ANZAC Day

[Roxy]

Today is April 25, a day when Australians celebrate ANZAC day. The acronym ANZAC was coined in 1915 when the Australian and New Zealand troops were military training in Egypt. It eventually applied to all Australian and Nw Zealand soldiers in World War 1. The terms is particularly associated with landing at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915.

During World War 1 and World War 2, Australians were a very patriotic bunch. The wives, mothers and girlfriends were concerned for the nutirional value of the food being supplied to their men. Here was a problem. Any food they sent to the fighting men had to be carried in the ships of the Merchant Navy. There ships were very slow and most had no refrigerated facilities, so any food sent had to be able to remain edible after periods in excess of 2 months. A body of women came up with the answer - a biscuit (cookie) with all the nutrional values possible.

The ingredients they used were rolled oats, sugar, plain flour, coconut, butter (I now use vegan margarine), golden syrup, bi-carbonate of soda and boiling water. All of these items did not readily spoil. At first the biscuits were called Soldiers' Biscutis, but after the landing on Gallipoli they were renamed ANZAC Biscuits.

So I make these cookies on 25 April every year and thought I'd share the recipe before I head off to the kitchen.

Roxy
ANZAC Biscuits (Cookies):

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup all-purpose (plain) flour
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup coconut (dessicated)
125g (4oz) vegan margarine
2 tablespoons golden syrup
half teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 tablespoon boiling water

Combine oats, sifted flour, sugar and cocounut.

Combine margarine and golden syrup, stir over gentle heat until melted.

Mix soda with boiling water, add to melted margarine mixture, stiry into dry ingredients. Take teasonpoonfuls of mixture and place on lightly greased oven trays; allow room for spreading.

Cook in slowe oven (150 celcius or 300 farenheit) for 20 minutes. Loosedn while still warm, then cool on trays.

Makes about 35.

Enjoy! Roxy

[foxytina_69]

awe thats cute if only i could eat flour and oats!

[Kiva Dancer]

I'm not Australian, but that recipe looks great.

What's golden syrup?

[Roxy]

Golden syrup should be 100% pure cane syrup with no additives or preservatives. It is very thick and sticky and golden in colour and can be used in place of honey in some recipies (although it has a bit stronger taste than honey). Because it's so thick it acts as a good binding agent.
You should be able to find it in your grocery store along with other syrups.

[cedarblue]

mmmmmmmmmmmmm...golden syrup

[Kiva Dancer]

I'll look for it in the stores. Thanks.

[Roxy]

You're welcome

[Roxy]

Bumping this recipe for Anzac Day 2005. I made my Anzac Biscuits today!

[eve]

I visited a friend in hospital today, and the tea lady came in with his tea and bikkies - the usual rubbish. So I asked: Where are the Anzac biscuits? The tealady said they don't have them - would it really have been too difficult to buy a few packets for those in hospital on Anzac day?