Shopping

February 1st, 2010
does this mean I will buy it?

It’s quite incredible the visual symbols we use to tell ourselves what something means on-line, how we connect it with the physical world. This wonderful, almost nostalgic, collection of images placed together by — Ro London . He collected them to ‘compare, contrast, and study used by other graphic artists‘. Just shows what shopping means to us – mainly a supermarket shopping trolley by the looks of things. Go see his site! http://www.intersmash.com/300images/

A Plain Cookery Book for the Working Classes

January 13th, 2010

The book is about the same hight as my mobile phone

The book is about the same hight as my mobile phone

What a title! This book from 1852, is filled with some joyful and simple recipies from how to cook rice to baked cod’s head and toast water.  It takes many aspects of a healthy diet into consideration, including cost and the social value of making something a little more special that normal.
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Growing Games

December 10th, 2009

It's even got the seasons!

It's even got the seasons!

Farmville scares me. People virtually growing nothing but nice graphics on screen. This sparked a short discussion with Phil, around this project of a similar nature called  ‘le verdure del mio orto’ roughly translating as food from my garden. You create a virtual garden and grow what ever you want – the difference being you receive a box of your harvest every week. An interesting approach to Community Supported Agriculture.  The Site has recipes for the vegetables too.

I wonder what else we need to virtualise before consuming it – so we feel like we’ve put in a little effort. I’ve got stagnant screen shots of second life in my mind… mmm.

Keep finding lots of Community Agriculture stuff this week. here is Food Connect in Brisbane. They have a pools of 80 farmers producing for the scheme and deliver the Veg boxes through ‘City Cousins’ who provide centres for collections three times a week. It’s like a box scheme but there are more chances to meet the growers and locals who are involved in the scheme. not bad!

Happy Birthday p/hop!

November 23rd, 2009

happy first birthday p-hop

happy first birthday p-hop

This is as food/knit as I could make it p/hop, bring on the spaghetti… enjoy the day!

Can you eat it?

November 8th, 2009
This was about 30 seconds after it was cut

This was about 30 seconds after it was cut

Found this mushroom the other weekend and would love to know what it is. It smelt mushroomy and stained red when you bruised or cut it. It was in a well rotted collapsed tree but i can’t remember what it was… I’m, not sure it was possible to tell. do you know? or know someone that might? thanks.

The whole mushroom

The whole mushroom

Feast on the Bridge

November 7th, 2009

Didn’t make it to this but was excited by the thought that it had happened. see the Guardian

Things like ‘political low tide Mayonnaise’ and hundreds of people eating wonderful food together at harvest time in the city. Wonderful. I will be there next year – with a camera that works!

I found this through the most recent discussion on Radio 4’s food programme, discussing the history of the feast. I’ve since seen the same thing has happened on Sydney harbour bridge. looks fantastic! http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8324527.stm

Cheese?

November 5th, 2009
Quinces in a glass dish

Quinces in a glass dish

The name, the form and the texture all go back to the days of still life paintings. The colour of Vermeer’s blues, khaki and bright electric yellows all summed up in a Quince. The furry almost fake, flocked surface can be stroked away to reveal it’s firm knobbly yellow cheeks beneath.
A stunning fruit that has obsessed me this autumn.
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Recomended Reading

October 22nd, 2009

Dinner for your enemy

Dinner for your enemy


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The Bristish cucumbers

October 15th, 2009


View Larger Map

I was recently told that the majority of the cucumbers that we eat are grown in the UK, some of which are just north of Hackney. Where ‘The total area of glasshouses cropped with cucumbers is estimated at around 120 hectares’ Amazing really, the green houses can even be seen from google maps – well what can’t…

My Year of Meat

August 28th, 2009
My year of meat - Ruth Ozeki

My year of meat - Ruth Ozeki

It was written in the 90’s,  so I hope a lot has changed in industrial meat production since then. I fear not.

It’s incredibly easy to read and takes you on a journey through America; it’s wives and it’s meat industry. It doesn’t take long to get through, having that feel of a romance novel about it, it uncovers a little of the use of advertising and television to inspire what we cook and eat. In some ways I find it out of context 15 years later. Having seen the BBC series Blood, Sweat and Tractors and the varrious horrors of BSE and foot and mouth, I have a little hope that standards have improved. ‘Our daily Bread’ is still having an impression on me (more…)