COOKBOOK COLLECTIVE

I have found myself thinking a lot about recipes and the process of cooking - not just in the way I usually do for work (as I’m unable to work at the moment anyway), but as a way of filling my time and giving structure to my days. Or maybe it’s just that lockdown has given me time that I don’t usually have to really think about these aspects of cooking.

I’ve been thinking a lot about the place food holds in our lives and its power to establish and maintain relationships and traditions. 
I’m sure everyone has noticed a different sense of community coming out of isolation - I have noticed people giving away information and services as a gesture of generosity in ways that we don’t always see in normal life.

Although these are all small parts of a much bigger problem we are dealing with, they are meaningful ways of coping with it. I also know that everyone is missing socialising and sharing food with others IRL. Making food to share and going out to eat and drink with friends is a massive part of life that we take for granted.

As a way to solidify these thoughts I am hoping to start a collection of recipes created from communal contribution. For this reason I am asking you (if you feel like it or have the time) to make a contribution towards this. It could be :

a) a recipe that you feel is your speciality

b) a particularly memorable meal you shared with others (or ate on your own) - if you don’t know the recipe describe it and I will try and make one up for it as best I can

Or just something you like making. If you don’t like cooking, share a drink. Or something your gran makes or something you make for your baby.

At the end of this, I will collect these recipes into a format that can be shared amongst all of us, hopefully creating a sense of a shared experience as well as a varied resource to cook from.

Lots of love,
Emma x

Exploring history through food

A few years ago I began working with Airbnb to deliver a series of events looking at the history of East London over the centuries. Hosted in a house in Spitalfields dating from 1721, these dinners looked at the history of the area in culinary terms over the past 300 years and typically included Russian, Jewish, French & Bangladeshi influences. I also looked at the building’s past identity as The Market Cafe, working a menu around a typical British fry up.

I have since adapted this idea for one off historical Christmas events as well as exploring the history of Soho for Conde Nast Traveller.

Tickets available here

Guest feedback:

Such an awesome experience! Gives a whole new dimension to traveling to actually get to sit and interact with a mix of people--both fellow travelers and locals. Was a real highlight of our time in London! Food was outstanding, too!

An enchanting evening with scrumptious delightful bites. What a beautiful experience. Perfect venue for anyone that wants a unique experience away from the hustle and bustle of London's restaurants. Truly authentic. Emma deserves nothing less than 5 stars!

This was the most utterly lovely evening I could have imagined! The experience takes place in a stunning old house in one of London's most historic areas, whose history Emma brought to life for us in the most fascinating way through her menu. Her food is stunning and she's the most wonderful host. I give this a 15/10 and am even planning to return with family.

An evening with Emma in this atmospheric and unusual room is full of delightful surprises! The welcome is warm, the food is fabulous (tailored to the guests as well as the history the local area ) and the wine is excellent. Emma is genuinely interested in people and their stories and has a gift of weaving the local history into the free flowing conversation around the table. Her ability to put guests at their ease is remarkable, alongside her seamless presentation of a delicious meal!

Harvest Moon at Spitalfields City Farm

On 6th September 2017, I will be holding the first in a series of dinners at Spitalfields City Farm. The farm is a surprising and beautiful area of greenery in one of the most densely populated parts of East London, and has been here, run largely by volunteers since 1978. 

This first event will be celebrating the harvest moon, which will hopefully be visible from the dining table. The natural produce made available by the farm will determine a truly seasonal menu reflecting the richness of this time of year. 

Please come along celebrate the harvest moon whilst getting to know a truly unique part of London. 

Alternative Valentines at Town House

From its beginnings as a fertility festival in ancient Rome, the concept of Valentines Day has been celebrated with food and feasting. 

In more recent times many different kinds of food have been said to have aphrodisiac qualities - often meaning that they encouraged wellness and vitality in the eater. Examples of this are pepper, star anise and nettles - spicy herbal ingredients that have been used historically to treat sickness.

The menu I have chosen tonight has incorporated some of these foodie traditions, with warm spices in the lamb, romantic roses and violets in the dessert and grapes and cheese that remind me of Roman feasting. We also start with spicy tabasco to provide a little bit of heat alongside one of the most well recognised aphrodisiacs - oysters. 

Historic Dinner in Spitalfields

Over the next couple of weeks I will be hosting two dinners celebrating the foodie history of the area - from the influence of French Huguenot settlers in the eighteenth century, to the vibrant Bangladeshi restaurants on Brick Lane today. 

Tickets include four courses and wine - please be in touch if you are interested in joining us.

Floral dinner at Town House, Spitalfields

Wednesday night was the first in a series of curated dinners at Town House. My favourite venue ever, with its 300 year history, candle lit dining room and the fact that guests are surrounded by art and antiques. For this event, I worked with local florists Worm, who made table displays that were inspired by still life paintings. Fiona Atkins, antique dealer, and the building's owner, gave a talk exploring the past life of the house and the tradition of table displays. Carrying on the floral theme, I designed a menu using edible flowers, saffron and rose petals and experimenting with ways of using floral scents in cooking.