ANZAC DAY

Such a special and emotional day it is today.

Today is a National day of Remembrance in Australia and New Zealand to honour the memory of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps who fought in Gallipoli in World War 1.  It now more broadly commemorates all those who died and served in military operations for their country.  This is one of the most important days of the year for us.

With symbolic links to the dawn landing at Gallipoli, the day starts with a dawn service.  Thousands attend around the country.  The old and the young.  Standing side by side, full of pride, thanks, emotions that cannot be described.  The Anzac Day Parade follows mid morning through the city.  As a child we never missed these.  Of course back then there were many more 'old' diggers (nickname for Aussie soldiers) than today.  My mum would always cry, especially when she saw her old Uncles marching.  The wars affected their families so much more than we can relate to.

There are four towns in our Shire, so we take turn about for the dawn service. 

This year is the first year that DH father is not here to share this day with his fellow comrades.  They will remember him, have a drink for him and in many ways he will be there with them.  Our family decided to meet in the Garden on Remembrance at the War Cemetery where his plaque has recently been added.

It was a beautiful day.  These days that are so full of emotion are so draining.  We were so tired from it all, quite night was had and early to bed!!

He doesn't really understand but he knows we're there for Pop.

We miss you Pop

Such a spiritual place.

Just before Anzac Day (made all year round but always for this day) we make a fresh batch of Anzac Biscuits.  This is the recipe, followed by the history of these.

ANZACS

1 cup plain flour
2/3 cup caster sugar
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup desiccated coconut
124g unsalted butter
1/4 cup golden syrup
1/2 tsp bicarb soda
1 tblspn boiling water

Preheat oven to 180C. 
 
Sift flour and sugar into large mising bowl.  Add oats and coconut; make a well in the centre.


Combine butter and golden syrup in small pot.  Sitr over low heat until butter has melted and mixture is smooth; remove from heat.  Dissolve soda in water; add immediately to butter mixture.  It will foam up instantly.  Add butter mixture to dry ingredients.  Using a wooden spoon, stir until well combined.


Roll balls of 1 level tablespoon of mixture at a time onto prepared tray.  Flatten only a little with fingers, allowing room for spreading.  Bake 15 - 20 minutes or until just browned.


Remove from oven; transfer to wire rack to cool.

I bake mine in a slightly cooler oven 165C so they are not so hard.

This is the history of the Anzac Biscuit : -

·         During World War 1, the wives, mothers and girlfriends of the Australian soldiers were concerned for the nutritional value of the food being supplied to their men. Here was a problem. 

o    Any food they sent to the fighting men had to be carried in the ships of the Merchant Navy. Most of these were lucky to maintain a speed of ten knots (18.5 kilometres per hour). Most had no refrigerated facilities, so any food sent had to be able to remain edible after periods in excess of two months. 

o    A body of women came up with the answer - a biscuit with all the nutritional value possible. The basis was a Scottish recipe using rolled oats. These oats were used extensively in Scotland, especially for a heavy porridge that helped counteract the extremely cold climate.

o    The ingredients they used were: rolled oats, sugar, plain flour, coconut, butter, golden syrup or treacle, bi-carbonate of soda and boiling water. All these items did not readily spoil. At first the biscuits were called Soldiers’ Biscuits, but after the landing on Gallipoli, they were renamed ANZAC Biscuits.

o    A point of interest is the lack of eggs to bind the ANZAC biscuit mixture together. Because of the war, many of the poultry farmers had joined the services, thus, eggs were scarce. The binding agent for the biscuits was golden syrup or treacle.  

o    As the war drew on, many groups like the CWA (Country Women’s Association), church groups, schools and other women’s organisations devoted a great deal of time to the making of ANZAC biscuits. 

o    To ensure that the biscuits remained crisp, they were packed in used tins, such as Billy Tea tins. The tins were airtight, thus no moisture in the air was able to soak into the biscuits and make them soft.  

Have a lovely day and God Bless :)