You're probably familiar with the variations of BBQ - beef brisket (no sauce) in Texas, a sweeter BBQ in Kansas City, a vinegar-based sauce with pork in South Carolina. 

But, did you know about BBQ mutton in Kentucky? Specifically, in Owensboro.

Thanks to the tariff of 1816, wool production in the then Western United States became profitable and suddenly people found themselves with a lot of sheep on their hands. Any story of the origin of barbecue starts with a meat that is too tough and undesirable to be sold for a profit. Mutton barbecue is no different. Aging sheep who no longer produced good wool became a virtually unlimited resource, but the meat was too tough and too strong tasting to be worth anything so people turned to the tried and true methods of low and slow cooking. In the early days a whole sheep would be cooked for long hours over a low fire. A mixture of salt water would be mopped over it and it would be served up with a dipping sauce of vinegar and hot peppers and stuck between a couple slices of bread. In Kentucky this "sauce" is called a dip, specifically Mutton Dip or Vinegar Dip (Source).

Because it's a thing, I wanted to check it out. So, we went to the most famous restaurant for it: Moonlite Bar-B-Que.

Moonlite is probably the more famous of the pair and has been cooking delicious two-year-old ewes for three generations. Moonlite cooks on a large scale with a very successful catering operation and a dining room that seats 350. While mutton and burgoo are the specialties of the house, most diners take advantage of the 40 foot-long buffet that also features barbecued pork, beef and chicken, ribs, a variety of Southern vegetable specialties and numerous decadent desserts. If you leave Moonlite hungry, it’s your own darned fault.

Moonlite purchases their mutton already quartered and cooks them in four custom-designed smokers for up to 18 hours. Trained pitmasters mop the meat with their special vinegar dip, to flavor and help break down the fibrous sinews of the sheep. True to their Highlands heritage, the closest flavor profile to Moonlite’s dip is Worcestershire sauce. Unfortunately, as the restaurant grew, patrons with allergy issues forced Moonlite to remove the anchovy-paste based Worcestershire from their mix and recreate the flavors using other ingredients.

Traditionally, barbecued mutton is served unsauced at the table with the option to add your own amount of dip to your plate, although the table sauce is usually less concentrated and contains a little bit more tomato in the mixture than the cooking dip.

Mutton is sheep, and it's a staple on Moonlite's buffet menu. So, that made for an easy choice.

The buffet had mutton in a few different ways, none of which I became a big fan of. It has a particular flavor to it - not quite gamey, maybe a little old?

But that didn't stop me from getting my plate full of other goodies, like dressing, mac & cheese and I even got to try sorghum syrup.

Lots of other things were on the buffet - like catfish, burgoo and liver. Different from my typical comfort food choices.


So, definitely cool that they have their own version of BBQ.

But, for me, personally, I might stick to pulled pork or brisket.



Grade: B

For our last meal in Indianapolis, we checked out Bluebeard - named after a Kurt Vonnegut novel.

This trendy restaurant has a little bit of it all, as described in the article above: Farm-to-table ingredients and handcrafted cocktails served in glass jars. A courtyard communal table made from a single slab of timber. Exposed-brick decor layered with vintage typewriters and architectural fragments from the building’s 1920s past.

The restaurant's menu changes daily, which is pretty impressive, and they source their meat locally: Big City Farms, Butler Campus Farms, Crossroad Vintners, FarmIndy, Fischer Farm, Full Hand Farm, Growing Places Indy, Gunthorp Farms, Harvestland, Josh Horrigan, Smoking Goose Meatery, South Circle Farm, Traders Point Creamery, and Viking Lamb.

Bluebeard is a restaurant and bar located in the historic Holy Rosary Neighborhood on the southeast edge of downtown Indianapolis.  Abbi Merriss has joined up with longtime friends Tom and Eddie Battista to create a unique food-focused experience.  The menu offers contemporary American cuisine featuring the best local produce and meat our farms have to offer.  The space, a renovated 1924 factory warehouse, features a family dining room, a bar room, a private dining room and a courtyard (Our Story).

We were here just before they opened, which was perfect timing. The outdoor space is very cool, and the indoor is even better - a cozy converted warehouse with hipster touches like books and typewriters.

The menu features really cool local, seasonal ingredients in various serving sizes, as well as touches from Amelia's Bakery.

