Kbaumlier

Author: Kbaumlier

Kristen Baumlier’s work spans the full spectrum of interdisciplinary media, including performance, interactive installation, video and audio works.

Cheesy Nachos and a Yogurt Fruit Plate – A Lunch Date at a Grade School

Posted on December 14, 2012December 23, 2012 by Kbaumlier

Earlier this month, I was able to go to my niece and nephew’s grade school and meet them for lunch. This was the second time I have met them for lunch at their school. Each time I go, I have fun meeting their classmates, being the visitor at the table and I also get to learn more about school lunches, at least at their school.

Coming to the school lunch is kind of like being a minor celebrity; everyone asks who you are and also asks you to open their packaged food. My niece and nephew usually pack a lunch, but if there is something they want to get on the lunch menu, they buy the school lunch. The day that I visited, both my niece and nephew bought the school lunch. My nephew, who had the earlier lunch, got the Cheesy nacho and beef, and ate a big pile of nachos with meat and cheese, and also had an apple. He must have passed on the cucumber cup that was part of the lunch. Last year when I visited, it also happened to be a Cheesy nacho lunch day. This year, his Cheesy nacho lunch seemed like a more appropriate in size for a kid, and also the side of French fries had been replaced with the green vegetable choice.

My niece also got school lunch, and was excited to get the Fruit and yogurt plate that was an option this day. She ate a yogurt, orange slices, and some graham cracker snacks.

I later spent a little time reading about the provider of their school lunches, which like all school lunch program has to meet the federal nutrition standards. One new food choice that their lunch program has done is add a new “Balanced Choice” lunch, which has a lunch that is no more than 200 total calories, is no more than 35% calories of fat, and has no more than 35% of sugar for any packaged foods. They also now have lowfat milk, and smaller portioned juices.

Overall, it seems like the school lunches at the school are more healthy, but you can still get your fill of chocolate milk (but now it is fat free milk.)

Links:

www.chartwellsschools.com/

Kellohalli: A New Active Foodspace in Helsinki

Posted on December 12, 2012December 23, 2012 by Kbaumlier

In Helsinki, a building that was once a slaughterhouse became the “Kellohalli,” a food venue that hosts events, food festivals and workshops. The site is at the core of the food and cooking revival in the city and integrates local food, urban gardening, and pop-up restaurants.

The center is part of a urban revival initiative by the City of Helsinki. In the new Kellohalli, any businesses that make and sell food can find a home, and groups that want to try out new food related ideas are encouraged to use the space. This Fall a series of food and design events were hosted in the space as part of the World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 event, where events related to design happened in the city throughout the year.

In the Kellohalli, there has been a “pop-down” restaurant, a food eatery which was located 1000 feet below ground in an old mine. Food in Helsinki often is comprised of mushrooms, fresh herbs including dill, salmon (the most fresh fish I ever have eaten) and many other ingredients that grow in the woods.

As part of the center’s programming, there is a courtyard where flea markets, plants swaps, block parties, and exhibitions were held this past year. The city has a “food culture strategy, ” which includes a goal that 50 percent of the food at the city’s day-care center are local and organic by 2015.

Last weekend at the Kellohalli, there was a Farmer’s Market and “Culinary Treasure Market” At the market, food from twenty food producers were for sale including mushrooms, jellies, cheeses, condiments, juices, breads, vegetables, knives, wool and Christmas trees. At the Culinary Treasure Market, everyone in the community was welcome to sell things food-related which could be recipes, pans, pots, cups, aprons, and food treats.

Next time I am in Finland I plan to check out the Kellohalli, and nibble on mushrooms and berries maybe at a event, exhibition, or in the pop-down restaurant.

Images:
http://www.teurastamo.com/en/kuvagalleria.html

Links:

http://www.teurastamo.com/

The Idea Truck: A Truck That Sells Ideas

Posted on December 6, 2012December 11, 2012 by Kbaumlier

Lorri Deyer had a great idea. Well, let’s say she had a number of great ideas. Deyer is an artist and storyteller whose work incorporates everyday materials and settings. Past projects have included creating interesting garden hoses, and sending out postcards to announce a pot hole.

Her latest project, called Idea Truck is a platform to engage others in creativity in their daily life. For the project, Deyer decided to drive the Idea truck (which is an actual taco truck,) and sell only ideas for six monthes around Los Angeles.

