There was a relaxed “end of term” atmosphere at the final Story Cafe of 2024. Wendy had planned our readings for the first hour to feature food and especially the sharing of food and we would spend the final 30 minutes with more tea and chat.
Wendy started by reading a short extract from Anne Pia’s Magnaccioni: my food, my Italy. called Lifestyle and philosophy where she writes “…food can cross worlds, societies, cultures, seas and landscapes…”
I then read two pieces from The Virago Book of Food. On the Hoof by journalist and columnist Shoba Marayan where she celebrates the tradition of sharing food on Indian trains and the glory of the contents of tiffin carriers, remembering a long journey in company of a Marwari matron and her “Empire State Building of a tiffin carrier.” The description of their contents made all our mouths water! The second a poem by Guyanan author Grace Nichols called Like a Beacon where she craves her mother’s food. We spoke about the cultural importance of food and their origins and also remembered favourite food from our childhood – lentil soup, mince and tatties, shortbread, bubble and squeak, colcannon (Irish), faggots (English) and chips wrapped in newspaper like those from a fish and chip shop. Wendy finished with Cake a very enjoyable prose poem about making a quite remarkable cake by Salena Godden.
We then relaxed sharing more tea, food and chat and before we left I read a final poem Shortest Day by Susan Cooper describing how throughout human history the Winter Solstice has been celebrated by lighting fires “To drive the dark away”.
Magnaccioni and The Virago Book of Food are both available from GWL. The first Story Cafe of 2025 is on Thursday 30th January where we look forward to seeing old friends and new. The programme for early 2025 is already planned so please join us for stories, poetry, tea and chat!
