Let's Explore Food As a Social Construct: Beginning the Conversation

Junipers Garden, Brandywine MD, Oasis in the Woods, June 2023.

Hey there! Let's chat about the social aspect of food. I often bring this up when seeking funding for community engagement events at the museums and galleries I'm involved with.

 According to research, sharing food fosters positive feelings such as trust, empathy, and camaraderie among individuals. This is because eating is a primal need that evokes feelings of safety and comfort. When shared with others, it reinforces the idea of social support and belongingness.

Moreover, food has always been important in social dynamics across cultures. Meals are often used as opportunities for bonding among family members, friends, or colleagues. Food brings people together and creates a sense of belonging within a community.

Food rituals have existed for centuries, from ancient religious feasts to family dinners. They are about satisfying hunger, sharing experiences, and creating memories with others.

https://bowlsunset.com/unpacking-the-significance-of-food-rituals/

Closing of the Mess Hall in Rogers Park, Chicago, IL, with the International Art Group. Created a series of salons and gatherings around food to showcase artists' projects and have across-the-table conversations. 2010

 "A La Blanc" White Party, Bronzeville @ 43rd and Indiana in Chicago IL. Transforming alleyways into family-friendly community engagement. This party began during COVID-19, and five years later, the neighbors are still coming together as placekeepers and using the concept of food as a social construct. 2024

Flavor Your Water at the End of the Day its Refreshing

@ The Yummy Life.com 

"Great for entertaining! Flavored waters are very popular now, as more people are avoiding soda and juice. Make a variety of flavored waters to offer at your next party. Look how gorgeous they are! Refreshing, healthy, inexpensive, and beautiful. Plus you can make and refrigerate them well in advance of the party."

At the end of the day, regular old tap water- or a filtered version- is the way to go. I'm fortunate that Chicago is considered to have some of the best-tasting tap water in the U.S. I still prefer the taste of it filtered through a Brita Water Filter Pitcher--we've been using one for years. But I still need to drink more Water. 

Aside from my morning coffee, I need to remember to drink fluids throughout the day, even though I know it's essential for my health. I don't dislike Water, but I get bored with it. That was the motivation for starting to make flavored waters.

Subtle flavor without sweetness

These aren't sweet waters, so they'll be disappointing if that's what you expect. This is Water with subtle flavors infused into it. Water with a little something extra. A touch of flavor--not an explosion of flavor--with little or no sweetness. You've probably had pitchers of ice water with lemon served at restaurants. This is the same idea but with more variety. Many spas serve fancy waters like these, and it turns out that they couldn't be simpler to make. And they are oh-so-refreshing.

Supplies Needed:

• Fruit—whatever kind you like (except bananas); make sure it's good and ripe for maximum sweetness and flavor. You want to use all types of citrus and berries. I also found pineapple and watermelon to work well for flavoring Water. Any grocery stores sell small containers of pre-cut fruit if you want to avoid buying whole ones.
• Herbs are optional, but many herbs are a surprising complement to fruit flavors; almost any herb will work, depending on your preference. 
• Jars or pitchers -- I use 2-quart mason jars primarily, but any 2-quart pitcher will do.
• Fruit infusion pitcher—I recently purchased one of these. It's another option if you make infused waters regularly; it's an effortless, tidy way to strain fruit from a WaWaterFruit infusion water bottle. I love using this as a portable, on-the-go option.
• A muddler or wooden spoon is used for mashing fruit and herbs.
• Water -- I use filtered WaWaterbut regular tap water is fine if yours tastes good to you 

Fresh vs. frozen fruit. When in season, I prefer to use fresh fruit. However, the fresh version can be tart or flavorless when the fruit is out of season. Because fruit that is to be frozen is picked at the peak of ripeness, it is often the better option for the best flavor, sweetness, and nutrients. This is especially the case with berries and peaches.

A variety of fresh herbs. See whatever herbs you like or happen to have on hand. I picked all these from my herb garden and tried them in flavored waters. It's surprising how well they blend with most fruit flavors and amp up the refreshing factor of the WaWaterIt. It is the most obvious herb choice. I have also tried basil, rosemary, sage, thyme, lavender, and tarragon. They're all good.

