Food – Page 7 – Kristen Baumlier

Category: Food

Food Connect Brisbane: Local Food in Australia

Posted on January 14, 2013January 28, 2013 by Kbaumlier

Even with more discussion about seasonal, local, and healthy food going on – it is very rare in most grocery stores. When I go to buy a tomato at the store, I am not always able to see how far it traveled, how old the tomato is, or what kind of corporation made it.

Food Connect Brisbane, located in Brisbane Australia was started in 2004 by Robert Pekin, and was formed to create a large venture of community shared agriculture in Australia to create transparency, accessible, socially responsible food. Food Connect Brisbane works in a few stages. First, seasonal local food is sourced and packed into different size fruit and veggie boxes. The food is delivered to the Food Connect Homestead locations where the boxes are created. The boxes are brought to a “City Cousin,” and location that you can pick up the food, which might be a community center or school.

Since its creation, it has grown and is being replicated in other areas in the country including Adelaide, Bellingen, Coffs Coast, Melbourne, Sydney and others.

On the website the group writes “Our delicious seasonal produce comes from local farmers living within a five hour radius of Brisbane who are paid a fair price for their hard work and who are encouraged to farm using the most sustainable methods possible. Our subscribers know where their food comes from and are invited to see for themselves on regular farm tours.”

Want a box of broccoli, corn, lettuce, Swiss Brown mushrooms, onions, potatoes, tomatoes, zucchini, apples, bananas, a bunch of herbs and garlic or ginger? There are boxes for 1 person, 2, and a family/group of 4.

Image Source:
www.foodconnect.com.au/

Links:

www.foodconnect.com.au/

SolarQue: A New Tube-shaped Solar Cooker

Posted on January 6, 2013January 15, 2013 by Kbaumlier

This past summer something shiny caught my eye at the Ingenuity Festival in Cleveland, OH. The SolarQue, a new lightweight tubular shaped solar cooker, was being demonstrated at the festival. Lots of people were interested in the design of the cooker, and also in eating the free food samples that were cooked in the cooker.

The SolarQue is shaped like a small pop-up projector screen and has a unique shape. Its design was born out of a technology that is used to heat water, the “evacuated tube.” The cooking tray, which slides into the tube can hold up to 3 pounds of food. The unit is made of pyrex and gets as hot as 600+ degrees in the full sun. It can heat up wherever there is light, even in freezing conditions.

I talked for a little bit to Ohio inventor behind the product who is a veteran solar designer and has experience in off-grid living. He found the shortcomings of many solar ovens and appliances and worked to create the current design. Many solar ovens take a while to heat up, and also are fairly heavy.

What is nice about the SolarQue is that it is less that 3 pounds and can cook up to 3 pounds of food in the tray. It takes about 10 minutes to cook hot dogs, and about 20 minutes to make scrambled eggs.

I tasted some of the potatoes that were cooked in the SolarQue. You can order a unit from their website, and the patent for the device is currently pending. Got sunshine? Why not cook with the sun?

Image Source:
http://www.solarque.com/

Links:

http://www.solarque.com/

SolarQue – Youtube video

Betty Crocker Picture Cookbook – Making a Comeback and a Vegan Version

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

This year a historical Betty Crocker book was republished called the Betty Crocker Picture Cookbook. I know about the book because I somehow ended up the publisher’s email list, and I got a email about the book for every week until I took the time to get off the list.

It did perk my interest about the excitement about the republishing of the book, so I did a little reading about it. The cookbook came out in the 1950’s, and the title made cooking sound easy, and the color photos were helpful for new cooks to follow.

Some of the recipes in the book include Pigs in the Blanket, Mock Duck, Emergency Steak, and Chicken Tomato Aspic (note:aspic is like a meat jello.) There also are lots of cookie recipes, and a Home Front macaroni recipe that was developed during World War II to help families stretch their meat.

After I got the email about this book week after week, I almost ordered it – but since I have a restricted diet, I could not bring myself to pay the $20-30 dollars that the book was priced at.

In looking up the book, I found someone that did a unique project, of cooking every recipe in the book, but making each recipe into a vegan version. The project inspired by the Julie and Julia movie, and the woman behind the project got the Betty Crocker Picture cookbook, and worked to “veganize every recipe.”

The project was called “The Betty Crocker Project,” and each recipe cooked was written about and posted on the project website. From what I can tell from the website, most of the recipes were made. Some recipes I checked out include Baby Olive Garlic Knot, a Chicken Skillet Dinner, and a Maple Glazed Holiday Roast.

The project inspired a new cookbook that is available for presale, called “ Betty Goes Vegan” which has recipes inspired by the Betty Crocker Cookbook, and also many original new recipes.

Image Source:
The Betty Crocker Picture Cookbook – Rodale Books
The Betty Crocker Project

Links:

The Betty Crocker Project

The Betty Crocker Picture Cookbook – Rodale Books

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/