Cooks’ discovery of the South Pacific Islands
pp. 49-51 · Read in the full issue
South Pacific Islands
I was raised in the belief that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. After a recent browse through several larger book stores I felt that the old adage needs updating.
Irrespective of sex, the hearts (and pockets) ot today’s readers are being wooed by a plethora of books dealing with gastronomic delights. In each store a sizeable proportion of available floor space was devoted to cookbooks dealing with every conceivable aspect. except perhaps the culinary triumphs of the Eskimo.
There were books dealing with the art of cooking in countries around the world, from Russia to Indonesia, Israel to Mexico.
Yet, strangely, some of our nearer neighbours appear to have been neglected. Thus it was with pleasure that recently I perused two new cookbooks, both dealing with food in the Pacific Islands countries, or, more correctly food for Pacific Islanders.
The Papua New Guinea Cookbook is a no-nonsense titie which might deter some people because it sounds prosaic and localised, and, accordingly, of no interest to those unlucky enough to have neither lived in nor visited Papua New Guinea. But inside the covers is a very readable little book packed with information, not only
about local foodstuffs and food preparation, but also about the lives of the people, We read about planting and harvesting methods, and the ceremonies and rituals as sociated with food in Papua New Guinea. There is even a small section warning against “mockery foods”, which may look palatable but which could be disastrous for the un wary food sampler, The writer of this book, Anne McGregor, has lived for seven years in Papua New Guinea, and records in her in troduction the time and effort she spent getting the recipes and information about local foods and food customs. She deplores the passing of many old-time slow-cooking pro cesses which preserved the natural goodness of the food but she also grants that many modern utensils and new foodstuffs have given variety to the dietary patterns of to day’s Papua New Guinea, One of her reasons for writ ing the book is to help local women prepare food that looks and tastes better and is more nutritious. She also aims to preserve, where possible, what is traditional and to im prove it by modern means and the use of a greater variety of now-available foodstuffs, seasonings and spices, Enhanced by excellent photographs, many in colour,
the book is clearly set out and easy to follow, as every good cookbook should be. Instruc tions for individual recipes are kept as simple as possible.
Vegetarian recipes pre dominate. The author gives us the very logical explanation that animal protein can be a scarce luxury for many people in Papua New Guinea, although the coastal people fare better, having a wealth of fish and other forms of sea life to utilise to the fullest. In the entire book there is only one recipe using that delightfully named ingredient. hulumakan, which most of us know as beef.
Other Pidgin delights well worth mentioning are Fainap Long Fig (using boiled sliced ham, and not that notorious “long pig" of Captain Cook’s time). Mango M aunt in , achieving the peaks of success that every mousse should and Bikhets (big heads), which is basically chocolate-covered frozen bananas.
The author has surely achieved her objective of making people aware of good food in Papua New Guinea and my only quarrel with the book lies in its brevity. Here's hoping for further fascinating recipes in an enlarged edition at some future date.
The second book, the Facific Islands Cookbook . is larger, both in format and content.
The co-authors. Susan Parkinson and Peggy Stacy, have been collaborating in writing about cookery for a number of years and this is their second book. Their first, A Taste of the Tropics, is well known in the Islands. The Pacific Islands Cook Book, pertains particularly to Fiji, where both writers have lived, and where, in fact, Susan Parkinson has now made her home.
To some extent I feel that the title of the book is perhaps rather too generalised, although it can be claimed, quite justifiably, that many of the basic ingredients are com mon throughout the South Pacific area. Anyone familiar with different South Pacific countries will entirely agree that, although the names differ, there are many com mon recipes. I have sampled the delectable rourou in Fiji, but also in Apia, Pago Pago and Rarotonga, the only dif ference being in the name.
The common names of the Is
land foodstuffs are handily listed as an appendix.
This is an ambitious book with a number of objectives, the predominant one being to improve the standards of nutrition and cookery among Island housewives. Both authors are experienced nutri tionists.
It offers help in budgeting and meal planning, and sam ple menus listed would have met with the unqualified ap proval of Mrs Beeton.
