Since Country Style first introduced the Heirloom Recipe story back in 2012, it has become one of the magazine’s most popular features. And when you read the stories on these pages, you’ll understand why.
Over the years we have received so many special recipes, accompanied by some heart-warming (and sometimes heart-breaking) stories and photographs of the relative or special someone who passed it on.
Some of these recipes were much-loved family dinners, some were only made for special occasions, like Christmas, and some have even won awards, but all of these recipes are worth sharing.
Here, we’ve picked out ten of the most-popular heirloom recipes that we’ve published over the years, so you can test out some of these classic cakes, beloved biscuits, hearty pies and celebratory desserts yourself.
SHARE YOUR FAMILY FAVOURITES
Do you have a much-loved family recipe that’s been passed down through the generations? We are looking for unpaid submissions to appear in the magazine and online. Email us at [emailprotected] with your recipe, along with the story behind it. If your story is chosen to appear in the mag, we’ll also need a photo of the relative who passed it on to you.
GRANDMA BETTY’S CARROT AND PINEAPPLE CAKE
Boorowa-based food blogger Lo Corcoran knew her grandma Betty’s carrot and pineapple cake was good, but winning first place in the local show proved it.
GRANDMUM’S JAM DROPS
Country Style reader Ali Gripper says the appeal of her mother’s famous jam drops was the way the soft filling contrasts with the crunchy shortcake base. Ali’s mother learnt the recipe from her mother, Gladys Barber.”Apparently, she baked them often when Grandad came courting. He used to tease Grandmum that he married her because she made such lovely jam drops!”
JOSEPHINE’S FAMILY-SIZED CHEESE AND SPINACH PIE
A souvenir of a short-lived Sydney adventure, this cheese and spinach pie has sustained Josephine Smith’s family for more than 30 years.
OLD-FASHIONED LEMON MARSHMALLOW SLICE
A crumbly biscuit base topped with layers of frothy marshmallow upon bed of zesty citrus curd make this old-fashioned lemon marshmallow slice recipe a family favourite.
BILL BEVAN’S PASSIONFRUIT SPONGE CAKE
Bill Bevan discovered his talent for baking late in life. “When my mother became ill during her early 50s, Dad took over the cooking and began to bake the cakes Mum fancied,” says Bill’s daughter, Sharne Sjostedt. “Mum really loved this sponge cake — it was her favourite.”
MAGGIE VELLA’S TIMPANA
Every Sunday, Maggie Vella would head to her small kitchen to cook two special dishes. One was a simple chicken-based soup that became known as ‘Nanna soup’; the other a baked pasta pie, called timpana, a traditional recipe from her Maltese homeland. “Nanna’s timpana was a staple at family get-togethers as well as a regular dish at home,” says granddaughter Tamarah Pienaar.
NANNY’S CHERRY SLICE
Millie McAuley – otherwise known as Nanny – came to Australia from Ireland in 1934 when she was 10 years old, and never left the country again. “Whenever we had a family picnic, she would bring a big tin of her famous cherry slice – it was always a crowd-pleaser. I also have memories of her coming to our house and quietly putting a bottle of delicious chocolate sauce in the refrigerator for us kids to enjoy.”
DELPHINE’S CINNAMON SPONGE CAKE
Although Bronwyn co*cks has inherited her grandmother’s handwritten cookbook — which includes recipes with fascinating names such as flatters cake, orange crumb pie, Mayfield tart and coffee kisses — she did not acquire her baking skills. “I prefer to sew rather than cook, but I can make cakes,” says Bon, who occasionally makes this cinnamon sponge from Delphine’s cookbook.
MARGARET IVORY’S GINGER FLUFF SPONGE CAKE
Margaret Ivory is famous for her ginger fluff and has baked this classic sponge cake recipe hundreds of times, for occasions ranging from family birthdays and school fetes to sports club functions and to cheer up sick friends. “Anyone who knows Mum, knows about the ginger fluff,” says her daughter, Gayle Donovan.
NAN’S HEIRLOOM TRIFLE RECIPE
For Winifred Smith’s extended family – which is made up of nine grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren – no family celebration, Christmas or birthday is complete without a rendition of her traditional fruit trifle, known affectionately as “Nan’s trifle.” Winnifred’s secret to the perfect trifle is “plenty of sherry.”
WriterOlivia Clarke
Olivia started her writing career at Home Beautiful magazine, moving on to become the Digital Managing Editor of Homes To Love and Home Beautiful. She lives and breathes homes and interiors and loves nothing more than dreaming up new design ideas (big and small) for her own home. Being married to a builder means there is always a project on the go and most weekends are spent with a paintbrush in hand or perusing Pinterest for inspiration.
