Bridgeton Mill – Where You Can Find An Alpaca Hat and Purple Cornbread

It’s no secret Katie and I like to eat, cook, and explore new foods. So anytime we can add that aspect to one of our adventures we are in. We were pleasantly surprised on the recent covered bridge portion of our Indiana Road Trip.

As we were stopping at the various bridges, we found one that crossed a creek that sat on a mill. It looked a little touristy, but I wasn’t exactly sure what we would find on the inside.

What we found was a little hidden gem. Not only was the mill sitting in the stream it was still active in grinding grains. I noticed the antique looking machine when we walked in but wasn’t sure if it was operational or for display. We later learned it was being used. (The guy behind the counter was more than willing to explain the whole process and give sort of a mini-tour.)

There were an assortment of interesting items being displayed and sold including an alpaca hat straight from Peru. Katie couldn’t resist trying it on but in the end opted not buy it. (It would have been a real standout headpiece for hat day at school.)

There were the usual tshirts, hats and other souvenirs. But we were more drawn to the food. The first we noticed was the local honey then the local maple syrup. (Apparently there are a couple maple syrup camps in the area but we didn’t have the time to check out.) I’m not a huge honey fan so that wasn’t appealing to me. The local maple syrup did intrigue me but it was a bit pricey.

But then we found the rows of beautiful yet simple display of flour, cornmeal, cornbread mixes, and pancake mixes.

This is when we asked the eager guy behind the counter what he would recommend. He came around from the counter and started explaining our options. This is where we learned about bolted and unbolted grains, purple organic corn and blue corn, the working mill, and the variety of pancake mixes. One of which was the personal recipe of the eager man. It’s hard to choose any other pancake mix whenever the guy describing them says this was his own mixture of seven grains that his daughter loves. It would have been a slap in the face at that point to choose the buckwheat, pumpkin, or buttermilk. So it was seven grain pancake mix for both of us even though I haven’t bought a premade mix in years because nothing compares to “from scratch.”  

The prices were a little heftier than I would normally spend but when you can see exactly where it’s being made and no preservatives are added then I’ll pay a little more.

We had both decided we would do a pancake mix and something else. I opted for the blue unbolted cornmeal which was ground there. Katie went to the next level and opted for the organic purple cornbread mix. I’m not sure if it was the “organic” or the mystic of purple corn that intrigued her enough to pay even more. $$$$

After those decisions were out of the way, I decided to take one last loop around the store to see if there was anything else I needed. I was really looking to find something that would pass for a Christmas ornament (I collect those) but there wasn’t anything other than a generic Indiana keychain and I already have something similar so no ornament for this portion of the trip although I may work something up on my own.

We finished here with having some ice cream on the patio next to the water. It was nice place to take in the view.

Once you return home with food purchases it gives you a chance to relive the trip a little longer. I have made my blue cornbread and pancakes. The bread had a little more texture than what we are used to and wasn’t quite as sweet. The pancakes were not sweet or light and fluffy like we expect. Not bad just different. I appreciate the opportunity to try new things.

Katie used it has a chance to cook with her boys.

As Caroline mentioned, we would consider ourselves somewhat of “foodies.”  I’ve spent endless hours watching The Food Network, researching recipes to try and pinning them to my pinterest (I currently have over 12,000), and exploring new places to eat.  

Because of my food obsession, my boys have benefited I would like to think.  They’ve been introduced to foods that many will probably never even think to try.   Meals cooked at home are not usually the typical home cooked meal, and even if it is something as simple as fried chicken, one can be sure that I’ve scoured many recipes to find one that I think sounds better than the other.  And it’s always fun when we try a new restaurant to see the waiters’ or waitresses’ faces when the boys order items other than chicken strips or hamburgers and french fries.  They’ve been crackin’ crab legs on their own and sampling sushi half their lives!  And when they start critiquing their food, all I can do is shake my head because they sound like someone straight off of food network!

Since Tanner has gotten older, he has wanted to prepare his own meals.  He joined the “Cooking Club” in junior high last year and had planned on taking a cooking course in summer school until I found out it started at 7:30 AM!!  So the deal was, he could cook more at the house.  My purple cornbread purchase became one of his first big meals.  With little assistance from myself, he made a bean and bacon soup (not your typical ham and beans, I promise) and the cornbread.  The cornbread was easy!  And the boys got a kick out of the fact that it really was purple!  However, they weren’t the biggest fans.  As Caroline said, it was a little coarser than what they are used to, but I enjoyed it.

The bean and bacon soup required a little more assistance from me. Really just cooking the bacon.  It asked for a pound and half of crumbled bacon.  Many people may just cook their bacon as whole slices to a crisp and then crumble it, but I have found that if you dice the bacon into nickel size pieces before throwing it into the pan, it cooks faster and can get a more even crispiness.  So that’s what I had Tanner do.  However, I must not have explained myself very clearly when he came into the living room to inform me that his bacon looked more like GROUND BEEF!!  Obviously, he just started going all ninja chef on it and chopping like crazy!  It was then that I stepped in and showed him how by finishing the rest.  Can you tell who done what in the picture?  

Other than the bacon, Tanner managed all on his own and it was delicious!  All three boys had more than one serving and Tanner even took some to school for lunch.  I often joke that all the hours of Food Network are rubbing off of my boys, but I’m proud of the fact that my boys aren’t picky and love to explore new foods like I do.  I believe part of being a well rounded individual, includes having a well rounded palate!

I’m glad we found that little mill on our trip to Indiana.  I’ve been to mills before, but none that were still in operation, and I’ve never been offered purple cornbread mix.  I’m planning on a trip with my Mom to that area soon, and you can be sure that I will be stopping by.  This time I will be walking out with some pumpkin pancake mix…and probably an ALPACA HAT!!

The next time you are somewhere and have the opportunity to try and new food or perhaps bring it home with you, do it.  Spend the extra money to buy the local offerings.  Expand your horizons and your taste buds.  Make it a family event and relive the memories.