This little gem of a cookbook was once owned by my great-grandmother, and was given to me after my nana died. I couldn’t make the interstate funeral, so my mother brought me back some of her aprons and all the cookbooks she could find. This one has all the recipes for slices and baked goodies I remember eating when I was a kid in the ’80s, when it was the thing to do to bring a chocolate mint slice or tupperware container of honey joys to a potluck or backyard barbecue. And it was the thing for me to do to hover around the table and gorge on as many of them as I could…
 |
| Oh, hey Granny! |
This book is dated October 31, 1981 and the foreword congratulates the Harston CWA members on 25 years’ service to the community, and mentions that this cookery book is hoped to be a “challenge to the experienced and an aid to the newly-weds”.
My favourite part of the book is this: an aid to good people everywhere.
 |
| Disgusting, yet helpful… |
 |
| Something for everyone |
I’ve said it before, but I’m totally bringing back the word “luncheon” to describe the midday meal. And I get a little excited when something is termed “savouries”… this book gives recipes for curried eggs, savoury tuna slice, toasted cheese sticks and a “desperation dinner” – meatballs in savoury sauce with potatoes on top… all stuff you’d normally find in a pantry.
Other highlights include boiled chicken loaf, rice a riso casserole, braised rabbit, golden syrup dumplings (yum!), jelly slice, and pickled zucchini.
This page looked especially popular:
 |
| Mmm flour that’s as old as I am… |
Casting my mind back to those barbecue tables all those years ago (ahem), the standout favourite for me was the Cherry Ripe Slice. Therefore, it’s vitally necessary that I re-live those wondrous moments…
Cherry Ripe Slice from the Harston CWA Recipe Book
Ingredients:
1 lb malt biscuits
2oz chopped glace cherries
1/2 teaspoon cochineal (obvs not vegetarian, but this is what the original recipe says! I use pink food colouring)
1 tablespoon caster sugar
3oz Copha
1/2 lb coconut
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1/2 tsp almond essence
Directions:
Grease a 7″ x 11″ swiss roll tin and arrange a layer of malt biscutis in the base. Melt copha and mix in remaining ingredients, blending thoroughly, spread over layer of biscuits. Top with another layer of biscuits, pressing them firmly into mixutre. Ice with chocolate icing when set, cut into small squares. Cherries and almond essence may be omitted OR replace evaporated milk with 3/4 cup condensed milk and cut out caster sugar.
I totally forgot the caster sugar (but it didn’t seem to make a noticeable difference), and only used one packet, or 250g of the malt biscuits. Nor did I grease the tin, but did put down a piece of greaseproof baking paper. Still tastes just as I remember it!
Ah now I know why you NEVER admit to having a hangover! Surely you would feel worse after the cure!! CR
That cake, looks, AMAZING.
Kind of reminds me of the fruit salad my grandma makes for Thanksgiving, with cherry pie filling and condensed milk and such.. has that same pink color and is oooooh so yummy. 🙂
Perhaps if I admit to a hangover, someone will make me drink that concoction! My hangovers are akin to nuclear fallout, I haven't missed them at all. Meanwhile, I desperately want to eat cherry pie filling and condensed milk now. Just those two!
Ooooh yum!
My mum's cookbook that she got in year 8 Home Ec looks very similar. Except where it says “Sauces” she's put “FLYING” in front, and she's crossed out the Fluff in “Custard Fluff” and replaced it with Fart.
She was a very mature 13 year old 🙂
I think I'll pass on the hangover recipe!!! Lovely blog you've got xx
Looks awesome! I love Cherry Ripe so I am sure I would love this slice!
I love this site, I am a NSW CWA Member and find all our recipes work
I think I'll pass on the hangover recipe!!! Lovely blog you've got xx
Ah now I know why you NEVER admit to having a hangover! Surely you would feel worse after the cure!! CR
Ooooh yum!
My mum's cookbook that she got in year 8 Home Ec looks very similar. Except where it says “Sauces” she's put “FLYING” in front, and she's crossed out the Fluff in “Custard Fluff” and replaced it with Fart.
She was a very mature 13 year old 🙂
I love this site, I am a NSW CWA Member and find all our recipes work
Looks awesome! I love Cherry Ripe so I am sure I would love this slice!
I have this book! Yes its a true delight and I have pages just as worn out with recipe spills as this one. Jill, Albury. Mother (91) had 2 copies and gave me one.
Wow, really? I think it’s the cutest! The recipes are so sweet.
I have this book! Yes its a true delight and I have pages just as worn out with recipe spills as this one. Jill, Albury. Mother (91) had 2 copies and gave me one.
Wow, really? I think it's the cutest! The recipes are so sweet.
This looks amazing! Unfortunately, cochineal is not vegetarian- it is made from crushed-up beetles 🙁 Queens’ makes a pink dye which is vegetarian 🙂
Yes, thank you – I know! I use Queens pink food colouring, I wouldn’t even know where to get proper cochineal. As this was a vintage recipe from a book, I left it as-is without trying to modernise it in any way. Not all of my readers are veg, and most of the ones who are choose ingredients according to their comfort level. But I should have said something, as it probably looked like I wasn’t aware! Beetles = gross 🙂
Could you replace cop ha with coconut oil? Would you use the same quantity.
yes and yes!
A light breakfast for dark mornings! Hahahaha! Spot on there some days! Must make this slice, remember scoffing this at a friends house in the 80s!
Yeah I don’t think I could come at that remedy… bleccch
Just stumbled across this so I know you may not see this anymore but the Barbara in the Hangover recipe is actually my late Nan.
No way! That’s the coolest! I have never been game enough to try it, but it does make me laugh. I’m so pleased you found this post and got to tell me that. It’s made my day.