a public edible landscape

March 6, 2012 | By Shannon Kelly
 
A new seven-acre urban project, The Beacon Food Forest, aims to mimic a woodland ecosystem with edible shrubs, trees, and plants in Seattle. Set to be the largest public food forest in the country, the landscape will feature chestnuts, walnuts, apple and mulberry trees, berry shrubs, vegetables, and a selection of herbs.
 
Grounded in the concept of permaculture, the food forest will be a perennial and self-sustaining edible garden for all visitors to enjoy thanks to a $100,000 local government grant.
 
Seattle Food Forest
{image: The Beacon Food Forest}
 
While foraging and edible gardens are hardly new themes, we love how the concept inspires communities to gather, grow, and indulge.  
 
Tags: food, Edible garden, Eco-friendly, trends, foraging

grow cook eat.

February 8, 2012 | By Shannon Kelly
Grow Cook Eat
 
Thrilled to see Grow Cook Eat by Willi Galloway
with photography by Jim Henkens at Anthropologie.
 
We received a copy of this gorgeous gardening handbook-meets-cookbook as a gift from the photographer earlier this month. We love the the fresh approach to seasonal food with helpful techniques on how to plant and prepare delicacies from your own back yard.
 
Tags: food, Edible garden, gardening

foraging: an effort in reclaiming seasonal foods

July 28, 2011 | By Shannon Kelly
 
Approximately two years ago we found what looked like a morel in the garden and within hours Langdon Cook, author of Fat of the Land: Adventures of a 21st Century Forager confirmed via @twitter that the mushroom was edible. Thanks to social media, we became pseudo foragers.
 
Like urban gardening, foraging is becoming progressively more mainstream as shoppers seek out seasonal, locally grown and sustainable foods. Culturally, the concept of seeking and hand-selecting wild edibles works well with the desire for unique experiences— aligning with popular terms like artisan, bespoke and curate. We reconnected with the author to gain a deeper understanding of how foraging and reconnecting with our agrarian past is not just another food trend, but a widely accepted part of daily life that generations today are rediscovering.
 
"My hope is that a renewed enthusiasm for foraging will help advance current debate about food issues. Foraging is seasonal by its very nature. Many foraged foods are exceptionally nutritious, much more so, in fact, than their domestic counterparts (i.e. "weeds" such as watercress, dandelions, lambs-quarters and stinging nettles are off the charts in vitamins and minerals; huckleberries are loaded with antioxidants; wild salmon is high in omega-3 fatty acids; even mushrooms contain certain necessary minerals). said Langdon Cook. Foraging encourages a closer relationship with the landscape and the foods we eat. To become educated about foraging is to become educated about food. That said, it's incumbent on the forager to learn about those plants and fungi that are not edible."
 
The rise in demand of foraged edibles in restaurants has gradually increased the popularity of events, excursions, classes and blogs to inform passionate gastronomes. Below are four concepts worth checking out.
 
 
  • Forage  - One of LA Magazines's best new restaurants featuring produce from local growers. Opened in January 2010, the initial and revised foraging program encourages customers to bring in their own home-grown produce (If they like it and accept it, Forage will make a dish with it and name it after you. A blog post titled The return of foraging details all of the ins and outs).
  • Forage Foods - Calgary based take-out shop focusing on ready to eat foods made with a majority of local foods from sustainable farms opened in 2007. Specials include a wide range of pre-prepared foods, fresh baked goods, fresh produce, frozen meals, and local gourmet foods.
 
{photo: Nettletown.com}
 
  • Nettletown - Hidden in a tiny strip mall along Seattle's Eastlake Ave, Nettletown opened March 2010 (formerly the Sitka and Spruce space). A personal lunch favorite, the noodles, home-made pickles and sandwiches highlights wild and local ingredients from Christina Choi of Foraged & Found Edibles.
  • Foragers Market - Dumbo (Brooklyn, New York) is a family run market with sustainable produce and well-edited selection assortment of foods. The menu reflects more growing and sourcing of quality seasonal foods than foraged foods but we like the city grocer feel.
 
Prized treasures like mushrooms and wild greens can be harvested throughout many parts of the US but success depends on a variety of visual and seasonal hints. Much like the dumpster diving craze of the late 80's, a misstep could find you face-to-face with something extraordinarily unsafe. Talk to an expert and don't needle/nettle around.
 

{editors note 9/15/11: Nettletown closed August 28, 2011 to pursue other ventures. We wish them all the best and will definitely miss the knoepfli and good company}
Tags: Edible garden, food, trends, artisan, curate, Culture, farmers markets, Eco-friendly, restaurants, seattle, LA, nyc, grocery

news bites 7.20.11

July 22, 2011 | By Shannon Kelly
A selection of studies, shops, and snacks...
 
CULTURE
- Top Reasons why people follow brands on facebook & twitter.
- Art Meets Exercise With ‘Figurerunning’ via PSFK.
- Banks aim for more revenues by selling consumers' shopping data to retailers.
- As the colour turns: a brilliantly clever & mesmerizingly beautiful showcase via Plenty of Colour.
 
