Market hosting ‘DNR Wildlife Science Day’ this Thursday!

Limelight Coffee Roasters — Five Questions

Chef Bricker’s Brick House Vinaigrettes — Five Questions

Simple Taste — This week’s items include paleo, sugar free, pies, chicken pot pies, muffins, cinnamon rolls, Simple Taste’s famous sandwich cookies, and vegan chocolate brownies.

Batch No. 2 — F ive Questions

Food Trucks:

Serendipity — Five Questions

Tommie’s Ooo Weee Chicken

Gigi’s Cupcake Truck

Chomp’Z — Five Questions

Pierogi Love Indy

Johnson’s BBQ Shack

El Venezolano

Rolling Asian Delight

Chef Dan’s Southern Comfort — Five Questions

Statehouse Market Week 17: Down to the ‘final four’

posted by SPD Communications on September 10, 2018 Statehouse Market Week 17

There are only four more Thursdays before the Statehouse Market closes for the 2018 season!

We’re not crying, YOU’RE crying!

Ahem.

That means only four more chances to visit some of the Hoosier State’s finest food trucks, a smattering of amazing Indiana farmers, and a group of entrepreneurs who grow, bake, roast and harvest top-shelf snacks, coffee, condiments, dairy products and much more.

We’re with you; we wish the market would never end too, but the good news is that there is still time to be part of the fun.

The Sept. 13 market is the 17th event of the season, and, like always, we’ll be set-up on Robert D. Orr Plaza with an array of food trucks and vendors representing all that is good about Hoosier entrepreneurship.

We’re looking forward to seeing you as the leaves start to turn, temperatures begin to cool and we bid adieu to another wonderful summer and welcome fall. But for now, it’s still summer and that means the Statehouse Market is still in season!

Check out this week’s lineup below and join us from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on the plaza!

Vendors:

Hot Toddy’s — Five Questions

Limelight Coffee Roasters — Five Questions

Jerk Chicken Bowl

Simple Taste

Batch No. 2 — Five Questions

Food Trucks:

Tommie’s Ooo Weee Chicken

Rosie’s Riblets

Pi Indy — Five Questions

J & J – A Taste of Home Catering — Five Questions – This week’s featured menu item is a jerk chicken rice bowl for $10. Dish features cilantro lime rice, and mango salsa on jerk chicken, steak and shrimp.

The Legendary Kitchen — Five Questions

Pierogi Love Indy

Dashboard Diner — Five Questions

Gaucho’s Fire

Droopy’s BBQ – The featured item this week is barbecue nachos!

2018 SECC ‘kickoff party’ headlines Week 15 Market!

posted by SPD Communications on August 27, 2018

This week’s Statehouse Market is extra special as the myriad food trucks and produce vendors will be joined on Robert D. Orr Plaza by numerous dignitaries and state employees for the formal kickoff of one of the year’s most important — and most anticipated — programs.

Indiana Department of Revenue Commissioner Adam Krupp is heading that statewide initiative — the 2018-19 State Employees’ Community Campaign (SECC). The SECC is a charitable effort that sees thousands of state employees donate to nonprofit organizations each year.

Taking charge immediately, the dynamic and driven Krupp helped set a new goal for this year’s SECC that hopes to net at least $1.5 million dollars.

Krupp’s chosen charity is Project 44, a nonprofit that encourages bone marrow donor registration at Be the Match, the goal being to connect potential donors with compatible transplant recipients. Project 44, so named in honor of former Butler basketball star Andrew Smith who wore the jersey number during his collegiate career with the Bulldogs, hopes to save at least 44 lives.

During Smith’s tenure, the team reached back-to-back NCAA Basketball Championship games. The 6’11 center was instrumental in those tournament runs and was popular with students and fans. Tragically, the talented Zionsville native Butler faithful often called “Moose” died from an aggressive form of cancer in 2016. He was only 25-years-old.

After his passing, Andrew’s wife, Samantha, worked to create the charity that bears his number. Andrew Smith had received a bone marrow transplant in 2015 that family members believe extended his life.

