HOME cooks who have pressed their noses to glass cabinets at country shows to marvel at the perfectly risen sponge cakes or the dainty plate of slices are a step closer to winning their own blue ribbon.
The Australian Blue Ribbon Cookbook, launched on the weekend at Deviation Road winery's cellar door at Longwood, contains 70 tried and true recipes from talented show cooks across Australia - and some 'secret' tips.
Published by Allen & Unwin, the book follows the success of Liz's Blue Ribbon Cookbook published in 2008 which featured some of SA's best show cooks.
This was a national best-seller and runner-up at the Gourmand World Cookbook awards, getting past finalists from 50 countries.
"A lot of books were sold interstate and I started getting requests from show societies and cooks all over, and suggestions that I should write a book for each state," Liz said.
"That could have taken 10 years of my writing career so I decided to focus on just doing one national book."
About four years ago, Liz began liasing with various state Ag Society Councils, and contacting the 580 country shows for nominations.
She has criss-crossed Australia to meet many enthusiastic cooks, cookery convenors, stewards and judges.
Liz narrowed down the many recipes received to a combination of show classics, recipes in danger of being forgotten, and modern additions to show schedules.
She says her 240-glossy page book stands apart from others in the genre because it allows the reader to get to know the personalities behind the recipes, and gives them the extra knowledge needed to turn a good recipe into a great one.
"To me the recipes are a bonus," Liz said.
Scones, fruit cakes and sponges are synonymous with show cooking but once these had been selected, the overwhelming criteria for the remaining recipes was a 'generosity of spirit'.
"I was not looking for those that had the most blue ribbons or had been cooking the longest," Liz said.
"Of course they had to have won at least one blue ribbon to qualify but they had to be generous in wanting to share information on how they made their recipe, and a generosity of their time contributing to their local show or Royal show.
"One cook from Qld, Enid (Cox), is 92 years old, and while she does not compete any more she gets up early every day for a week before the Ekka to bake three or four sponges, and drives them in to feed the volunteers setting up for the show."
Each of the recipes have been made by Liz's army of volunteer cooks to ensure they are easy to follow.
Liz already had many SA show cooks in mind after compiling the SA version of the Blue Ribbon Cookbook.
At the top of this list was Joyce Fendler, Tungkillo, who contributed a recipe for mixed mustard pickle which she makes all year round with whatever is in season.
"I had tried to get in contact with Joyce for the first one and I was aware she was one of the most respected show cooks and judges in the state - she is such a modest lady," Liz said.
Liz had also watched Vaughan Wilson, Wistow, progress through the ranks since he made a tree change with his family from Adelaide.
About 16 years ago, he won four out of five entries at his first Strathalbyn Show and has gone on to be a steward, convenor and one of the state's few male cookery judges.
Vaughan is a keeper at the Monarto Zoo and has shared his recipe for Jaffa Friands.
Semi-retired Barossa winemaker Rod Chapman, Tanunda, who put the same scientific reasoning into his Bloody Hot Tomato Sauce as he used when he was in a team making wines including Penfolds Grange Hermitage, also fascinated Liz.
"For Rod, it all starts with the tomatoes, so there was some gardening advice in there too," she said.
* Full report in Stock Journal, April 3, 2014 issue.
Catherine Miller
Stock Journal's livestock editor and South East correspondent.
Stock Journal's livestock editor and South East correspondent.
