A La Carte

February saw the first anniversary of the Yorkshire Writers' Lunch Blog.  Let's take a look back over the first year and taste just a sample of what has been on the very varied menu.

As an appetiser, we could hardly do better than 'Are you a Scribbler, a Typer or Both?'  (Inez Cook, 12 May).  Whether you are an experienced author, an aspiring writer or an avid reader, this thought provoking piece tickles the taste-buds.  It makes us reflect on why we use the medium we do when transferring thoughts to paper or screen.  And it causes us to think about what is gained or lost by whichever we choose.  A perfect introduction to our writers' fayre.


The fish course has to be 'The Fish Market' (Emma Harding, 18 May).  Here we are not only offered a choice from clams, squid and many more fruits de mer, but, via the wonderfully descriptive writing, we can smell the salt of the sea and hear the song of the market.  This is fresh fish indeed.

So to the main course.  For hearty appetites, there is the four part 'Ork' (Richard Wells, 21 July, 8 September, 8 December, 12 January).  This is appetisingly dark food which compels us to dive into the bowl and let the author take us into his world.  The first instalment leaves us hungry for more and the remaining pieces do not disappoint.

Or, as an alternative main course, we might sample another substantial dish, but one which has been prepared by a number of chefs.  'Gilbert's Birthday' (Annabel Howarth, Inez Cook, Suzanne Hudson , Emma Harding, 2 to 23 February) has ingredients which, from the first mouthful, pose a mystery.  You know the kind of dish - one in which you can taste but not quite identify the particular flavours which make it special.  They take a while to develop on the tongue.  And then the secret of their origin is revealed...but not quite.

For those who love continental food, my final recommendation for main course is of German origin .  'Discovering Berlin' (Clair Wright, 15 June) is a tapestry of a dish. It offers glimpses of a foreign capital but also depicts the recent past sharing the same plate as the modern day city.  City breaks are often rushed, but this dish should be savoured slowly.

I don't know about you, but I don't have a sweet tooth.  So, for dessert, the bittersweet 'Butterfly Brooch' (Suanne Hudson, 23 June), is a perfect choice.  From the first spoonful, this piece evokes empathy in the reader.  You simply know from the first verse that you have made the right choice and the ending, as with all exquisite desserts, is deeply satisfying.

As we take coffee at the end of the meal, the conversation may turn topical.  The poem 'One Hundred Years On' (Virginia Hainsworth, 4 August), published on the blog on the day of the 100th anniversary of Britain declaring war on Germany, prompts us to digest the meaning of past events and to reflect upon their relevance to today.  A fitting end to our meal.

However, we do need a way to justify consuming all of those calories and so must work them off by a little exercise.  ' Le Tour de Huddersfield' (Andrew Shephard, 7 July) finds us donning our lycra and letting the writer do the pedalling.  His writing tears at our muscles and makes our hearts pump agonisingly as our vicarious bike ride reaches its conclusion.  It had done the trick.  It has worked off our meal - but leaves us hungry for more. 

So, here's to the next twelve months of the Writers' Lunch Blog.  What will be on the menu over the forthcoming weeks?  Two of our regular contributors have published longer works (ebooks and a paperback), so maybe there will be some spicy morsels to tempt us or something to wolf down and satisfy our growing appetites.  Who knows?

Bon appetite!