The (Second Best) Hamantaschen in the World

I have successfully completed phase 2 of my online search for the best, and second best hamantaschen in the world. Here are some pictures of how they turned out. Napkin evaluation to come!

Life as a Dinner

Last evening, Lisa and I "dined" with our second guest, Cal, from San Francisco, CA. While we all met, I began thinking about the parallels that exist between life and dining. Each person at the table references family and friends met throughout our lives. And the experiences learned can act as fuel to cultivate positive human exchange.

Thank you Cyber Feasters !

Our first Skype meeting !

Last sunday, at 7 est, Lisa and I conducted our first Skype meeting for Cyber Feast II with participant Jonell Pulliam. We talked, laughed and began a dialogue with a new friend.
Thank you.

The Best Hamantaschen in the World

Hello All,

I wanted to share with you the first part of my submission for CyberFeast II. I consider this the first part of a two part project, which uses a rationale grounded in absurdity to explore the internet's present day role as cooking aide/recipe database.

Using the Hamantaschen as a starting point, I queried google to find "the best hamantaschen in the world". The posted napkin image documents my amateurish, dry and formulaic rationale utilized to validate the best and second best recipes.

Part II will conclude in my attempts at cooking, tasting, and rating the second best hamantaschen in the world.

Thanks all - so happy to be a part of this.
Erik

Cal's Video

"I was inspired by the cooking show style of the piece from Cyberfeast 1, and utilized found videos of Cong You Bing coupled with my own culinary creations and instructions to create my own "how-to" guide to making Chinese style pancakes. The piece uses both the sterility of the instructions coupled with playful food "animation" to create a comical and thorough review of this food item."

--Calcagno Cullen

Hamentaschen!

I had a lovely time creating/sculpting/baking Hamentaschen. I don't usually cook or bake - particularly not in the summer - so although it was only a small dessert, this was quite an experiment for me. The shopping alone felt like a ritual! Then late saturday night - technically sunday - I started gathering and mixing and rolling and cooking. (Not entirely unlike a late night studio session!)

As I mixed and stirred, I honestly wasn't sure it would work out. I didn't know when the dough was ready, versus just ingredients. It was almost like that moment where you wonder - is it art? I scorned sifting, whisking, and power mixing! This was the labor of my hands alone! (Well, ok, I don't have any of that equipment...) And soon enough my fiance fell asleep so I was on photo and baking duty.

The first batch came out tasty, but a bit bulky. I rolled thinner dough and used more jam (usually this would be poppy seed filling but I wanted to improvise with the jams I rarely use). It was fun to shape the triangles, like little hats. Once baked, I feasted first, then in true asynchonous/digital fashion, arranged future feasts for 1. my fiance 2. our friend who ran a marathon and was STARVING afterward 3. a friend in New Jersey.

Text/in person/phone responses: "Tasty treats!" "Can't wait to eat these" and "I wish there were more!"

Teaching Learning- Food and Collaboration

Suzanne Lacy, "Crystal Quilt photographs," 1987, 1 of a series of 36 photographs, 16 x 20" each.


Jonell Pulliam's last post- describing chance and inclusive creativity, made me think about the happenings of 1960’s and Suzanne Lacy. As luck would have it, I found this post on U Tube which documents parts of a conversation between Suzanne Lacy and her mentor Judy Chicago. Both women are known for merging creative acts with social relevance.

Four Simple Ingredients: A Happening for Cyberfeast II continues this synergy. The gathering together of inter generational people, involving food and encouraging an open creative space are entwined in Serve & Project’s mission.
-Io Palmer

Four Simple Ingredients: A Happening for CyberFeast II

I was really excited to participate in CyberFeast II. Four Simple Ingredients: A Happening was inspired by Appetizer - The Wine Tasting that Became my Banquet; an event from CyberFeast I. As an avid bread maker and visual artist, I was particularly interested in the idea of Amish Friendship bread – a key element in that event. I liked the idea of simple elements coming together to create a delicious outcome. I also appreciated the notion of chance that was an element of that event. Chance is a part of my art making process.

Four Simple Ingredients was based on process of making friendship bread: simple materials, basic instruction, sharing creative energy, and collaboration. Our charge for the evening was to create a work of art that was somehow inspired by the food, conversations, and diverse artistic perspectives assembled at the Happening. Participants were invited to set up shop anywhere in the house, work individually or collaboratively, and use any materials available.

Ten people - artists, young designers, educators, and parents - attended the Four Simple Ingredients. The event began with a pot-luck dinner, that was collaboratively prepared or served. The menu included:

Appetizers:

Fruit Salad with homemade yogurt dip

Assorted Cheeses, Dips, breads

Entrée:

Green Salad

Pasta with Italian Sausage and Garlic

Red Rice

Lime Roasted Chicken

Variety of Wines

Dessert:

Dump Cake

After dinner, the group organically divided up into the various spaces of the house and began creating art. The resulting work included ink and paper assemblage by artist Lynne Riding; a Bomb Pop painting by Andre Barbosa; a found-fabric skirt by Anika and Egyptt; an ink and graphite drawing by artist Kimberly McHenry-Williams; photo embroidery by Donna Hurt; a food painting by creative Germaine Jenkins; and an embroidered paper collaborative project by Amy Reed. I am currently working on the next phase of the project - napkins - inspired by the experience of the evening.