Diggings 2 May 2002

Discovering Australia's oldest published cookbook, the real origin of grandma's flummery, Indian diner NIMBYism, another scheme to make the arid plains of the north Australia's veg basket and more. The promotion Fern syrup, stewed eel and native currant jam: this 1843 recipe collection may be Australia’s earliest cookbook A chance find in a colonial newspaper from …

Jelly Crystals and Evaporated Milk: On the trail of the ‘Australian flummery’

 It was the kind of observation on Australian history by a new chef that ever-so-slightly irks the food historian in me and sets me sleuthing for the evidence to back up it up. Phil Wood, chef-owner of up-scale restaurant Ursula’s, in Paddington in an April 2022 article by journalist Max Brearley on a revival of …

Diggings 30 March 2022

Pic: Paul van Reyk A bumper edition starting off with more on Indigenous water sovereignty and the exclusions of Indigenous voices from discussions on climate change amelioration; a delightful article by Jacqui Newling on coming to literal grips with discomforting food; more on the appalling conditions in aged care; perspectives on food scarcity and more. …

Not Meatless Monotony: One hundred years of Lenten Fare in Australia

Every year from 1867 - 1967 in the weeks before and during Lent,  readers of Australia's press were provided with recipes to help them both abstain from meat and fast. In an age when major Christian denominations no longer place such an emphasis on either during Lent it may not be immediately obvious why this …