Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Sometimes a bite or sip can make a person want to try the full meal.
At least, that was the hope of the vendors during A Taste of Kosciusko at Third Friday in downtown Warsaw Friday evening.
Main Street Warsaw Events Coordinator Nora Christiansen said, “This is a really fun event because we get to showcase food-based businesses here in Kosciusko County.”
The way it worked was, MSW sold tickets for $2 a piece. The public then took those tickets to the vendors and tried a taste of what they were offering, she explained.
“It might be just a few sips of something or a few nibbles of something to see what their business is all about,” Christiansen said. “We have over a dozen, so always looking for more if anyone is interested in doing it next year, but we have a really good mix. So we have Mad Anthony’s here with some food, and then we have a lot of desserts with Drizzle Pop and Super Cute Cake Pops and drinks with Soda Jerks and Falling Rabbit. So lots to cover.”
Matt Kolacz, executive chef at Hoosier Proper, said they were serving up Beef Yaka Mein, which is traditionally served in New Orleans.
“It’s a hangover cure. So after the bars close down, and everybody needs a little something, you can find this throughout the burroughs in New Orleans,” he said. “Everybody’s is different. There’s never two of the same. Egg, beef, some pickled vegetables, broth. Typically served with noodles - we’re omitting the noodles today, but it’s a big hit down in New Orleans. It’s been a very popular dish here at Hoosier Prop, one that will stay on. It’s true to the owner’s heart. He was a chef at many locations down in New Orleans, so it’s one of his favorites.”
Kolacz said they’ve made it a Hoosier staple now.
“It’s a fantastic dish,” he stated.
Ciao Charcuterie, owned by Jennifer Hoke, offers gourmet boards and bites.
“So, today, we have a fall item on our menu. Our house antipasto dip and our house crostini bread. And that is something that I also sell at the Winona Lake Farmers Market on Saturdays,” she said. “And we also have carmel apple bites with graham crackers or without, so a gluten-free option. And then we have brie and pear bites drizzled with honey and cinnamon sugar.”
Ciao Charcuterie will be at the Winona Lake Farmers Market in the Miller Sunset Pavilion this winter as well, and she has a website at ciao-charcuterie.com where people can order off.
The next Third Friday will actually be the fifth Friday, Oct. 30, with the annual Spooktacular in downtown Warsaw.
“We will have Buffalo Street closed from Main to Market, Center Street closed from Indiana to Lake and we will be doing trick-or-treating all downtown. We usually get about 1,200 kids - over 3,000 people downtown that night, and it’s a really fun event from 5 to 7 (p.m.),” Christiansen said.
Then in December, the Twinkle Light Parade and other Christmas activities will be on Dec. 4.
“We have the Santa House here with the Optimists. They bring that out so kids can meet Santa. We have sleigh rides, and then we have the actual Twinkle Light Parade, which runs on Center Street through downtown and does a loop down by the park. Tons of trucks and vehicles all lit up for Christmas,” she said.