The charity made news when one of the first matches facilitated through Project 44 led to a 2-year-old boy with leukemia receiving a needed bone marrow transplant. The donor? One of Smith’s Butler teammates.

That’s close to a storybook start for a nonprofit hoping to raise awareness of a life-saving process that organization members believe all-too-often goes “under the radar” of many Americans: the continual need for blood stem cell donors and recipients.

It’s truly an effort aimed at saving lives.

In addition to Project 44, dozens of other charities can be the recipients of donations from State of Indiana employees. The results of those donations are real, tangible and often come at just the right time for those in need. Read about the impact of last year’s campaign here.

INDOR Commissioner Adam Krupp (left) meets with IDEM Commissioner Bruno Pigott. Krupp is set to lead the 2018 SECC. Pigott headed the campaign last year.

With plenty of motivation to give back to organizations that fight everything from food insecurity to homelessness, it appears Krupp’s lofty goal is a reachable one.

Last year’s campaign, which was headed by Indiana Department of Environmental Management Commissioner Bruno Pigott, brought in about $1.4 million that was divided among more than 1,600 nonprofit agencies.

Those are the kinds of stories that inspire others to do good in the communities in which they live.

This year’s kickoff will continue to highlight that important point through a series of games and events that coincide with the already-fun and festive Statehouse Market. Indiana First Lady Janet Holcomb and First Dog Henry Holcomb are expected to appear at the event, which will feature a dunk tank, a pie-in-the face event and plenty of informational booths from several charities. Samantha Smith is also set to appear at Thursday’s SECC “kickoff party.”

What’s more, several vendors and food truck owners have decided to donate a portion of their proceeds toward the SECC! Check out the links below to read all about this week’s lineup and the featured items that can be purchased to give a boost to the campaign.

Great food + helping those in need = win-win for all.

It’s sure to be a fun time, so make plans to have lunch outside this Thursday to learn more about a great cause while enjoying the amazing eats and treats only the Hoosier State’s finest farmers and entrepreneurs can provide.

Vendors: Market Week 15

Simple Taste Specialty Bakery

Uber Green Farms — Five Questions

Limelight Coffee — Five Questions — Limelight Coffee Roasters will donate $1 from each 32-oz. cold brew jug or bag of coffee beans sold Aug. 30!

Groomsville Popcorn — Five Questions — Groomsville Popcorn will donate $1 from each large bag of sea salt and kettle corn popcorn sold Aug. 30!

Hot Toddy’s — Five Questions

Food Trucks:

Nacho Mama’s — Five Questions — Nacho Mama’s will donate $1 from every indescribably delicious mini taco salad sold Aug. 30!

Simply Divine Cupcakes — Five Questions

Droopy’s BBQ — Got a hankering for some mac ‘n cheese? How about barbecue mac ‘n cheese? Droopy’s BBQ will donate $.50 from each barbecue mac ‘n cheese dish sold Aug. 30!

Chomp’Z — Who doesn’t like a delicious tenderloin? It’s called “Hoosier Comfort Food” for a reason, after all. Chomp’Z will donate $1 from each tenderloin sold Aug. 30!

Da Blue Lagoon

Las Tortugas — Five Questions

Serendipity — Five Questions

Chef Dan’s Southern Comfort — Five Questions — Chef Dan’s will donate 10 percent of Aug. 30 sales to the SECC!

Soladine Concessions

Pierogi Love Indy

We’ll see you on Robert D. Orr Plaza Thursday, Aug. 30!

Lucky Market #13!

posted by SPD Communications on August 13, 2018 Statehouse Market Week 13

Many people believe the number 13 is one that is especially unlucky.

We, on the other hand, are not at all superstitious; as a matter of fact, we tend to think that good fortune and the Statehouse Market go hand-in-hand.

How else can you describe the circumstances that brought some of the Hoosier State’s freshest produce together with (deep breath) homemade granola and baked goods, quality dairy products, carefully crafted cold brew coffee, gold standard popcorn, top-of-the-line gluten free snacks, fresh-from-the-hive honey (and tons of products made from it) vegan nachos with all the best toppings, crab cakes and elk burgers (from the same truck!), baked-to-perfection brick oven pizza, donuts to die for, mouthwatering barbecued everything, grilled chicken quesadillas and real fruit smoothies (again, from the same truck!), arepa and other amazing sandwiches and meals straight from Venezuela, home-style Chinese food, pretzel sandwiches with delightful “twists,” a couple dozen flavors of healthy frozen pops, and burgers, fish, fries and more that will take you back to the days of drive-ins and sock hops?

