Saturday, November 30, 2013

30 Days Project Part II: Day 29: family Thanksgiving

Wondering what this project is all about? Check out my first post for Day 1 to get the back story.

Thanksgiving in Michigan with my family today. So very thankful.

The only eventful this that happened today was the bowl broke, it chipped on the rim. I placed the box on the table today and my sister went to move it, I had not latched it shut. The bowl fell onto the floor and cracked on the rim. It is still functional and with only one day left in the project, I am glad the dishes made it this far!
Box in safe keeping at my sisters.
Breakfast fresh fruit, yogurt and tea.




















Thanksgiving Dinner is served on the fancy china.
First course curried turnip soup with homemade noodles.
Notice the chip on the rim of the bowl.
Second course salad with goat cheese, cranberries, walnuts,
 raspberry vinaigrette.
Third course mashed potatoes, broccoli, cranberry, venison  
Homemade pumpkin pie for dessert. 
I was most thankful to spend the first Thanksgiving with my family in four years. I only wish Forrest was with us.
Late night hardly dinner, grandmas beans that we
forgot to eat for out Thanksgiving meal.
Mom and Dad trying out and sharing my plate.
Pomelo 
We made the crust from scratch:

Gluten Free Tart Crust (from Elanas Pantry)
  • 2 cups blanched almond flour 
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt 
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil 
  • 1 egg

Place flour and salt in food processor and pulse briefly
Add coconut oil and egg and pulse until mixture forms a ball
Press into a 9-inch metal tart pan
Place pie filling of your choice in crust (we made apple & pumpkin)
Bake pie as directed per pie recipe

As for the Pumpkin Pie filling: (adjusted from the Food Babe)
15 ounces cooked pumpkin
1/2 cup of coconut palm sugar
15 ounces of coconut milk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 tsp sea salt

Mix all the dry ingredients
Beat the eggs, add to the dry ingredients 
Add the pumpkin and the coconut milk
Pour into crust and bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees and another 40 minutes at 350 degrees.

Friday, November 29, 2013

30 Days Project Part II: Day 28: Happy Thanksgiving

Wondering what this project is all about? Check out my first post for Day 1 to get the back story.

My Thanksgiving started with the wonderful Gun Young Kim, roommate, studio-mate, and fellow ceramist. We made a total of 5 pies the scent of pumpkin and apple filled the house. What a wonderful start to a very thankful day. Recipes on tomorrow's blog post.

After a slow morning baking pies, I headed north to the great state of Michigan to visit my family. On the way I made a stop in Detroit to meet my sister and her fiancé. I arrived early and spent a little time waiting at their house. I made a salad for dinner and explored her cupboards to see what kind of dishes they use, see photo below.

On the way to the west side of the state the unthinkable happened, we made a stop at the yellow arches you know the place they are everywhere. I have spent a lot of time avoiding them. The last time I went to a McDonalds was last time I was in the car with my sister and her fiancé. The last time I chose to go to McDonalds that must be back in high school over 10 years ago.

Good or bad McDonalds brought a new adventure to this project. It was a very late night stop somewhere around Lansing, MI off of highway 96. I ordered fries the only thing I could get myself to eat and my sister who was excited about the project asked if she could use my cup to order and chocolate chip frappe. I explained my project and the workers who were happy to fulfill my request. They even poured the frappe directly into my cup without wasting another cup, I was very thankful! 

At the end of the meal my sister and I looked over at her fiancé and we notice the large pile of trash that is covering the table in front of him. It was an interesting variation to there ceramic dishes we had in front of us. He even posed for a picture, see below. I guess I had my first real experience with 'fast food' this evening, I think it will be a last.
Fancy Thanksgiving breakfast garlic, pepper, eggs,
homemade salsa and morning routine.
Salad lunch fresh greenhouse lettuce,
mango, goji berries, blackberries





We are headed to Michigan!
Dinner when I arrived in Detroit, MI
hanging with the little man, salad with goat cheese, pecan,
orange, and avocado.



Bored and waiting ever so patiently for my
sister and her fiancé to arrive. I decided to see
what kind of dishes she had hiding in the
cupboard. Plain white Corning Ware, I might
be suggesting an update soon….
The yellow arches.
Explaining the project.
They did not waste a cup and pored the drink directly
into the cup.
I ordered french fries.
Collette ordered a chocolate chip frappe.


Steve with all the waste he created.
Collette & I

Thursday, November 28, 2013

30 Days Project Part II: Day 27: "fast food" rejected my plate

Wondering what this project is all about? Check out my first post for Day 1 to get the back story.
Breakfast Snowville Creamery yogurt
with blackberries & morning routine.
Leftover lunch curried turnip soup with rice.
I had such a good time yesterday eating out that I decided to have dinner at what I would consider a "fast food" place. I have wanted from the beginning of the project to eat at a place that I knew would serve food on styrofoam, aluminum, or anything that would go in the trash and not breakdown. This evening I headed out to high street the main road the runs through campus. It has fast food lining the east side of the road, one after another. It was a little overwhelming, as I do not often visit this place. I settled on Chipotle, it was a little further down then I wanted to walk considering it was freezing and I was carrying a large box full of dishes. I was relieved once I made, that was until the attendant started talking to me. I explained my situation and he was what I would consider aggressive and mean. All I wanted was to use my own plate but after a short deliberation there was absolutely no way in the world I was going to walk out of Chipotle with any kind of burrito. So I wrestled with it in my head, I really wanted Chipotle, was I willing to sacrifice my project for the food I wanted. It was in my mind the healthiest option I could possibly make, plus it sounded good. My better half decided the situation was simply not right. I completely understand from a sanitation standpoint why a fine establishment like Chipotle might not want to accept my plate but…. When I got home I looked up there website and they even have a tab Food with Integrity making all sorts of claims about the food they serve and the environment. And yet they would not let me do something as simple as use my own plate, hmm. This is getting me thinking…. 

