Let's Do Lunch: At Kenwood House

In spite of very English weather - sun, cloud, drizzle, torrential rain and gale force winds - a group of hardy Canadian souls visited Kenwood House in beautiful Hampstead Heath. When I dream, I dream of a house in Hampstead....

Our guide Keith was a truly delightful English gentleman who was able to bring the house alive with delicious stories about the previous owners and their loves: we admired Dutch paintings by Rembrandt and Vermeer to name but a few, and portraits by Gainsborough and Reynolds of English society ladies (and some ladies of dubious reputation).

We learned that it was not unseemly for the gentlemen of the eighteenth century to relieve themselves in the dining room, after the ladies had vacated the room of course! And also that it was not unusual to bring one's own cutlery when dining out at another's home.

After a one and a half hour tour we had our lunch (cutlery provided!) in the Brew House attached to the side of Kenwood House. It was good, wholesome English food. We were disappointed that we were unable to enjoy the lovely views of the Heath from the terraces but the weather was not cooperating.

By popular vote the tour and lunch were great and left the ladies eager for more adventures at lunch. Stay tuned for more Let's Do Lunch dates this coming autumn!

Submitted by Patty Bell. Picture courtesy of National Heritage

Let's Do Lunch: Books for Cooks

Five ladies from the CWC attended the Literary Lunch at the Notting Hill/Portobello Market shop/restaurant Books For Cooks. The cookbook of the day was Iraqi Cookbook by Lamees Ibrahim.

The menu was chosen by the chef and owner of Books For Cooks, Eric Treuille. While he prepared and served the meal, we and the other guests were entertained by Lamees with her story of coming to London, studying, raising a family and working in London. She also mentioned what inspired her to produce the book. Following a return to Iraq in 2004 after an absence of over 20 years she found that although Iraq had changed, the food and her enjoyment of it was still the same.

The menu was a challenge for some, including myself. Beans to start, bean soup, chick peas and rice to follow, so a few too many beans and legumes for my taste. However, the main dish, an Aubergine Turnover, was voted the best dish of the meal. We finished the meal with a delicious spiced yogurt cake and grated carrots with nuts and dates.

If you were looking for a cooking lesson on Iraqi food you would have been disappointed...but if you wanted to meet a lovely Iraqi lady living in London, you would have been happy. And we were!

Submitted by Patty Bell

Maple Leaf Mixer: A Taste of Turin

Organized by the CWC and Network Canada and hosted at the Fiat Flagship Showroom in London, everyone enjoyed a fantastic evening with proceeds of the auction and raffle going to the Maple Leaf Trust!

To view the full set of photographs, please click here.

Auction and Raffle
The centrepiece of the evening was our auction and raffle prize draw - with proceeds going to the Maple Leaf Trust. Jeremy Moore gave the highest bid for the pleasure of a weekend’s driving of the new Fiat 500. Bob Van Gieson won the Carluccio's Gourmet Experience including dinner for four at this foodies' favourite restaurant and foodshop, a hardback cookbook and more. And Tom Howe took home a stunning handcrafted necklace from the Nilu/ Miao Gioelli collection.

A huge thank you to all our very generous auction and raffle prize sponsors - and of course our guests who participated!


Raffle prizes included
• Piedmontese gourmet food baskets courtesy of Saclà
• Italian cooking lessons from Perfetto! Cooking
• Artisanal jewellery from An Italian Way
• Premium Piedmont wines courtesy of CWC member Anne Van Gieson
• Gorgeous Venetian cufflinks from Paola Marchesi 's Collectors Corner.
• Beautifully-illustrated books on Italy courtesy of Italian Tourism
• Chocolates from Piedmont company Ferrero
• In Praise of Slowness by award-winning journalist and author Carl Honoré (raised in Edmonton), looks at how our lives can be improved through living 'a slower, more measured existence' and discusses how the Slow Food Movement emerged in northern Italy.
• £250 travel voucher with Headwater, specialists in walking and cycling holidays, which can be used for a holiday in Piedmont (or other 2009 or 2010 Headwater holiday to Italy)!
• Annual subscription worth £40 to Italy Magazine
• A collection of Rough Guides for Italy - including a handy Italian phrasebook.
• A free Fashion Forward 2009/2010 membership (worth £84) that can be used to gain access to heavily discounted Italian brands such as M Missoni, Zucchero, Save the Queen and many more.
• An autographed book by acclaimed author and translator, Jordan Lancaster. Jordan has a Ph.D. in Italian Studies from the University of Toronto and translated My Brother is an Only Child from Italian to English. This prize includes the DVD of the award-winning Italian feature film based on the book.
• A fabulous collection of Italian music - both classical and contemporary.
• Gift certificate worth £70 for Naracamicie designer shirts
• Four Blue Guides to Italy: Blue Guide Concise Italy, Blue Guide Central Italy, Blue Guide Tuscany and Blue Guide Northern Italy.
• All natural, gourmet Pestos and Sauces from Dress Italian.
• Alessi wine coolers with wine.
• A fabulous Fiat picnic ensemble with Ferrero chocolates, courtesy of Fiat, CWC member Doris Dalacker and her husband Carlo Saracco.

Maple Leaf Mixer 7th May

If you haven't yet booked your tickets to the Maple Leaf Mixer at Fiat's beautiful showroom near Selfridges, here's a reminder - and be sure to have a look at the auction and raffle prizes on offer. News just in: Carluccio's has donated a fabulous dining experience!