Food for Radicals

Qwizen have launched a handy new service to help Burners streamline their radical self reliance so they have more time and energy for immediacy. They will pre-make organic meals for Burners “anywhere” in California or Reno, and deliver them to you before you leave for the Playa. The vacuum-sealed meals can be stored in a cooler with ice or an RV fridge:

qwizenwe have just launched an organic fresh food, snack and juice distribution platform to accommodate burners who can order fresh-packed meals, energy bars and refreshments and have them delivered in a refrigerated box to their home/office ready to be loaded into their car or RV before heading to BRC.

The meals look yummy. Gluten free and vegan options are available.

QWIZEN offers a new approach to the fresh food delivery market by combining top quality organic ingredients sourced from local farmers, creative recipes prepared by talented Chefs and vacuum sealing technology for your convenience, health and delight.

Shop — Qwizen

Originating from the association of a French foodie and an American Chef, QWIZEN delivers to your door (in all of California & Reno area in Nevada) ready-to-eat fresh-packed flavorful organic meals you can enjoy right away or within eight days during which you simply need to store them in your fridge or cooler. During the eight-day period you can also decide to freeze those meals to consume them at a much later date.

qwizen gate

Because QWIZEN fresh organic meals are vacuum sealed you can easily transport them as long as they stay refrigerated or kept on ice. They are the perfect solution for any week end getaways, vacation rentals, festivals or for your next camping trip.

We naturally thought that Burning Man with its 65,000 worldwide campers would be a great way to introduce our concept and fresh organic meals.

In addition to organic meals we have partnered with Project Juice, Pacific Northwest Kale Chips, Alive & Radiant and Alter Eco to provide you with organic cold-pressed juices and organic snacks you will be able to enjoy in the Playa.

QWIZEN can be defined by:

organic, sustainable & local sourcing
environmental & social responsibility throughout the supply chain
– original recipes
transparency
– convenience
– flavor, flavor & flavor!

At QWIZEN we take pride in the quality of the products we use, to bring to you highly creative meals that capture the freshest seasonal ingredients sourced from local farmers engaging in sustainable and organic practices.

We always privilege local sourcing over imports but when we need exotic components for our menu creation we exclusively work with fair trade suppliers, like Alter Eco for our Royal Rainbow Quinoa which is produced in the Bolivian Altiplano by local organic growers…

We are starting our adventure in providing gourmet signature meals, Project Juice cold-pressed refreshments, Alter Eco chocolate bars & truffles, Pacific Northwest Kale Chips and Alive & Radiant snacks to “burners” around the festival dates (from Friday August 22nd through Thursday August 28th, 2014) in all of California and Reno area in Nevada.

But QWIZEN won’t stop with the Man burning… on the contrary our full-fledged operations will actually begin after the dismantlement of Black Rock City and offer not only additional products but also new services.

So stay tuned, leave no trace and get ready to repeat good habits…

Bringing Burning Man to Berkeley

There is a free event tomorrow in Berkeley, to promote Burning Man culture. The CEO of the Downtown Berkeley Association, John Caner, teamed up with some independent Burners who wanted to see more Burner art in the East Bay. They decided to throw a community-building event in the spirit of the festival.

The second annual Berkeley Spark will happen in Civic Center Park (Martin Luther King Jr. Way between Center Street and Allston Way) this Saturday, July 19. 11 a.m.-9 p.m.

From East Bay Express:

If you ask someone who has been to Burning Man to explain it, they’ll often say that you can’t fully understand the magnificence of the experience until you go. But for those who aren’t up for the trek (or the dust), there’s now a way to grasp the event without leaving the safety of the Berkeley bubble: Berkeley Spark.

John Caner, CEO, Downtown Berkeley Association

John Caner

The idea for Berkeley Spark came about partly through the organizing efforts of Downtown Berkeley Association CEO John Caner, who hadn’t attended Burning Man until last year. In October 2012, Caner was walking past Revival Bar + Kitchen after Berkeley’s Sunday Streets festival when owner — and burner — Amy Murray asked him to meet some fellow burners who were discussing how to bring Burning Man art downtown. Eventually, the group realized that instead of merely bringing the art of Burning Man to Berkeley, they could go a step further and create a community-building event in the spirit of the festival.

