Date published: 03 March 2026
The Food for Thought project created in partnership with The Higgins Bedford art gallery and museum ran from November 2023 to August 2025 and brought together customers who shared cherished family recipes alongside the memories connected to them.
Through reminiscence workshops led by The Higgins Bedford, participants explored dishes that formed part of their childhoods, family milestones and cultural traditions.
The recipes have been combined into an illustrated recipe booklet featuring dishes from around the world, including India, Pakistan and Ukraine.
As part of the creative process, customers from Presentation House, the Lodge, Warwick House and Raglan Court were photographed and sketched, helping to share not only recipes but the memories connected to them.
Daughters helped mothers record dishes that had previously only existed in memory and oral tradition.
Stories of cooking in clay ovens, childhood delicacies and celebrating family occasions with traditional sweets were documented alongside recollections of Bedfordshire heritage.
Among the contributors were Mrs Banti and her Mrs Devi, who shared their family recipe for chickpea curry and an Indian flatbread called puri. Mrs Banti said, “I learned this recipe from my mother in India and have passed it on to my daughter. We make this meal to enjoy with our loved ones and I am happy that other people can try the recipe.”
Mrs Bibi, a customer from Stonewater’s Presentation House, shared her recipe for gogian cookies, a traditional sweet from northern Pakistan. She said: “We use make these for weddings and celebrations. It is tradition that when a daughter returns to her in-laws, she takes freshly made gogian to share. I am so happy to have taken part and very glad that children in the future can use the recipe I shared.”
For Mrs Kaur, contributing her recipe for khichri brought back vivid memories of her childhood in India. “Khichri is a food that everyone can enjoy,” she said. “I am very happy to have taken part in the recipe book project. It helped me remember the memories of my past and it feels nice to be valued for it.”
Mrs Randova, who grew up in Ukraine, contributed her family’s borscht recipe.
“There are 200 recipes of borscht in Ukraine,” she said. “Every woman has her own recipe. I want to express my gratitude to everyone who took part in this project.”
The project concluded with a celebratory event where residents tasted dishes from the book and received certificates recognising their contribution.
Copies of the cookbook will be kept at the retirement living schemes and added to The Higgins Bedford Social History Collection to preserve residents’ experiences for future generations.
Cynthia Knight, Scheme Manager - Central East, Presentation House who led the project for Stonewater, said: “We began with a simple idea to bring people together, engage with customers, help them feel valued and facilitate sharing something meaningful from their lives. Food is such a powerful way of connecting people because it carries memories of childhood, family, celebration and comfort.
“What has been so special is seeing customers from different backgrounds come together, listen to and respect each other’s stories and feel proud of where they come from. The cookbook is not just about recipes, it is about identity, belonging and reminding people that their experiences matter.”
Lydia McDonald, Keeper of Social History from The Higgins Bedford added: “It has been a privilege to work alongside Stonewater and customers on this project. The reminiscence workshops created a space for people to reflect, share and connect through memories of food and family. These stories are an important part of Bedford’s social history and we are proud that the cookbook will form part of our collection for future generations. The project was funded by Arts Council England as part of The Higgins Bedford’s community outreach programme. The Higgins Bedford is part of Bedford Borough Council’s Leisure and Culture Services.”
