Hampshire’s Penny Melville-Brown is whipping up a batch of brownies to mark World Baking Day on 17 May. The delicious cakes will feature in her next on-line demonstration for other visually impaired people across the county in June. Author of “A cook’s tour: Baking Blind goes global”, Penny’s recipe and travel book regenerates the essence of this international event.
“Food was the key to breaking down barriers throughout my world tour,” Penny said, “Professional chefs were very nervous having a blind cook in their kitchen but quickly realised that I could work alongside them. I made extraordinarily complicated patisserie in San Francisco and Melbourne, chilli and coriander Victoria sponges in the Costa Rican jungle and different breads in America and Australia. Sharing a recipe was the first step in learning much more about each other and building strong bonds.”
She also uses the medium of food to showcase the abilities of blind and other disabled people around the world: the blind chef in Sydney (Australia), the visually impaired massage therapists in Chongqing (China) and those with albinism in Lilongwe (Malawi).
Penny explained, “Cooking is a life skill. My on-line demonstrations aim to show how recipes work in real kitchens and prove that, if this blind cook can do it, anyone can. This may not be the perfect way of getting a tightened belt but home-made food can be surprisingly quick, easy and economic. My weekly blogs have straightforward recipes that anyone can try at home.”
Go to www.pennymelvillebrown.com for more information about her book, blogs, YouTube demonstrations and latest interviews.