I'll share some fruit and herb combos I've recently tried for flavoring. However, you can combine most fruits and herbs according to your favorite flavors and what you have in your fridge. I'll show you how to make five flavor combos. You can take it from there, creating endless flavor combos.

Quantities: My flavored water recipes all call for 2-quart jars or pitchers. However, I ran out of the 2-quart jars and used a few 1-quart jars, halving the recipe ingredients. Make sure to distinguish the different jar sizes. Making a full or half batch is easy, depending on your jar or pitcher size.

The first 2 waters are flavored with fruit only (no herbs)
WASH FRUIT THOROUGHLY! The citrus and berries must be clean to keep contaminants and bacteria from your water. The fruit isn't going to be peeled; I recommend organic fruit. 
1.  ll Citrus Flavored Water (adds refreshing tartness to water Slice 1 orange, 1 lime, and 1 lemon into rounds, then cut the rounds in half. Add to jar, press, and twist with a muddler or the handle of a wooden spoon. Dress enough to release some juices, but don't pulverize the fruit into pieces. Fill the jar with ice. our in watWater the top. tir it with the handle of a wooden spoon or a chopstick. Put a lid on it in the fridge and chill it. 

You can drink it immediately, but the flavor intensifies if made an hour or two ahead. It's even better the next day. Four hours later, straight from the fridge, the ice still hadn't melted entirely in mine. The ice at the top serves as a sieve to pour the water, getting fruit bits into your glass.
2. Raspberry Lime Flavored Water (beautiful color and mildly tart)—Quarter 2 limes; squeeze the juice into the jar with your hands, then throw in the squeezed lime quarters. Dd raspberries. Dress and twist with a muddler to release some juices (don't pulverize the fruit). Leave the jar with ice, then add watWater the top. Tir, cover and refrigerate.

The following 3 drinks of wastewater flavored with fruit and herb combos

3. pineapple Mint Flavored Water (a hint of minty sweetness). dd a sprig of mint to the jar--you can throw in the whole sprig or remove the leaves from the sprig if you prefer to have the mint swimming around and distributed in the jar. Muddle the mint- the goal is to bruise the leaves and release their flavor- but don't pulverize them into bits. Add pineapple pieces, press them, and twist them with the muddler to release juices. Add ice to the top and then cover it with water and refrigerate. 

4. Blackberry Sage Flavored Water (subtle, refreshing flavor). Add sage leaves to a jar and bruise with a muddler. Add blackberries; press and twist with the muddler to release their juices. Fill the jar with ice cubes, add Water to the top, stir, cover, and refrigerate.

5. Watermelon rosemary-flavored WateWatervely flavor combo). Add a sprig of rosemary to the jar and muddle gently (rosemary releases a strong flavor without much muddling). Add watermelon cubes; twist and press gently to release juices. Fill the jar with ice cubes, add Water to the top, stir, cover, and refrigerate.

Here's the Whole gang. It's hard to pick a favorite because they all have a different, distinctive flavor. All citrus and raspberry lime are both quite tart (and refreshing!), the watermelon rosemary and pineapple mint are the sweetest, and the blackberry sage has the mildest flavor (that may be because my out-of-season blackberries weren't very flavorful). Enjoyed all of these and love having a variety in my fridge. You can get creative and use this simple method to combine all kinds of fruits and herbs. 

How long will they keep? They can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days with a lid. It only takes a few minutes to make several varieties to keep on hand. No more boring water for me!

Pour a glass. If ice is still left in the jar (my ice lasts up to 24 hours in the fridge), it will filter out the fruit/herb bits as you pour Water into a glass. After the ice melts, if you don't want to drink fruit bits with the wastewater, use a small wire strainer to remove them as you pour them into your drinking glass. 

I use flip-top caps for easy, no-mess pouring. They filter out the fruit and ice as you pour.

