostatu Blanco Rioja. With citrus, pear, and honeysuckle flavors and a lingering finish, it stands up to the Lomo's spice and sea salt. Plus, this wine is just plain good sipping on a warm spring day.

Cold smoked scallops are cradled in smooth pork belly blended with pink peppercorns and all topped off with flaky, smoky unagi. "This terrine hits you in waves," Chris says. The perk of pink peppercorns comes early, but the sweet, smoky barbecued eel brings all the elements together at the end. This complex and fun terrine demands an equally interesting wine match, so Gabe recommends the 2006 Laurel Glen Reds with the deep berry aromas and full, juicy dark fruit flavors. Reds combines old vine Zinfandel and Carignane with younger Petite Syrah fruit for a spicy but earthy medium body.

The latest in the Potted Love series is a "parfait" of decadent duck liver paddled with Triple Sec and Grand Mariner under a glassy layer of port gelee that's spiked with candied orange zest and juniper berries. The citrus and sweet accents don't overpower the savory duck so this jarred darling is perfect before dinner, spread on warm toast or crackers. And don't forget to pour a glass of the dark purple 2005 Ben Marco Malbec from Mendoza, Argentina. Coffee, red fruit, and smoky aromas lead to fig, currant jam, and blackberry flavors finessed by silky tannins. Ah, the silky tannins.

The Goose gets a patio

Summertime, and the livin' is easy. . .with new patio seating at the Goose!


Five new tables frame the the corner of Delaware and 25th Streets, ready to host some of the city's best sandwiches, homemade soups, creamy gelato, or a coffee treat brewed up by Hubbard & Cravens. Check out the rotating menu to the left, but only if you want to get hungry.

Stop by the Goose and take a gander at our new roost!

Eat Local Challenge

Home is where the heart is, but it's also where the stomach stays happy. We're not just talking about Mom's cooking (you did remember to wish her a happy Mother's Day yesterday, right?). Indiana produces tasty victuals from apples to zucchini. Think heirloom tomatoes, maple syrup, exotic mushrooms, full-flavor meats, sexy cheeses, even caviar. Eating Hoosier-style means indulging.

That's why the Goose is happy to spread the word about this summer's Eat Local Challenge.

Earth Charter Indiana and Indy Sustainable Food Alliance are challenging 100 families to derive more than 50% of their diet from locally-grown foods. You might be surprised (and hungry) to discover what's available within 100 miles from your home.

For a little inspiration, check out what's on the shelves at the Goose: applewood-smoked bacon, the season's first asparagus, zingy cheeses, shagbark syrup, oh, and 18 feet of meat...all-natural, full flavor, 100% Hoosier.

Eating local a challenge? Not at the Goose!

Introducing Ryan

This future dentist flashes a perfect smile, but he also knows the real advantage of good teeth: the better to eat with, my dear.

Although Ryan -- the latest addition to the gaggle behind the Goose's counter -- is currently working toward a degree in dentistry here in Indy, he comes from New York City where he worked as a pastry chef. Welcome, Ryan!