Baking Champions

While Olympian and Paralympians were winning medals, home bakers around the country have been winning prizes too.  In the numerous village shows many a cup cake, Victoria sandwich and cherry cake has been judged for its lightness, aroma, taste and appearance.

I was invited to judge the “Cakes versus Pies” contest at the first ‘CarFest’ in Hampshire on the Saturday of the August Bank Holiday. The magic of motors, the fastness of Ferraris, and all things car related were on show at this extravaganza. The idea of ‘CarFest’ and the two category baking competition apparently came to TV Presenter Chris Evans after giving up bread for Lent- although how I don’t know!

In true British holiday fashion, the heavens opened as I arrived at Laverstock Park where the event was held.  Completely drenched, the sun luckily came to my rescue and I was able to dry out in the intervening two hours before the judging began. The Best of British marquee, housing examples of the best of British foods, also provided the space for the cakes and pies competition. Sixty cakes and sixty pies had been baked by just 120 entrants from the many hundreds who applied.  There were nine judges and between us we did the deed in just under two hours.  The unusual presence of the competitors, and numerous other interested parties stretching at least 12 deep, was just great and very much part of ‘CarFest’.  However, with no categories of entry, how does one pitch the perfect gingerbread against the perfect chocolate concoction? And that was just the cakes.  Fortunately, the overall winner of both the pies and the cakes was chosen on the following day by Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood, together with the encouragement of the festival goers.

Then I moved to bread, this time with categories: white, brown, novelty and children under 12!  This was at the Open Day for the Countryside Restoration Trust in Cambridgeshire just last weekend.

I always admire anyone who puts themselves through the ringer of such competitions.  Yes, all entries should be full of flavour, look good, have the right texture, melt in the mouth and be cooked to perfection; but to produce the prize winning article on cue for your slot on the competition table requires talent, enough ingredients for several attempts and determination – even at midnight the night before. I have been there at that time, with the third attempt at a lemon drizzle cake in the oven, and just putting the finishing touches to the asymmetric triangle for the flower arranging exhibit comprising of garden flowers only. All this going on whilst you can’t for the life of you remember why you said you would enter anything!

There has been a huge resurgence in home baking lately. What with the Hairy Bikers, Rosemary Shrager, Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood to name but a few. Only a few days ago, I read a comment from Paul Hollywood regarding the Great British Bake Off: “When it first started [we] just thought it’ll appease the people at the WI who want to do some baking.”

I am not quite sure what he might have meant by that, but the WI is delighted to welcome Mr Hollywood to demonstrate at its third Real Jam Festival at Denman, near Abingdon, Oxon on 2^nd December.

And yes, jam is a hallmark of the WI; and of that I am very proud. There are 12 categories in the competition (click here to view the schedule) so do give it a go. We’d love to see you there for a weekend of festive fare and entertainment, stalls and eats, and a good time. You can even enjoy bed and breakfast, either in the delightful Georgian house or in one of the modern en-suite rooms in the grounds.

But the baking goes on, for of course it’s not just a summer activity. Anne Harrison, NFWI Vice Chair, is currently busy recording Food Glorious Food for ITV.  Anne is not only a WI cookery judge; she is also a superb cook who makes the ultimate scone, and a wonderful character.  Do watch out for her in the new year.

And while we’re talking of food, I will mention drink – and beer in particular – because also on the increase are the numbers of breweries springing up and some are producing truly top quality beers.  I mentioned the Countryside Restoration Trust open day above, and one of the stands there was taken by a local brewer with his Black Bar ale. But of course, the WI and beer are no strangers; “Harmston’s Heavenly” was developed by a microbrewery in Lincolnshire to celebrate the 90^th anniversary in 2010 of Harmston WI of Lincolnshire North Federation. And coming soon to Denman will be a course on brewing your own beer – book your place now.

Lessons for a new land army

The Women’s Institute (WI) movement in Britain began in wartime. Established in 1915, the movement encouraged countrywomen to get involved in growing and preserving food to help to increase the supply of food to the war-torn nation.

By the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939, the WI was a well-established and expanding network with an independence that the then Chairman, Lady Denman, was keen to maintain. Many WI members went into uniform, some joined the Land Army, others met the need for workers in the armaments industry. Tens of thousands of WI members, especially older women and young mothers, responded to the need for increased agricultural production by working on farms whenever and wherever help was needed. Many WI members became air raid precautions (ARP) wardens, firewatchers or joined such services as the Red Cross and St John’s Ambulance Brigade.

At government request, the headquarters of the WI drew up a detailed plan for the evacuation of mothers and children from cities under the imminent threat of bombing. The evacuation was organised by the newly established Women’s Voluntary Service and children arriving in villages were largely housed by WI members. The National Federation of Women’s Institutes (NFWI) went on to publish a report based on a survey carried out amongst WI members: Town Children through Country Eyes. The report stimulated a national debate about support for families ultimately leading to the setting up of family allowances after the war.

