Picnic Series-The Last Leg, Installation 6

Post By: Guest Blogger, Kiersten Washle

        
          Who likes doing dishes? A show of hands? Though I cannot actually see you, reader, I am 99% positive you are not sitting at your computer raising your hand. I have literally only met two people in my life who like to do dishes, point being, when it comes to parties, no one volunteers to use their personal   cutlery and dinnerware. Why? Because no one in their right mind wants to throw a party, cook food and clean house in preparation for guests only to have to wash all those dishes as soon as the guests leave. Dishes for 20 could take more time than most are willing to spend. Thank goodness we live in a modern society, right? There is this fantastic new invention called disposable plastic ware! Go ahead, "oooh" and "ahhh", take it in. Now stop. I hope it was clear that the three previous statements were meant to be delivered with the utmost sarcasm.
         Of the aforementioned facts, a few of them do ring true- 1. No one enjoys dish washing, 2. We live in a modern society with lots of convenient tools available, 3. Plastic-ware does exist.
         Really though, it is time to get with the program, there is a way to avoid dishes without utilizing plastic whose destiny is to end up on a landfill. Your items need not be plastic, there is yet another option.  Along with the advent of plastic dining ware came another, a dining ware that was biodegradable. This is clearly the better option; it is readily available online and is about as inexpensive as the other options. Few people are aware of the the fact that biodegradable forks, knives, spoons and plates, bowls, and even cups are all out on the market. With either product, you can still escape the monotony of dish washing...
         This is the last segment about picnicking so we just thought we would end by reminding you that there are environmental options out there for almost everything you do. Please go out and enjoy your summer but do not forget that your choices have long term effect, making the environmentally friendly choice is not only good for you, it is good for the generations to come.

Here are links to websites where the products mentioned above are available:

• http://www.branchhome.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=7&products_id=181
• http://www.sustyparty.com/?gclid=COnwk8HUgLECFQHDtgod32ticg
• http://www.biocutleries.com/?gclid=CNaLpdLUgLECFWyHtgodvkPELQ
• http://www.smarter.com/se--qq-biodegradable%2Bdinnerware.html
• http://www.foodservicewarehouse.com/education/biodegradable-dinnerware/c5263.aspx

Picnic Series- Installation 2

Post By: Guest Blogger, Kiersten Washle

The last picnic post talked about mason jar meals and those little fellows are certainly yummy adorable, but what do you do if the contents of a mason jar just aren't enough to fill you up? This brings us to today's topic--- the side dish.

Robin is to Batman what the side dish is to any meal or picnic, a very important part of the team of course! We have concluded that side dishes are very important, but the side dish itself remains unannounced. After much intense deliberation we decided that the best side dish for a picnic would be a fresh fruit or vegetable.

After packing your meal, grab another mason jar and throw in some fresh fruit, succulent strawberries, sour or sweet apples, firm grapes, or a mixture of them all! Though it may sound cliche to say, the possibilities really are endless.

Never Deal with Apples that Look Like This Again

Since fruit was our recommendation, we have to admit that there can be problems. Problems like, "The Brown Apple Problem"-we have all faced it. Cutting apples can get messy, they are full of sweet, tart juice which unfortunately seems to ooze out as soon as you break the skin.  Due to this, it is great to go ahead and cut them ahead of  time, but then you have to deal with the unappetizing brown color that occurs as the apple oxidizes. This problem seems like impending doom, entirely unavoidable, however, it is avoidable! Fear no more!


Avoiding Brown Apples Tip 1:
Cut your apples into the shape you want, slices or bite sized chunks, and put them in your picnic ready mason jar. The trick to keep them from browning is to pour in a little bit of a lemon lime soda, Sprite or Mountain Dew, into the jar. You only need about a fourth of the jar filled, easy to find in your fridge. This will keep your apples the lovely creamy color of a crisp freshly cut apple.

Avoiding Brown Apples Tip 2:
Cut your apple into slices and then go into your office and grab a rubber band. Now treat the cut apple like a puzzle, put the pieces back together into the shape of the apple. (Picture Left) Place the rubber band around the middle of the apple, this will hold the apple together like it hasn't been cut. Doing this will keep your apple fresh; all you have to do for and easy treat is remove the rubber band.