What a bunch of PLARN!

PLARN is yarn made from the plastic bags we are all inundated with. I am green. I carry a cloth shopping bag. No matter what I do, I get plastic bags. Everything seems wrapped in plastic.

There is a way to put those bags to use and out of the landfill and out of the Ocean. Make them into yarn and crochet them into utility. 

Just google "PLARN" and lots of articles and photographs and videos about this new FREE yarn turn up. Some folks are making sleeping mats for the homeless. Some folks are making flowers and shopping bags and good looking rugs.

Neighborhood Infusions - Fallen Fruit Park Update

UPDATE: I did more research about Fallen Fruit artists cooperative. I think the ongoing INFUSIONS project is fascinating. These projects are a new frontier for this Community Artist.

An ongoing project by Fallen Fruit, in collaboration with Greenbar collective in which we pick the fruit we find on a certain street or locale, infuse it in vodka, and name it for the neighborhood.  We’re interested in the essence of that place, to think about its unique qualities but also look at it as a template for creating more livable and individualized neighborhoods. The question Neighborhood Infusions asks is tinged with irony: can you capture the essence of a place in a bottle?  The work is served off the wall by docents (rather than bartenders), who take time to interpret its implications for those interested in consuming it.

I found the City Farmer News website. It seems to be The Blog about urban farming. Those with an interest must go there. I found this new work of art there - a Fruit Park. I have been envisioning turning the many pocket parks in Philadelphia into mini fruit farms. I cheered when I saw that I am not alone in my thinking, planning, plotting ...

Grand Opening On Saturday, January 5, 2013 At Del Aire Park

Press Release
Dec 26, 2012

The trees were planted with the support of the Los Angeles County Arts Commission Civic Art Program and the guidance of Fallen Fruit, an artists’ collaborative founded by David Burns, Matias Viegener and Austin Young, whose mission is to unite communities through the creation of sustainable public art projects. Del Aire residents planted 27 fruit trees, eight grape vines, more than 60 trees were given away to neighbors. Once the trees bear fruit, all park visitors will be encouraged to pick from the new edible landscape at harvest time. Within three years, the trees are expected to be completely sustainable and drought tolerant.

The Fruit Park, which was funded through a creative use of county civic art dollars, is part of a lTarger plan by Chairman Ridley-Thomas to see community gardens planted in every unincorporated area in the Second District. So far, new gardens have been established in Florence-Firestone and Lennox, and locations and funding have been identified for gardens planned for Willowbrook, Athens and Baldwin Hills.

Ms. Sadie Dell's Chicken Curry to Make at Home

I think of Sadie Dell's Chicken Curry as British Soul Food. Take Out Indian food is as common in London as Take Out Fish and Chips. This is a delicious easy Curry. I give it to you as Sadie Dell wrote it.

Curried Chicken to Make at Home

1/2 cup unbleached all purpose Flour

Salt and Pepper

3 boneless whole Chicken breasts halved

5 tablespoons unsalted Butter

1 medium Onion

2 cloves Garlic

2 Red Peppers, seeded and diced

3 tablespoons best quality Curry Powder

1 can stewed Tomatoes

1 can Coconut Milk

a dash of Tabasco Sauce

a dash of Worcestershire Sauce

1/2 cup Currants or Raisins

Gather up all the ingredients and preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Finely chop the Onion and mince the Garlic cloves. Seed and dice the Red Peppers.

Season the Flour with Salt and Pepper and lightly coat Chicken with the mixture. Heat 3 tablespoons Butter in a skillet over medium heat, add chicken and lightly brown on all sides. Remove the chicken. 

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons Butter to the skillet and melt over medium heat. Add Onion, Garlic and Peppers and saute, stirring frequently until the Veggies are soft (5 to 7 minutes). Stir in the Curry Powder and cook 2 minutes longer. 

Place Veggies and Chicken in a casserole dish. Combine the Coconut Milk with Tabasco and Worcestershire Sauces, Currants and stewed Tomatoes. Add the Coconut Milk mixture to the Chicken and Veggies. Bake for 30 minutes.

Aunt Lola's Meatloaf

Years ago, Dear Abby published a Meat Loaf recipe that she billed as "the best."  Aunt Lola has got her recipe beat 9 ways to Sunday dinner. The secret is the topping. Try this recipe. It is simple and delicious. And you do not have to buy that expensive too salty onion soup mix to get flavor. 

Aunt Lola Lease's Meatloaf

Ingredients:

2/3 cup Bread Crumbs

1 cup liquid (milk, stock, or water)

1 and 1/2 pounds Ground Beef

1/4 cup chopped Onion

2 Eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon Salt

Topping Ingredients:

6 tablespoons Brown Sugar

2 teaspoons Dry Mustard

1/2 cup Catsup

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Beat the Eggs and then add the Liquid, Salt, Onions and Bread Crumbs. Mix a bit. Add the Meat. Mix again. Form into a loaf. Mix topping ingredients and spread over the meat. Bake for 45 minutes.

Note: I never make this with Milk. I use Stock or Water. I reduce the Brown Sugar to half. For best results mince onions finely.

Children like this a lot. And it slices well for Meat Loaf Sandwiches. Sure, you can add all sorts of embellishments like minced Green Pepper or a little Worcestershire Sauce in the Topping but why gild a Lily?