Summary

Alternative Name(s): Cookery Booklet, Recipe Booklet

Printed booklet for use of a pressure cooker manufactured by the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation about 1947. It includes recipes divided alphabetically into desserts and fruit cake, fish, meats and poultry, soups, sauces, seasonings and gravies, and vegetables. The recipes include Brown Betty, Suet Pudding, Steamed Oysters, Lamb's Fry and Stuffed Steak.

The pressure cooker belonged to the donor's aunt, Melva Baker. She married in 1947 and lived in Yarraville, Melbourne. The pressure cooker may have been given to her as a present, or Melva may have bought it herself. A Melva Joyce Baker lived at 279 Hyde Street, Yarraville, according to the 1954 electoral roll. Her occupation was described as 'home duties'. Her weatherboard house is still standing. Melva Joyce Baker passed away in early 2013.

The Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC) was established in 1936 and manufactured aircraft in its Fisherman's Bend factory before, during and after World War II. After the war other products were manufactured by the CAC as a way of using the company's materials and technologies, including furniture, bathtubs and pressure cookers such as this example.

'CAC' pressure cookers were advertised in Victorian newspapers from 1947 until the early 1950s. They were described as 'the only cooker of its type that has the Automatic Steam Control, which means that it is SAFE and you don't have to stand by to regulate the steam' (Morwell Advertiser , 15 April 1948, p.4). In 1949 they were advertised for £4/17/6 (Shepparton Advertiser, 11 Nov 1949, p.13).

Physical Description

Printed booklet of 32 pages, off-white paper, staple bound. Cover has border of three lines with triangles at corners. Inside pages include a table of contents, instructions for use and recipes. The book is heavily worn, with stains, tears (including at spine) and corners rounded from use.

Title

'The C.A.C. PRESSURE COOKER Manufactured by COMMONWEALTH AIRCRAFT CORPORATION PTY. LTD. Melbourne - Australia'

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