Just pour and enjoy a refreshing glass of fruity wateWatereeten it up if you must. If you have a sweet tooth and find these flavored waters undrinkable without some sweetener, go ahead and stir in some simple sugar syrup, honey, agave syrup, or whatever sweetener you prefer. A teaspoon of sugar only has 15 calories, so go ahead and add one to your glass. Even though a single can of soda or juice has the equivalent of 10 teaspoons of sugar, you are still way better off drinking slightly sweet Water. If you are hooked on sweet-tasting drinks and want to reduce or eliminate sugar or artificial sweeteners, you may need to wean yourself gradually. Unsweetened beverages are an acquired taste. Prefer them now, but it took me a while to get there.

Award Winning Rib Rub for Baby Back Ribs

Award Winning Rib Rub for Baby Back Ribs

The secret recipe!

PREP TIME 5 minutes mins

COOK TIME 5 minutes mins

TOTAL TIME 10 minutes mins 

COURSE Dry Rub CUISINE American CALORIES10 kcal

INGREDIENTS

3/4 c Paprika

1/4 c Granulated Garlic

2 tbsp. Chili Powder

2 tbsp. Salt

1 tbsp. Cayenne

1 tbsp. Cumin

1 tbsp. Black Pepper

2 tsp. Oregano

2 tsp. Onion Powder

1 tsp. Thyme

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Apply rub liberally to your baby's back ribs.

Use this rub or either baby back ribs or St Louis-style spare ribs. Apply just enough rub that you can still see some of the meat, pat it into the ribs, and let it stand for at least 30 minutes before placing the ribs in your smoker.

How Long Should the Rub Be on the Baby Back Ribs Before Cooking?

I like to let the rub sit on the meat for at least 30 minutes and up to an hour before the ribs go on the smoker. That is about how long it takes for the salt to draw moisture out of the meat and turn the remaining ingredients into a paste that looks like it is melting into the meat.

Some people like to prep ribs the day before cooking them and let the rub sit on the meat overnight. While there is nothing wrong with letting the rub sit overnight, I have not found that the extended time provides any meaningful benefit.

What Do You Use to Get the Rub to Stick to the Ribs?

You have several options for getting the rub to stick to the ribs.

The first option is to take your time. Sprinkle the rub onto the meat side of the ribs and wait 30 minutes for the rub to melt into the meat before flipping them over and applying the seasoning to the bone side.

You could also use a binder to help the rub adhere. Standard binders include a thin layer of olive oil, yellow mustard, or mayonnaise.

The flavor of the binder does not come through in the finished ribs.

This is a Dry Rub for "Low" and Slow" Ri" s

This rub has two types of sugar, so it should only be used if you cook your ribs at a low temperature.

If you try using this rub for high-heat grilling, the sugars will scorch, and the ribs will come out dark and bitter…and nobody has time for that!

I'm begging you, please don't your ribs.

There are MUCH better ways to get the tenderness you're looking for in a rack of ribs. The method I'm using will also allow you to infuse flavor into your ribs, which boiling does not. I have spent a lot of time researching and practicing ribs. I could write pages about all the details, but for now, I'll stick to the basics of what you need to know to make championship ribs.

Set up your grill for indirect heating (or use your smoker) and remove some fruitwood.

The first step to making a good rib is peeling the membrane off the back. This thin, skin-like covering on the bone side of the ribs prevents flavor from entering. You can ask your butcher to remove it. If you're doing it yourself, use a paper towel and pull it from one end to the other. Once you get it started, it comes off easily.

Let the ribs set, and let that rub soak in marinate for 30 – 60 minutes.

Place the ribs on your grill, far away from heat. Smokers are convenient because they allow you to get great smoke into your ribs without the fear of scalding them. You can still make it work on your grill—just be careful. Keep the temperature in the 225 range. If grilling at high temperatures is your only option, check out this Hot and Fast Baby Back Rib recipe.

We use a variation of the 3-2-1 method for our ribs. Smoke-Wrap-Baste.  The variation is all up to you. How much smoke do you want –  a lot? Then stick to 3 hours. Then 1 hour is plenty. The answer lies in the 1 – 3 hour range, and it's up to your distaste buds to decide.

The next step is to wrap. Easy – just individually wrap them in heavy-duty aluminum foil.