Phew!

That sounds like some (extremely tasty) serendipitous happenstance to us!

And when you stop to think about it, visitors to Robert D. Orr Plaza each Thursday truly are lucky as they’ll have the opportunity to try out an enormously varied selection of food and artisan goods like these — and many others — each and every week throughout the summer.

Come out between 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 16 for a look at Week 13’s best eats and treats. Check out the list below for details on this week’s vendors and food trucks.

With a baker’s dozen markets “in the books” in 2018, we can’t wait to see what the future holds for this season.

We’re crossing our fingers and hoping you’ll join us each Thursday through Oct. 4.

Vendors:

Hot Toddy’s — Five Questions

Limelight Coffee

Simple Taste — Items this week include empanadas, calzones, vegan options, baby peach pies (it’s Peach Month!), and plenty of sugar free Paleo cinnamon rolls!

Food Trucks:

Serendipity Mobile Catering — Five Questions

Pi Indy

General American Donut Company — Five Questions

Backyard BBQ

Soladine Concessions

El Venezolano

Rolling Asian Delight

Der Pretzel Wagen

Dashboard Diner — Five Questions

J & J – A Taste of Home Catering — Five Questions — This week’s lunch special is a Philly cheese steak egg roll, French fries and a drink for $7.

It’s Week 11 and August is here!!!

posted by SPD Communications on July 30, 2018 Market Blog Week 11

Summer is going by quickly (a bit too quickly by our estimation), but there are still plenty of great market days ahead.

We’re “glass is half-full” kind of people, and at the halfway point of another great Statehouse Market season, we’re just as excited as ever.

Make plans to meet us for lunch this Thursday, Aug. 2, on Robert D. Orr Plaza. We’ll be there from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Check out the amazing lineup below for a quick preview of what to expect this Thursday!

Vendors:

Biltz Greenhouses – This week’s lineup includes blueberries, peaches, tomatoes, green beans, apples, potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn and peppers.

Uber Green Farms — Five Questions – This week’s selection includes the following delicious micro-greens flavors: Spicy Oriental, sunflowers, and Super Salad.

Limelight Coffee

Simple Taste Specialty Bakery — This week’s selection includes Simple Taste’s typically delicious baked goods and empanadas, along with vegan options.

Generations Pie Company — Five Questions

Food Trucks:

Byrne’s Grilled Pizza

The Flying Cupcake

Droopy’s BBQ — This week’s special is the Carolina – Droopy’s famous slow-smoked pulled pork smothered in North Carolina vinegar barbecue sauce and topped with spicy slaw on a brioche bun.

Chomp’Z

Gaucho’s Fire

Da Blue Lagoon

J & J Taste of Home — Five Questions — This week’s special is jerk chicken and shrimp pasta Alfredo for $10.

Der Pretzel Wagen

Soladine Concessions

Market moves on to Week 9

posted by SPD Communications on July 16, 2018

Like everyone else, we wish we could celebrate our birthday every day of the year.

But as is the case with all good things, our week-long birthday party, unfortunately, must come to an all-too-brief end.

Don’t be sad for us! We had a wonderful time, and our special day was that much more memorable since we were able to spend it with you!

Even better news is that the Statehouse Market’s seventh season still has a long way to go before we close up “shop” for the fall. And this week’s line-up, as always, will bring along enough great food, quality produce and artisan specialty products to last until next year’s birthday.

We hope you’ll visit us on Robert D. Orr Plaza this Thursday, July 19, and help us continue making fun summer memories and sharing the distinctly Hoosier food and entrepreneurship that will always form the heart of the Statehouse Market.

As always, we’ll be there from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

We can’t wait to see you there!

