Book Jewish Judaica Kimberley South Africa HOME TRIED RECIPES Women Union

Shortly after the war, the Kimberley UJW produced a cookbook – to support the South African Jewish war appeal. It was called ‘Favourite Home-Tried Recipes.

In her forward, the UJW President Sara Sloman, was moved to say that ‘one is perhaps struck by the contrast between the well-being of the housewife who can afford to choose at leisure, varied and palatable dishes – and the dire hunger of the starving thousands of our people in devastated Europe’.

In this book must surely contain remembered tastes of Kimberley. The names of the cooks are some of those already mentioned above. There is Ann Frank’s cold beetroot soup, Hannah Frank’s gefilte fish; Ruth Broude’s sweet and sour herring. There is Mrs G Sussman’s Prune Chimas, Mrs Y Sachs Tomato Bredie and Mrs D Lurie’s Pitza (which in this case was brawn).

There were pickles, sauces and salads and hot and cold puddings. The delicious cakes and biscuits included Lily Jawno’s cheesecake, Fanny Brown’s Ginger Sponge and Ann Haberfeld’s Viyotas – some sort of cupcakes). It even contained a recipe for Stella Weinberg’s famous fudge, and an anonymous recipe for taglach. Surely all priceless today!

There were also household tips such as, how to freshen stale buns. (Dip them in milk and heat in the oven, butter while hot!) I remember my children bursting out laughing when reading some of these recipes which said: ‘Have the vegetables peeled and chopped’. (It might have been from another such book, but only in South Africa!)