Food, food culture, food as culture and the cultures that grow our food

The amazing
Sprout (loves) Ikebana
contest

January 10, 2007

Debra Solomon's Amazing Sprout Ikebana Contest (Grow Yer Own Dang Food micro-green cuisine restaurant at the Mediamatic Night Garden Nov 4, 2006 - Jan 7, 2007
Choreographer Martin Butler’s winning entry for the category, ‘Fleugalité (bamboo leaf, sango sprouts, rock chives, pea shoots)

The amazing Sprout (loves) Ikebana contest was carried out in honour of chef de cuisine Tal Amitai, who was not able to be with us this last week due to the loss of his beloved grandmother. Our thoughts are with you, Tal.

Debra Solomon's Amazing Sprout Ikebana Contest (Grow Yer Own Dang Food micro-green cuisine restaurant at the Mediamatic Night Garden Nov 4, 2006 - Jan 7, 2007
Mediamatic’s amazing Marco Wessel created this vernacular-style photoshoot installation

Debra Solomon's Amazing Sprout Ikebana Contest (Grow Yer Own Dang Food micro-green cuisine restaurant at the Mediamatic Night Garden Nov 4, 2006 - Jan 7, 2007
The winner in the category Solomon’s Oordeel (Solomon’s Judgement) uses embroidery and the world’s first new media technology, the lens. Bravo!

Debra Solomon's Amazing Sprout Ikebana Contest (Grow Yer Own Dang Food micro-green cuisine restaurant at the Mediamatic Night Garden Nov 4, 2006 - Jan 7, 2007
Paparazzi, who is NOT in this picture?

Debra Solomon's Amazing Sprout Ikebana Contest (Grow Yer Own Dang Food micro-green cuisine restaurant at the Mediamatic Night Garden Nov 4, 2006 - Jan 7, 2007
Mrs. Cameron (the artist formerly known as Karin Ras) wins the category, ‘Simplicité (fork, sango, pea shoot, pea asparagus, rock chives and anise sprouts)

Debra Solomon's Amazing Sprout Ikebana Contest (Grow Yer Own Dang Food micro-green cuisine restaurant at the Mediamatic Night Garden Nov 4, 2006 - Jan 7, 2007
Writer and jury member Aya van Caspel photographs Mrs. Cameron’s entry for the category, ‘Simplicité

(Please read more… )

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Sprouts love ikebana

January 9, 2007

Winners of the 2007 Sprouts love Ikebana competition for the category: 6 and under, 5 and under
My neighbours won the 2007 Sprouts Love Ikebana competition for the categories: 6 and under, 5 and under

From more than 300 images of the sprouts love ikebana competition this weekend at the Grow Yer Own Dang Food sprout restaurant, these are the first, last and middle ones. We had winners in more than 14 categories in the international adult competition. I’ll post the winning entries and some other gaieté tonight.

Today I’m off to London to help jury the Dott07 and Royal Society of the Arts Design Directions competition on Foodmiles. To offset the carbon emission that I will accrue during my taxi ride, I have decided to swim from Amsterdam to London and back.

Ecstasy
Sprouts cause ecstasy in infants

in love with sprouts and ikebana
One winner of the 2007 Sprouts love Ikebana competition for the category: Gaieté, gets his gaie on

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Bone up on ikebana

January 4, 2007

Ryuseiha
The key to Ryusei-ha ikebana is the approach known as the ‘faces of plants.’ The arranger is not bound by set rules of composition but encounters the plant materials directly, approaching them with a new attitude. Image used entirely without permission.

To celebrate the natural beauty of sprouted seeds and micro greens, and to close the Mediamatic Night Garden exhibition, Grow yer own dang food sprout restaurant will hold a freestyle ikebana competition for absolute beginners this Saturday evening. Ikebana is the Japanese art of flower arranging also known as kadÅ (è¯é“) the way of flowers. Saturday evening we will expand the way to include our own autodidactic way with sprouted herbs, leafy greens and cresses. There will be a photo studio at the restaurant where you can photograph your creation under suitable lighting conditions.

Natasha Hagenbeek's entry in the Ikebana competition
Natascha Hagenbeek’s early entry photographed under unfortunate lighting conditions

In contrast to the decorative form of flower arranging in western countries, the Japanese flower arrangement creates a harmony of linear construction, rhythm, and color. While westerners tend to emphasize the quantity and colors of the flowers, devoting their attention mainly to the beauty of the blossoms, ikebana emphasizes the linear aspects of the arrangement. The Japanese have developed the art to include the vase, stems, leaves, and branches, as well as the flowers. And so with flowers, so also with sprouts, at least this Saturday evening.

A beautiful sprout plate by Erga, the kitchen Princess
This Polar Circle sprout arrangement emphasizes heaping, a contemporary style formalised in the latter half of 2006 by Erga the Sprout Princess.

The jury for Saturday’s ikebana meets sprouts competition includes: moi, Aya van Caspel, Marlein Overakker, Erga the Sprout Princess, Rob van der Plas, Arne Hendrickxs and contemporary art-lover Paul Groot. The winners of the competition can expect to receive prizes that are both highly desirable and that have a metabolism.

Ichiyo School of Ikebana
The Ichiyo School was founded in 1937 by a sister and brother. Image used entirely without permission

photo by Willem Velthoven
Image of plating process by Willem Velthoven

Grow yer own dang food = micro-green cuisine

What’s on the menu?
potato mash
truffle potato mash
pumpkin mash
onion marmalade
ginger crackling
up to 31 sorts of sprout and cress composed into a beautiful tasting menu

Pork products available upon request.

Saturday is the last night that the Grow yer own dang food micro-green cuisine sprout restaurant will be open in Amsterdam, so be wise and please reserve by calling +31 (0)20 638 9901.
Mediamatic, Post CS Building, ground floor, Oosterdokskade 5, Amsterdam

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