In the meantime, check out this week’s awesome line-up below:

Vendors

Limelight Coffee Roasters

Hot Toddy’s — Five Questions — Hot Toddy’s will have all of their usual goodies this week, including granola, fruit preserves, muffins, brownies, cookies, pound cake, buckeyes, and more! Gluten free versions of some items are also available!

Simple Taste

Batch No. 2 — Five Questions

Food Trucks

The Twisted Sicilian — Cucumber salad and watermelon salad are on this week’s menu!

J & J – A Taste of Home — Five Questions — A Taste of Home is bringing along its famous jerk fries — a pile of their seasoned fries with cheese sauce, jerk chicken and jerk steak, shredded cheese, cilantro and onions! They will also be offering a $5 lunch special for a limited time that includes a fried all-beef hot dog, French fries and a drink. Supplies are limited!

Lucky Louie’s Sausages and Hot Dogs

Happy, happy birthday, Statehouse Market!

posted by SPD Communications on July 9, 2018 market blog week 8

You only turn 6 once, and the Statehouse Market is celebrating its birthday with the amazing state employees, specialty vendors and food trucks that have helped make it such a fun success since 2012.

The Week 8 lineup certainly guarantees a “bon anniversaire” all its own, but our biggest birthday wish is that you’ll join us in celebrating from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Thursday, July 12, on Robert D. Orr Plaza.

We’ll bring the food!

And to answer one very important question: Yes, there will be cake — cupcakes to be exact, thanks to the one and only Flying Cupcake.

In case you weren’t aware, delicious confections are kind of their “thing,” and to help us celebrate, they’ve produced pastries bearing the Statehouse Market logo! They’re chocolate AND vanilla because, really, you can’t have one without the other. Also, it’s our birthday, so we’re entitled to be just a little extra.

The tasty treats will be in short supply, so get them while they last!

Come help us blow out the proverbial candles by shopping for fresh, Hoosier-grown produce, and indulging in some of the very best street food the Indianapolis area has to offer.

We can’t think of a better way to celebrate our birthday — this year or any other. The only thing missing is you, so make plans to meet us for lunch this Thursday!

And while you’re here, scope out some of the photos from our 2012 debut below.

Statehouse Market Opening Day – July 12, 2012

No, we’re not getting misty-eyed; we’re just happy to have come this far. Most of all, we’re looking forward to spending many more birthdays with you in the years to come!

For now, check out this week’s celebratory vendor and food truck lineup below:

Vendors:

Biltz Greenhouses — Blueberries, potatoes, tomatoes, green beans, squash, onions, berries, sweet corn, cucumbers and peaches will be offered this week.

Uber Green Farms — Five Questions

Limelight Coffee

Gluten Free Creations — This week’s items include a variety of gluten free sweet breads, yeast breads, cookies, pecan tartlets, scone bites, paleo items, and more.

Generations Pie Company — Five Questions

Food Trucks:

Serendipity Trailer — Five Questions

General American Donut Company — Five Questions

Tacos Without Borders

The Flying Cupcake

Johnson’s BBQ

Market marches on to Week 6

posted by SPD Communications on June 25, 2018 Statehouse Market Week 7

Week 6 of the Statehouse Market looks to be just as much fun as the first five weeks!

We hope you’ll meet us for lunch on Robert D. Orr Plaza Thursday, June 28. We’ll be there from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and so will this week’s crop of specialty vendors and food trucks.

“Stupendelicious” is probably the best (completely made-up) word to describe it all, but we encourage you to check it out and discover the reason for the weekly fuss for yourselves. You’ll be glad you did!

Vendors

Biltz Greenhouses — Blueberries, potatoes, tomatoes, green beans, squash, onions, berries, sweet corn, cucumbers and peaches will be offered this week.

Limelight Coffee Roasters

Gluten Free Creations

Uber Green Farms — Five Questions

Food Trucks

Citizen Hash

Serendipity Mobile Catering — Five Questions

The Flying Cupcake

Rosie’s Riblets

Soul Sista On the Move

The Legendary Kitchen — Five Questions

Five Questions with Nacho Mama’s Food Truck

posted by SPD Communications on June 13, 2018 Five Questions

Christen Moore is living out a dream.

