Illustration by Claire Harrup WHEN he’s not busy in the kitchen at Tinker Street, sous chef Eric Neylon is likely to be foraging regional terrain in search of edible treasures. Here, the wild mushroom enthusiast shares some thoughts about his passion for the delicacies, advice on how to hunt them, and preparation suggestions: I’ve always been interested in mushrooms. There are pictures of me as a child playing with huge chlorophyllum molybdites (false parasols). We had honey mushrooms in my yard that my friends and I would mess around with, and I have memories of stomping on old giant and smal ..read more

Illustration by Claire Harrup DESCRIBED AS a hardy tropical fruit that tastes like a cross between a banana, mango, and pineapple, the Asimina triloba was seemingly once so plentiful that it inspired a folksy children’s song: “Pickin’ up pawpaws. Put ’em in a basket … Way down yonder in the pawpaw patch.” But these days, the potato-shaped, yellow-green treasures (which are related to the custard-apple, cherimoya, and soursop) are practically exotic fruits. They usually grow in groves of low trees and along rivers and streams, and anyone lucky enough to have access to a modern-day “pawpaw patch ..read more

Illustration by Claire Harrup OF ALL THE signs that autumn has finally arrived in the lower Midwest, few are as certain as when the persimmons begin to fall. Squishy, wrinkled, and blushing a pale peachy orange, these fruits, technically berries, look as though they’ve been dropped from alien spaceships, topped as they are with little spiked crowns. And their flavor is unlike any other: rich, honey-kissed, and just a touch meaty, like a cross between apricot and pumpkin. When I was a boy, my great-aunt, an inveterate observer of the seasons, would march us out to the tree at the edge of her pr ..read more

THE INDIANAPOLIS professional sports scene just became one of the best in America. The Pacers, the Colts, and the Fever rosters are now packed with potential all-stars. The outlook for all three teams includes playoffs and potential championships when just a short time ago, those weren’t in the cards. The Pacers are in the NBA Playoffs without having to prove themselves with a play-in game. Rick Carlisle has a solid starting five and probably the best bench players in the league. In fact, the bench, led by Obi Toppin, T.J. McConnell, Andrew Nembhard, and Jalen Smith, is averaging a league-lead ..read more

The Spark in Speedway. Credit: Tony Valainis/Indianapolis Monthly With locally roasted beans from Bee and Illumine, Speedway coffee shop The Spark (1402 N. Main St., 317-771-1062) has built a loyal fan base of longtime area residents and the town’s hip newbies in the nearly three years since it opened. Now they’re marrying their neighborhood’s roots to contemporary coffee culture with their Latte Art Throwdown, a race month–adjacent event featuring “some of the area’s best baristas from regional and local coffee shops.” It all goes down from 6:30–8:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 25, with $10 ticke ..read more

Illustration by Ryan Johnson Q: I’VE READ THAT INDIANAPOLIS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IS THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY. IT’S PERFECTLY FINE BUT … REALLY? A: It has indeed been named best airport not only in the country but in North America for 11 years straight. But the organization that bestowed those laurels, the Airports Council International–North America, is just one of many airport-ranking groups. Furthermore, the category our airport dominates is for midsize facilities handling 5 to 15 million people annually, so our competition is limited. Still, a 2023 analysis by The Wall Street Journal ranked ..read more

Photo courtesy Taxman Brewery Buy tickets at least a week in advance. This year’s Belgian-style stout, Deadline, will be released in four variants. They’re exclusive to the festival, so sample them all. Splurge on Experience tickets for a two-pack of the new stout to take home. The upgrade also gets you a snifter glass. A portion of the proceeds supports the Bargersville Farmers Market, so pick up a hat or tee at the swag booth. Grab-and-go lunches at the Main Street eateries are your fastest options. Arrive early to secure a street-parking spot near the festival. Stay late for the live music ..read more

AN ASSOCIATE faculty member at the Indiana University School of Education in Africana Studies, Dr. Idalia Wilmoth is also a fashion curator and Noblesville resident. Here’s what she had to share on her unique style. How would you describe your personal style to someone who’s never met you?I describe my personal style as “Styles of Unity,” meaning that I merge my cultural identity, the imagination of high fashion, and contemporary threads together. Do you have a fashion philosophy?Whatever makes your soul happy, wear it. I believe that I make memories every day. Are there any specific colors or ..read more

Photography by Jay Goldz Texas native Timmy Campbell grew up eating rich, vibrant esquites, or Mexican-style street corn cut off the cob, from food stands all over Houston. So, when he started up his own food truck in Indianapolis, he knew that he had to offer the dish, which eventually earned him the name Tha Corn Man. His version? Campbell layers his well-charred corn with plenty of butter and tangy mayonnaise, then tops it all with cayenne. Feel free to top yours with chopped or slices jalapenos or serrano peppers, chopped cilantro, or additional lime wedges. Or top yours as many of Campbel ..read more

Photography by Jay Goldz TIMMY Campbell is no stranger to adversity. One morning last November, the food truck owner, known affectionately to his customers as “Tha Corn Man,” showed up to start breakfast service at the corner of 25th Street and Central Avenue in Fall Creek Place only to find that his trailer was nowhere in sight. A month later, police recovered the vehicle, but it had been stripped, with the generator cut off and the inside vandalized. This wasn’t the first setback for the Texas native, whose previous career was cut short in 2017 by a groundless legal charge that was later dro ..read more