The Dynamo from Down Under

This blog post is lovingly dedicated to Christine, and to the memory of her husband, Allan—two of the truest souls I have ever had the joy of knowing.

JUMP TO RECIPES

World War II really was a worldwide war, spanning six of the seven continents. It’s easy to think of it in terms of major cities but terrible battles also happened on far-flung islands in the middle of nowhere, in deserts and on mountains, and everywhere in between—in both hemispheres.

Finding Aunt Daisy

Exactly what happened in many of these places—especially in the lives of civilians—is not always easy to find out. For some time, I’ve been curious about the lives of homemakers in other Allied countries, so when my friend from New Zealand mentioned the name Aunt Daisy I was intrigued. Finding an Aunt Daisy cookbook was like finding hidden treasure!

Daisy’s real name was Maud Ruby Basham. Born in the late 1800s in England, she lost her father when she was a toddler. Shortly after his death she and her mother emigrated to New Zealand. Little did the country know, at the time, what a treasure had come to it.

Maud & The Gift of Gab

Maud grew up in New Zealand and married in 1904, starting a family with three children of her own. The Great Depression changed the course of her life, as she decided to go to work when her husband lost his job. Apparently, Maud had the gift of gab. She decided to take the trait she had been admonished for as a child, and turn it into income. She began with a single radio station but as New Zealand’s broadcasting capabilities increased, her 30-minute daily show became part of the entire country’s mornings for 30 years.

Flying along at more than 200 words per minute (gasp!) she entertained with recipes, home hints, homilies, advice and product promotions. Her cheerfulness earned great trust with homemakers across New Zealand. Aunt Daisy continued broadcasting until only a few days before she died in 1963. She became a powerful advertiser, as women across the country trusted her to recommend only products she personally would use. She became the “first lady of radio” as well as New Zealand’s first “foodie.” A number of cookbooks resulted from her shows and I was so fortunate to find one of them.

Bunnies & Butterflies

I decided to try two recipes that sounded like they would make an adorable brunch or lunch—especially if children were included. Aunt Daisy’s Cookery No. 5 has many recipes with intriguing names but Bunnies in Blankets and Sausage & Pineapple Butterflies caught my eye.

Both recipes are simple and straightforward, using minimal ingredients. As with so many World War II-era recipes they use little meat, an item that might have been available as a tinned good, and the ubiquitous potato. And, the recipes are designed for making only what would have been needed for a single meal. That’s one thing that seems to be very different from so many of today’s recipes—the portions were reasonable but only enough for one meal, with no leftovers. And these recipes are best eaten fresh, which is easy enough because they are quick, charming and delicious.

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Bunnies in Blankets

Yield 2

Author Maud Ruby Basham, "Aunt Daisy"

These adorable bunnies--all the way from New Zealand--are tasty, filling and perfect for any brunch or lunch that includes children. I have written the amounts for 2 servings but the amounts are easy to adjust.

Ingredients

• 2 medium apples
• 1 scant teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon soft butter
• 2 ounces bulk sausage meat [I used homemade beef sausage; see notes]
• 4 slices loaf bread
• 4 small slices cheese

Instructions

1. Core, but do not peel apples. Cut in slices 1/3-inch thick. Sprinkle with sugar and dot with butter; then, bake until soft (about 20-25 minutes).
2. Roll sausage meat into little sausages about an inch long and fry.
3. Cut crusts from bread to leave 2-inch squares; then, lightly toast bread squares.
4. On squares of toast, put a round of apple, then 2 little sausages. Put a square of cheese over each little sausage, and put under griller to soften a little.

Notes

You can find my recipe for Beef Sausage in my blog post "Celebrations in Wartime" or see how I make it in my YouTube video "Mock Turkey Recipe for Thanksgiving from the 1940's."

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Sausage & Pineapple Butterflies

Yield 2

Author Maud Ruby Basham, "Aunt Daisy"

Such a dainty, pretty concoction for a lunch or brunch! These butterflies are sure to fly off the plate. I've included amounts for 2 servings but the recipe is easy to adjust to the servings you need.

Ingredients

• 2 slices pineapple, cut in halves
• 1/2 teaspoon butter
• 2 link sausages OR bulk sausage formed into 2 links
• 1/2 - 1 cup prepared mashed potatoes
• Parsley to garnish
• Crispy fried onion to garnish

Instructions

1. Fry half slices pineapple in butter until light brown.
2. Fry sausages.
3. Place one sausage on each plate; put a spoonful of mashed potato on each side; and stand half-pineapple slices in potato to resemble butterfly wings.
4. Sprinkle potato with chopped parsley and fried onions.

References

Basham, Maud Ruby. Aunt Daisy Cookery No. 5—Limited Edition. Christchurch, NZ: Whitcombe & Tombs Limited, 1942.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

Philippians 4:6