WI members also initiated a number of projects designed to help the war effort. A War Savings group was formed, which among other activities organised house-to-house collections of rags and bones for government. Cotton reels were collected and surplus vegetables sold to the Navy. Lady Denman was asked to take charge of the Women’s Department of the Ministry of Agriculture. Together with Mrs Inez Jenkins, a former WI National Secretary, she devised the plan for the Women’s Land Army with her house at Balcombe Park as the headquarters. Lady Denman organised correspondence courses on aspects of agriculture – ensuring that the women of the Land Army were qualified for better jobs once the war was over.

As the war continued, WI members were taught how to grow fruit and vegetables more intensively in their gardens and allotments. Fruit bushes and packets of vegetable seeds from WIs in Canada were sold through the newly established Guild of Produce. The Ministry of Food gave the National Federation a grant to administer the National Fruit Preservation Scheme. Five hundred home canners, oil stoves, preserving pans, and other equipment were sent from America to be distributed to WIs who ‘fought on the jam front with pans, spoons and weighting sales and sheer stickability’. About £1400 worth of sugar for preserving was distributed to the Federation offices, and teams went from village to village canning what fellow WI members had picked. By end of 1940, the WI had cooked, bottled, and canned 1630 tons of fruit and vegetables in preserving centres set up in village halls and sheds, kitchens, or mobile canning vans. WIs also continued their musical, dramatic, handicraft, and other cultural activities ‘to relieve the strain of war’ and maintain health, strength, and good spirits in the village.

This spirit of participation survives to this day, the WI is once again growing and the organisation continues to be actively engaged in campaigns and projects around local food, growing and preserving vital preservation and cooking skills. Our war-time heritage is an important, and overlooked, national resource, demonstrating just how much can be done by a network of dynamic and well-organised women called to action.

The New Home Front

This week the WI has been revisiting the home front.  The second New Home Front report, published earlier this week includes a proposal for the nation to help us meet the challenges of climate change.  The report, launched by Caroline Lucas MP, brings together a range of commentators and experts on climate change, food and community organisation.  Taking World War Two as the start point, we look at what the lessons are for the urgent threat posed by climate change. 

You can download the report here http://www.newhomefront.org/sites/default/files/NHF2_web.pdf

Summer at the WI

As we eagerly await the Paralympic Games, still enthralled by the stupendous competitors of 209 countries, the tens of thousands of Games Makers and volunteers are being lauded for their invaluable contribution to the outstanding success of London 2012 Olympic Games.

I know some of those thousands are also WI members and their contributions to the whole event are charted in the July/August edition of WI Life. Many sewed quilts for athletes to take home with them, as well as knitted cushion covers, made using British wool. A WI member was also part of the construction team at the Olympic Park, and another was a dancer in the opening ceremony.  I'm sure there were even more WI members than we know taking some part in the wonderful extravaganza.  

And, indeed, we now do look forward to those Paralympic Games, hearing again of the Games Makers and, of course, the amazing athletes who will compete in the greatest show on British soil.

WI members have been stalwart volunteers in every aspect of life for almost a century, and volunteering comes in many guises. Much of it can be just what we do in our everyday life, interacting with the people around us. As WI members, although on payment of an annual subscription to cover the eleven obligatory meetings a year, all activities are voluntary.  Those who take office in a WI or Federation are volunteers, as are all the members who sit on the National Board.

For many WIs August is a holiday month, with no formal meeting (although some take the break in January). The National Headquarters in London operates throughout the year and there are never many slow days in August - there are always WI members across England and Wales needing information or advice, and help with preparations for the opening of new WIs.  And although external meetings are less frequent during August, preparations are made for forthcoming events and activities. 

Holiday or not, the WI never sleeps. Indeed, every aspect of the WI is buzzing. And the WI wasn't far away when I prepared afternoon tea for a family party last week.  I turned to my WI Books, in particular "The Women's Institute Vintage Teatime". Coconut Slices and Ginger Crunchies were among the favourites, as well as Macaroons and Chocolate Brownies. Recipes from the book are familiar but with a touch of the 'special' about them. You'll find that with all the WI cookery books' recipes. I can also thoroughly recommend Strawberry Crush and Freeform Tomato Tarts from The WI's "Cooking from the Garden", and Ruby Red Marmalade and Orange and Beetroot Jam from The WI's "Homemade Jams and Chutneys".

The WI's own range of jams, currently on sale in independent shops, one supermarket and online at Danzar Foods, are winners in the trade too, with the golden star being awarded to the Blackcurrant Jam in the Great Taste Awards.  The same gold standard was awarded to our Ginger Biscuits - the nearest thing to homemade.  You can’t beat a good WI recipe.