As you can see a great deal of cooking has been done in aid of this @Allourvoices national heritage project. The Project was designed to record some of the food heritage of the Italian Community of Clarekenwell. Known colloquially as ‘The Hill’ or the Italian Quarter. Clarkenwell had been the home of Italian migrants Since the 1870s .

At the first of these nights. Members of the Clareknwell Italian community could trace their links to the area to at least five generations of Anglo-Italians. Many most endearing comments were made about the particular love of  streaky Bacon Marmite and lashings of Tea that Marks out the Anglo-Italian from his continental cousins as yet still unfamiliar of the pleasures of this Isle.

I had later the great fortune to have a  very warm chat with Elena Salvoni, the most famous maîtress d’, of Soho. Who only just retired a year and ahalf ago at the age of 91. Many think she is just toying with the idea of retirement, as she is often asked back to offer her eye on how things are going at the restaurant.

Elena recounted fabulous stories from her time in Soho, the innumerable cilentle. Yet remarking that the true fundamental of her out look on life is ‘That everyone is important.’

Olive Besagni, recounted a few of the stories she had collected , when writing for the  column called “The Hill” on “Backhill” , a publication run by St. Peter’s church.  The column is now a book published by  “Camden History society”.