Don't worry, I did not go hungry this evening I walked back towards the studio and made a quick stop at Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches. Who happily, maybe I should not say happily as it was the night before Thanksgiving and I am sure everyone wishes they were home with family. But it was accepted and I ordered the only thing I have ever gotten from JJ the #6 Vegetarian Unwich. It turns out the unwich really needs that paper wrapping to keep it together but I made it work without! I hope you are enjoying the adventure of this project as much as I am!
Making my way to high street to check out my 'fast food' options.
Walking down high street, box in hand, rotating hands,
as the box gets heavier and heavier.
First stop: Chipotle
& things did not go well. 













Thankfully I did not go hungry and
Jimmy John's accepted my plate.
The plate in action! 

























Dinner is served.
First time at the fountain with my cup.

Jimmy John's #6 Vegetarian unwich provolone,
avocado spread, cucumbers, lettuce, tomato & mayo.
It was much harder to eat then I had expected.
The paper wrapping that typically holds
the unwich together it turns out is an
important function of the unwich.  
All smiles around here.
Clean up was simple, wipe down with a
napkin and head out.

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

30 Days Project Part II: Day 26: eating out

Wondering what this project is all about? Check out my first post for Day 1 to get the back story.

Today, I decided that everything that I consume would come from outside my home. So I indulged a little and went out to eat for all my meals. It made for a heavy, expensive, but fun day. A big thank you to Gun Young and Michelle who followed me around taking photos so that you would see what its like in the day of the life of Jeni and the Box.

The day started with some anxiety over where I was going to find breakfast. I decided that I did not want to go out of my way to pick something up because I did not want to waste any time over this decision. So I settled on Panara Bread because I knew it was on route with the destination. We missed a turn and ended up at Global Gallery, a little coffee shop in Clintonville that I notice each week at the farmers market but have never been to. It was a wonderful experience, friendly staff, and they even gave me a discount for brining my own cup. I ordered hot tea and muffins and it was nice that the cup fit on the plate and I was able to carry the plate, balancing the cup and the box to a table. Once I ate I felt a whole lot better about this day. Considering this is probably only the third time I have ever eaten breakfast outside of my home since moving to Columbus this was a big step!

Lunch posed a few more issues. It snowed the entire day. I know myself well enough to know that it is difficult for me to go out to eat during the day but the snow it sure does not help. So I waited in studio until I could not take it any longer probably around 3:00 (I usually eat lunch between 11-1). So two very hungry people left studio I had to bring few plants from my review back to the greenhouse so we loaded the car, stopped at the greenhouse, unloaded, stopped at Columbus Clay for some materials and finally arrived at the North Market downtown Columbus. We ordered lavender bubble tea from Bubbles and the women working was very interested in my project and asked if I sell my work! For Lunch we had pad thai from Nida’s Thai the cashier took my plate without question and when I received it back it was wrapped in plastic wrap. Even with it wrapped I had no possible way to carry the bubble tea, the plate and the box. With out help I would have had to eat there. I am now thinking about a set of dishes that when full of food and drink can still be carried with ease.  

Dinner brought on another round of stress. I teach a late evening course that runs until almost ten. When I eat at home or the studio this is not really a problem I have a snack before class and I usually eat in studio after class. I could not even imagine where to eat this late at night. I drove north to a restaurant I had wanted to visit and of course it was closed. Ended up calling Harvest Pizzeria in German Village and the kitchen closed at ten so we headed directly there and made it just in time. Ordered a salad and two amazing pizzas! The people were wonderful. We were even seated at a bench so my box could sit next to me. At the end of the evening, no one was left in the restaurant and the kitchen was finishing everything up so I asked if they would not mind washing my plate and they did! So I placed the clean plate back in the box and headed home, exhausted, and full!

Today, I met so many wonderful people that I would not have met otherwise. I had great conversations with people from all over the city. I am thankful for today because it gave me a new perspective on this project. Todays experience created new idea and possibilities for my future work.
Leaving my home with the box in hand.
Where does the box ride in the car?
Well usually the trunk but sometimes a passenger seat.




First stop: Global Gallery in Clintonville, OH
waiting in line for morning tea and muffins. 
At the beginning of this interaction there was a little hesitation, I think because the box is so big it can be a little intimidating until I open it and you can see what is inside. She kindly accepted my cup for tea and served the muffins on my plate. Gun Young had the idea to share the plate. I have been talking about making a travel set of two dishes so that I could share with the person I was having a meal with.  She decided to not waste a plate and had her muffins put on my plate, what a great idea!
Muffins sharing the plate.
Thank you Gun Young!


Second stop lunch at the north market.
Entering north market. 
It is really hard to resist bubble tea. If not impossible for me.
Eat up!

I decided on Pad Thai from Nida's Thai. 




















Lunch Pad thai with veggies & the best lavender bubble
tea I have ever had.
Washing the plate posed a few problems.
I located the bathroom but after washing
all they had was a hand dryer, so I made it work. 
























Dinner at Harvest Pizzeria in German Village.

Spinach and Arugula Salad with cambozola, apples,
toasted walnuts, cranberry, house buttermilk dressing.
Pizzas: Goat cheese with sopressata, basil, cherry tomato &
Fennel Sausage with Canal Junction gouda, 
smoked provolone, online, fennel pollen