What’s New

The Language of Food

Local resident and author Annabel Abb’s new novel, a historical fictional read about lost culinary hero and domestic goddess Eliza Acton, is out this month. “The Language of Food” tells the story of cookery writer, Eliza Acton and her assistant Ann Kirby. We spoke to Annabel about how her latest book came to be.

“I stumbled across the story of Eliza Acton – the first domestic goddess, as I call her, but she’s really the first modern food writer – in an antiquarian cook book collection I acquired from my mother-in-law, a retired cookery teacher who lives in Chelsea.   I love cooking (and eating) and I wanted to write about the way food brings communities and families together.  So I started reading and cooking from these very old cookery books. Eliza Acton’s best-selling 1845 book, ‘Modern Cookery for Private Families’ was in a different league to every other recipe collection – beautiful to read and full of recipes that actually worked! It was a best-seller in Victorian Britain and Eliza was the combined Delia and Nigella of her day. But it wasn’t until I researched her life that I realised what a good story she would make. Mrs Beeton stole a third of her recipes, brutally editing them and cunningly giving them new titles, which is why so few of us know much about Eliza Acton.  And then other elements emerged (which I won’t reveal as that would spoil the story for anyone wanting to read the book)”.

We weren’t aware of Eliza Acton and her status within the culinary world of Victorian Britain. From the little we’ve heard so far, her story sounds fascinating so it isn’t any wonder that Annabel found her an inspiration and that the rights have been snapped up. "As it happens Eliza is quite well known in the cooking community – she was a huge inspiration for Delia, among others.  CBS studios bought the TV rights after seeing an early draft of my book, so I’m hoping that soon everyone will know the name of Eliza Acton, just as we all know the name of Mrs Beeton. My next project is to have her grave restored – it’s in Hampstead but so overgrown no one can find it”.

The Language of Food, published by Simon & Schuster, will be stocked at Nomad Books on the Fulham Road where it will also be launched, so if you want to delve into this book, support local and order / pick up a copy there! Follow Annabel on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/annabelabbs/?hl=en

Athletica London

Local Fulham Mums Kate and Jo met each other in 2008 and quickly formed a connection through their mutual love of sport and the outdoors. Having both just had their first child they also had a shared desire to pursue a more entrepreneurial path after many years in the corporate world. Struggling to find suitable activewear for their young daughters they founded and recently launched girls’ brand Athletica London.

Designed in London and ethically made in Portugal using soft, eco-friendly recycled performance fabrics that are kinder to the environment, the team designs activewear for girls aged 7 to 14 years. We talked to Kate to find out more and asked her what the response had been to their launch collection which includes leggings, hoodies, tees and tanks for sports and everyday. “We are delighted with the overwhelmingly positive response to our launch collection! Customers have commented on the quality, range of designs and love the way the product works together to create different stylish outfit combinations”.

We had to ask what Kate and Jo’s daughters think of the range, surely the ultimate critics. Kate said “our daughters have been our inspiration for creating this brand. They enjoy a wide range of sports and gave input into the design of the product range and love the launch collection, wearing it after school and on the weekends for sport and relaxing in. Seeing the final product on our daughters and models at the photo shoot in October 2021 after two years of hard R&D work (Covid delayed our launch) was a really happy and proud moment for us! Additionally, receiving a second order from a new customer within less than a week of launching was a great feeling”.

Athletica London’s future plans include shorts and skorts (for tennis, athletics etc) and the addition of new bright colourways which will all compliment the signature collection. What’s not to love about electric blue, hot pink and stars and stripes? We especially love the super stripe leggings, made from a sustainable techno-fabric, using regenerated nylon, derived from landfill and global ocean waste, wish there was an adult version! Head to Athletica London’s website on the link below to find out more and sign up to receive a code for 10% off your first order or follow them on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/athletica.london/

RMS Markets Return to Fulham

It might not be in their much loved spot at Bishop’s Park but RMS Markets are back in Fulham. You’ll find them every Sunday 10 am - 3pm at St John’s Walham Green CE Primary School; dogs welcome! We know lots of locals have missed the Bishop’s Park Farmers Market, in fact it’s come up in several of our interviews with residents. We’re told by the organisers that you’ll see lots of your old favourites, including: meat from March House Farm; bread and croissants straight from Olivier’s Bakery; fresh fruit & veg from Ted’s Veg; great cheeses; La Tua Pasta; Flavours of Portugal allegedly “the best Portuguese tarts in London”; healthy salads from Dorothy’s Deli’; Hase Ya's freshly made sushi; SimSim Falafel; L’Amuse Bouche creperie; as well as some new traders including Arthur’s Coffee, Bucks Fish, Pizza Aldo, Mary’s Jams, VeggieBerg’s fresh ginger juices, Brian’s dog treats and many more.

RMS Markets told us there is limited space at the school so they’ll be alternating some traders to maximise the choices available. They are also still pursuing their challenge of Hammersmith & Fulham Council’s decision to close their Bishop’s Park Farmers Market in January 2021 and have their first court date scheduled for 17 March 2022. “We’re hoping, if the court finds in our favour, to be able to relocate this market back to our long established home in Bishop’s Park”. Ross Spurrier, founder of RMS Markets, said: ‘We have been so overwhelmed by the level of support we have had from our lovely customers in Fulham. It’s been over a year now since we were closed at a moment’s notice and 2021 was a long, tough year but given the unwavering support we have continued to enjoy, we just couldn’t entertain the notion of giving up getting this decision overturned. In the interim we hope this market will be a great addition to the local community in Fulham.’ Follow RMS Markets here on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/rmsmarkets/

Shell first UK EV charging hub opens in Fulham

We knew the Shell Petrol station on the Fulham Road was being converted but we didn’t think the end result would be quite as impressive as it is. The charging site opened in January, we had no idea and that this was a first for Shell and that they’d chosen Fulham as the location for their first EV charging hub in the UK. Petrol and diesel pumps at the existing fuel station have been replaced with ultra-rapid charge points, this is a global pilot and the first time Shell has converted one of its existing conventional fuel sites to cater solely for electric vehicles.

Shell Fulham has nine high powered ultra rapid 175kW charge points which apparently can charge most vehicles up to 80% in 30 minutes. During the charging period EV drivers can wait in the hubs seating area, there’s a Costa Coffee and a Little Waitrose Shop to help while the time away. Personally we’d love it if you could charge your electric car and pop down the road to shop at some of the great independent shops on offer on the Fulham Road. That’s probably not allowed - shame!

The hub is sustainably designed, with solar panels built into the roof to provide approximately a quarter of the electricity the site needs. The shop front uses double glazing with highly insulating properties to keep it cool in the summer and warm during the winter, the chargers all run on 100% certified renewable electricity and the hub’s canopy is constructed from sheets of timber.

Shell plans to grow their EV charging network to over 5,000 EV charge points on forecourts and in new locations by 2025. Fulham was first!