Wonderful article. Here is a snippett that may be of interest
Recipe for Anzac Biscuits
1 cup quick cooking Oats
1 cup Sugar
3/4 c up Desiccated coconut
1 tb Golden syrup
125 g Butter or margarine (4oz)
1 1/2 ts Bicarbonate of soda
2 tb Boiling water
1 cup Plain Flour
Mix the flour, oats, sugar and coconut together. Melt the syrup and butter or margarine over gentle heat. Dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in the boiling water, stir into the syrup mixture and pour over the dry ingredients, stirring until
well mixed. Put heaped teaspoons of the mixture, about 5 centimetres (2 inches) apart to allow for spreading, on greased oven trays. Bake in a moderately slow oven (350F or 180C) for about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave on the trays for a few minutes, then lift off with a spatula. Enjoy...
During World War 1, the wives, mothers and girlfriends of the Australian and New Zealand soldiers were concerned for the nutritional value of the food being supplied to their men. Here was a problem. Any food they sent to the fighting men had to be carried in the ships of the Merchant Navy. Most of these were lucky to maintain a speed of ten knots (18.5 kilometers per hour). Most had no refrigerated facilities, so any food sent had to be able to remain edible after periods in excess of two months. A body of women came up with the answer - a biscuit with all the nutritional value possible. The basis was a Scottish recipe using rolled oats. These oats were used extensively in Scotland, especially for a heavy porridge that helped counteract the extremely cold climate.
The term ANZAC is protected under Australian law and therefore the word should not be used without permission from the Minister for Veterans' Affairs misuse can be legally enforced particularly for commercial purposes. There is a general exemption granted for ANZAC Biscuits, as long as these biscuits remain basically true to the original recipe and are both referred to and sold as ANZAC Biscuits and NEVER as cookies.
Maggy Stephan