Similar to the first step, the timing is all up to you. I have found wrapping takes at least an hour, usually at most two hours. It's all about getting them to the perfect tenderness—not falling off the bone. If you wanted that, you could have thrown them in a crockpot. Anyone can make them fall off. Your guests will drool with jealousy and amazement when they pull clean from the bone when you take a bite.

The last step is to glaze. If your sauce smears, don't take it easy on your ribs. You don't want to rub it off.

I would like to bring some heat back, so I'll use a spicy sauce here, but it's your preference. I use a spicier sauce and then drizzle a bit of dark brown sugar to balance the flavors. But then again, I really like sugar. And like the other steps, the time is up to you. The longer you leave them on this step, the more firm the sauce will become. 

 If you wish to use the traditional dry Memphis style, skip this step!

VINTAGE Deviled Egg Platter w/ Salt & Pepper Shakers Set Japan

  I was thrift store shopping this weekend with Suzetta Withtaker and my granddaughter found this darling vintage deviled egg platter. Of course, I had to make some deviled eggs to accompany it today. 

I already had some pickled, boiled eggs in the fridge from Easter weekend. I cut the eggs in half, removed the yolk, mashed the egg yolk, added mustard, mayo, and spicy mayo. I topped it with black olives and a shake of paprika. 

LATEST NEWS   The Benefit Shop Foundation Inc.

Egg-actually the Right Time for Collectible Deviled Eggs Platters 

This is the time of year that many pull out a plate they haven’t seen for a year — the deviled egg platter, or egg plate, with its perfect oval indentations. Deviling is a term for mixing hot spices into foods. Serving deviled eggs is common during the Easter season. The deviled egg first became a popular snack for drinks during the 1930s. Hundreds of deviled glass or china egg plates were made to showcase the appetizer. 

American egg plates can be found in many Depression glass patterns. Duncan & Miller Glass Company is considered the earliest version of the Early American Sandwich pattern. Imperial, Heisey, Spode, Lenox, Anchor Hocking, Fenton, Fire King, Fostoria, Hazel Atlas, Indiana, Jeannette, and Pyrex are just a few of the other well-known glass makers who make egg platters. During the 1950s and 1960s, many china patterns included a deviled egg plate, and the egg plate’s popularity peaked in the 1950s. 

Today, you can find deviled egg platters in thrift stores, flea markets, and other online vintage sellers. Or you can just check your mother or grandmother’s china cabinet!  

Here are some collectible platters for those who love the cooked egg yolk, mustard, and mayonnaise mixture topped with paprika and put back into a half egg-white “shell.” 

Fireworks Firestarters Firecider

I think I found my people, Fireciders... Oh I dance and sing, making these 

Ok, so... Here are 9 recipes... Most importantly, add, subtract, and just have fun... It's your journey!!

Does anyone want some recipes...... I name mine because.. why not...

The Massive Remedy:

2 cinnamon sticks, 1 tsp cloves, 1 tbsp black peppercorns, 1-star anise, 2 large pinches of fresh sliced Ginger, 1 large pinch of freshly sliced turmeric, 1/2 handful of fresh cranberries, 1/2 handful of blueberries, 1/4 cup of raw beets sliced, 1/4 cup garlic cloves, 1/4 cup fresh garlic cloves, 1/4 cup Fresh sliced Anaheim pepper, 4 slices of red onion, 4 slices of the each of the following lemon & lime & apple & orange, topped well with fresh cut Rosemary that I had to push in there, 1/2 cup 100% pure uncooked honey and finally Apple cider vinegar with the mother.

Herbal:

2 cinnamon sticks, 1/2 tbsp of black peppercorns, a large pinch of fresh sliced Ginger, just a pinch of freshly cut turmeric, 1-star anise, 1/2 handful of both blueberries and raw cranberries, 1/4 cup fresh sliced beets, 1/4 cup garlic cloves, 1/8 cup fresh sliced Anaheim pepper, 2 slices of red onion, 4 slices of apple & lemon & lime & oranges, fresh cut Rosemary on top, 1/2 cup os 100% pure uncooked raw honey, and finally Apple cider vinegar with the mother

The Fruit One:

3 cinnamon sticks, a decent pinch of cloves, 1-star anise, 1 pinch of fresh sliced Ginger, 1/4 pinch freshly sliced turmeric, a large handful of raw cleaned cranberries, a large handful of fresh blueberries, 5 slices each of apple & lemon & orange & lime, few sprigs of new cut Rosemary, 1/2 cup raw 100% pure uncooked honey, and finally Apple cider vinegar with the mother.