The founder of Nacho Mama’s Food Truck has long-since found her niche in the tough, ultra-competitive mobile restaurant scene, and after more than half a decade as one of Indy’s premiere food trucks, Moore is as excited about her business as she ever was.

Decorated in a Day of the Dead-inspired skull motif, it’s clear just on appearances that Nacho Mama’s is “nacho” ordinary food truck. But it’s the ingredients and the care involved in Moore’s preparation that keep customers returning each season.

Both have been key to Moore’s success, which has gained her a large following no matter individual’s dietary guidelines.

It’s rare that a vegetarian restaurant finds broad appeal among nearly all tastes, but Nacho Mama’s has done just that. And with her food truck remaining a popular destination for Circle City residents, Moore is happy to continue delivering a unique — and delicious — menu nearly everyone will enjoy.

Q: One of your dreams was to own your own restaurant/food truck. How did your extensive culinary background prepare you for the highly-competitive food truck business? What advice would you give others with similar dreams?

A: Being in the food industry for the last 25 years definitely helped me in many ways such as food cost, time management, multi-tasking and menu development. As well, cooking on a train for two seasons in Alaska helped prepare me for working in a tight, confined space.

Even though knowledge of the industry is extremely helpful, just running a business presents its own set of challenges. So, while I encourage everyone to follow their dreams, my advice to anyone wanting to open their own food truck is to do your research, talk to as many people as you can, make sure you have lots of support, and know that you are going to have to sacrifice to get ahead and be successful — which doesn’t mean you are going to make a lot of money. It has to be something you are passionate about or truly love to do.

Q: Nacho Mama’s menu items are prepared using only vegetarian ingredients, but you have found success serving to vegetarians as well as those without any diet restrictions. What do you believe is the key element in Nacho Mama’s wide appeal?

A: First and foremost, you have to have good food to keep people coming back. It works in my favor that nachos are a kind of crossover food that can be good either with meat, or without (similar to pizza), because there are so many versatile toppings that can apply. So, even though I only use vegetarian ingredients, the combinations are hearty enough and full of [enough] flavor to keep even the most die-hard carnivores satisfied.

Q: What is your personal favorite item from your own menu?

A: I would say my favorite menu item is the Holy Guacamole Nachos — not only because it’s my most popular nacho, but also because it has all my signature ingredients: Spanish rice, queso, salsa, guacamole and chipotle sour cream.

Q: What do you like most about the Statehouse Market?

A: First, let me say that what I appreciate most about Statehouse Market is that it supports Indiana agriculture, local farms, local food producers and local food vendors. We rely on that support to thrive and be successful. But what I love most about Statehouse Market are the state employees and the love and support I receive each and every week that I’m there. It validates why I continue to do what I’m doing and keeps my spirit motivated to keep truckin’. Thank you, Statehouse Market, for six years of love!

Q: With six successful years “on the road,” what is your hope for the future of Nacho Mama’s Food Truck?

A: I hope to continue with Nacho Mama’s Food Truck for at least a few more years, possibly building a food trailer in the next year for more flexibility. And while I don’t plan on opening a ‘brick and mortar’ anytime soon, I’m not ruling out the possibility of a pop-up restaurant over the winter months.

Being a free spirit and a creative soul, I try to keep my mind open to the possibilities.

Learn more about Christen Moore’s story by visiting the Nacho Mama’s website. Follow the food truck on Facebook.

Week 4 is here!

posted by SPD Communications on June 11, 2018

Can you believe we’re already almost halfway through June?

There’s still plenty of time to visit the Statehouse Market, however, so make plans to join us this Thursday on Robert D. Orr Plaza. The market is open from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Spend your lunch with us, enjoy some great street food (including many healthy options), and check out our numerous vendors who offer everything from flowers to soap made from honey.

There is plenty of produce as well, so you can shop for healthy dinner additions while indulging a bit at any of the popular food trucks.

Hungry yet?

Check out this week’s lineup below and visit this post throughout the week for more details on our vendors and food trucks.

Vendors:

Wildflower Ridge Honey — Learn More

Generations Pie Company — Learn More