RV Eatin'

Dinner with Moira and Friends Downtown

2008-11-24T13:06:00.000-08:00

An eventful evening began with the prime parking spot downtown in PPG Plaza right next to the Ice Skating Rink. Too good to be true? We were quickly swarmed by PPG security guards concerned that we were street vendors. Through discussion and deliberation the head security guard came to the conclusion that he simply did not like what we were doing, upright asking Dawn "Why do you have to do this?" Dawn's response, We're not devil worshipers, sir, we're just eating dinner!

The police were called, and we moved a block away to Market Square, where Pittsburgh's Food Not Bombs regularly distributes free food. We found a lovely spot, where one of the guards approved our being. However, the head security guard returned with two police officers, and we were told to move directly across the street into a metered parking space. Surrounding PPG Plaza, cars and other vehicles are regularly parked in spaces conspicuously marked with No Parking signs, but Pittsburgh police do not ticket cars on Sundays. However, they were ready to ticket us due to this man's complaints. Before embarking on more productive work, the police bore witness to the guard's egregious insult to his employee, whom he declared an idiot for speaking to us.
We did have a wonderful evening, though. And however many chastisements we receive, it is reassuring to find that we have 10-fold the compliments from passerby and participants.
Thank you to all for supporting us.

Dawn is truly a professional

A vegan, gluten/wheat free, nut free meal!
Kidney bean and spaghetti squash salad.
In between courses, we served marinated scarlet runner beans (several generations of beans saved by Claire each year, passed down from her mother) and a fresh aloe drink- slimy and full of antibiotic benefits.

Everybody pilled out of the trailer with their dishes in tow. They were incredibly sports.

Moving the trailer by hand across the street (approximately 25 feet)

Laura serves the soup, a combinations of tomato, potato, pumpkin, carrot.
Tomatoes were from the garden (preserved in the all natural Pittsburgh freezer) and from jars Claire had preserved this summer. Thank you to the pressure canner and cold weather, we are still able to eat our fresh homegrown foods!

Everyone managed to stay warm in the small space.

PodCast with Tom Totten on CookSpeak!

2008-11-14T11:58:00.000-08:00

Tom, a chef at a restaurant in Wexford, PA, contacted us to do a podcast with him on his weekly show COOKSPEAK!

"Out of the box Culinary Commentary by an experienced Cook who still loves the business in spite of itself. Weekly Features- Beef of the Week, Stunt Food, Annoying Culinary Terms, and Restaurant Workers Input."

link to podcast

scroll down, we are episode 36, 10/13/2008

Bob, Kathryn, Kim and Kids in Frick Park

2008-11-08T19:19:00.000-08:00

Bob graciously donated his celery that, incidentally, he forgot he had planted.
The last remaining hot peppers from Claire's garden.

Laura ground up the beef which we got from friend Ben Bigelow's parent's ranch in Montana.

Dawn educates Noah and Kyra on the ways of the server

A happy RV Eater

"This stuff rocks" Kyra Bingham on Laura's food

Kathryn and Bob brought wine and coffee which we made in their cool little italian mocha device!

Garrett and Friends in South Side

2008-10-26T08:20:00.000-07:00

10th Street Bridge

Fresh ImaGold Apples with Tomato Goat Cheese compote and Celery garnish

Curried Golumpki with Tomato and Coconut milk, Lemongrass Mashed Potatoes topped with roasted pumpkin seeds

Garret starts to carve the pumpkin

We managed to warm the trailer comfortably with candles and body heat

Obama pumpkin in Pittsburgh nightlight

John and Jeannette in Schenley Park

2008-10-20T12:56:00.000-07:00

Parked in Schenley Park, sweet Tomato-Apple Salad
Apples were picked from Simmon's Farm on Saturday. We're looking forward to home-pressed apple cider next weekend!

Laura picks chives from the trailer for garnish on the risotto

Making coasters on those old crafty children's weaving looms

John and Jeannette with finished potholders/ coasters

Andi and Steve Irwin and Friends

2008-10-13T16:39:00.000-07:00

October 11th landed us at the fishing wharf at Duck Hollow, a marvelous choice by Andi and Steve. We dined on the river with fishermen, and after dusk, watched Target and Giant Eagle glisten across the river at The Waterfront (260 acres of shopping complex and parking lot).