spark festival berkeleyKat Parkin, who has been attending Burning Man for six years, had recently moved back to the East Bay after 25 years away and decided to take the lead on organizing the event as a way to re-immerse herself in her surroundings. “I’ve been gone a long time, and what better way to get to know my community than by throwing a party?” she said.

berekely mapDescribed as a “community-driven art, innovation, science, and technology festival,” the second annual Berkeley Spark will happen in Civic Center Park (Martin Luther King Jr. Way between Center Street and Allston Way) this Saturday. It will feature a market with items that those going to Burning Man may need on the playa, interactive art sculptures, Burning Man theme camps, workshops, food, a beer and wine garden, and a hip-hop open mic, a musical performance by Laura Inserra from the multidisciplinary performing art and music organization Samavesha.


While the festival does offer resources for those preparing for a trip to the playa in August, organizers emphasized that the event is intended for the whole community. “It’s really a fun festival that isn’t just about Burning Man,” said Caner. “It’s about igniting creativity.”

Michael Caplan, City of Berkeley

Michael Caplan

The organizers also hope that the event draws more people to the downtown Berkeley area and highlights its cultural and commercial revitalization. To that end, the City of Berkeley sponsored the event last year and is doing so again this year. “We’re the first city to put money into a Burning-Man-related project,” said Michael Caplan, Berkeley’s economic development manager. Caplan’s hope is that the tech innovation corridor — a new feature of the festival where attendees can meet with local designers, hackers, and innovators — will help generate enthusiasm for Berkeley’s emerging start-up and maker scene. “Bringing several thousand people who are interested in Burning Man to come and experience downtown — that’s a good thing,” he said.

Despite the City of Oakland putting money into the event – the first city to do so with a Burning Man related project – BMOrg have been uncharacteristically quiet on this. It seems to perfectly fit the mission of the Burning Man Project to facilitate and extend Burner culture, so what gives, BMOrg? No keynote panel opportunities for your directors? Or still feeling “burned” from when the East Bay community didn’t like you claiming all the credit for the Peralta Junction project?

 

What Kunz Permits

dustcitydiner-ana-grillo560 (1)Today’s edition of the Jackedrabbit Tweaks brings us some more rules for the party. Remember in the past, how you might be handed a grilled cheese sandwich by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, or enjoy some French toast airlifted in on a vulture capitalist’s private plane? Have you ever been in a camp, and been offered some water from a jug, a cup of coffee, or some ice from an RV’s ice maker?

Well, those things are still possible – as long as the money is paid in advance, and the paperwork is in order. Jawohl, mein kommandant!
burning cookieIf you plan on handing out non-alcoholic drinks or ice to anyone, you’ll need a permit. If you plan on cooking for more than 125 people in your camp, or even one person who is not in your camp, you’ll need a permit. If any of your food is prepared off the Playa, it needs to be done in a permitted establishment – you absolutely cannot do any food preparation at home. You will also need to explain how you will be controlling the temperature of the food on its long journey to the remote Playa.

To get a permit, you’ll have to pay $50 (check or money order only, no credit cards), and provide the gubmint with the entire menu you will be offering (including beverages), and what times you will be serving it. Yes, even for ice. You will also need a plan for managing waste water (hint: you can’t dump it on the Playa, or down the port-a-potties), and all other forms of waste. Any water you use for washing or rinsing has to be changed out every 2 hours.

The government inspectors will come to test how sanitary your conditions are, and you will need to provide the testing strips for them.

You will have to apply in writing by August 15, or in person at Carson City by August 22. Then you will need to go to Playa Info at Center Camp to collect your permit, before setting up any of your food serving area. From JRS:

they need to be received at Ellen Kunz’s office in Winnemucca no later than one week before the event – August 15, 2014.

Don’t wait until the last minute. It would be a shame to have to cancel your plans, or even risk being closed at the event. The mailing address is  NSHD – PHCS 475 West Haskell Street Suite 38, Winnemucca, NV 89445.

In Person: No later than THURSDAY AUGUST 22. 4150 Technology Way Suite 100, Carson City, NV. Phone: (775) 687-7550 or 475 West Haskell Street Suite 38 Winnemucca, NV.  Phone (775) 623-6588.

