Outback Cooking

Miss Eagle could not let the Great Aussie Scone Fest go past without reference to two of her favourite Aussie cooks - Jack and Reg Absalom. Jack is famous as an artist: one of Australia's great Brushmen of the Bush. Jack is indebted to his uncle, Reg, for so many of the recipes in their book, Outback cooking in the camp oven. Reg spent many years as a station cook in Outback Australia. Miss Eagle also has to say that she has done a stint as a station cook - but in a fully equipped kitchen on McArthur River Station. She can cook in a camp oven and, like her Aunty Mame, loves it. Miss Eagle's Dearly Beloved, Big Red, was an accomplished Bush Cook. For luxurious three course meals he would wield his three cooking tools: a steel hot plate, a camp oven, and a kerosene tin with a wire handle over a pit fire. Here is Jack and Reg's recipe for Pumpkin Scones:

60g/2ozs butter; 1/2 cup sugar; 1 egg; 1 cup cold mashed pumpkin; 2 cups S.R. flour.

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Cream the butter and sugar, add eggs and pumpkin.

Add sifted flour and mix well.

Cut in 1 1/2 inch squares

and place in greased camp oven and bake for 15 minutes.