Pies to pavlovas. The culinary landscape of the Australian Hostess Cookbook (1969)
In I969 the Australian Hostess Cookbook was published, edited by Hanna Pan. The Cookbook is in the form of a contributary cookbook of dinners from 40 winners of the 1968 ‘Hostess of the Year’ competition conducted by the Australian magazine Women’s Day and sponsored by Holbrook’s Division of Reckitt & Colman Pty. Among the winners seven were from cattle or sheep stations or other rural property. There are 202 recipes in the Cookbook. In Part 1 of this article, I look at what the Cookbook tell us of the culinary landscape in1969 in which these hostesses held their dinners? In Part 2 I look at what the Cookbook tells us of the role of the hostess and host at these dinners.
Fish and chips shouldn’t come with a catch: how Australia can keep illegal seafood off our plates
If you’ve ever been stopped by quarantine officers at the airport, you might think Australia’s international border is locked down like a fortress. But when it comes to trade in seafood, it’s more like a net full of holes. Products sourced from illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing can easily slip through to unsuspecting buyers. Seafood is among the world’s most traded agricultural commodities. Yet illegal fishing accounts for an estimated one-fifth of all wild-caught seafood.
Labor is promising a national food security strategy – but there’s no mention of Australians who are going hungry
Genuine food security means all Australians have consistent access to healthy food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences. This is not the same thing as our farmers producing enough to hypothetically feed the whole country. In fact, we already do that, and more, with food exports sustaining a further 60 million people overseas. Despite this abundance, not everyone has access to a fair share of food. Foodbank’s 2024 Hunger Report found 48% of Australians earning less than A$30,000 a year are food insecure, up 5% from 2022. Overall, the charity estimates almost one in three Australian households are either moderately or severely food insecure.
Fast food chains are mushrooming across Australia – but at what cost
It wasn’t that long ago Australians had only a handful of fast food options. Want a burger? Then it was probably McDonald’s or Hungry Jack’s. Desire for a chicken dinner would have led you to KFC, Red Rooster or, for those in Western Australia, Chicken Treat. Many will still remember Pizza Hut’s phone number jingle – unless you preferred Domino’s. Overseas chains not already in Australia also want a piece of the market.
A deadly bird flu strain is headed for Australia – and First Nations people have the know-how to tackle it
Birds have always been part of the cultures and livelihoods of Australia Indigenous people. They feature in songs and dance, and are used for food and customary practices such as ceremonies and craft. Many of these practices continue today. To date however, Indigenous peoples have not been adequately included in federal government planning for the arrival of H5N1.
Fish and chips shouldn’t come with a catch: how Australia can keep illegal seafood off our plates
If you’ve ever been stopped by quarantine officers at the airport, you might think Australia’s international border is locked down like a fortress. But when it comes to trade in seafood, it’s more like a net full of holes. Products sourced from illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing can easily slip through to unsuspecting buyers. Seafood is among the world’s most traded agricultural commodities. Yet illegal fishing accounts for an estimated one-fifth of all wild-caught seafood.
