The Sunday Times Recipe Contest (1900 - 1909).
During the early years of the colony the Sunday Times newspaper ran a recipe contest. The recipes competed for prizes and the winning entries and honourable mentions were published in the newspaper.
The rules of the contest state the recipe could be taken from any cookery book or newspaper or better still be the invention of the sender. Any woman could enter as many recipes as they please. The prizes women competed for varied over the years.
Like many women from around the State, the women of Subiaco shared their favourite recipes. These recipes provide a wonderful insight into the variety of food available and consumed by individuals and families from a variety of sources, their resourcefulness when food like meat was not at its best, some advice on how to provide nourishment to an invalid and make a good old fashion English Christmas pudding that could last over a year.
The recipes provide an interesting insight into cooking, the methods used and some of the equipment available for example like stewing-jars and sausage mincers. Some homes had wood fires and others were equipped with an oven. Measurements were not exact and women were required to make judgements based on their previous cooking experience.
Both married and single women entered recipes into the Sunday Times competitions over many years and many won several prizes.
The recipes below are the some of the first prize winners from the women of Subiaco. The articles are from Trove, the database of the National Library of Australia. No copyright intended.
Sunday Times, 24 June 1906.
The Prize Recipes.
FIRST.
The following recipe for a Dainty Invalid's Dish, by H, Parsons, Railway Road, Sdbiaco, is the best sent in for the week, and is awarded the first prize.
DAINTY INVALID'S DISH
Half the battle is won if the repast is made pleasant to the eye, served on a tray covered with the daintiest of linen, with the china, and silver polished until they shine and shine again - Too much stress can hardly be laid on cooking the invalid's meal attractively and on served the food very hot. "A Stimulating Beef Tea." to be given in cases of exhaustion, is made as follows : Cut two pounds of lean beef into little bits and put them into a glass fruit jar ; fasten the top on well : stand the jar in a dish of cold water which bring to the boiling point, and then simmer for three hours. Press it through a sieve and strain it. Serve with the thinnest rounds of white breed which have been lightly browned in the oven. As according to medical opinion beef tea is far more nourishing when, diluted with vegetable juice a cut up carrot or celery (if the flavor is liked) may be added to the meat in the jar in the first instance.
Sunday Times, 23 December 1906.
The Prize Recipes.
FIRST.
The first prize is awarded to Mrs. Bower, Hamilton-street. Subiaco, for recipe for
CHRISTMAS PUDDING
Ingredients : Two pounds of breadcrumbs, one teacupful of flour, two pounds moist sugar, two pounds pudding raisins (stoned), two pounds currants, one pound candied peel, two pounds beef suet, two, ounces mixed spice, quarter pound ground almonds, one teaspoonful of salt, rind of two lemons (grated), two teaspoonsful of baking powder, 12 eggss, one glass of brandy, juice of two lemons, a little milk.
Mode : Mix all the dry ingredients together first, then moisten and stir with 12 eggs well beaten, add the brandy: and the juice of the lemons: if not suficient moist add milk. This makes a very rich pudding, and the above quantity will make three large puddings or six small ones, to be used as required. It is best put them into basins or moulds, oiled or buttered. Put a paste of flour over the top before they are tied down in the pudding cloth. When, done remove the paste the past the next day, cover with brandy paper and store in a dry place until required for use. Will keep for a year if necessary. Time, six hours.
Sunday Times, 11 October 1908.
The Prize Recipes.
FIRST.
First- prize is awarded to Mrs. Exley, 265 Hamersley-road, Subiaco, for recipef for
HOME-MADE BREAD
Ingredients : Three and half lbs flour, one potato, one dessertspoonful salt, one dessertspoonful brewer's yeast, lukewarm, water or milk.
Mode : Mix the salt and flour in a bowl, and make a hole in the centre. Boil a nice floury potato in a pint of water until it is all boiled in the water, put in a basin until luke-warm, and add a dessertspoonsful of brewer's yeast. Mix thoroughly and put, in centre of flour and make a thin, batter with a little of the flour. Put aside for twenty minutes to rise. Make ready a pint of lukewarm water or milk and add gradually as you knead the dough until all the flour is used up. Knead thoroughly until no flour or lumps remain and, the dough does not stick to the hands. Cover with a cloth and leave to rise a second time for three quarters to one hour. When it is all cracked on top it is ready to make into loaves. This will make three medium-sized loaves. After putting, the dough in the tins prick with a fork and let them rise again ten minutes, and bake in a quick oven for thirty or forty minutes Try with a skewer. If it comes out clean it is done.
Sunday Times, 3 January 1909.
The Prize Recipes.
FIRST
First prize is awarded to Miss A. Newton, 109 Rokeby-road, Subiaco, for recipe for
CRAYFISH MAYONNAISE
Cover the bottom of a salad bowl with finely shredded lettuce and radish, then cover with the white flesh of a crayfish, chopped into small pieces, and immediately before serving add the following made dressing. Soak a few radishes in cold water for an hour, then scrape them very fine with a sharp knife. Mix the yolks of two hard-boiled eggs with the yolk of one raw egg, and one teaspoonful of mustard ; then add two tablespoonsful of olive oil very gradually. When quite smooth add two tablespoonsful of vinegar that has a tablespoonful of sugar dissolved in it, also salt to taste. Stir in the grated radish until all is well mixed. Pour over the crayfish, and decorate the top with slices of hard-boiled eggs.
Sunday Times, 23 May 1909.
The Prize Recipes.
FIRST
First prize is awarded to Mrs. Bennett, 305 Mueller-road, Subiaco, for recipe for
POTTED STEAK
Ingredients : One pound steak, two tablespoonful Anchovy sauce, quarter pound butter, half teaspoonful black pepper, quarter teaspoonful cayenne, half teaspoonful mace.
Mode : Free steak from fat and skin, and put in a jar with the other ingredients added. Stew in a saucepan of boiling water for 5 hours (put a lid on). When done put the meat through a mincing machine. Mix well with the liquid in jar, put into small jars ; and pour oiled butter over it. Will, keep for months. ls delicious for sandwiches for lunches, etc.
Sunday Times, 27 June 1909.
The Prize Recipes.
FIRST.
First prize far awarded to Mrs. Exley, Hamersley-road, W. Subiaco, for recipe for
YORKSHIRE TEACAKES
Ingredients : One and a half pounds flour, two ounces butter, two ounces sugar, one potato, one teaspoonful salt, four ounces currants, one dessert spoonful brewer's yeast.
Boil potato in a cup of water until very soft, and let it cool to lukewarm ; then stir in brewer's yeast, mix flour and salt together, then rub in the butter. Then add sugar and currants, make a hole in centre, and pour in potato and yeast. Let it rise twenty minutes. Then knead well, adding more lukewarm water if required ; let it rise, three-quarters of an hour, then make into small cakes ; roll out to half inch thick. Put on baking sheet and prick with a fork. Let them rise again ten minutes. Bake in a quick oven for ten minutes, or until nicely browned. To make plain ones, leave out sugar and currants.