Vitamin C:

It was late with these two; they were last, so the measurements could have been written down... I had all this leftover stuff, so I decided to build it:

1 tbsp black peppercorns, cinnamon, 1/4 cup fresh Ginger, a little less than 1/8 cup of freshly sliced turmeric, a handful of cranberries, 1/4 cup Anaheim pepper, 7 garlic cloves, 5 slices red onion, 1/8 cup fresh beets, around 6 slices of lemons & 7 slices of oranges, 2 lime slices that were left, lots of new cuts Rosemary, 1/2 cup 100% pure uncooked honey, and Apple cider vinegar with the mother

Tropical infusion:

2 cinnamon sticks, 3-star anise, 1 tbsp whole cloves, 1 tbsp mint, 4 garlic cloves, 1 handful quartered pineapple slices, 4 lime slices, 5 orange slices, 6 lemon slices, 3  apple slices, 3 more quartered pineapple slices, 1/8 cup cranberries, 1/8 cup blueberries, 1/2 cup raw, unfiltered honey, top with apple cider vinegar with the mother and cheesecloth the top. Then, close your jar.

Herbal Dream: (note- I had fresh roots)

1 cinnamon stick, 3-star anise, 2 tbsp whole black peppercorns, 1 large pinch whole cloves, 1 pinch fresh sliced beets, 6 garlic cloves, 1/8 cup Anaheim peppers, 1 large pinch of diced fresh mullein, 1 tbsp burdock root, 2 tbsp fresh sliced Ginger, 1 heaping fresh sliced turmeric, 2 tbsp freshly sliced horseradish root, 1 pinch cilantro, 2 slices red onion, 2 slices apple, 3 slices lime, 4 slices lemon, 3 slices orange, 1/8 cup cranberries, 1/8 cup blueberries, top with fresh cut Rosemary, 1/2 cup ra,w unfiltered honey, and then fill the rest with apple cider vinegar with the mother and cheesecloth the top. Then, close your jar.

Healer's Remedy:

1 cinnamon stick, 5-star anise, 1 tbsp whole cloves, 2 tbsp whole black peppercorns, 1 pinch cayenne pepper, 2 radish slices, 2 pinches of fresh sliced beets, 6 garlic cloves, 1/2 cup Anaheim peppers, 1 large pinch of fresh cut mullein, 1 tbsp burdock root, 2 tbsp fresh sliced Ginger, 1 heaping tbsp freshly sliced turmeric, 1 pinch freshly sliced horseradish root, 2 slices red onion, 2 slices apple, 3 slices lime, 4 slices lemon, 3 slices orange, 1/8 cup cranberries, 1/8 cup blueberries, fresh Rosemary, 1/2 cup raw unfiltered honey, and then fill the rest with apple cider vinegar with the mother and cheesecloth the top. Then, close your jar.

Super Fire:

1 cinnamon stick, 3-star anise, 3 tbsp black peppercorns, 1 tbsp cayenne pepper, 2 LG pinches of fresh sliced beets, 6 garlic cloves, 1 handful of fresh sliced jalapenos, 2 tbsp fresh sliced Ginger, 1 heaping tbsp freshly sliced turmeric, 2 tbsp newly sliced horseradish, 1/8 cup cilantro, 3 slices red onion, 2  apple slices, 4 lime slices, 3 slices lemon, 1/8 cup cranberries, fresh Rosemary, 1/2 cup raw, unfiltered honey, and then fill the rest with apple cider vinegar with the mother and cheesecloth the top. Then, close your jar.

