the modern peasant comes to EEWI

Interested in making the best of delicious vegetables this summer?  Want some new ideas on how to make the most of what's available locally?  Then come along to our meeting on Tuesday 18th June, 7pm for 7.30 start and meet Jojo Tulloh, food editor of The Week magazine and allotment-junkie. Jojo will talk about the lost art of fermentation, how easy and health giving this simple process is whilst demonstrating how to make kimchi, a fermented carrot, cabbage and chilli mixture that is the national dish of Korea.

Jojo lives locally (hurrah!) and divides her time between her family, her garden and writing about food and gardens. Taking inspiration from the self-sufficient life of cult-cook Patience Gray, Tulloh adapts Gray’s Southern Italian acres to the window-boxes of London in her new book The Modern Peasant. Step-by-step methods for baking and pickling, fermenting and foraging, Tulloh presents fresh tasting, achievable recipes for modern-day urban ‘peasants’ – from sour dough pizzas of nettles and sausage to jam, cordials and pickles. She will share some of her inspirational methods for great tasting seasonal cooking and fresh produce.  You'll also be able to buy a discounted copy of the book on the night if you wish, so don't forget to bring your pocket money (cards accepted too.)

To complement our food-mood we're also trying out a mini home-grown/ home-made food swap, a little experiement for us.  Just bring along your home made goods or home grown stuff and swap it with your mates for something equally delicious. Nothing to swap?  Watch the fun instead.

Haven't been to East End WI before?  Don't worry - it's open to all women and we'll make you welcome.  Just turn up on the night - St Margaret's House, 21 Old Ford Road, London E2 0LP,  behind the Gallery Cafe (venue accessible to wheelchairs).  We request a £4 donation from non-members, deductible from your subscription later if you decide to join.  Tea, coffee and refeshments provided.

let's go on a tree walk

Every few months Elizabeth and I cycle along to  the Chisenhale Gallery for  their Coffee Morning for local parents where we serve up marmalade cakes and oaty biscuits and have a lovely time pouring out drinks, chatting and admiring the babies and toddlers.  We also have a chance to see the exhibitions and this week we loved Mariana Castillo Deball's "What we caught we threw away, and what we didn't catch we kept", a series of paper tree casts, made in Mexico, Costa Rica, Berlin and Scotland.  Pop in  if you have time - the pieces are captivating and the light and airy space is just right to show off the work.

You can also come on a complentary tree walk in Victoria Park this Saturday 15th June, a lovely way to learn about the diverse range of trees in the park.  Starting at Chisenhale Gallery at 2pm, the walk will be led by Richard Lambert from Trees for Cities and will end around 4pm at the Pavillion Cafe in the park.  All ages are welcome. Sounds like a lovely way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

veronika's back from wales

So Veronika's back from her trip to the NFWI AGM in Cardiff.  She's not only safe and well, she says she it was quite an experience - inspiring, occasionally hilarious and quite tiring. "It was a wonderful opportunity to chat to ladies from widely differing WI's and it became quickly clear to me how London WI's are far removed from the ones in the country." You'll find Veronika's  report on her time at the conference here on the blog and you'll have a chance to ask her more at our next meeting.

We're very grateful to Veronika for representing us and our link WIs in London -  I'm sure she did a great job.  And she brought back summer too...

Knit & Natter: Thursday 30th

Have you been casting on your winter projects (the weather can do that), darning your socks, or staring wistfully at your yarn stash? Excellent. It's Knit & Natter time! Bring along your unfinished knitting projects, your tapestries and your paper-craft - or anything else you have on the go.  

** We've changed the day from Wednesday to THURSDAY, so we'll be meeting this Thursday 30 May from 6.30 – 8.30pm. **

We're meeting at The Coborn Arms, 8 Coborn Road, Mile End, London E3 2DA. Click here for a map.

This EEWI-inspired group is open to anyone who feels like popping in with a project - knitting or otherwise. It will be a casual meeting, and everyone is invited – not only knitters! Bring along your stitching or paper crafts, or simply join us for a few drinks and a good catch-up. New knitters are welcome too.

Looking forward to seeing you all there!

a rather jolly agm

I think it may be quite a good sign that I didn't think to get my camera out until it was nearly time to go home after our AGM this week.  It was an exceptionally relaxed affair, I thought, especially as what started off as a few of us sitting in a circle having a cup of tea and a chat just grew and grew and grew into, well, quite a large circle.  Thank you all for making it such a pleasant and productive evening and for contributing to discussions in such a considered and considerate way - the discussion on the resolution on high streets was really interesting with lots of ideas about how we might support our local businesses. I'd like to give a special mention  to Jenny from MIND who talked about the Older People's Advocacy Project, to everyone who made and brought delicious food to share, to Katharine for telling us about how her weekend at Denman, courtesy of EEWI's Denman award (and whether we really might prefer to spend our award on locally based skills enhancement),  to Natasha and Alison who have joined the EEWI committee, and to those stalwarts who are continuing in office.  We've got more to think about: which new charities we might want to support this year - one suggestion is sending food to a local food bank; how we might get more involved in WI campaigns; how to encourage volunteers for our fundraising cake stalls which, as Jo explained, are so essential to our staying solvent; and what new activities you might want to try in the coming months.

I've probably forgotten something or someone.  I usually do.  But I will try to remember to be a good President.

if it's May, it must be our AGM

NFWI Campaigns Bunting*

We'll be a little bit more serious than usual at our next meeting on Tuesday 21st May as it's our Annual General Meeting.  We'll be reporting on what we've achieved during the last 18 months, electing our EEWI Officers, and thinking about our own policies for 2013/14. We'll also be voting on this year's resolution to the national WI conference in June - our own Veronika is going along to represent us and other local WIs. If you managed to catch Mary Portas last week trying to come up with a plan to revive Roman Road market then you'll recognise the importance of the resolution:

The NFWI notes with concern the continuing decline of our high streets and the damaging effect this has on local communities. We call on every member of the WI to support their local shops and make the high street their destination of choice for goods and services. We call on decision-makers to work collectively, at all levels, to help bring an end to the decline of our high streets and to ensure that high streets flourish and provide a focal point for local communities.

We thought we might relax afterwards with a chat, a snack and a drink.  If you have time, it would be lovely if you could bring along a small dish to share, maybe something that is a particular favourite with your family, or some traditional food popular with your own family.  We start at the ususal time: 7pm for 7.30pm start.  Guests are welcome (£3 donation requested) but will not be able to vote on resolutions.

Our coffee morning on 24th May will be the Museum of London in Docklands where the new Estuary exhibition has just opened. Meet up in the cafe at 10.30am.  All welcome - you don't have to be a member.

Looking forward to seeing you next week.

*Plus ca change.

Fun on the green this weekend: want to help?

We're running the tea and cakes stall at Fun on The Green this Saturday 11th May - we'll even be cosy and dry in case of the odd shower because we have a marquee! It should be a fun event with plenty of action and the Three Mills area to see.  

It would be lovely to see some new volunteers to help out on the stall.  You don't have to be a baker if that's not your thing, as we need people to help set up and serve too.  Don't worry, we'll show you the ropes.