Here’s our December 2021 newsletter as a PDF, for you to print or share (click the image!).
MFWI News
Amazing Eggs!
What marvellous little things they are! They’re endlessly versatile, and full of nutrients. They can be used in cooking to make a variety of recipes, from custard to meringues, sauces and cakes.
I love them as they are, whether fried, poached, scrambled or boiled. I also keep a stash of hard boiled eggs, shell on, in the fridge so I can grab one as a non-fattening snack when hungry!
The versatility is due to their chemical and physical properties and the changes that occur when they are cooked. They are packed with protein, along with other nutrients such as vitamins A,D , E and B12.
Protein is made up of molecules called amino acids linked in a chain. When agitated , e.g. by whisking or heating, the links get rearranged.
Whisking egg whites creates bubbles and some of the amino acids form nests which stops the bubbles from popping.. Adding sugar, once the whites have formed gives the bubbles more stability, so you end up with a light fluffy meringue that holds its shape.
I remember whisking egg whites with children when teaching, to demonstrate ‘change of state’. Heat also changes the state of eggs. The amino acids cluster together and lock in water causing the yolks and whites to firm up – demonstrated in fried, boiled scrambled or poached eggs.
Mixed with other ingredients they make sauces, eg custard. When used in baking, the beaten eggs coats the air bubbles that form when creaming butter and sugar together, and then when in the oven the egg coagulates around the bubbles and stops them from bursting—hence light fluffy sponges.
Eggs also emulsify. An egg helps to combine two liquids, such as oil and water (which normally repel each other). Mayonnaise is made using oil and lemon juice or vinegar, and the molecules in egg yolk help them to combine into a creamy sauce.
Eggs can be a little tricky though. When overheated, they can turn rubbery, so for sauces they need slow cooking and constant stirring. Over whisking too can have disastrous results, causing water to be squeezed out of the egg whites and you end up with a grainy, watery mess.
There are pros and cons for storing eggs in the refrigerator or at room temperature. They keep longer in the fridge, but work better at room temperature for most cooking purposes. They can be brought up to room temperature if removed from the fridge half an hour before use.
Eggs can be frozen so long as the yolks and eggs are frozen separately, and in airtight containers. Add a good pinch of sugar or salt to egg yolks to stop them from being too thick when defrosted. Defrost them overnight in the fridge to thaw.
There is so much you can do with an egg (or a few)—so let’s get cracking.!
Iver Evening update
At our September Meeting we had as a speaker had Tom Way, international photographer.
He is a wonderful photographer and we saw slides of his African adventures. They were wonderful photos and his explanation of each was wonderful. There were lots of questions als0; a brilliant talk—we will be having him back again.
Back to competition time also, this time starting with Letter A. Kathy Achilleas won with a large tapestry she had done. There were 20 members present; it was a lovely meeting, and nice catching up with members.
We also had an afternoon tea on 23 September at Flowerland Garden Centre. 12 members were present and it was a nice get together, seeing members who had not been at the meeting.
Laleham update
Now that regular meetings have resumed, Laleham WI is keen to bring education and entertainment to members. What better way to kick off than a belly dancing workshop!
The lovely Sandrine explained the background and culture behind the dance and gave fabulous performances.
Then it was our turn…
Members were invited (and persuaded where necessary) to learn the basics and join in the dancing. A great exercise workout and tremendous fun.
Greenford Evening update
Greenford Evening this week enjoyed the company of Dr Barry Twigg MBE who gave a very interesting talk, They are Changing More than the Guard at Buckingham Palace.
After working with the Palace in different guises over many years, Barry recounted some interesting facts about this iconic building Barry related that the building has not been updated since the 1950s, so extensive work will result in three years’ disruption along with some staff being moved into prefabs for the duration. The Queen is at present in Balmoral on her annual holiday.
More interestingly, Barry quoted some great quips by the Duke of Edinburgh whilst he worked with him on his Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, the Duke always ready for a joke and a laugh with recipients.
The Garden Parties present huge logistical challenges as around 30,000 members of the public who have contributed to the good of the country are invited over the year at Buckingham Palace, and now Windsor.
The huge amount of catering, parking, security and unfortunately, due to such large numbers, the dreaded queueing, pose extra challenges.
