b'we traded sightings of essentials like flour (I was excited tofind a cheap sack of flour online, but it was limestone flour,for horses), shared pictures of our shut-in meals and swappedthe recipes that got us through it all. Rarely a day went bywithout connecting. Elena and I met IRL masked and scarvedoutsideHollowayRoadArgostotradejarsofsourdoughstarter(whatelse?)andblackricevinegarfromHingYip.These encounters were the highlight of the week.My Cook Club favourites are still on the menu: Esthers sataysauce, Sues foraged wild garlic pesto, Eminas halloumi cake,Pias harissa carrot dip, Marys ginger cake (my contribution,Mary was my mum). Through this group I started volunteeringwithStGeorgesMutualAidandfoundHilldropCommunityCentre,makingupanddeliveringfoodparcelsthroughthepandemic.IamstillattheHilldrop,withfoodneverfaraway,bakinggiantbatchesofsconesforsummerfairsorGuinnessbrownies for the Cook for Ukraine bake sale, picking up Foodfor All meals to deliver, tucking into the Tuesday Food Hubzero waste lunch cooked from supermarket surplus by Robin,ourwonderchef,hearingtalesofournewcreativecookeryclubwithCutMoose.MynewIslingtoncaf of dreams.By Geraldine Brennan thesalonlab@gmail.com 16'