Nothing inspires me more to start writing about food than the Food Season at the British Library. Their opening night was this past Thursday, and it did not disappoint. Prue Leith: A Life in Food was a spectacular evening of great stories, lessons in history and humiulity, and just brilliant ideas from a woman who has had an incredible life.
Prue Leith and Jimi Famurewa at the opening of the British Library Food Season
Jimi Famurewa did a fantastic job interviewing Prue and leading us through the winding paths of her varied and impressive life and acheievements. Their shared honesty made for a different sort of interview and created an enviroment where we felt as though we were in someone’s front room, not the Pigott Theatre of the British Library.
Seeing - and meeting - Prue was a definite Food Nerd highlight and bucketlist item. However, it was the general atmosphere and energy of the British Library Food Season Charlie’s Angels that really made my day. Polly Russell, Melissa Thompson, and Angela Clutton - with Joe Allen always curate an incredible season to look forward to, and this year is no exception.
Angela Clutton, Melissa Thompson, and Polly Russell - Charlie’s Angels of the British Library Food Season
It is the infectious enthusiasm of really good food, of the joy of eating, and the value of eating local, sustainably grown produce that sweeps up the whole audience in an almost fervor of hunger, and agreement that we all need to be doing better, eating better.
I sat in the audience thinking… why aren’t I writing constantly? Why haven’t I tried that restaurant? Why didn’t I eat dinner before I came out tonight? I can’t begin to explain how inspiring it is to be in a room full of people who are as inspired by and obsessed with food as I am. Any usual fear of talking with strangers or meeting new people evaporates knowing that each and every one of the people there will be as excited as I am to talk about spices and recipes.
Not only can I let my “not obsessed” mask slip, I can completely set it down for the night. Here, I feel like my particular flavour of Neurospicy seasoning perfectly complements the dish.
While I have been attending the Food Season for years, and constantly threatening to resume blogging about food, this is first time, I have sat down ready to write and not just save as a draft. This time, I’m going to hit publish.