Book signing last Tuesday. Said a few words, quoting my mate Robin, quoting his mate, Tony Juniper:
“Whatever happens at Copenhagen, it’s people’s cultural change that’s crucial.”
Cultural change: such as the way we eat food.
So blessed in Bristol with independent shops and local organic farmers.
We made food bought from Scoopaway, La Ruca, Saxon’s Farm at Bristol Farmers’ Market and Better Food organic supermarket.
The recipes are written by co-writer Patricia Harbottle who came to sign books.
I copied Pat’s choice of recipes from the book, which Pat had cooked for the Dorset launch.
Spicy pumpkin seeds roasted and crunchy in egg white masala.
Pea, leeks and courgette fritatta.
Hey, I now know the secret of making fritatta, thanks to Patricia’s recipe.
You finish cooking omelette and vegetables by placing under the grill.
(Thank you, Lynne, for loan of fritatta pan that goes on the stove AND under a grill – otherwise leave your frying pan’s plastic handle sticking out away from the heat.).
And we also baked Courgette cake.
For 100 people. I repeat: a hundred.
Patricia was a top London caterer before she retired to Dorset. She helped me “scale up”.
I have decided not to be a caterer when I grow up as I had low-level fear of food poisoning and had to taste everything and not die first.
I am indebted to Ros and Charlotte for patient and relentless weighing, mixing, chopping, stirring and spreading. Not to mention style counsel.
And Chris Johnstone, author of Find Your Power, for inspired dulcimer-playing.
The best bit of the book signing was when people in the audience
spontaneously suggested ways to help Make More of Squash, and Make More of Beans & Peas go far and wide.
As well as giving nutritional info, the Make More of Vegetables series show you how to grow from seed and cook from scratch
– profound ways to create a healthy, vibrant, low-carbon, resource-saving green world
…because it’s no good waiting for our business-as-usual politicians to do so.
Stop press: I checked with Tony Juniper if it was OK to quote him. He replied:
“Thanks Elisabeth. Of course I am delighted for you to quote these words. The only thing I might add is to flag up the 10:10 campaign, which seems like a logical reaction to what just happened in Denmark. I was there – it was truly shocking.”
Real Food Lover 