Amelia’s is a production bakery that specializes in hearth baked bread in the Italian tradition. We bake fresh bread every morning for use in our restaurant Bluebeard and for sale at our lunch counter. After we bake our orders for the day we mix, divide, and then handshape each of our loaves and allow them to undergo a long, cool fermentation overnight in order to develop a depth of flavor unlike a commercially yeasted bread.

Because of the restaurant's influence with the bread, I decided to get that as an appetizer, which came with bacon fat and cheddar butter, anchovy butter and roasted garlic oil. This was all good - so good!

For my entree, I wanted to try something that's on the menu often: the pappardelle butchershop bolognese with tomato sauce, parmesan and herb oil.


Man, this was good. Hearty, perfectly cooked and topped with finely shredded cheese. Perfectly seasoned. Very filling and hit that Italian spot in my tummy I was looking for.



Everything was so good up until this point, I couldn't not get dessert too.

And, of course, all those options sounded amazing. I went with the vanilla bean chess pie, with caramel sauce, candied walnuts and whipped cream.

Maggie went with the cheesecake, and BJ got the brownie.

Not to brag, but I loved mine best. The chess pie alone - which I love because it's southern - was sweet, creamy, amazing. Those dollops of caramel? Amazing. And, candied walnuts and whipped cream? I think I could just live in this dessert forever.



Grade: A

There's a sort-of regional specialty in the midwest known as a smashed burger.

Cooks start with] a four-ounce-or-so ball of fresh beef, [let] it cook a bit on a hot, hot griddle, and then [give] it a good WHACK with the back of a spatula.... The technique leads to a crisp-crunchy crust with an artfully irregular shape, and best of all, creates more surface area for a Maillard-like reaction to occur (Serious Eats).

So, it's definitely different than the thick, juicy patties I'm accustomed to. Rather, they prioritize that crispy edge.

Every time I get the opportunity to, I visit a city's central market. It's always fun to see what different places have.

And, I love community gathering spaces. I think these are crucial to cities and towns, and I feel like it's these places where you can get a real pulse for the community.

The Indianapolis City Market feeds the community and our guests by offering distinct foods, products and services in an environment that preserves and perpetuates Central Indiana's agricultural, architectural and cultural history.

Indianapolis City Market has a number of merchants.

Need something different for supper tonight? Maybe a unique gift for a friend or colleague? Or perhaps the finishing touches of flowers, wine or candles to accent your upcoming dinner party? If you're looking for artisan products or authentic ethnic foods, come to the Indianapolis City Market. You'll find rich coffees, teas and authentic ethnic cuisine... locally-designed jewelry and accessories... scented oils and fresh flowers—everything you need to craft a memorable meal, event or gift-giving moment! 

You can get everything from tamales, cookies, spices and soups to juice, deli sandwiches, carrots and jewelry.

There's also a second floor, which has a tap room.

Reminiscent of your favorite neighborhood pub, Tomlinson Tap Room offers an intimate atmosphere as comfortable as your favorite chair—a perfect respite after a long day at work or as a weekend spot to gather with friends. From the moment you step inside Tomlinson, it's clear this is no ordinary pub. For starters, it features only tapped Indiana craft beer by the pint or the growler fill! With its interior design crafted from reconditioned materials—and the historic setting of the Indianapolis City Market as its backdrop—Tomlinson Tap is the ideal place for craft beer enthusiasts to unwind and enjoy full-flavored brews that are both traditional and distinctive. As you appreciate the art of craft beer, you can craft another Hoosier tradition: good times with good friends.

And, of course, there are actual farmers with local food:

Perfectly situated in the heart of the Midwest, Indianapolis is ripe with farmers offering outstanding produce, dairy products, meats and more! And we bring them straight to you with the Original Farmers' Market at the Indianapolis City Market. From fruits and vegetables and meats and cheeses, to baked goods and unique spices and herbs, you can find in-season, fresh foods that have been selected at their peak. As you fill your basket with good-tasting, healthy foods, you'll support the local growers dedicated to providing you with the freshest foods available.

We decided to snack a bit and try some macarons from the sweets shop.

For mine, I chose the champagne with chocolate and raspberry. Very tasty.

Also, did you know Indianapolis has a canal that runs through it? So cool!

Where's your favorite place?