Dawn pouring her fiancé, Eddie's, "Baton Brown Ale"

Before we started the meal, we were presented with gifts: Obama gear!...note poster and apron pins

Roasted pepper with marinated red cabbage and chives

Tony, self expressed post digger, plumber, and bear hunter joined us in conversation, shared photos of camp on the Clarion river, and tried some of the curried tomato pumpkin.
Dawn, Laura, and Claire's mother Judy serve up the tomato soup.

Steve, of The Surreal McCoys, brought his accordion and played a variety of tunes while we all relaxed after dinner.

To cap off the night, one of the fisherman caught a large catfish!

Urban Christian Middle School

2008-10-13T16:16:00.000-07:00

We visited the Urban Christian Middle School's Urban Farming class in Wilkinsburg and made pizza. The students rolled out dough and got to make their own sauce. We talked about many things, including where cheese comes from, the consequences of natural disasters on farms, and how to make compost!

Nida and Dan on Mount Washington

2008-10-13T14:03:00.001-07:00

Picking up Nida and Dan at the base of the incline...

Swiss Chard and Meyer Lemon, zucchini pasta with tomato fennel sauce

Poached pear with candied Nasturium atop Ice Cream from Bella Vista Risorante Italiano
Owner, Rosetta Eichert, came to speak with us after we approached the restaurant asking them to uncork our wine. She was so interested in our project that she generously offered us ice cream and wine glasses. Thank you, Rosetta!

Article in Pittsburgh Post Gazette

2008-10-07T12:32:00.001-07:00

An article about us was published in the Post Gazette on September 25th.
Thank you to Moriah Balingit(writer) and Rebecca Droke(photographer) for coming out with us!

Dinner with Allen Benson in Lawrenceville

2008-10-07T11:59:00.000-07:00

Harvesting Lemon Mint, Trailer on the Go

Potomatorn Mash

Basil and Pear Rice Pudding with Lemongrass Tea

two passerby inquire over tailgating

Allen's generous gift of beautiful silver prints

RV visits Mammoth Park for Dinner

2008-09-15T16:03:00.001-07:00

Our first reservation... Kelly Rabenstein and family

Dawn serves roast pumpkin

Peach Flambe with Cream

RV Eatin' with Claire's sister Maddie

Images from Allen Benson

2008-09-08T09:02:00.000-07:00

Laura, Claire and Dawn. 2008, gelatin silver print 10.5 x 10.5 in. (26.67 cm x 26.67 cm).
RV Eatin' series. © 2008 by Allen C. Benson. From the collection of the photographer.

We met Allen on our first day out with the trailer. Here are some lovely black and whites photos he took of us.
http://www.star-host.com/Hyperion/RVEatin/RVEatin.html

You can see the rest of his site here which includes extensive photography and publications, as well as documentation of his three years back-to-the-land experience raising chickens, gardening, building cabins, and designing a gravity-flow water system.

Park Place Arts Center

2008-08-17T09:35:00.000-07:00

Our second event took place at the Park Place Arts Center. A great event, three bands played inside, along with sculpture and sound installations. Down the street at Drawn in Cafe was an opening for Homewood artist Emory Biko.

Roasted acorn squash and pumpkins with honey and
Zucchini/ yellow squash slaw with mint, peppermint, and spearmint

Public Engagement

2008-08-11T09:55:00.000-07:00

Art that lives and breathes, we are reminded, does not end with the artists' contribution. Though much work was done in a week's time, there's much left to do. Our renovations to the trailer, as well as our idea of what it could become, are contingent upon the public that we wish to engage. Yesterday in the Strip District was yet another step in a series of many that will create RV Eatin'.

Strip District: 1st Day on the Town

2008-08-09T11:19:00.000-07:00

A great success! Not only did we get at least 3 definite reservations, but many people doing their morning shopping showed interest in our project.... including Allen, a former librarian and student of information sciences, who has started to document our progress. Thank you to all who stopped by.

Dawn, Laura, and Claire

Reservations, anyone?

Almost all of our ingredients are home grown and made, including the sea salt that Laura collected in Greece, and the red wine vinegar that Claire makes from her cousin's vinegar mother.

Spicy Lemon Grass Salad and Zucchini Squash Combo

For Harvest

2008-07-04T16:46:00.000-07:00

Broccoli, Dill, Squash, Beans

Brown Eyed Susans, Cleomes, Milkweed, Yarrow, Wild Sweet William, Tomatoes

Eggplant, Peppers, Lemon Basil, Beans, Yellow and Acorn Squash

Tomato, Basil, Chamomile

The Garden

2008-07-04T15:11:00.001-07:00

The Trailer

2008-07-04T14:34:00.001-07:00