I’m voting that this has to rank pretty high in the list of three words that should never be put together.
JELLIED. TURTLE. SOUP.
W.T. F. People of 1977?
You had a lovely Olive and Onion Tart and some fabulous canapés to eat. Why on earth would you choose to eat soup made from turtles? First that’s just gross and second, they don’t even look like they’d taste good.
Don’t even try to make it better by adding some totally delicious avocado. I’m calling shenanigans on you on this one!
Even worse. I was alive then. My mother better never have fed me turtle soup jellied or otherwise. Or we’ll be having words when I get back.
“What wonderful memories I have of soup and my Scottish mother’s kitchen. We had soup everyday and each one had it’s own character and charm”
– Margaret Fulton
To me, the character and charm of the soups in the 1977 picture are rather overwhelming. How much nicer are the modern pictures? I do however like that there is a nod to the past in the dish for the Soup Chiffonade…
And I just love the orange pumpkin soup in the blue bowl.
In fact, I have used this particular combination more than once on this blog. Once in one of my posts on Valli Little’s Slow:
And it will shortly feature in my post on Cantina…hmm…maybe it already has?
By the time you read this, I will be wending my way to (hopefully) sunny Sri Lanka. I’m super excited to be visiting the country where I was born. We will be travelling around Sri Lanka for a couple of weeks then stopping by our beloved Vietnam on the way home.
However, just so you don’t miss me too much, this year, like a television chef, I have a few things I have prepared earlier for which should (fingers crossed) come out every couple of days while I am gone.
The Margaret Fulton Cookbook was recently the book of the month over at The Cookbook Guru. I have the 1977 version of this book which is what I used to cook most of my recipes. However, my local library had the modern version. And because I am a cookbook nerd I did a side by side reading of the two. The results of that reading inspired this holiday series.
But first, taken from the blurb on the 1977 edition, for those of you who do not know her, here is all you need to know about Margaret Fulton. It’s a bit of a long quote but utterly delightful and indeed points to why she is such a treasure and legend of Australian cooking. The modern version has nothing like this which is an absolute shame!
“Margaret Fulton is a good cook – that’s indisputable. She is also an intriguing personality. This gives lie to those who think that someone whose career is cookery is bound to be staid and homely with conversation that hovers on or around matters culinary. Margaret’s conversation sparkles with wit and shows no preoccupation with her career. She is fascinated by the stock market. Will discuss big business, high fashion, the theatre, modern literature and child care with verve and intelligence.
Margaret has travelled widely, living every moment of every day with an enjoyment, an enthusiasm that would exhaust most people…..
Petite and feminine, she loves good clothes and smart shoes. Although she would never dream of putting up with anything but the best quality food, her Scottish thrift (and plain good sense) prompt her to buy most of her fruits and vegetables at a farmer’s market where the freshest quality is available and the prices are low. She is not a food snob. Rather a fresh wing of skate than an Alaskan crab or Scotch salmon that may not have travelled well…
And when Margaret entertains, which she does with the same zeal she applies to everything else, her friends are sure of a memorable meal and lively conversation. Her definite personality, her bubbling zest for living make her an outstanding human being”
Enjoy the next few weeks! How could you not in such good company? By which I mean Margaret of course. If you want to keep up with my travel adventures and general nonsense, I’ll be on FB and Insta.