The Cookbook

Today I finally finished looking at my copy of the Australian Heritage Cookbook.






As a daily ritual, I've been looking at a few pages, everyday, for the last few months.

My sister's family gave the book to me back in November for my birthday. According to them, they got the book for a dollar in the clearance section of Half Price Books.  It was a cheap gift, but one of the best.

I feel loved, appreciated, and understood when people give me gifts related to Australia...even if it might be something I already have. I expect those who love me to know I love Australia. I would never expect them to know what Australian things I do have and don't have.

And no, I'm not saying I already had this cookbook. I didn't. But I was just thinking about how someone else gave me a book I already had.

Anyway...back to the cookbook. I loved receiving it.

I loved that it was about Australia, of course. What made it even more special to me was that it was published in 1988.  That's the year Home and Away premiered, and at the time I received the book, I think I was watching the 1988 episodes. I thought that was cool.

We haven't actually made anything in the book. And by "we" I really mean Tim. He's the chef of the family.  Maybe we should someday. Some of the desserts look really good to me. Maybe as a family, we'll make one of them.

Speaking of Australian desserts, yesterday Tim bought Magnums at the grocery store. I know they're not technically Australian.  I think they're British?

Oh...wait. No. Lord Wiki says they're originally from Sweden!

But I associate them with Australia, because the first time we ate them was in Australia.

Now they're pretty prevalent in the United States, so they're a little less special.  But still...eating them is quite enjoyable.



4 comments:

  1. I hate to think what some of the recipes are from the eighties

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  2. Andrew,

    Really? Why? Like health issues? Or something else?

    I'd say one thing different about a cookbook published then and one that would be published now...I'm sure a 2014 cookbook would have much more vegetarian and Gluten Free recipes.

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  3. I just don't think the food styles of the eighties were very good or memorable. It was the appearance decade of nouvelle cuisine, tiny portions on monster plates at outrageous prices.

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  4. Andrew,

    I know what type of food you're talking about. I didn't realize that was an 80's thing. I thought it was just an expensive/fancy restaurant thing.

    The cookbook is a home-cooking thing, The food looks hearty and appetizing.

    There are a lot of illustrations and I don't see many small portions.

    In most photos, it looks like someone is having a huge feast.

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