'Activities in the Kitchen' And The Women of Subiaco (1935-1936).
This post is a continuation on the theme of what women (and men) from Subiaco cooked for themselves and their families and the recipes they shared with the local newspapers throughout the early years of the West Australian colony.
In 1935 and 1936, the Sunday Times newspaper ran a column titled 'Activities in the Kitchen' edited by Evette. Readers requested recipes, shared favourite recipes and entered competitions. The winner won a cooking book titled 'Recipes of All Nations' and the consolation winners a tea towel. The readers had their recipes published. The editor also shared recipes, offered suggestions on cooking and handy hints.
In 1936, Mrs. S. Hodby of 210 Churchill avenue, Subiaco won a first prize of English China 7 piece fruit set for three novel confections. Throughout 1935 and 1936 women from Subiaco shared recipes and won quality tea towels. They also responded to requests for recipes.
The articles are from Trove, the database of the National Library of Australia. No copyright infringement intended.
Sunday Times, 20 January 1935
Activities in the Kitchen
SUGGESTIONS FOR THE MENU - Edited by Evette
FIRST FRIZE
English China 7 Piece FRUIT SET, a dainty and useful gift, has been awarded to MRS. S. HODBY, 210 Churchill-avenue, Subiaco, for
THREE NOVEL CONFECTIONS
SCOTTISH MONKEYS.
Put through a mincer or chop finely 2oz. each of sultanas, currants, mixed peel, raisins, 1 oz. each of nuts and dates, 2 tablespoons of diced apple, 1 teaspoon of orange juice, a dash of brandy, mix well. Pastry: Take 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup white sugar and 1/2 cup of milk in a saucepan: bring to boil, then add a small teaspoon of carbonate of soda. Stir well and leave till cold. Sift together 1 teaspoon cocoa, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 3 cups flour, rub in 1/2 cup butter. When sugar and milk are quite cold stir in flour, ect, and mix to a stiff paste. If too dry add milk, roll out thinly, line patty pans, put in dessertspoons, of mince, cover with rounds or paste, press well in the edges, prick with a fork and bake in a moderate oven.
PRUNELLA CAKE.
Take 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup butter, 2 eggs, two-thirds cup of sour milk, 1 1/2 cups flour, two thirds cup stewed prunes (stoned and chopped), 1 teaspoon each of soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and baking powder. Cream butter and sugar and add in this order, prunes, milk and dry ingredients sifted together. Pour into 2 greased sandwich trays and bake in moderate oven 25 to 30 minutes.
CREAMY FILLING AND ICING.
Cream 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 cups of icing sugar, add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 1 of prune juice. Beat till thick and creamy.
WELSH CREAM TEA CAKES.
Take l lb. flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/4 lb. currants, 1 teaspoon grated nutmeg, 1/4 lb. butter, 2 heaped tablespoons sugar, cream to mix. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a basin, rub in the butter, add currants, sugar and nutmeg, mix to a medium dough with cream. Roll out on a floured board to 1 in. thickness, cut into circles with a cup, mark into quarters with the back of knife blade, place on a greased tin and bake in a quick oven about 15 minutes.
The Sunday Times, 8 November, 1935
Each of the following has been awarded a good quality TEA TOWEL for their recipes printed.
CHEESE PATTIES
Puff pastry, 2 ounces grated cheese, an egg, l oz. butter, 1/2 gill of white sauce, pepper and salt. Line small patties with puff pastry. Put cheese, butter, yolk of eggs, sauce and seasoning into a saucepan. Stir till thick, take from fire, and stir in the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs. Pat into patties and bake for 8 minutes. Serve warm.
Mrs. W. MacKenzie, 34 Churchill-avenue, Subiaco.
Sunday Times, 8 December 1935
Each of the following has been awarded a good quality TEA TOWEL for their recipes printed.
CHRISTMAS CAKE.
Take 5 cup flour, 1 cup butter, 1 cup cream, 1 cup treacle, 1 cup moist sugar, 2 eggs, 1/2 oz. powdered ginger, 1/2 lb. raisins, 1 teaspoon carbonate soda. (Use teacups for measurement.) Stone the raisins and cut them into small pieces, sift the flour and be sure it is quite dry; warm the butter if necessary, so as to melt it but not into oil; put the flour in a basin, add to it the sugary ginger and raisins; when these are well mixed stir in the butter, cream, treacle and eggs (previously well whisked), and beat the mixture for 10 minutes, carefully break all lumps in soda, and mix thoroughly, with the dough. Well butter a mould or cake tin and pour lb the mixture. Place it at once, in a moderate oven and bake 1 to 2 hours.
Mrs. E. Gow, 82 Onslow-road, Subiaco.
