The fragrance of freshly baked Anzac biscuits reminds Amanda Turner of her beloved grandmother every time the Mount Isa Country Women's Association member makes a batch to share with family and friends.
Miss Turner, 39, said the memories of her grandmother Rose Beutel who learned to bake between the World Wars and showed her how to follow a recipe, were very precious and she now enjoyed "sharing the love" when she passed on home-made Anzac biscuits to those in her community.
While Anzac Day is a time for remembrance of the immense sacrifices the men and women in the Australian Defence Force have made and continue to perform for our country, it's also a time for communities large and small, in urban, regional, rural and remote areas to come together, reflect and support each other.
And one way is through sharing Anzac biscuits, which Miss Turner said she's been baking for 36 years, with a recent batch passed to Mount Isa RSL president Troy Hartas.
"Troy's a younger veteran who served in the Middle Eastern wars," she said.
"It's important to share the love I learned cooking with my grandma from when I was three, sitting on her kitchen bench."
Miss Turner said her grandma grew up in Laidley in the Lockyer Valley then moved to Redlands where she and her husband grew fruit and vegetables which they sold to the American soldiers stationed at Cleveland Point during World War Two.
"Grandma used to help me measure and taught me how to read and follow the recipe," she said.
"She taught me to roll the mixture into small balls then flatten them on the tray with the palm of your hand.
"When I was 12 or 13 I was making them on my own and while I don't like to cook, I do like to bake, that's my happy place."
Mr Hartas said he was very grateful of her generosity.
"Amanda's biscuits are amazing and they reminded me of my grandfather as my grandma use to make them for him," he said.
Mr Hartas said catching up for a chat over a cuppa and some biscuits was an important way the Mount Isa RSL cared for their members and their families.
"Welfare is important, one way we care those in our community is we share stories and listen to each other," Mr Hartas said.
"At Mount Isa RSL we have a coffee morning every month and we have a lot of Vietnam vets and older guys come along.
"We also have a monthly Friday evening event and talk over a beer, it's really important to sit down and listen to someone who might not be OK.
"I have lost more mates to suicide than I did in a war zone."
Back in her kitchen Miss Turner deftly pulls another tray of the oven and puts it on a wire tray to cool.
A delicious wave of golden syrup and coconut fills the room.
Forget the minor rivalry between footy sporting codes or car brands, for Anzac Biscuit bakers the biggest issue is coconut - to use or not?
Miss Turner said she's most certainly in the latter camp.
"Coconut, yes most definitively, "Miss Turner said with a smile.
"You have to have coconut and I have to add a little extra, I really like it."
Miss Turner said she was "delighted" to be able to share her grandma's Anzac biscuit recipe with Queensland Country Life readers.
She said you "absolutely must" taste the raw mixture before baking.
And like all good country cooks, Miss Turner said licking the bowl, beaters or spatula is often the best fun when baking.
Rose Beutel's Anzac Biscuits
Pre-heat oven to 150C (160 C if not fan-forced)
Grease baking trays with butter wrap
Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup plain flour
- 1 cup raw sugar
- 1 cup coconut
- 125g butter
- 2 Tablespoon golden syrup
- 1/2 Teaspoon bicarb soda
- 1 Dessert spoon boiling water
Method
- Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl
- In a saucepan on stove combine butter, golden syrup until melted then add bicarb soda and water until mixture fizzes
- Add wet to dry ingredients stir to combine
- Roll into balls and place on tray
- Bake for approximately 20 minutes (check at the 15 minute mark if you need to rotate the tray for evenness of baking)
- Once removed, loosen biscuits with a spatula but leave to cool on the tray then slide onto a wire tray to cool completely.
- Store in an air-tight tin or container.
According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, these rolled oat based-biscuits have such a significant place in Australia's heart there are legal guidelines for their commercial production about what can and cannot be refereed to as an Anzac Biscuit.
The DVA said "biscuits must not substantially deviate from the generally accepted recipe and shape, and must be referred to as 'Anzac Biscuits' or 'Anzac Slice', not 'Anzac Cookies'."
The Australian War Memorial reported while early versions of Anzac Biscuits did not include coconut, the Country Women's Association of NSW 1933 publication Calendar of Cake and Afternoon Tea Delicacies: a recipe for each day of the year included two recipes for Anzac biscuits, one without coconut and one without.
Got a great recipe you'd like to share or have a news tip? Contact Alison Paterson on 0437 861 082.
