This wee poem is the second of three I started writing as part of a masterclass with Sean Wai Keung and the National Libraries of Scotland earlier in the year. The first one is an ode to rhubarb.
I’m delighted to hear I’ve received some funding to work on some events in Edinburgh with Sean later in the year, as I’m a big fan of his work and adored his first book sikfan glaschu. Looking forward to sharing more info about that project soon!
Although my wee poem was written a while ago, I think it sort of leads on from last week’s words about cooking alone, and acts as a reminder of the joy (and often stupidity) in which we throw leftovers, odds and ends and sometimes carefully-crafted creations together over lunchtimes in the kitchen at EF.
Potluck is labour
I know, I know…!
I’m supposed to enjoy it
But it always seems to be
The wrong day
An inconvenience
The uni share
The kitchen tuesdays
Often I’m the passenger, the care-ee, the lucky one
the rest eye up the inferior contribution
There is joy in sharing
And at college;
Of performance and posturing…
Treats from holidays, other countries…
Sunday labours; rillettes, ferments, home smoked meats, own-shot meat pies, cheese the colour of caramel
Sometimes I find time
Sometimes I make time, (I hear it can expand)
I compile…
On Tuesdays we eat a bit of this a bit of that, usually some heat, usually some ferments
Leftovers mingle with carefully balanced textured and flavours
One summer day there were dumplings, peanuts in vinegar, the (liang pi) noodle salad with the squelch that launched a thousand recipe searches
The best treat - someone else’s labour
Some Tuesday kitchen-assemblages:
1.Spring rolls in progress with oyster mushrooms
2.tortilla tortilla