As I read these menus I found my mind making in teresting comparisons be tween the listed goodies and the many Island feasts in which I have participated over a number of years, hav ing kept a home at different limes in the Cook Islands and Fiji.
The Pacific Islands Cook book begins with a very readable section on family health and nutrition, in cluding a clear diagram of the three basic food groups to be found in good meals. This could well be enlarged to poster size and hung in all Is lands kitchens for constant reference.
The chapters which follow are like those of most cook books soups, eggs, vegeta bles, meats and so on. right through to preserves and pickles. There is even a chapter on freezing show ing beyond doubt that Island housewives move with the times. I feel that the section devoted to alcoholic drinks strikes a discordant note and I hope that the opening state ment will be well noted “All alcoholic drinks are ex pensive”.
Apart from the attractive four-colour cover there are two glowing pages of colour photographs, and how 1 wish there had been many more such illustrations to embellish the book. The various black and white sketches at the beginnings of the chapters are simply and effectively drawn, although the variant spellings of mackerel on one of the “fish” pages are somewhat
disconcerting.
As I browsed through the Pacific Islands Cookbook I found my memories stirred and my taste buds tingling at the mention of delectable foods such as baked pawpaw, stuffed dalo leaves, turtle, bread fruit chips, and the fleeting duruka, which we an ticipated all year, enjoyed for
several glorious meals then mourned its passing from the scene for another year.
It is fascinating too, to realise the impact of other countries, notably India and China, on South Pacific cuisine. Their contributions have extended and enriched the diet and added extra zest and spice (a fact undoubtedly appreciated by anyone who has sampled a good, hot local curry).
This cookbook deserves a place on Island kitchen shelves and it could be safely predicted that many copies will find their way to bookshelves in Australia, New Zealand and further afield.
What better momento of a visit to the South Pacific than a practical volume about the foods one sampled? What a challenge to, say the Sydney or Auckland hostess, than to try some of its dishes, w ith her own adaptations where necessary? Pacific Islands Cookbook may be likened to a classic dish well prepared, attractively presented and easily digested. Merle //.
Coppell.
(Papua New Guinea Cookbook. By Anne
McGregor. Published by Jacaranda Press, Queensland $2 95. PACIFIC ISLANDS COOKBOOK By Susan Parkinson and Peggy Stacy. Published by Pacific Publications, Sydney. $5.95.)
What to eat
and why
Most islands of the South Pacific can produce enough nutritious food for their own requirements. They can get all they require in the way of pro tein, vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates from their own fruit and vegetables, fish, pigs and cattle.
But in spite of repeated ex hortations to do more of “their own thing” and con serve overseas exchange, the trend to processed imported food persists.
Well known Fiji nutri tionist, Susan Parkinson, in co-operation with the Fiji YWCA Nutrition Committee, has revised the South Pacific Handbook of Nutrition, first published by the South Pacific Health Service in 1964. It is now right up-to-date and ex panded where necessary to cater for changing needs. It is a practical reference for nutri tionists.
Traumatic NZ
Who’s Who
The latest edition of Who's Who in New Zealand has just been published, giving detail ed biographies of more than 3 000 people.
The book is welcomed because of the long seven-year gap since the 10th edition emerged.
The publishers. A. H. & A.
W. Reed, hope that in future the “Who's Who" might emerge every two years. The difficulty is finding an editor.
At present the “Who's Who" is compiled on a part-time basis.
Jim Traue. chief librarian of the Turnbull Library in Wellington, handled the task for this latest edition for five years, but feels that amateur editorship should end. “To do the job New Zealand de serves. we need a full time editor." he said.
His biggest surprise in com piling the names was the num ber of New Zealanders who refused to go in it. About 200 people had refused.
“There's something about the New Zealand attitude to pedigree the smell of the studbook that puts people off." Traue said.
Some people fought shy of appearing because of the num ber of Who's Who pub lications that want you to pay to appear in their editions, he said.
However, the book is a badly-needed mine of infor mation on most of the im portant people in New Zea
land.
William Gasson.
(Who's Who In New Zealand. 11Th
edition. Edited by J. E. Traue Pub lished by A. H & A. W. Reed. 65/67 Taranaki Street, Wellington. 300 pp