FeaturesThahmina HaseenJune 04, 2017supper club, the body narratives, collaborations, bengali brunchComment

#TBNxJourneys: My First Ever Brunch Club!

FeaturesThahmina HaseenJune 04, 2017supper club, the body narratives, collaborations, bengali brunchComment

I know it sounds like a paradox, but there's something very intimate about cooking for strangers. That's exactly how I felt at my first ever brunch club, at least. Almost 30 guests who were hungry for food and entertainment turned up to The Body Narratives relaunch, and what a celebration it was! This was no ordinary brunch club. It combined everything I loved: food and writing! Diners had the opportunity to feast their way through the menu and new works by emerging writers, which were beautifully performed and discussed. Inspired by the connections people make over food and stories that move them, it was unlike any other spoken word event I'd been to as there was a connection between the audience, the work, and the writer- a triad that's hard to perfect.

The menu itself took some consideration. I love sharing parts of my Bengali heritage through food. It’s a cuisine that I feel has gotten lost in the milieu of “Indian” takeaway menus. It's actually why I began Golden Tiffin; in order to figure out for myself what defines Bengali food and culture as unique and distinguished from other parts of the Indian sub-continent. I wanted to use the same flavours I was used to while growing up, like tart tamarind and crispy bhindi (okra) but do something a little new with them. Things definitely got ad-lib in the kitchen when I realised I somehow managed to forget the spices for masala chai! Of all things... Luckily Printworks Kitchen is a cafe by day and was well stocked in cardamom and cinnamon (the bare basics for a Bengali masala chai.)

Menu

Okra Fries

Aloo tikki burger
Potato patty served with spinach, sweet chilli relish and brioche bun
or
Pulled tandoori chicken burger
Spiced chicken served with salad, sweet chilli relish and brioche bun

Followed by

Cardamom and rosewater cake and masala chai

Mains will be served with a selection of drinks with hints of pomegranate, lime, rose and elderflower.