Not to be a Debbie Downer but as we near every gourmand’s favorite holiday, Thanksgiving, GOOD Magazine drops by like an unwanted guests bearing some tough truths about this November American holiday of feasting and giving thanks. The popular normative and celebrated mainstream history of Thanksgiving portrays “Pilgrims in brass-buckle shoes being saved from starvation in 1621 by kindly buckskin-clad Indians bearing gifts of wild game and corn.” The first documented mention of such an interaction was a letter from 1961 mentioning a feast with Native American king Massasoit and his men, but as GOOD points out, “the purpose of this letter makes it suspect: It was sent to England to attract more settlers to Plymouth Plantation. Rather than the founding document of America’s a multicultural past, it’s something of a hyped-up real-estate advertisement.” Ah, advertising, the second oldest profession!
If you’ve spent any time looking at the marketing for educational institutions lately, you’ve likely noticed that many schools are working hard to build reputations as “green colleges.” In addition to building green, cutting energy use, and landscaping with water consumption in mind, many colleges and universities are implementing sustainability policies for their food services. Some are composting food wastes. Others are buying locally and organically. A few are even growing their own food.
What’s one to do with all that leftover candy from Halloween trick or treating? Turn them into a delicious treat with this non-serious baking trick suggested over at Serious Eats. Dump all the extra candy you couldn’t finish into a pie and let it all melt together (recipe here). Feel free to then submit a photo of your final Frcandyenstein entry to the popular website This Is Why You’re Fat, a home devoted to gastro-explosive creations.
On display through the end of this month at the Bunker Hill Community College’s art gallery is a group show “Eat the Art.” As the theme implies the artwork on display is (deliciously) food inspired. If you don’t know what to do with all those extra jelly beans leftover from trick or treating, try building a flower out of them!
Stereotypes be damned: I love me some sushi. Before you can even finish asking me what my favorite kind of cuisine is, I’m not only already answering “sushi,” but most likely on my way to the nearest sushi restaurant. I’m a fan of all things sushi and its accessories, which is why I really like these hybrid chopsticks designed by Aïssa Logerot.
We are a fast food nation. Everyone knows that. But did you know that there are over 13,000 MacDonald’s in the lower 48 states? Damn, that’s a lot of calories being consumed.
Stephen Von Worley, who writes the Weather Sealed blog, came up with an idea while driving through California. As he was bombarded with chain store and chain restaurant, one after another, he asked himself “just how far away can you get from our world of generic convenience? And how would you figure that out?”
Using McDonald’s as his test he created a map showing each McDonald’s. Most people don’t have to go too far for McNuggets. The furthest distance between golden arches: “Between the tiny Dakotan hamlets of Meadow and Glad Valley lies the McFarthest Spot: 107 miles distant from the nearest McDonald’s, as the crow flies, and 145 miles by car!” For a bigger map click here.
The High Line continues to be a hit here in NYC. This summer the park’s popularity has been enormous and will only continue to grow if these guys keep doing fun, innovative things with the space. Case in point was yesterday’s launch of High Line Art, which is a series of commissions and creative partnerships sponsored by the Friends of the High Line. The works will be be featured on the High Line, around the park, or inspired by the High Line.
The debut was last night and featured the artists Lisa Sigal and Paul Ramírez Jonas. Their installation, Specials, is a mobile unit constructed of vendor carts and a wall. On the wall side various artworks are hung. On the reverse side is an actual taco stand, serving free tacos to art connoisseurs and the many randoms passing by. It’s pretty genius in that it presents art (and tacos) in a very different way.
Last night the cart feautured works by Fiona Tan and Regina Silveira and a potato and corn croquette with red cabbage and avocado taco. Anyone make it over for dinner?
Matilda Tristram created this whimsical and playful stop-motion animated music video for band Omo. Playing with food never seemed so fun! I especially like the jump roping meatball.
As a celebration of the region’s diverse cuisine offerings, the Sydney International Food Festival is taking place next month. While I love gourmet food as much as the next gourmand, the “wow” factor about this festival is the ads, which feature flags from around the world created using food from that area.