Sunday Times, 5 January 1936
Each of the following wil receive a TEA TOWEL
APPLE AND CELERY STUFFING
Take 1 tablespoon minced onions, 2 tablespoons butter, 1 breakfast cup minced celery, 1 cup breadcrumbs, 1 cup minced apples, salt and pepper. Lightly fry the onion in the butter, then add celery and apple. Cook for five minutes, then add crumbs and seasoning. Fruit Stuffing: Chop 3 or 4 cooking apples into small pieces, add a cup of seeded raisins, which have been soaked for 10 minutes in boiling water. Mix with 2 tablespoon of butter and a cup of breadcrumbs. This stuffing is nice for duck or goose.
Mrs. B. A. Stow, 139 Barker-road, Subiaco.
The Sunday Times, 29 March, 1936
RECIPES FROM OUR READERS
Each of the following entrants has been awarded a good quality TEA TOWEL for the recipes which appear here:
PEAR MARMALADE
Slice thinly 1 lb. pears with skins and seeds, soak overnight in 4 quarts water, next day add a finely cut-up pineapple. Boil together till soft then add 5 lb. sugar, and when nearly cooked add a little lemon juice. Boil till of a nice consistency and color.
PEAR MARMALADE (2)
Cut 4 lb. pears into small pieces (peeled and cored), put in pre-serving pan and grate over them rind of 2 lemons, pour over the strained lemon juice and add 1 pint water. Simmer till pears are soft add 31b. sugar, then 2oz. whole ginger (bruised and tied in muslin) and boll to a thick pulp. Take ginger out and pot the jam. For a change add the pulp of 1 dozen passionfruit
Mrs. B. A. Stow, 139 Barker-road, Subiaco.
Sunday Times, 26 April 1936
Recipes From Our Readers
Each of the following readers have been awarded a good duality TEA TOWEL for their recipes:
CARAMEL ICING
Take 1 cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon: butter, ! cup cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla. Boil 4 minutes. then beat well and pour over the cake. This is a very good. Simple recipe.
To A.M. Subiaco.
Sunday Times, 2 August 1936
LEMON TOFFEE
Take 1/2 lb. sugar, 1 lemon, 1/2. brown sugar, 1/2 cup water, 2oz. butter. Grate lemon rind and set aside. Strain juice of lemon into a saucepan, add water and both sugars and let these melt slowly. Bring to the boil stirring occasionally. Put lid on saucepan and allow to boil for two or three minutes for steam to remove any sugar crusted on sides of pan. Remove lid and boil to a little tested in cold water sets. Draw pan aside and stir in rind and butter. Boil gently for a minute or two and then pour into a greased tin.
Mrs. T. Burt, 16 King's-road, Subiaco.
Sunday Times, 13 September 1936.
THE WORLD of WOMEN
Edited by Evette
RECIPES FROM OUR READERS
Each of the following entrants has been awarded a good quality TEA TOWEL for the recipes which appear here:
HONEY SPONGE (Pudding or Cake)
Cream 2 tablespoons of butter with 2 tablespoons of sugar, add 1 beaten egg. Mix 4 tablespoons of honey and 8 tablespoons of milk, add to mixture. Sift together 2 cups s.r. flour, 1 teaspoon bicarb. soda and a pinch of salt and fold in lightly. Steam 1 1/2 hours and serve with a sweet white sauce. This quantity doubled and baked 1 hour results in a delicious slab cake.
Mrs. T. Burt, 16 King's-road, Subiaco.
The Sunday Times, 8 November, 1936
RECIPES FROM OUR READERS
Each of the following entrants has been awarded a good quality TEA TOWEL for the recipes which appear here:
CROQUETTE OF APPLES.
Pare and slice 8 apples, and put in a stewpan with a glass of sherry, 8oz. of sugar, a tablespoon of lemon juice and a dessertspoon of orange juice. When reduced to a pulp, beat the yolks of 6 eggs wel and stir in leave it on the fire five minutes longer then pour out to cool. When cold and firm roll into balls; dip in white of egg and fine crumbs and sugar, and fry in butter: drain, and serve hot.
Miss H. Gee, 10 Coghlan-road, Subiaco.
The Sunday Times, 19 April, 1936
Requested Recipes
SIMPLE PLUM PUDDING.
You will require 8oz. breadcrumbs, 4oz. flour, salt, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 lb. shredded suet, 4oz. brown sugar, 4oz. currants, sultanas and seeded raisins, spice, 2 eggs, 1 breakfast cup of milk. Mix all the dry ingredients well together. Beat eggs, add milk, and stir into mixture. Put in well floured cloth, and boil three hours.
To Netty. Subiaco.
