Updated 10/4/13 with details of masterclasses at Fortnum & Mason
To be honest the sound of spelt didn’t really float our boat when we first heard that we’d been invited to an event dedicated to it. High fibre doesn’t sound so sexy does it? However, team the word spelt with 30 of the hottest chefs' names in town and suddenly you have our attention.
Which is how we found ourselves at the Athenaeum Hotel on Piccadilly this week where chefs, writers and food enthusiasts gathered to listen to Roger Saul (ex head of Mulberry and owner of Sharpham Estate, looking dapper head-to-toe in tweed) wax lyrical about his favourite crop spelt and its health benefits, particular in relation to bowel cancer.
Saul has managed to get an amazing group of chefs to dedicate their time to devising recipes around his favorite foodstuff. He has a good reason - his sister had bowel cancer and when he started reading up on it, Saul found out that 40% of cases could be reduced by a healthy diet and an increase in fibre intake. So he dedicated money and time to growing and encorporating spelt into his products for the Sharpham Park range in association with Bowel Cancer UK.
Guests at the party, TV chef Gizzi Erskine, Trine Hahnemann and the Telegraph's Xanthe Clay enjoyed spelt and artichoke canapés and also got to try Sophie Dahl's Banana Cake made with the flour.
All the recipes, from chefs including Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall and Heston Blumenthal will be found on www.greatbritishspeltrecipes.com. It goes live on 1 April (no joke) so make sure you bookmark it. In the meantime the Sharpham website has more spelt recipes.
Update:
The Bakery pop-up and cafe at Fortnum & Mason has now been extended for a two-week showcase of these charity cookbook recipes. Running from 16-28 April, the dishes will be available at the cafe and each contributor will also make a guest appearance at Fortnum & Mason in a charity masterclass costing £35 (includes a glass of wine). Call 0845 602 5694 to reserve a place.
Wednesday 17 April at 1pm: Mark Hix
Wednesday 17 April at 6pm: Xanthe Clay
Thursday 18 April at 11.30am: Alex Gooch
Thursday 18 April at 6pm: Matt Tebbutt
Friday 19 April at 11.30am: Lucas Hollweg
Friday 19 April at 6pm: Gizzi Erskine
Saturday 20 April at 11.30am: Cat Dresser
Saturday 20 April at 4.30pm: Brendan Lynch
Wednesday 24 April at 11.30am: Signe Johansen
Thursday 25 April at 11.30am: Jessica Andersson
Thursday 25 April at 6pm: Trine Hahnemann
Friday 26 April at 11.30am: Jessica Andersson
Friday 26 April at 6pm: Edd Kimber
Saturday 27 April at 11.30am: Sophie Michell
Saturday 27 April at 3pm: Rachel Green
