My Cooking Bible

My cooking bible is The Schauer Australian Cookery Book. My aunt, Bina Doneley, used it as did my mother, Phyll O'Carroll. I find that few Australians have heard of it. Yet the work of its author is famous and one of her recipes is an Australian icon. The Schauer Australian Cookery Book is written by Amy Schauer - usually known as Miss Schauer. Miss Schauer taught generations of Queensland Domestic Science teachers. Her iconic work is the Lamington. I remember seeing an interview on TV some years ago with famous Australian artist, Lloyd Rees. He was then about 93 not out. He said that he remembered when he was about 13 years of age (before World War I) growing up in Brisbane, he was at a friend's place one afternoon playing tennis. Miss Schauer arrived. She was a friend of the family. She said that they had done something interesting that day at College. They had made something completely new - the Lamington. For those who don't know, the Lamington is a square of cake covered in chocolate icing and then covered in dessicated coconut. There is little on the 'net about Miss Schauer but I have found this snippet of history.

Another much shorter research project took place in 1933. M. Goode, Manager of Peanut Products, a Queensland company, forwarded a sample of peanut paste for experimentation to the Domestic Science Department. Miss Amy Schauer, officer-in-charge of that department and author of a highly successful cook book, prepared a luncheon using the peanut paste in every item, and thus increased the sales potential of the product.

I love Miss Schauer not only for her wonderful "standard" recipes but for her advice. The book - very plain with no photographs, not even of the author - is divided into categories. At the beginning of each category, there is general advice on the principles of cooking the particular item. For instance, in the section on souffles, there is a whole page of advice including the guiding principle of using one white more than the number of yolks. Even when I am using someone else's recipe I will refer to her advice before embarking on the project. The Schauer Australian Cookery Book is still in print. I am on my second copy because the first one fell to bits. Second-hand shops also turn up copies.