The Great Aussie Scone Fest Mystery

www.bananamuseum.com

Dear Reader, the Great Aussie Scone Fest has kicked off over at Food from Oz. But your help is needed. The Old Foodie has left a comment, informing Miss Eagle of a difficulty.

Well Miss Eagle, I thought I had found the perfect contribution in a book called "The Australasian Cookery Book .. specially written and compiled for the requirements of Australian and New Zealand Homes" (is about 1910 vintage). The recipe is for Pineapple Scones. "these are made in the same way as banana scones, using grated pineapple insted of the banana."Only minor issue is that there is not a banana scone recipe in the book. Looks like I'll have to experiment, but will be on holiday 12-29th so it might be belated!

Does anyone, anywhere in the world, have a recipe - preferably circa 1910, but any will do - for Banana Scones?

Lord preserve us

My local parish church is St Thom's and every few months they have a street stall at the Maxi Supermarket at Upper Ferntree Gully. It is something and is organised by the indefatigable fundraiser in chief, Gwen Brideson. Three tables. One table was burdened with beautiful knits and crafts. A second table groaned with delights from the kitchen. The third had the piece-de-resistance, the raffle of Rosemary Sendin's Mother's Day cake. Miss Eagle made a valiant effort to win this, purchasing quite a few tickets. But the winner was Iola Tilley - without whom St Thom's would probably fall down - who has more counts towards motherhood than Miss Eagle.

But Miss Eagle always heads for the preserves. This time - with a vision of all those scones to be baked and tested for the Great Aussie Scone Fest - your author was even more focussed than usual. Miss Eagle does not bother to make her favourite Plum Jam anymore. Bett Connop's is a delight and this time it was made from Blood Plums.

The other purchases all came from the kitchen of the elegant Eve Nielsen and, as you will see Dear Reader, her jams and chutneys are elegant as well. Six jar's of Eve's produce came back to The Trad Pad: Apple and Sage Chutney; Nectarine and Peach Chutney; Lemon and Fennel Jelly; Fig and Ginger Jam; Gooseberry and Plum Jelly; and Blackberry Jam.

Vonnie, Martin and Me

Miss Eagle's dear friend, Vonnie, from Bluewater in North Queensland has been visiting Melbourne this week with her husband Martin. Vonnie is an indomitable woman of faith. Life has not always been easy for or kind to Vonnie and there are many stories and experiences woven into her life. Not least is the fact that she is the mother of ten children. Yesterday, we three went up to Sassafras and had a long lunch of the beautiful food they serve at Miss Marple's.