Anzac Day - April 25

[lab_jazz]

Australia’s holiest of days. The day that we gather to honour and remember our brave men who died on the shores of Gallipoli 95 years ago today.

“They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them

Lest we forget”

Recipe and history of Anzac biscuits, plus two iconic Australia war songs under the cut


Anzac biscuits (originally called soldiers’ biscuits) came into being during WW1, when Australian women became concerned about the nutritional value of the food supplied to their menfolk.   Wives, mothers, girlfriends and organisations like the C.W.A., church groups and schools spent a lot of time baking and sending these biscuits to the troops overseas.

The biscuits were ideal as they were cheap and easy to make, and were non-perishable (they did not contain milk or eggs so they did not need refrigeration) and they gave the soldiers much needed nutrition and substance.

After the landing of Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZACs) in Gallipoli, the biscuits were renamed in honour of those brave soldiers who landed that fateful 25th day of April on the coast of Turkey, now known as Anzac Cove.

1 cup plain flour                   125g butter

¾ cup sugar                          ½ teaspoon bicarb of soda

1 cup coconut                       2 tablespoons boiling water

1 cup rolled oats

1 tablespoon golden syrup

STEP 1: Combine the flour, sugar, coconut and rolled oats. Combine the golden syrup and butter, stir over a gentle heat until melted. Dissolve the bicarb in the boiling water, add to the melted butter mixture and stir into the dry ingredients.

STEP 2: Shape the mixture into balls about the size of a walnut. You will find that you have to press the mixture together with your hands to shape the balls. Put the balls onto lightly greased baking trays (I use baking paper). Bake in a pre-heated moderate oven (180c) for 12 to 15 minutes. Allow to cool a bit before removing from the tray and putting on a wire rack.

NOTE: these biscuits will be soft when first removed from the oven.

Makes two dozen.
Two songs that live in the heart of Australians

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Eric Bogle singing "And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda"

And a more modern song relating to the Vietnam War. Redgum's "We Were Only 19"

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