A Pace to Embrace

Dan Kaercher, Midwest Living® Editor-in-Chief, ate his way across 8,207 miles in the 12 Midwest states last summer to produce the book Taste of the Midwest and a public-television special and series. Along the way, he reconnected with the area's food traditions,discovered new flavors and experienced the land. In the April, 2006 issue of Midwest Living,he highlights three of those places that help tell the region's rich culinary story and offer some of its tastiest specialties--a leading-edge farmers market, A Great Plains ranch, and Amish Acres. This article, "Flavors of the Heartland," excerpted from the book, focuses on "Capital Flavor Sensations" the Dane County Farmers Market in Madison, Wisconsin; "Eating Like The Cowboys Did-Sort Of," the Prairie Rose Chuckwagon Supper north of Wichita, Kansas; and "A Pace To Embrace," Amish Acres, The Inn at Amish Acres, and baking Shoofly pie with Frieda Miller in our kitchen.

Dan bought in to the new brand for Nappanee: "Embrace The Pace." He was intrigued that that pace can range from horse drawn buggies, Amish men and women on bicycles, often with aluminum trailers attached to the seat post, to half million dollar motor homes coming and going from our manufacuring plants. The pace of Nappanee is simply unique.