Knit & Natter, 27 June

It's Knit & Natter time tomorrow! Bring along your unfinished knitting projects, your tapestries and your paper-craft - or anything else you have on the go.  

We'll be meeting this Thursday 27th of June 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!

this week

So, ladies, have you made your kimchi yet and are you making sure that you eat at least a spoon of yoghurt a day?  These were just some of the good things we learnt at this week's fabulous foodie evening.  Jojo Tulloh's demonstration made it all seem easy enough, as long as you have a large jar and a sharp knife.  But then she also made catching a swarm of bees sound simple too.  Our thanks go to Jojo and Louise from Random House, and to Vivian from high-street bookshop Newham Books for bringing along copies of the Modern Peasant to sell at a bargain price.  (We bought an EEWI copy too, so look out for that soon)

Thanks also go to Tessa from Parent Gym, a project to support and coach parents who wish to gain confidence in parenting.  Parent Gym is running a training session next Tuesday and Wednesday at St Paul's Way Centre, St Pauls Way, E3 4AJ on Tuesday and Wednesday next week if you are interested in becoming a Parent Gym coach. (email us for more info and we'll put you in contact with Tessa).

And what about our food swap success?  Lots of interest and bartering going on there and much enthusiam from those who came along to our coffee morning this morning at the Time Capsule Cafe. The lentil salad I got in a swap was absolutely delicious - recipe here, highly recommended.  Rhubarb and fig jam recipe here (I don't use the candied lemon peel because I never have it in the cupboard).  Irish tea cake recipe here on Stacey's blog.  If you have any more recipes for your swap, send it to us and we'll set up a recipe page with the links/ info.

If you're looking for something to do in the next few days members have recommended the Tower Hamlets Wheelers Glamour Ride tomorrow especially for those who like a bit of dressing up, or in the morning the Women's Ride to Thames Barrier Park ( 9.30 start from Mile End Stadium).

If getting under cover is more your thing, how about the Open City Docs Fest, a festival of documentaries which is supporting female documentary makers: we have a discount code for members who want to attend Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer, Karaoke Girl, Solar Mamas.  Just drop us a quick email.

I'm off to watch the sunset at Whitstable tonight.  Whatever you do, have a Happy Solstice and a lovely weekend.

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...