On the application, the event coordinator is ‘Burning Man‘. Leave the location blank, unless you know what street and intersection you be at during the event. After mailing the application and $50 USD payment, you must come and pick up your permit at Playa Info in Center Camp from Sunday August 24 through Saturday August 30 (specific hours to be determined and announced)

car cookingNo sushi, no cold cuts. No home made ice creams, cookies, or soups. No water or juice dispensers. You wanna give someone a coffee? It better be black.

If the food is hot, it has to be above 135º, and if it’s cold, below 41°. Utensils, cups, coolers and any other storage containers must be at least 6″ off the ground. Any buckets need to be changed every 2 hours. Food handlers need to be adequately clothed.

Here’s what you CAN serve without a permit:

  • Alcoholic beverages (to people 21 and over)
  • Foods that are commercially prepackaged and served unopened in single serve size packaging not requiring refrigeration. Examples of these foods include unopened packages of candy, single serve sized bags of chips, pretzels, snack bars, cookies, nuts, cans of soda, bottled water
  • Whole uncut fruit 
  • Coffee, tea, or hot chocolate prepared and served without any milk or dairy; using only powdered non-dairy creamer or ultra-pasteurized dairy creamer in individual servings
  • Commercially prepared acidic beverages such as orange juice or lemonade that are served from the original container without the addition of ice or other foods
  • Commercially prepared, prepackaged and unopened individual ice cream bars or containers
  • Cotton candy
  • Popcorn

If you’re looking for uncut fruit, try Comfort and Joy!

Here are some items that MUST have a permit:

  • watermelonFoods that require time/temperature control for safety, such as all meats and animal products 
  • Dairy products
  • Any food not individually wrapped or portioned that is handled by others.
  • Any cut fruits or vegetables served in pieces or juiced.
  • Coffee and teas if you are offering milk, dairy or soy as part of your service

 

And here are some absolute no-no’s:

  • b11food7676Do not scoop ice with bare hands or glasses or cups and do not allow your camp mates to, either.
  • Foods from unapproved sources. Hunted meat or game animals, non-commercially caught fish, and gathered foods such as wild mushrooms may not be served. (You may only serve food obtained from permitted food establishments such as grocery stores and restaurants.)
  • Previously prepared homemade foods including home canned foods. No foods for public consumption may be prepared in a private home. Foods must be prepared on-site or be prepared in a permitted commercial establishment.
  • Unpasteurized milk or milk products or unpasteurized juices.
  • raw or undercooked animal products unless prior approval from NDPBH is received and a consumer advisory is in place. Live or frozen shellfish (oysters, clams, mussels and scallops) may not be served raw or under cooked under any circumstances.
  • If you wish to use shellfish as an ingredient it must be pre-cooked by the manufacturer.
  • pancakesNo undercooked foods containing eggs
  • Any food that has undergone reduced oxygen packaging, such as vacuum sealing or sous-vide preparations.
  • food service volunteers may not eat, smoke or care for small children while they are working in the camp kitchen.
  • Beverage consumption by food handlers is only allowed from a closed container.
  • No cloth towels may be used to dry hands. They harbor and spread germs.
  • Minimize the amount of food preparation in your camp. Examples include using pre-formed hamburger patties and pre-cut and pre-washed vegetables. [of course, you can’t form the patties or cut and wash the vegetables at home. You will have to get access to a licensed establishment for prep]
  • Store and keep raw animal foods separate from ready-to-eat foods.
  • Store different species of raw animal products separately. If stored in the same cooler, use separate, sealed containers and store properly by placing raw chicken which has the highest required cooking temperature on the bottom

You will need to provide the following:

  • menu of all items including beverages
  • serving times
  • where did you purchase the food
  • where was the food prepared
  • how was the temperature of the food controlled
  • list all equipment used to hold, prepare, or serve food, including serving utensils, cups, coolers, grills, “etc.”
  • oreo cookiehandwashing station
  • stem thermometer
  • sanitizer (bleach)
  • 3 waste water buckets
  • serving utensils
  • tables (food prep)
  • soap (dishwashing, hand)
  • cooling unit(s)
  • gloves
  • paper towels (hand drying)
  • 3 dishwashing basins
  • wiping bucket (for sanitizing surfaces)
  • spray bottle and paper towels
  • SANITIZER TEST STRIPS (NDPBH WILL NOT PROVIDE THESE)

If all those rules don’t put you off, you can find the 4-page permit application here, and the self-inspection checklist here.