Well with the arrival of MASH/HER/DIP two weeks ago our schedule became phenomenally busy! The girls got straight into research mode. The first few days involved lots of walking around Digbeth locating building which were previously home to food based manufacturing or processing. It turns out there was a lot of fish and bacon curing in the area. There was also a Typhoo Tea Factory and most famously the Birds Custard Factory. There are still working abattoirs in Digbeth, slaughter houses aren’t something I would have initially associated with the area, but I suppose it makes sense with all the transportation links nearby. Unfortunately most other food based production has declined over the years.
Mapping out food production in Digbeth
The girls have developed a strong interest in the Polish Center situated on Bordesley Street in Digbeth. It’s an amazing 1950s build frequented mainly by Poles who immigrated to the UK after the Second World War. MASH/HER/DIP have dedicated much of their time to developing connections with people who visit this centre on a daily basis, many of them ex workers from factories and workshops in the region. Their intention was to develop a dinner for these people they make connections with during the residency.
During this period the girls have experimented with creating a recipe which draws from the food based manufacturing Birmingham is famous for, incorporating ingredients such as Cadburys chocolate, Birds Custard and Typhoo Tea in such an inventive way. You’ll have to make a visit the exhibition to find out what culinary delights they came up with.
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