FOOD
- Study: How restaurants can reach Millennials with snacks, frequency and technology.
- Farmers' markets won't change the world: "In the same way that, by buying that handbag you are ensuring the continuation of artisan handbag-making skills, shopping for the good stuff helps maintain a bunch of practices that might otherwise be lost."
 
FASHION
- The traditions of old luxury are awfully dull for new consumers. They want to be touched emotionally.
- H&M pop-up beach store benefits global water charity.
- Kellwood, Sun Capital affiliate set to acquire Amsterdam's Scotch & Soda. The brand was featured in a January 2011 post about the growing importance of menswear in retail.
 
Tags: food, fashion, Culture, popup retail, menswear, luxury, new media, restaurants, Edible garden, Amsterdam, Netherlands

food culture infographic

May 31, 2011 | By Shannon Kelly

{image: Hartman Group}

Last week the Hartman Group, a Seattle-based food research firm, shared a subway-style infographic with the following text: "In the spirit of celebrating contemporary food culture, this subway-style map is intended to serve as a snapshot of the main actors, techniques, values and ideas representing today’s culinary zeitgeist. From chefs and the media, to packaged goods and food politics, these “stops” are suggestive of the people, places and things that have influenced the food world (some more directly than others), thereby becoming part of our Greater Food Culture. Take a ride on the Modern Line, stopping off at Thomas Keller and then maybe head onto the Global Line, paying a visit to David Chang. Wherever you go, you’re likely to learn a bit, be entertained and most certainly eat quite well."

We love the idea but feel that the stops, signs and symbols are one piece of the food-geist puzzle. In today's marketplace, chefs (or restaurant groups) often have one food in publishing and/or packaging in addition to focusing on multiple cuisines/concepts to remain profitable. Relevance in the culinary community is subjective to many influences outside consumer demand and trends.  

{source: HartmanSalt}

Tags: food, Culture, packaging, Edible garden, Eco-friendly, restaurants, pop culture

trends in urban farming

March 2, 2011 | By Shannon Kelly
The growing trend in urban farming, allotments, and home farming was reflected in Michelle Obama’s creation of a vegetable garden at the White House last year. A variety of vegetables were planted in a bid to educate children on local and seasonal produce as growing concerns of child obesity and diabetes make headlines in the Western world.

{image: Work AC}

Work AC, Edible Schoolyard NY and the Alice Waters’ Chez Panisse Foundation are designing an edible schoolyard which will combine a large garden with a network of sustainable systems. At the heart of the project is the Kitchen Classroom, where up to thirty students can prepare and enjoy meals together.

 

{photo: Bootstrap Company}

The Dalston Roof Park is another interesting project located in London’s urban East End. The Park demonstrates green potential for future urban development, increasing urban food self-sufficiency by examining the role the city can play in nurturing and enriching ecosystems.

 

{photo: JustFood.org}
 
Similarly, Farm School NYC aims to increase the self-reliance of communities and inspire positive local action around issues of food access by providing comprehensive professional training in urban agriculture for New York City residents.

Launching in Spring 2009, Urban Garden Share matches homeowners with garden space to gardeners with experience. The venture is the perfect solution for cultivating both food production and community. Initially serving Seattle, the concept has grown to match gardens to gardeners in Louisville, Atlanta and Boise.

Farm: Shop, in London’s Dalston neighborhood, fuses the world of art with that of farming and urban living. Transforming a disused shop into a farm, café, and arts venue with chickens on the roof, mushroom-growing facilities in the basement, and a fishpond where visitors can catch their own fish.

 

{photo: mathieulehanneur.fr}

Using an aquarium allowing fresh water fish to be bred for eating in your home, Local River by Mathieu Lehanneur, grows vegetables. The glass dome on top of the aquarium helps to purify the water, allowing Local River to become a mini eco-system in itself.

The rise in popularity of pop-up restaurants, specialty delis, food halls and farmers’ markets has evolved into heightened interest in urban gardens due to the uniquely authentic experience. New gastronomic venues like the examples above, show that urban farming is evolving beyond a culture of food fanatics to mainstream acceptance.

 
Tags: popup food, london, nyc, seattle, popup retail, regional food, Edible garden, color trends, food

news bites 4.22.10

April 22, 2010 | By Shannon Kelly

Is going "on tour" to pop-up retail what mobile carts were to underground supper clubs? We're wondering how far food and fashion innovation will go to meet marketing needs.

FOOD
- David Lynch, the master coffee roaster?
- Will Alice Waters be the next Oprah for the fresh food movement.
- Conran, one of our favorite NYC housewares stores formerly under the Queensboro Bridge, sets up shop in ABC Home & Carpet.

+
FASHION
- More nail trends and opinions from The New York Times.
- Earth friendly fashion without the crunchy granola bits.
- Are you a great fashion filmmaker? Think you can take on Tavi Gevinson? Check out A Shaded View on Fashion Film 2010.

