LoveFeast Table

We are on a mission to start a LoveBomb-ing revolution!  What is a LoveBomb? It is the act of preparing, serving and sharing a meal or a morsel with someone you normally wouldn’t. It could be a cookie to a local librarian, or a five course meal for teen age boys!  It could be bacon cheeseburgers for a bunch of skaters or muffins with moms who are trying to get back on their feet.

LoveBomb-ing is about stepping out of your comfort zone and coming to the Table to listen to others stories.  It doesn’t matter how old you are,  if you live in the city or the ‘burbs or if you’re a mom or a young single guy…anyone can LoveBomb!

We recently had an artist we love…(she’s Fancy Friday worthy)…Kelli Murray work up a design for LoveBomb that we can slap on stickers and T-Shirts…or on facebook!  This facebook group is for you!  We want to hear your LoveBomb stories!  If you write a post about a LoveBomb, please share it on the group wall!  But, be forewarned, we may ask you if we can post your story here, as well!

So, plan a LoveBomb for someone! Or allow life to throw you an Unexpected LoveBomb!  Share a LoveBomb with them!  Listen to their story!  Share their story on here!  Twitter #LoveBomb!!  We promise you’ll be hooked!

Today is April Food Day 2010!  It’s a day where bloggers unite to bring awareness to the hunger issue here in our country and ways that people are being served through their local food banks, pantries, soup kitchens, etc…

Feeding America is the nation’s largest charitable hunger relief organization. Feeding America supports a network of 206 food banks in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.  Their goal is to  build the support they need to feed 1 million more people each year, to significantly increase participation in federal nutrition programs, and to inspire the public to take action.

There are many statistics about hunger in our nation and about what a large community is doing to take care of the problem.  We find sometimes these numbers can be overwhelming and make an individual feel helpless.  But, we believe in action!

Some of you have followed us on our “underground” adventures.  Here at LoveFeast Table we call them LoveBombs.  We have fed skaters, workers in the sex industry and the homeless.  We believe anyone, no matter where you live, how old you are, can LoveBomb.  It doesn’t have to be a big event.

I called a good friend of mine, Terrill who has organized teams of teens for years to serve at Food Banks here in Maryland and also in New York.  I had the privilege of serving in the Bronx at the New York Food Bank with her and a team a number of years ago.  It was amazing to see the inside of a Food Bank that serves so many people!

I asked her for advice for those who would want to organize taking a group to serve at a Food Bank.

Here’s what she had to say:

“I recommend organizing a small team of 10-12 people.  At the Maryland Food Bank you have to be 16 years old to serve.  The first thing you need to do, is call the Food Bank and make an appointment to come in and serve.  Don’t just randomly show up.  There are actually a lot of people who serve and the Food Bank prefers to know who and how many are coming.  Also, ask the Food Bank to arrange a small orientation with you and your team the day you arrive.  They will spend 10-15 minutes giving you some facts about how many people they serve and who their main population is.  You will spend time sorting cans and boxes.  You’ll remove dented cans or boxes that are damaged.  They will give you clear instructions on how to sort these, so don’t be afraid you will have to do it on your own.  Also, I have found that sometimes my teams go in with an idea of how to do it better.  I can’t stress enough how important it is for you to remember you are going to serve the Food Bank.  These guys have a system that works and that they’ve been using for years.  Encourage your team to not try and do it their own way, but to come in and serve the way the Food Bank needs.

Another thing we have done before going, is to run our own food drive.  One time, we were going to serve at a Food Pantry in the afternoon.  We took our team to a local grocery store.  (We got permission beforehand.) And collected non perishables from customers.  We filled 20 bags of groceries.  So, when our team arrived at the Food Bank, they didn’t arrive empty handed.”

Terrill went on to explain that there are also many other groups you can serve.  There are food pantries, organizations, churches, mosques and soup kitchens that always need volunteers.  Some of these organizations do their own food drives and don’t depend on the larger Food Banks.  They always need volunteers.  Again, call ahead of time and see when you can best serve!  There are also food pantries for pets!

It really is easy to make a difference.  With a little investigation and planning you could put together a team of your kid’s friends, your supper club, your neighbors, and spend a few hours helping to end hunger in our country.  I encourage you, if you’ve never served this way, give it a try!  I personally like serving at the local establishments where you will meet actual people who are receiving much needed food.  Take the time to sit with one or two people.  Listen.  Ask questions.  Hear their stories.  It will put a name and face to the problem that plagues millions in our nation.  (One quick fact: In 2008, 49.1 million Americans lived in food insecure households, 32.4 million adults and 16.7 million children.)

Terrill ended our interview with this.  “One of the best quotes I’ve heard from one of my teens was this: ‘I was so nervous at first, but then I realized, this is so easy and I can do it anytime!’”

