Books and bubbles in Shoreham
Petersen’s Bookstore in Hasting made the the sales table in the hall look like the one on the cover of Kate Legge’s book Delicious
On Sunday, 30 August, Shoreham co-hosted a literary talk and afternoon tea with the hugely popular Western Port Writes literary festival.
People came from far and wide to hear the conversation between former Australian Story journalist Belinda Hawkins and acclaimed reporter and writer Kate Legge.
Ahead of the headline act, festival director Sally Holdsworth whetted appetites by launching the full program for the weekend of October 9, 10 and 11 that stars former editor of The Age and Shoreham local, Gay Alcorn as well as writers Nick McKenzie, Kylie Moore-Gilbert, Gary Disher, Michael Winkler, Tyson Yunkaporta and Victoria Brownlee among many more.
Kate Legge signing copies of Delicious outside the hall
And then it was over to Kate.
In her latest book, Delicious, the Blairgowrie-based journalist writes about some of the lifelong friends she has made during her career that started as a cadet with The Age, and progressed to covering federal politics in Canberra, and then to Washington DC as a foreign correspondent, before moving on to writing profiles for The Australian’s Weekend Magazine.
Family also gets a mention as Kate describes caring for a younger brother with an intellectual disability and a mother whose career ambitions were thwarted by motherhood.
Food is a central character in every relationship, and for every friend and family member there is a recipe shared.
“I’m a glutton for stories of food oiling the mechanics of life,” Kate writes. “I can’t help being moved by how a meal or a jar of condiments altered the course of events…The soup, the jam. These small offerings dispel suspicion and gloom. They shift the tension in a room and loosen lips and uncoil inhibitions. They nudge the door ajar to welcome the spirit of possibility.”
Kate spoke openly about the highs and lows she’s experienced, such as traversing the minefield that is being a working mother, and discovering her husband’s infidelity.
After living alone for many years, Kate says she’s learnt to love again, now with grandchildren, old friends and a new partner.
Locals Gay Alcorn and Laura Corsini enjoying the afternoon tea and sunshine
Indeed, love was very much on the agenda in the old school room that sunny August day.
Kate talked about two naturalists in the early 1900s who fell in love exploring the Australian bush, in particular Tasmania’s Cradle Mountain, and who successfully fought to have it protected as a national park - the subject of her earlier book, Kindred.
Then she gave the audience a sneak-peak to her latest topic, Dame Zahra Bate, the wife of former Prime Minister, Harold Holt.
The smell of mini chicken pies and mini fritattas started issuing from the kitchen, and the afternoon culminated in a sumptuous afternoon tea that Shoreham’s incredible cooks whipped up using recipes from Delicious, and with bubbles kindly donated by Baillieu Vineyard.
This was but a taste of the feast to come when the Western Port Writes festival takes over Coolart Homestead for a weekend of literary treats on October 9, 10 and 11.
Kate will be appearing again-this time on a panel about the various life stages of women to be moderated by ABC’s Jacinta Parsons.
You can see the full program and book tickets here: https://westernportwrites.com.au/
