The don't write them like this anymore. It was 1975 and the whole idea of Italian food was very new to we Anglos in Australia. Yes I used to watch the large Italian families having their picnics and i was fascinated by the strange smells and unusual looking foods. Truth be told I used to watch the Italian and Greek shows on a Sunday morning, the food looked so different and exotic (the presenters were also quite attractive to a 15 year old boy.)
Things have changed a bit since then, italian food has become part of Australia's way of life. I must admit as much as I loved Spag Bol as a boy it is not a Bolognese sauce. I guess as we have learnt to cook Italian food properly and to appreciate it's heritage we have forgotten how strange it all was less than 50 years ago.
I must confess I picked this book up because I thought it would be a shallow self promotion by a company and the recipes would be laughable. Turns out that is not the case. It does repeat so many of the mistakes of its day. Bolognese is not made by simmering an onion a clove of garlic then chucking in the mince and tinned tomatoes. It does include recipes for braised oxtail, Chicken Cacciatore and other dishes which was a level of Italian most Aussie homes knew nothing of.
I guess what I find interesting is the book is a hardback, ring bound and some trouble was taken in putting it together. It is no culinary gem but it opens an interesting door on Australia cooking past.
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