As “bi-city” bloggers, Chris Ann and I have been trying to connect and meet fellow bloggers in our home cities.  Chris Ann connected with our guest blogger, Kate, from Kate in the Kitchen in Minneapolis.  I started talking to Elizabeth from Strawberries in Paris and Dara from Dining Dish both from Baltimore.  I had been invited to a crab feast this past summer, but was unable to make it because of previous plans.  Then, when the Mobbies Award Ceremony was set, after a crazy, whirlwind campaign, Chris Ann and I realized it was the same night I was to fly out to see her in Minnesota.  So, when Dara and Elizabeth hatched a Baltimore Food Bloggers night…I cleared my calendar!

Last Friday, Dara hosted a gathering of Baltimore Food bloggers at her home!  We were all supposed to bring an appetizer and a beverage.  I have to confess here, as I did to the other bloggers, I enlisted my husband Devon to make it!  He whipped up a yummy cranberry chutney that I put on brie, wrapped in phyllo dough and put in the oven.  It is one of our favorite ways to serve brie en croute!

I arrived and was warmly greeted by co-host Elizabeth with a great big hug!  It’s like we were old friends!  I walked right into a room of friendly faces.  Dara was in the kitchen cleaning a pomegranate in cold water, “It helps keeps the seeds from spreading their red-juice with the rest of the kitchen” she explained.  Elizabeth took my coat and bag and I headed to the bar to pour a glass of wine.

It didn’t not take long for the conversations to turn from introductions to talk of food, blogging and travel!  I met so many wonderful people and it was so good to finally put names with faces with blogs!  I’m still not sure I have it all down, but seeing as this looks like it will be a regular event,  I have no worries I’ll get it!

I met Mary from Sweet Mary!  Mary is amazing!  She’s a woman who left her career to pursue her passion.  She went to Johnson and Wales and finished with a pastry degree.  She picks up and moves with the wind and has currently settled in Baltimore.  She teaches classes to people all over Baltimore.  We brainstormed other types of classes she could teach and I shared some of the crazy catering gigs we had done in the past.

I spoke at length with Meg from Pigtown Pigout.  She also writes the blog Pigtown*Design, which I sense embodies more of her passions!  We exchanged travel stories and stories of hosting people.  She, like us, loves to have people from abroad stay with her.  She went on to share that not all have been pleasant experiences, but that even those that were challenging, left her with great stories to share!!  She is a true hostess at heart!  (p.s. Meg, I love your Pigtown Design blog!)

Beth from 990 Square recounted her recent trip to Paris for us.  She began to talk picture taking (which most bloggers inevitably end up doing!) and how she filled her memory card with an ungodly amount of photos!!  I just want to know where you find the time to edit them all!!

Speaking of time, the one thing I took away from meeting fellow bloggers was a sense that Chris Ann and I are doing okay.  You see, we are always worried we aren’t getting enough posts up, spending enough time twittering or sharing enough of ourselves.  But, as MinxEats pointed out to me, we have kids (I have 5 Chris Ann has 4)…I don’t think any of the fellow bloggers I met that evening, have kids.  MinxEats said, “We have time.”  “Oh,” I thought, “that’s the one thing I don’t have a lot of!”  So, I guess considering we already have full-full-time jobs, the fact that we’ve kept this thing running for over a year is pretty good!

I also met Wendi from Bon Appetit Hon (love that name!) and Nakiya from Taste of Baltimore (good luck house hunting!).  I briefly talked to John from Baltimore Snacker…his Cambodian dish, loaded with garlic, was delicious!  Julie from Kitchenography was there too!  Can I just tell you, her pictures will inspire you to want to eat prunes!

Dara passed out little baggies…full of her favorite spice, Schezwan peppercorns.  (My husband already used some of them in a bulgar dish!)  Elizabeth was like an old friend!  She did unload a little frustration about the Mobbies contest, feeling like we overdid our campaign.  I quickly explained to her, it was all in fun (all’s fair in love and war…right?) Elizabeth, I hope you feel better getting it off your chest…clearing the air…’cause watch out for next year!  We are already getting our strategy ready!

Their dishes were delicious and their stories so entertaining!  I really felt like I was among old friends!  Oh, I almost forgot, there was another friend there, tucked in a corner of the dining room!  Dara had a party peacock too!!  So, we are going to use Dara’s party peacock to announce the winner of our Ace of Cakes: Inside the World of Charm City Cakes Gift-Away!!

Drum roll please!

The winner is George@CulinaryTravels!!!

Thank you all for playing!  Keep an eye out next week as we have a special Gift-Away in honor of Thanksgiving that is sure to “Pull” your socks off and “Awaken” all your morning senses!