To participate, visitors can order from a menu of ideas, but in order to get this idea you have to write your own idea down first. The idea is for ideas to become currency, and to exchange.

The menu includes Tuesday’s Surprise Special, Half-Baked Idea, and also ideas left by other visitors. The ideas are half-price if you recite the idea out loud. You can contact the person who left the idea via email, and also add to the idea.

On the website it gives this example as an idea,”…space ships should be purple elephants with rockets for feet (one idea already donated to the inventory). Why do they have to be aerodynamic anyway, there’s no air in space? Disagree? Want to elaborate? Then contact the idea maker directly from the email he or she leaves behind. And on that note—what is an idea? Are they a dime a dozen or are they a unique stamp of who you are? Is an idea enough in this consumer-driven object making world?”

The ideas and project are being livestreamed, and Twitter updates and posts are updated as part of the experience. Online voting for Idea of the Week, and a project outcome of a Idea Truck book are part of the project.

Can anyone have a good idea? Can a bad idea be as interesting as a bad one? Check out the Idea Truck project online, and check out how the project has been going since it was funded on Kickstarter.

Image Source:
http://ideatruck.tumblr.com

Links:

http://ideatruck.tumblr.com

Foodology: A Semester focused on the Theme of Food

Posted on December 5, 2012December 11, 2012 by Kbaumlier

Each fall semester, Fontbonne University, which is located in St. Louis, MO, has a semester that focuses on a theme. The theme is used across all academic studies and disciplines at the school. This past semester, the theme was Foodology: The Culture, Economics and Science of Food. Throughout the semester, faculty and students were invited to explore the role of food in world cultures, health and science, politics and economics.

One outcome of the semester was the work done in the Visual Merchandising and Store Planning, Textiles, and Apparel Production and Evaluation courses. Students were challenged to create displays using the food theme. Some of the pieces made included a gown is made out of 5 pounds of corn husk and “beaded with dried corn kernels.” Another project was an installation that showed colors found in food and nature.

For the Foodology semester, the campus had events that included food tastings, film screening, and other special events. The semester is just coming to an end, and more projects will be posted in the upcoming months on the school’s website.

Image Source:
http://libguides.fontbonne.edu/foodology

Links:

http://libguides.fontbonne.edu/foodology

A Visit to the Raleigh State Farmers Market

Posted on December 4, 2012December 9, 2012 by Kbaumlier

I recently was able to visit the Raleigh State Farmers market, which is owned by the State of North Carolina and run by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. In the state, there are five state markets and each is located in a place that is meant to be easily accessible for both farmers and buyers.

The Raleigh State market is located near the downtown area of Raleigh. I was really impressed with the setup which is comprised of various buildings, which include a farmers area, market shops, restaurant area, market import area, and also a truckers building and wholesale terminal.

I spent time in the farmers area, which was a large 30,000 square feet building where North Carolina farmers can sell local produce, plants, and other items. At this time of the year there were lots of pecans, apples, and green vegetables for sale. Potatoes, sweet potatoes, arugula, and even strawberries are grown locally and available even in late Fall. Since it rarely freezes at this time of year, there are a lot of cool weather crops that grow well.

As I sampled over 15 kinds of local apples, a seller talked to me about them. I learned that there are over 46 kinds of apples grown in North Carolina, and over 2500 grown in the United States. I tried some new varieties of apples, and ended up buying two pounds to take home.

When I asked if anyone was selling mushrooms, the farmer let me know that only local produce could be sold in the farmersfBuilding, and that no one really grows mushrooms in North Carolina. He pointed at the inside market area up the hill, and let me know that I might be able to get some there, but they would not be local. The inside market area sellers can sell anything including bananas and kiwis from other countries.

Some of the things that are really nice about the market include:

1. The market areas are covered Farmers and shoppers can set up and shop in both rain and shine.

2. Some interesting vendors were there which included Annelore’s German Bakery and Yu’s salsa (The salsa was really good, we tried over 10 kinds and bought a quart of the medium sweet salsa.)

3. Some hardy and interesting plants and herbs were sale. There were some interesting succulent wreathes that were for sale that I had not seen before which really stood out and would look nice on a front door and also live through the cooler monthes.

The Raleigh State Farmers Market is open every day (!) If you are able to visit, make sure you sample some apples and pecans, and get ready for some great tastings as you shop. Next time I am in town, I plan to stop by again and see what is in season.

Links:

Raleigh State Market – www.ncagr.gov/markets/facilities/markets/raleigh/