The Barossa Cookery Book
a legacy since 1917

The Barossa Regional Gallery and Tanunda Soldiers’ Memorial Hall is the home and ongoing custodian of the Barossa Cookery Book.

The Barossa Cookery Book first appeared in September 1917, at a town gala event called an ‘Australia Day’, organized to raise money for the South Australian Soldiers Fund. Records show it was an initiative organized by Tanunda Institute Chairman Dr Frank Jűttner and Secretaries Mr W. Tuohy and Mr W.A. Bentley – although its original inspiration may have come from a suggestion made by the Women’s (sub) Committee.

The Cookery Book proved very popular and sold hundreds of copies in the following years, providing funds to support the maintenance of the Institute Hall. The Hall was later dedicated as a memorial to the soldiers of WWI.

Many households also used the Green & Gold Cookery Book. This was named after the school colours of King’s College in Adelaide and was produced in 1923 as a fundraiser for the new school. It contained 18 recipes donated by people from the eastern Barossa area.

Fifteen years after its original publication, the Tanunda Institute Committee decided to reissue the Barossa Cookery Book in a new edition. Difficult times had led to the state government’s withdrawal of funds for Institutes in 1931. The Institute Hall was an important building in town life, particularly as the venue for the popular Saturday night cinema. Funds were needed to buy new equipment to show the new moving pictures with sound.

Community leader, Liedertafel (Choir) Director and Institute Chairman Fritz Homburg was the instigator of the new 1932 Barossa Cookery Book. Advertisements in the local press invited contributions and there was much more community consultation than for the first edition. 600 new recipes were added to the existing ones. Included this time were German Barossa recipes for things like sour cucumbers, mettwurst, honey biscuits and streusel kuchen.

The Barossa Cookery Book has had many reprints and, 1932 cover design intact, continues its role as a fundraiser for the Hall to this day.

The current edition of the Barossa Cookery Book is available for sale through the Gallery Shop, open 11am to 4pm daily, for $15.00 each (+ postage if ordering online or via phone).