After a brief spell of spending a bit of allotted time with family over Christmas for a day, we find ourselves back in the middle of another Lockdown. I hope, if you’re reading this you are ok and finding ways to keep your fears and negative thoughts at bay and your head above water.
I am working from home and although I am missing the time I can spend smelling and watching the wonderful dishes being prepared at Thistledown Cafe - where I work part time, I am finding comfort through bringing this into my own kitchen.
When we were permitted in shops, in December, I made a dart for it. Safely pinging in and out of my local charity shops, as my desire for cooking has led me to want to grow my cooking book library! I have a few that I have inherited or given as gifts to my partner, because I secretly wanted them to reside in our house. I have attached images of the best finds from recent searches Including:
Anna Jones - The Modern Cook’s Year
The Hairy Bikers’ - The Mediterranean Adventure
Nigel Slater - The Christmas Chronicles
I have never met or witnessed a live talk or demonstration from Nigel Slater, but there is something about him that’s as heartwarming as the recipes that are carefully placed on the pages of his mammoth offering; The Christmas Chronicles. I first time I became aware of this book when my mum asked for it for Christmas the year it was published - I most likely get my love of Nigel Slater from her. The pages have beautifully taken photographs that speak of the sheer warm fuzzy feeling you get from being in the depths of winter preparing for Christmas. Vintage ornaments, brown paper packaging, thick pie crusts. It feels like you are walking through an exhibition of winter, (and those of us that love it!) all the special feelings that match.
Another thing I have been moved to without really consciously thinking about it as I get older, but especially during lockdown is the gathering of recipes and scrapbooking them. Again, a hobby I most likely have inherited from my mother, but there is nothing really I can think of, that brings me more pleasure than making a huge cup of tea on a Sunday morning and rifling through piles of cooking or supermarket magazines to rip out recipes and re-masking tape them into scrapbooks. You have to be strategic about it of course, I only pick up the free ones with my Waitrose Card, in Coop when I pop into the post office (it’s at back of the shop) or sometimes when supermarkets offer those little recipe cards.
If you’re ever stuck for ideas, which is almost impossible with the internet these days - but if you are stuck and you can’t face scrolling through a screen - then make a recipes scrap book, better yet - make a recipe zine! Your very own one with ideas from all those you have collated. Embellish it with wonderful drawings of the things you’ve cooked, add notes about what worked, what didn’t - alternatives ingredients to try. Photocopy and post to 5 people that bring you happiness when you hear their name!
I will be making a Zine of this kind and more to feature in The Just In Case Zine Library - a creative endeavour that myself and fellow chief Librarian Sally Lemsford are undertaking, after much talking about it over 2020! Follow our creative capers via The Just In Case Zine Library Instagram, exciting Zines for Sale, Online (and eventually in person) Events and more to follow as we get together virtually and make Zine related fun happen!
Feel free to drop me an email or DM me on Instagram with your own Cooking related Scrapbooking or Zine collections!