4 tbsp freshly sliced horseradish, 4 tablespoons fresh cut mullein, 9 slices jalapeno, 7 slices fresh quartered pineapple slices, 1 pinch fresh sliced Ginger, 1/8 cup cilantro, 1 pinch freshly sliced turmeric, 7 garlic cloves, 5 slices oranges, 1 tbsp black peppercorns, 1/8 cup cranberries, 1/8 cup blueberries, Rosemary, 1/2 cup raw, unfiltered honey, and then fill the rest with apple cider vinegar with the mother and cheesecloth the top. Then, close your jar.

#1 What are they- fire ciders...

#2 What do they do- Immune system booster (short answer)? Yes, as they have medicinal value... I looked up everything and read books... The internet has all the answers, too...several studies have shown that the tonic helps the body balance blood sugar levels and reduce inflammation... helps relieve nasal congestion, supports digestion, warms the body during cold seasons, boosts immunity, helps the body balance blood sugar levels and reduce inflammation.

#3 Why are there so many kinds, and what is each for? Because they are fun. Some people like fruity versions, others like the spicy ones. Herbal ones are great when you're sick, and vitamin C is also good.

#4 Do you have to boil them, ferment them, etc... - DO NOT BOIL THEM; just make them and keep them in an excellent, dark space

#5 How long do they sit - mine are sitting 6wks, then I will strain them

#6 How long do they last - after straining, put the juice in a jar in the fridge for up to 6 months... Thanks the remaining ingredients and mash through a strainer and pour through a cheesecloth and then use that juice to add to your apple cider vinegar with the mother to start a new batch

#7 How much do you take? It's up to you!!! If you're new, start with a tbsp and then a tablespoon of honey afterward... Work up to a shot a day.

#8 What's apple cider vinegar with the mother - Apple Cider Vinegar with Mother is the purest form of Apple Cider Vinegar you can get. It has yet to be fussed with; it is unrefined, unfiltered, and 100% natural- YES, IT HAS TO BE THIS KIND.

#8 How much apple cider vinegar with the mother do you use- I have put all the recipes in the post... Starting from the bottom to the top. So, in the end, fill your jar up, leave about a half inch, and add cheesecloth as a barrier between the metal lid and your ingredients.

#9 What do I do with it- leave it in a cool place for 6 weeks and shake it daily... You should add more apple cider vinegar.

#10 What size jars- I bought 32oz jars... But I've seen folks Clean and recycle their jars at home. It's a beautiful way to keep Mother Earth clean!! I'll be reusing my jars!!!!

For #11, do I mix it with water? No!!!!

#12 Which is best for inflammation - it depends on what kind of inflammation you have... If it's the esophagus, that's trial and error. Because apple cider vinegar is bitter, all be, and we're adding vital ingredients...

But it helps the body balance blood sugar levels and reduce inflammation.

#13 What's best for kids- well, my boyfriend hates apple cider vinegar, so I made the tropical one with pineapple and fruit .. that's his go-to... Make a really fruity one.

#14 Do you always add honey? No, but I did this. I'm just getting started on making a plethora more and more...

#15 Can I use store-bought prepared horseradish - no, it has so many preservatives... However, someone found one that did not!! That was a rare find because it'll make you cry

#16 How do you store your roots- freezer... Lol, you can store your Ginger, your horseradish, and your turmeric in the freezer. That way, it keeps.

#17 Does it need to sit on the counter or in the fridge - it depends on your climate... Currently, it's cold in my area!! So, mine is on the old freezer top .... And it gets shaken every day... Now, come this summer, it will get boiling here, and it will be in the fridge...

#18 Do I have to follow the recipes - NO!!! Have fun. Make it your journey to find what you like, and it's your creation 

#19 Why do you have so many recipes - why not... I do not have a fire cider recipe book, but I understand it exists... They have hundreds of recipes... I wanted to find ways to help friends and family and started this ...ney... Along with healing my body,!!!

I have autoimmune issues, and I'm tired of medication that doesn't work... So I took it to the kitchen... Our ancestors did this... My doctor says I'm doing more suitable for my body with these than they can... I can't hardly eat anything...My body aches in pain, but I'll find something for them, too! I'm working on a rosemary beeswax salve, and I go out in the forest and forage for mushrooms, herbs, and anything else to learn.

Please have fun making them either on your own or with friends... Put some music on and create to your heart's content.

Edited and reposted via a Facebook posting to share