Tags: housewares, coffee, Edible garden, nail trends, food trucks, Eco-friendly

news bites 1.28.10

January 28, 2010 | By Shannon Kelly

snippets of juicy goodness...

FASHION- The Art of Craftsmanship Revisited: New York, a joint project, between LVMH and Parsons The New School for Design, will team up students with a master artisan to learn and nurture a new generation and to give them an appreciation of the artistry that lies behind the creation of luxury goods.
- These great Valentines gift options from sicka than average will have you dropping hints and snagging tokens of affection for your lovers and lovelies.

+
FOOD
- The Food Experiments, a concept for hosting the premier competitions of the circuit, launches The Taco Experiment in Brooklyn this weekend.
- It's that time of the year again: The City Bakery's 18th annual Hot Chocolate Festival.
- Work AC, Edible Schoolyard NY and the Alice Waters’ Chez Panisse Foundation are designing an edible schoolyard which will combine a large garden with a network of sustainable systems {PSFK}.

Tags: luxury products, gift guide, fashion, Edible garden, chocolate, food

grow potatoes from your raincoat

June 24, 2009 | By Shannon Kelly
{photos: Equilicuá}
 
Made from compostable potato starch bioplastic, the Spud Raincoat by Equilicuá might be less fashionable than eventually delicious. A concealed packet of Mediterranean seeds within the coat will be nourished by the jacket material as it biodegrades.

Additionally, the environmentally-friendly jacket uses cute graphics to educate the wearer (and passers by) that the eco-product can be planted in the ground to grow potatoes once discarded.

{source: psfk & treehugger}

 
Tags: fashion, food, Eco-friendly, Edible garden, gardening, produce

lipstick effect & austerity chic: part 2

May 25, 2009 | By Shannon Kelly
Free-spending enthusiasm to dress in the latest fashion and dine out at the chicest Michelin star restaurant might be economically insensitive but chic and delicious in 2009 is not slipping in quality. Our cultural intelligence of trends in consumer spending, continued from lipstick effect & austerity chic: part 1, might make you rethink little indulgences.

Cultivate. Create. Control.
As uncertainty about financial future takes its toll, many people are turning to gardening, sewing and the movies for relief to help treat wounded psyches. People want to control the things in their lives and seeing he fruits of their labor.

 

 
  • Food gardening in the U.S. is on the rise, according to a new survey from the National Gardening Association. Several more households plan to grow their own fruits, vegetables, herbs or berries in 2009, up 19% from last year. “As in previous recessions, we’ve seen increased participation in and spending on food gardening as people look for ways to economize,” Bruce Butterfield, research director for the association, told WWD. “That said, these results suggest the interest in food gardening may continue to increase, even after the economy improves.”
 

 
  • “People are likely to spend less money on designer jeans during the recession, and instead they purchase more affordable jeans, or they try to preserve the old ones, which leads to higher demand for sewing machines and accessorizing tools by consumers,” according to RecessionInfoCenter.com, a Web site wholly dedicated to the current economic downturn.
  • In the entertainment sector, movie theater tickets and DVD rentals have spiked: Netflix Inc. said in January its fourth-quarter profit jumped 45% to $22.7m from a year earlier, along with sales growth of 19% to $359.6m. The number of subscribers climbed 39% to 9.4m for the period. And the company revealed last month that it had passed 10m subscribers, including 600,000 net subscribers since Jan. 1.
 

Taste
Eating and drinking our need not be eliminated completely. Instead, consumers are looking to small portions (a new found appetizer or 70% cacao chocolate can pack a punch) or a indulgent Sunday brunch. Indulge your senses with rich or exotic flavors you can’t readily find in your pantry.
 

 
  • Noting that it’s interesting to eat a wide variety of food at one meal, José Andrés also told Nation's Restaurant News “The smallness of items gives [diners] the power to take chances,” he adds. “It is more than the way Americans eat today. It is a way to tell people you are in control of how much you eat and spend.” Chef-partner Seamus Mullen of Boquería in New York agreed to NRN that tapas are well-suited for these economic times. Mullen, reports his guests spend an average of $45 with beverages. Dates stuffed with almonds and Valdeón, a Spanish blue cheese, are wrapped in bacon. That dish sells the best of all Boquería’s tapas—“like candy,” Mullen says—for $7.
  • Vaunted chef Ludovic Lefebvre (Bastide, L'Orangerie) is taking over dinner duties at BreadBar from May 19th - August 22nd with a French-influenced prix-fixe ($33 app/entree or entree/dessert, or $39 for all three).
 

  • Chocolate The Hershey Co., North America’s largest chocolate company and the maker of Hershey Kisses and other iconic products, said in January that its fourth-quarter profits jumped 51.2% to $82.2m. Sales were up 2.6% to $1.4 billion.
  • Brunch is big- Restaurant's like Ad Hoc and The Bazaar are offering as cheaper format more in tune with customers pocketbooks as a tool to try new offerings with lower costs.
 
Tags: Culture, sweets, DIY, trendscaping, customizable, trends, fashion, chocolate, food, trend projections, gardening, Edible garden, apparel