The Investitures are only carried out by the main members of the Royal Family, ie. The Queen, Prince Charles, Princess Anne and Prince William. Guests are taken to the magnificent Ballroom and given pointers as to how to accept the honours. These take place around three times a year.
When the idea for 100th birthday cards idea was first conceived, only a couple of hundred cards were issued by the Queen annually. That number has now risen to 14,000. Cards are also issued for 60th and 70th wedding anniversaries so this department has now grown significantly. The Queen Mother reaching 102 resulted in the Queen delivering her card to Clarence House via (as was the custom) a special postman; the cards never use the normal post.
Incidentally, Barry stayed on after for tea and cake and to chat with members are they were so interested in his stories. It was a thoroughly enjoyable evening.
Ruislip Evening update
Ruislip Evening’s August meeting had a fabulous talk and experience with a local wildlife rescue charity. We had the pleasure of meeting some of the rescued animals including the beautiful owl seen here.
It is so nice to be back to face to face meetings again.
Chris Wicks, the founder of the charity based in Rickmansworth is happy to share their experiences.
You can contact Chris at cwwildliferescue.com for more information.
Bedfont Belles update
It was so good to be back at the British Legion Hall for our September meeting and to see our WI friends again.
After official business, we discussed our planned visit to the Tower of London, our Christmas meal, and Sandra told us about her involvement at The Hampton Hub.
Chris and Margaret organised another challenging quiz Name the Spitting Image caricatures and Name the chocolate bars, both of which proved surprisingly tricky. The winning team (Janice, Linda and Jenny) won some delicious chocolate (not featured in the quiz!). To draw the evening to a close, a raffle was, as usual, organised by Marion and Wendy.
Harlington update
At our September meeting we held a celebration of the LGBT+ community to celebrate equality in society. Anna, using the resources from National Federation, put together a fun evening with quizzes, a word search, drawing and crafts and some fun games.
Rosemary was the winner of the tallest flower competition and received the coveted Eileen Saunders plate and a bouquet of sunflowers.
Members had been given sunflower seeds in their April goody bag and were invited to grow them in their gardens or pots. Some were very successful, some were lost to our not so friendly wild life, aka slugs and squirrels.
We have held our first Poppy making workshop, with part two to follow, results of all this hard work were displayed. We are aiming for a wreath and a post box topper in Harlington village to commemorate Remembrance Sunday.
We have also completed some knitted canaries in support of ‘Climate Craftivisim’ movement, though we haven’t quite got a flock yet! These will be sent to our MPs as a gentle protest to encourage the UK Government to be a bold host as world leaders meet in Scotland for COP 26 in November.
Two birthday girls were celebrated and future events were discussed.
Here are the resources Harlington used for its meeting:
https://mywi.thewi.org.uk/running-your-wi/members-resources/celebrating-pride-2021
Like to brush up on the WI’s policies on equality and diversity?
https://mywi.thewi.org.uk/essential-information/equality-diversity-inclusion
Hillingdon uodate
Hillingdon WI met in on Wednesday 8th September 2021, for the first time in 17 months.
After the business was completed, we had a good natter about how we would like the meetings to go going forward, and what speakers members would like to have in the future.
We were then treated to a selection of homemade biscuits and cookies made by the President.
Hope to see everyone again next month.
Hayes Town update
Wednesday 8th September, on a beautiful hot and sunny day, was our first organised outing for 18 months.
We headed to Church Gardens, Harefield, for a two-hour visit and tour led by head gardener Kay.
We learnt about their family restoration project of a 1600s renaissance garden, which had a very overgrown remains of a formal walled garden, with huge lengths of brick walls which go back to the 11th and 12th centuries.
Both Kay and her husband Patrick are hugely into recycling, self-sustaining, composting… No weed killers are used here. They show great respect for the history of this special place, even as far as giving a home to the local church organ pipes, which certainly make a statement in the garden—very quirky! (The Chelsea Flower Show comes to mind!)
Kay planted 5,000 bulbs in 2019 and this year had 21,000 crocuses! They are currently working on a large pond in the cobnut orchard and restoring an arcaded wall.
A spring visit will be on our list of outings next year including to taste again the lovely homemade cakes made by Kay’s daughters. We would certainly recommend to other WIs to visit and support this ‘oasis’, especially when you see the impact on the countryside by HS2 on your way to Harefield.
