At Last! A photo of an ANZAC tile

Finally I found a photo of an ANZAC TILE looking just as it was described!
I've never actually seen one before.

Extract from ALFRESHCO: foreshore flavours

WORLD WAR 1— Mothers’ love

The ANZAC biscuit epitomises the link between food and WWI in national remembrance, and it is an expression of maternal care, having reportedly been devised to withstand the long journey to the front in ‘comfort packages’. In WWI food was the most potent means for mothers to convey their love to sons at the front.

“When we look at experiences of wartime through the prism of food, we are constantly reminded of its power to divide us, but also to bring people together. So famously a ‘weapon’ of WWI, food can also occupy a central role in the bridging of national, ethnic and religious divides.”
Heather Merle Benbow University of Melbourne

So what did they eat? Bully beef (canned corned beef), rice, jam, cocoa, tea, some bread and above all ‘hardtack’ fed the Australian soldiers at Gallipoli.  Hardtack, also known as ‘ANZAC Wafer’, or ‘ANZAC Tile, has a very long shelf life, and continued to be eaten during the Second World War. 

The original biscuits were made by Arnotts’s, resembling SAOs and the recipe (below) has been provided by them.

HARDTACK RECIPE   Makes six biscuits

Preheat the oven to 180C. Mix 1½ cups self-raising white flour, 3 cups self-raising wholemeal flour, 5 tbsp sugar, 3 tbsp milk powder, pinch salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and add 1 cup water. Mix together until an even dough is formed. Turn the dough onto a floured board and knead for a few minutes.

Shape the dough into a ball and let rest for half an hour.

Divide the dough into 3 and then roll each ball into thick 1cm sheets. Cut the rolled sheet of dough into 9 cm squares then make a regular pattern of holes in each biscuit, 5 holes across by 5 holes down (25 holes in all). Place on a slightly greased baking tray; bake on the centre shelf for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown. Place on a cooling rack until they harden.

Gallipoli, 1915 ANZACs

"For supper, we had nothing more than those tough, square biscuits given to us as rations - they were so hard, a man could break his teeth on them.  Someone offered me the bottom of a can of tea, which helped to wash those tough biscuits down."  To Hell & Back: The banned Account of Gallipoli, Gunner - Sydney Loch. at last

Extract from ALFRESHCO: foreshore flavours

Fresh salads perfect for eating alfresco

Wherever you were enjoying our glorious Sydney weather this Easter, 
good friends and fresh salads were the order of the day 

with a few delights cooked on the Barbie, of course.

A few recipes from 'ALFRESHCO: foreshore flavour' were included.

Enjoying Alfresco dining at Balmoral

Caprese Skewers 
Page 90 - as a starter. 
Baby bocconcini marinated in a white wine dressing, threaded onto skewers
 then basil and grape tomatoes added.
Seasoned with sea-salt and freshly ground pepper. 

Avocado Dip  Page 85.- the quickest and healthiest of all.Smash 1 large avocado, with a fork, add a good squeeze of lemon juice or vinaigrette dressing and 1/2 cup Danish feta cheese, crumbled,
dried chilli flakes or freshly ground pepper and sprinkle with chopped mint or herbs in season. Serve with crudites or crackers.

Pear, rocket & walnut salad
A version of this simple, elegant salad from
ALFRESHCO: foreshore flavour P 142

Choose firm but ripe pears like Beurre Bosc, Packham or Williams.  Transport rocket and pears to the picnic in separate containers with the pears tossed in a little dressing to prevent oxidisation. At the picnic combine 1 bunch rocket, trimmed; 2 firm pears peeled of unpeeled, quartered, cored then each quarter sliced into 3 or 4;  125g piece Parmesan, shaved.  Toss gently with a little extra dressing and add a handful of toasted walnuts.

Dressing: Combine 2 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp cider, white wine or balsamic vinegar and season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

For an elegant variation - Witlof, pear and hazelnut salad with Roquefort - Add witlof and rocket, seasoned with sea-salt and ground pepper. Finish with the crumbled cheese and a sprinkling of chives.

Colourful tomato & onion salad 
combines a selection of different coloured tomatoes, with thinly sliced Spanish Onion, served on mixed salad leaves with the addition of English Spinach drizzled with an olive oil citrus dressing and tossed with feta cheese.

Preserve the planet with Fancy Work

Mosman Markets

Why making things yourself is joyously cool again:
I love markets!!   Richard Glover does too. His article, 'Preserve the Planet with Fancy Work'  in Spectrum, March 9-10 2019 has inspired this post.

'Joyously cool' - resonates with me.  I'm a serial artisan, beginning on my first day of  Kindergarten when I created the  "Best pig the teacher had ever seen!"  I can still recall the musky aroma of the pink plasticine.   Since then I've dabbled in many crafts; pottery, silkscreening, weaving and now writing, so I'm familiar with the enormous satisfaction of the creative process.  

Richard speaks about: "A small southern Tablelands town of Taralga's, 133rd annual Agricultural Show - where you can enter your jams and preserves, your homebrew, or even your 'Fancy Work', a category that embraces everything from beanie to best cushion.

There's also a poetry competition, a gardening festival, a cooking contest plus the 'Dog Jump'.

Apparently, according to Richard Glover,  "Making your own stuff is suddenly the new thing."  He questions why things have turned around after a few decades of a somewhat throwaway society attitude gradually evolved to the extent where it seemed eccentric to darn our socks or try to fix things.

His idea is that the turning point is a revulsion with the waste of the throw-out world we created.  A new generation sees the art of making, fixing and growing as part of the central project of their lives ie the effort to save the planet.  Observing his son showing interest and competence in growing and fixing etc, Glover expresses cheerful admiration while admitting that 'Being good with your hands' somehow skipped a generation for some.

The Easter Show showcases the amazing handicrafts and produce although this year, apparently the fewer displays demonstrate that the country is in drought.

Mosman Market is a quality art and craft market with approx 140 art and craft stalls, with gourmet food, musical entertainment, and a lively atmosphere, showing that there are still many city folk who "are good with their hands".

The Mosman Market is held on the first Saturday of the month from 8am to 3pm on the Mosman Square ; Village Green at Spit Junction.

There is no January Market. There is an EasterFeast Night Market held in March, a WinterFeast Night Market held in July, an OctoberFeast Night Market held in October and an Evening Christmas Market held in December.

For the love of Pumpkins & Picnics

PUMPKIN DIP WITH CHILLI & GINGER

A lovely Autumn starter for an Easter picnic or BBQ, equally good warm or cold    

Drizzle pumpkin / sweet potato & crushed garlic, with olive oil, season with salt & pepper in a preheated oven (200c) and roast for about 20 minutes, turning once until tender. 
Process with (to taste), chopped ginger, seeded red chilli and juice of lime until just blended. 
Serve with crackers or French baguette that's been sliced and toasted after being drizzled with olive oil and rubbed with garlic.

A word on DIPS
A dip or dipping sauce is specific to being able to be scooped up with a cracker or likewise, so needs to be more substantial and less liquid, but not too chunky. Unlike other sauces, instead of applying the sauce to the food, the food is typically dipped, or added into the dipping sauce.