Here we go. Well... here I go. Do you know what I am going to do? I am going to spend the rest of the year blogging as per usual, but also blogging about something else COOL. Do you know what I am doing? I am going to blog the Australian Women's Weekly Recipe Card Library. Yes. I am. Did you have these cards in your house when you were a wee person? I did. I thought they were GREAT. I cooked lots of things from these cards as a child and a teenager. My parents used these cards too. This yellow box was the Kitchen Oracle at my house and we flipped through the cards with more anticipation than a swap card session in the playground.
Let me just say that I love magazines. I really do. I love all the cool mags and the design mags and some of the fashion mags... but the VERY FIRST magazine I read was my Mum's Australian Women's Weekly. (It was usually stored on the floor next to her side of the bed, under the Vogue and on top of the Gourmet magazine.) I remember waiting excitedly to see which school book labels they would bring out in January. I remember getting first dibs on those labels and carefully cutting them out and waiting for the super-long Christmas holidays to end so I could paste them onto my books and get cracking (GEEK!). I remember looking at the knitting and crochet patterns and asking my Nan if she might just make me that poncho... or that knitted lamb... or that crocheted mini skirt. I remember my Sister clipping pictures of Lady Diana... and then Princess Diana from the AWW for her special Di-laden scrap book... or to stick on the wall next to her bed. The Weekly. Ah. I really did grow up with it.
So, as an ode to the Weekly and in a quest to have many more cakes, slices, biscuits and hearty casseroles for the extremely hungry fellas in this house, I am going to cook lots of recipes from the AWW Recipe Box. It's kind of like a dinky Australian version of Julie and Julia, only I am not going to cook everything from said box. I am not giving myself a time limit. And I am going to mix it up a bit so we don't end up eating Pork and Veal all month and then just Pudding the next. And I'm not writing a book about it. Or a film even. So it's only a tiny bit like that really, isn't it?! Yes.
I began this weekend and I will tell you more about that very soon, but what I would REALLY like to know is whether this box is at your house? Or your Mum's house? Or your Aunty's house? And before we had all those fancy cookbooks and Masterchef and Mr Oliver and the likes, was this a bit of a go-to for gourmet goodness at your place? What have you cooked from this box?! How did it go? Tell me do! Did your Mum or Dad write on the blank cards that you could order for the box? Where was it kept?! Did you have the yellow Index? Did you have lots more cards than I do?
Here is the list of cards that I DO (kind of!) have in my box, just in case you are not familiar with the AWW Recipe Box. There were around 24 different recipe cards in each category. It really was an institution in households all over Australia, methinks.
A :: Light 'N' Lovely Cool Desserts
B :: Best Beef Recipes
C :: Popular Biscuits and Slices
D :: Exciting Ways With Lamb, Pork & Veal
E :: Favorite Cakes
F :: The Important First Course
G :: Lovely Hot Puddings
H :: Great Ways With Chicken and Duck
I :: Homemade Confectionery
J :: Rice & Pasta - The World's Best Dishes
K :: Money-Saving Meals
L :: Fabulous Fish Dishes
M :: Jams, Pickles, Chutneys and Relishes
N :: To Serve With Coffee and Drinks
O :: Perfect Pies and Pastries
P :: Different Ways with Vegetables
Q :: Low Calorie Recipes - Family Style
R :: Tempting Suppers & Snacks
S :: Homemade Breads, Buns & Scones : Cards Missing
T :: Cooking For A Crowd
U :: Fine Food From Faraway Places
V :: Super Salads
W :: Christmas Cookery - Traditional & Modern
X :: Superb Recipes From Famous Restaurants
And that is all I have in my box!
xx Pip
PS : As you can see my box is missing (at the very least) the cards for Homemade Breads, Buns and Scones. If you have spares, do send them over!
PPS : If you do have the box and would like to cook along, do send me the link when you post a recipe on your own blog. Then I can link to you from here and we can all join in together. That would be dandy!
PPPS : If 'Yellow Box' made you giggle, then go to your room and don't come out til dinner time.
