Playa cheese federation

jbelson · Post by **jbelson** » Tue Apr 06, 2004 3:06 am

I've been mulling over this idea for a while: Creating a cart with a a burner on it that would heat up a a large (cookie sheet size) skillet and making quessadillas and grilled cheese on the esplanade.
But, then I read something about needing a permit because I'd be doing a food distribution thing on Federal land. Has anyone had similar experiences? I've sipped wine in a dragon and had a jack and coke in a shark on the playa, which I would imagine falls under similar guidlines, if there are any. Or even if it is enforced. I cant imagine giving a Ranger a grilled Cheese and them telling me to stop.

Also, I haven't locked down any specifications yet. I want the cart to be roughly the size of a shopping cart, but better wheels, possibly nobby type, for the playa. I'm even thinking about making most of it out of wood, lightwieght of course, to burn on Sunday.
Anyone seen anything similar? It's kind of like a streetmeat cart I guess.

Alpha · Post by **Alpha** » Tue Apr 06, 2004 7:22 am

From what I've heard, Department of Health would probably ding you for that. It's one thing to share what you've got with a few people around you -- another to build a food cart with the intention of serving the masses. Sounds like an awesome idea, though. I wonder how difficult it is to get a food prep permit?

Ivy · Post by **Ivy** » Tue Apr 06, 2004 8:01 am

I dunno if it's different for beverages than it is for food, but you might talk to Chai Guy--he has a Chai cart and gives away Chai.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Tue Apr 06, 2004 12:08 pm

Drinks may be different than cooking. In San Francisco (or maybe CA, but I think it's city/county rules rather than state usually) sandwitches are (or were--I could be horribly out of date) a less intensive permitting process than any food cooked by the proprieter. Drinks, including coffee, were also less regulated. You'd probably have to some sort of sanitary set up to clean your hands between tasks (I don't know that sterile gel stuff or wipeys would work--if they wanted soup and water that would be a problem) and maybe refrigeration (again, ice from Camp Artica may not be sufficient.) I would poke around on the websites for Washoe and Pershing counties. And they may well need a site inspection and a liscencing fee.

[and yes, that SOAP and water, but I thought it was funny so I let the typo stand.]

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Tue Apr 06, 2004 12:12 pm

I missed the part about Federal Land in the original post. That might be a real snag. I can just imagine (for instance) Camp Curry in Yosemite crying "unfair" if you don't have to conform to the same standards that they do. And then you'd (or the Feds) would be up against some heavy corporate pressure.

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Mon Apr 19, 2004 5:59 pm

Rather than reinvent the wheel, look under Preparation on the main Burning Man website, and the sidebar "communal kitchens"; then contact the theme camp people as suggested.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Tue Apr 20, 2004 12:43 pm

Had a little discussion about this thread with my SO and we got back to the hands thing--how are you going to deal with hot enough water and then the gray water? What if you have to have the griddle at a certain temp? At least cheese wouldn't put you at risk for E. coli, and I'm guessing you wouldn't even be considering this if you've got hep, but I've had food poisening, and it's not a warm fuzzy experience. (Just a reality check. Health regs are actually there for a very good reason. Remember, Typhoid Mary was a cook.) Apperently, there's never been a large outbreak of food poisening on the playa, just small ones. Still think of it. Back up at the Porta-Potties. REMSA swamped with dehydration cases. So if you do this really think it through good.

On the other hand, I think making ice cream on the playa is a natural. First off, it's cold--that always impresses people. 2nd, there's no cooking, so the food bourne illness factor goes down. Third, you get participants to turn the crank. Still a sizable gray water problem though. I keep thinking you could create something truly bizarre from powered gatorade and powered non-fat organic milk. (You don't have to go the heavy fat route--something sherberty or ice-milky might work.) Okay. I'm demented. Must be those playa quesadillas I ate last year.