So as I mentioned, I’m doing a part-time MSc in Food Policy. But that alone wasn’t enough to make me give up my blog for months on end. Along with my on-going work for the Real Bread Campaign I also fitted in organising a conference for the London Leaders project on sustainable food projects in primary schools. The conference was held at City Hall in February, and went really well. The London Leader I was working with was Lisa Stockton, founder of Happy Kitchen.
She’s running a pop up restaurant at Happy Kitchen HQ this weekend, it’ll be fun to go back. Here are the details:
In collaboration with ex River Cottage Chef Thomas Hunt, also of the festival frequented ‘Poco Loco’ & The Shisha Lounge…
Happy Kitchen’s Lisa is together with Tom creating a decadent, inventive & surprise filled menu – a 100% organic, botanical, living & indulgently delicious food feast!
Held in the HQ space at ‘The Bakery’ amidst the pots and pans, ovens & proving sourdough breads, the pair will be cooking up a menu to challenge your beliefs about what healthy food can mean.
The proceeds are being used to fund a research trip to New York to develop a deeper understanding of social food movements & community-centered food projects to bring back to future London projects around healthy eating, nutrition & sustainable food production.
POP UP WITH THE BEAR & BEE
70% RAW, 100% VEGAN, ORGANIC,
GLUTEN AND SUGAR FREE,
FAIR-TRADE & world inspired foods
delicious, beautiful, indulgeNT
When – 8pm Saturday 16th April and 7pm Sunday 17th April 2011.
Where – The Bakery, Arch 402, Mentmore Terrace, London Fields, E8 3PH.
For Bookings – Call Tom: 07891 023 426 or Email: lisa@happykitchen.org.uk
THE MENU
Rhubarb Bellini, 1/2 Bottle Organic Wine,
Canapes, Three course meal
and Chai with Truffle
£45 head, for bookings of 4 or more – £40 head.
Canapes
Beetroot Humus on Cumin Seed Crackers, Wild Garlic Cashew Ricotta
with Radish, Cauliflower fritter with Quince Syrup
Starter
Avocado and Cucumber Gaspacho with Lemongrass
and Basil Chilli Oil
Main Course
Mung Bean and Pinenut Rissoll with Sundried Tomato Salsa
Spring Leaf Salad with Herb Croutons
Roasted Fennel with Smoked Paprika and Rosemary
Dessert
Coconut Yoghurt Pannacotta with Rhubarb brittle
To Finish
Hemp Chai with Fig Truffle
I’ll report back once I’ve been… I think there are still places for Sunday’s dinner for anyone who is keen to go.
In other news, I’m also working on the Green League with People & Planet. The award-winning Green League is the only league table showing the environmental performance of Britain’s universities and is credited with putting climate change on the desk of every Vice-Chancellor in the UK.
I scored the food section. Results will be out in the Times, Guardian, and Independent next month, stay tuned. Some universities are doing some fantastically sustainable things and deserve to be recognised. Others could do with a bit of naming & shaming… (by the way, I didn’t mark my own university – there were two of us, and we marked each other’s)
In Real Bread news, we’ve got a few things coming up. Real Bread Maker week is 9-15 May. We’re encouraging everyone to get out their unloved and unused bread makers, and either make some Real Bread with it or pass it on to someone who will. A little early heads up now: we’re running a fun competition.
The idea is simple: rummage round your kitchen cupboard, dust off that idling electric baker, and plug it in somewhere you usually wouldn’t*.
Anyone posting a picture of him/herself and machine in action in an unusual location on the Campaign’s Facebook or Flickr page by 13th May stands the chance of winning an American bread slicer from TheCookshopOnline.com and a supply of flour from Marriage’s.
*obviously having read the manufacturer’s safety instruction before taking it scuba diving, or anything else daft…
Click the Cookshop link – that bread slicer is gorgeous.